I guess there is been a bit of a lull in my blog recently. No specific reason just going about with my daily life. I finished up an update to my SMS gateway last week. It reminded me of being back in College and cramming for an exam. It wasn’t like I had been putting it off but it wasn’t like I had been working over time on it either. Two weeks before it was due I decided that I needed to start putting some extra time in or all I was going to have was a bunch of excuses instead of a product on the day it was due. I started working a few extra hours each day and during the first weekend. Each day I wasn’t as far as I wanted to be but felt that I had more then enough time to get it done. Well after working 13 days straight I wrapped it up with a good 8 hours to spare. The day after it went live the department requesting the changes started using it. My previous boss once told me that the most efficient tool is an immovable deadline and I agree. It was immovable because I finished it on Saturday and on Sunday aconsultant came in from London to help me install some software and I wouldn’t be able to get back to the SMS Gateway for two weeks at the earliest.
To make matters worse I ran out of my ADD medicine during the middle of this. I had been contemplating taking myself off the medicine but I’ve realized what an impact that it has. It doesn’t make me Einstein but it does take the edge off and helps me to focus that much more during meetings and while I’m writing code. It will most likely be another week before I can get around to see a doctor and getting a new prescription. Isn’t that the most ironic thing? I have ADD which causes me to be scatter brained and forget things but to get help I have to remember to make an appointment etc.
London HuhThