News from Stanna.net

ok, I'm still working on the upgrade to the site. Version 1.6 is out and 1.7 looks like it removes the need for some of the modules I've been installing and setting up.

Well it's taken some time but we're getting there, the site is almost complete. Just in time for me to upgrade.

Happy 25th Anniversary, Tetris!

So this morning at 8:51 am I get an email from Stan. "Our homepage is blank, you need to blog something." I guess it's pretty sad to have a site with nothing on it, so here I am, blogging something. I've just been really busy lately. I've been participating in a get fit challenge at work, a team competition, in which the different teams are given the chance to work with a personal trainer for 12 weeks. We're in week 5. I feel great, amazing really. I am definitely more active. Now I want to go outside with the kids and do things.

This past weekend we even got out to the basketball courts to play a little. We had a great time, even if I did end up with an injury. The hard part about this fitness thing is the formula that I'm realizing. Your health/fitness is made of up 10% genetics, 10% exercise, and 80% nutrition. We all know that eating right is way harder to do than creating an exercise regimen.

So that's where I'm struggling. One piece at a time, though. I've pretty much mastered the perfect breakfast, and I seem to be consistent on that. I've also almost mastered the water intake. Supposed to do half you body weight in ounces. It can be rough, but I'm getting close every day. I go nowhere without my water. At today's nutrition class we'll talk about the next step. So, wish me luck! I'll try to get out here and blog a little more about it as the weeks go by. Happy Friday!

We can all take a deep breath.

Ladies, if you get a chance point your browsers over to blogher.com. It looks pretty neat. And it's time for all of us closet bloggers to get out there in the open, know what I mean? Blogging's too cool to go the way of the dinosaurs, so let's keep it going.

God Bless America.

In the words of my eldest brother,

"Run, do not walk to the iTunes store and spend the $3.99 for the season pass to [Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog]. ...End of Line... Seriously, do it now."

I know what you're thinking, I thought it too. How could anything be so good as to elicit this type of ultimatum from a brother to a sister. But after having done his bidding and watching it, I have only this to add: GO NOW. You MUST see this, it is going to be the best thing you've watched in a long time. Don't even talk to me until you done this. Seriously.

You may wonder why it is that you see 4-year-old pictures when you click on the family tag. I've been a bad girl. But you can see more at my mac.com gallery: http://gallery.mac.com/noonian. And if I remember I'll put it in the permanent links.

My laziness has reached an all time high. I don't blog. I don't walk. I haven't touched my camera in weeks. The front yard is a mess of weeds. There's even a spot on the ceramic tile at the table where the baby eats dinner that really needs a good scrubbing. I think it's the mental fatigue. I'm so mentally exhausted that when I do finish work or making dinner or helping with homework, etc, I just want to flop on the couch and watch t.v. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME! I need a jump-start. Any suggestions?

I can't believe this, certainly it can't be! It seems that the blog that was the main reason that I myself started blogging may be coming to a way-too-early end. CARS, a.k.a. Crazy Apple Rumors, has announced that they are on indefinite hyenas. And hiatus as well! Please, John, don't leave us. We can't take the cold turkey thing! Once a week maybe? At least a help desk now and then? How will we receive warning when the robot wars are finally upon us?

Because Mad Cow was already taken! I know I'm getting a little older. But really, it is just a little, right? I'm starting to notice signs that point to this phenomenon. Not just the obvious ones like falling asleep on the couch and yelling at neighborhood kids to, "Get off of my lawn!" No, these are more disturbing. Case in point. I've noticed that for a day or two each month I literally feel dazed and confused, struggling to answer even the simplest of questions. I know it's hormonal, but knowing why doesn't fix it. This period of confusion is always followed by a few days of amazing mental clarity. Problems I've had for weeks are suddenly easily solved. I'm very aware of everything around me, I'm able to remember well, it's incredible. Then that goes away and I'm back to my normal self. Whatever that is. I don't remember always being this way. This just started 2 years ago or so. Today I feel lost and disconnected from everything. Not lonely or depressed, don't confuse the feeling with that. Everything's just, well, fuzzy. I know that's not a good word, it's all I can come up with. I wonder if men experience anything comparable? Are they able to appreciate why women act the way they do for a few days a month? Or do they think we act this way on purpose? Will this eventually go away? And if so, what remains? The confusion, the clarity, or just the normal me? So anyway, if you have any questions for me, don't ask me until tomorrow.

In that post a few minutes ago I mentioned "however many years" we had been blogging.I just went back and looked. We've been blogging on this site since December of 2001.

WOW. I cannot believe it's been that long. There are some really funny stories out there, too. Here's a sort of late New Year's resolution.

I resolve that Stan and I will choose a new blogging platform that will have easy access to archives and an RSS feed. I further resolve that I will do a better job at actually posting to the blog! With pictures! Really!

 

So you do your part, and bother me when you see a few days go by with nothing. Okay? Okay.

I have never gone this long without blogging! Shame on me! So, I'm working on trying to find the best solution for our company's president to be able to have his own blog. There are so many more offerings today than there were however many years ago it was that Stan and I installed MovableType. I think that it might be time for us to make a change. I do really like having the software installed on our server. If you have any recommendations for Wordpress or LiveJournal or TypePad, whatever it may be, let us know!

Most of you know where I've worked for the last almost 13 years, and most of you have heard about the "Fountain Ceremony" that our Sales Force members covet. It involves them coming to the headquarters from all over the world and participating in a ceremony surrounding a somewhat famous fountain that stands in front of the main building, our Friendship Fountain, while the employees stand around cheering. I've watched many a fountain ceremony through the years. Now don't get me wrong?I'm sure that standing at that fountain was a big deal for each and every one of those people?but I didn't believe for one minute that their wishes would come true magically simply because they tossed a coin into that fountain. I may be a romantic, but come on, wishes in fountains is kids' stuff. So then yesterday to thank us for a stellar 4 quarters in a row, we employees were treated to a ceremony of our own around a new fountain that was erected in the back of the property for our Directors. As I stood around the fountain in the Director Honor Garden while coins were being passed out I was more than just miserable from the Florida July heat...I was hesitant. But only for a moment. The coin that the company's president gave me was not a nice, shiny, new coin, although we did receive just that later in the day. No. A quick look told me that this particular coin had made many trips in and out the Friendship Fountain. Countless others from all over the world had held this very coin. So many wishes?many of which have come true?had been made on this coin and the others my colleagues were holding. As I held that coin and reflected on what my wish might be, something magical did happen. The desire that had until now been only a whisper in my mind became somehow tangible. I could feel the weight of it in my hand and the texture of it between my fingers. I could turn it over and see all three dimensions of it. Just as if this were magic, my hope, my wish, my dream was suddenly...real. Now that it's real?swimming around with the wishes of my peers?I can't just dismiss it any longer. Now that it's real, I'll just have to go after it.

Okay, okay, long time no blog. You're just going to have to get over it. Really. Go on with your life, stop depending on my blog entries. Just kidding, you can keep on depending on them. You just might get let down every once in a while. Can't help it, nothing for it. Sorry. So, on to the subject of this entry--the middle child--Jacob. He's 4 now, and he has developed quite a personality. He already considers himself quite the lady's man--a skill that he is already trying to pass on to his younger brother Brian. Sunday morning I was sitting on the couch with Brian watching cartoons. Jacob came in and climbed up on the couch and started talking to Brian. I was pretty involved in the cartoon (can't remember what it was) but I caught the boys' conversation here: [Jacob had given Brian a throw pillow.] Jacob: Brian, hug the pillow like this. [Jacob hugs the pillow.] Like it's your lover. Hug it. [Brian stares blankly at Jacob.] Jacob: The pillow is your lover, Brian. Kiss it. Kiss it! [Jacob kisses the pillow just before he notices that I'm paying attention. Then he grins and goes back to playing.] Now before you start accusing me, it's not my fault. We are very careful about the shows that the kids watch, and other than the happy-ever-after kisses that he sees in the Disney animated movies he doesn't see much kissing. Well, he does see Stan and me kissing, but just little pecking kisses on the way out the door, etc. So this is all just natural born instincts developing in this 4-year-old. We saw signs as early as 2 when he would knock his sippy cup into the floor just as the pretty server was walking by just so that he could get her to pick it up for him. (If I picked it up he'd just knock it in the floor again. If she did it, he took it and grinned.) We saw signs again at the age of 3. On the way out of Cracker Barrel he noticed three cute 20-something girls sitting on one of the benches. He walked right up to them and told them they were pretty. They of course were charmed immediately by his adorable 3-year-old-ness. They grinned and said thank you. Stan and I smiled nervously at them. What happened next surprised everyone. Jacob then said to the girls, "I want to take you home with me." Come on, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. It's all true. It's not just the lover-boy attitude either. He has a knack for saying very grown up things in the proper context, and he also seems to know when to say things out of context just to get a laugh. Saturday night we were on our way to the hospital to visit Grandma (she's doing fine, more on that later.) We were listening to a Christmas CD we had purchased earlier that had a variety of Christmas songs by lots of different artists. We had no idea that the Singing Dogs version of Jingle Bells was on it. I swear. Somehow we missed that part but there they were, barking out Jingle Bells. The kids exploded with laughter. Then halfway through the song it happens. Jacob says with exasperation, "This song is going to be stuck in my head for a week!" Okay, just one more Jacob story and I'll leave you alone. I didn't think he was too worried about Santa because he's been behaving a bit on the naughty side. I have mentioned warnings to him during the last few days, but that's about it. Monday night we were watching "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." During a commercial he says to me, "Mommy, am I on the Naughty list or the Nice list?" I replied, "I don't know, Jacob, only Santa knows that." Without skipping a beat he asks, "Do you have Santa's phone number?" So I guess he is worried. Anyway, in case I don't make it back out here again before Christmas, have a very Merry one!

Carved last night. Enjoy, and have a great Halloween!

Why? (Removed as source file was moved.)

So I get a call from the school at 11:30 this morning. Kirsten is not feeling well, could I come pick her up? No explanation about what is wrong, just that she's not feeling well. I drive to the school and go to the office where Kirsten has her nose pressed against the glass door waiting for me. Once I go in she jumps up and smiles and says, "Mommy!" I ask her what's wrong about 6 times before I get the answer that her forehead is hurting. She mentioned that last night as well. So I sign her out and we head to the van. Halfway down the drive, she's stops. "Mommy, later if I feel better can I come back?" I explain that once she leaves she can't come back. She gets pretty upset about this and declares that she doesn't want to leave. After much discussion I came to the conclusion that mild headache or not she was feeling fine. So back in to see the teacher we went, and she ended up staying.

With Stan's Mom a.k.a. "the babysitter" back in town for a week now, I thought it would be nice if Stan and I could get out of the house for an evening. I checked with "the sitter" and she was fine with it. So Friday night I told Kirsten and Jacob that I thought I would ask Daddy out on a date Saturday night. Of course that's hilarious and yucky all at the same time to them, so they made all sorts of faces. Saturday night came and Stan and I went out for dinner and a movie. (Pirates was great, by the way.) When we got home everyone was asleep. Sunday came and went and no mention was made of Mommy and Daddy's date night. Yesterday morning as I was getting ready for work, Jacob ran into our bedroom shouting, "Mommy, Mommy!" Here is how the conversation went: Me: What? Jacob: [loudly and excitedly] Remember not yesterday but the day that you took Daddy out on a date? Me: Yes? Jacob: [normal quiet voice now] Did you have fun? Me: [choking on a laugh] Yes, we did have fun baby. Jacob: What did you do? Me: We went out to eat dinner, and then we saw a movie. Jacob: And then what did you do? Me: We came home. He then smiled and left the room, satisfied with my answers. Somebody tell me what's going on in the 4-year-old brain of his!

So Friday night after dinner I headed out to mow the lawn. Before I did, I gave Kirsten and Jacob permission to watch the Disney channel in her bedroom. (I don't like the other cartoon channels because of the commercials... the kids end up asking for everything they see.) Anyway, I cut the grass, came inside for a quick shower, and then sat down on the couch around 8:30. Now 8:30 is the kids' normal bedtime during the week. Sometimes we let them stay up a little later on the weekend, but we try to be close to 8:30 when possible. Kirsten came in just after I sat down and I mentioned to her that it was getting close to time for bed. Her response, "But Mommy, can we PLEASE stay up until 9/8 Central?" It was hard not to laugh. I asked her what was coming on, Tarzan II, and then in a moment of weakness caused by holding in the laughter I agreed to let them stay up and watch it. Of course, they were asleep before it was over.

Your results:

Click here to take the "Which Superhero am I?" quiz...

This happened two weeks ago. I tripped over one of the many toys in my family room and ended up putting most of my weight on my toe while it was bent under my foot. It didn't start turning colors until a week ago, and it's gotten a bit darker since then. So, the question of the day probably isn't IF I'll lose it, but when. Is it true that if you lose a nail the one that grows back is never as pretty as the one you lost? If so, I'll be devastated!

It's not that I don't have enough to do at work. I'm finishing a big project and doing some little stuff here-and-there. But I'm bored with what I am doing. Probably just a phase, right? Talk me through it, 'kay?

For Dori. Michael S. Cox is a spammer.

I've had too much of not having enough. I know that sounds clich?, but try living just one day of my life. There's too much to do and too little time to do it in. Seriously. Something has to give and lately it's my sleep time. And my FMS is not too happy about that, I must say. Work is demanding more than it's 8-hour per day share, the kids (although I love the dearly) only need more time as they get older. And 3 of them? What were we thinking? Okay, we weren't really thinking, but yeesh! Not that I would trade any one of them for the world, but they are quite a handful. Okay, and what's this about? There are too many objects in my house that are rechargeable, and not enough accessible electrical outlets for their recharging. Here, I'll name a few. 3 cell phones, 1 bluetooth device for one of the cell phones listed, 2 handheld video games, 3 baby montior transmitter/receivers, Stan's toothbrush, my iPod, my PowerBook, 3 land-line telephones... I think that's mostly it. And unless you want to move some furniture to find them, there aren't enough electrical outlets to charge all these items! Houses of the future will probably have re-charging areas with lots of outlets. My next house will have one if we have anything to do with it... we want to build our next house. Oh, and there's always too many bills and not enough money. That never ends. If only we could win the lottery. Anyone live in a powerball state who could buy me a ticket? I wonder what it's like not to worry about money? Okay, that's it for this rant. Sorry I haven't been blogging lately, but, well, you just read this entry, right?

I'm so restless the last couple of days. I don't know why. I just can't seem to sit still. And that's bad, since I'm a programmer and I'm supposed to just sit in front of a computer all day.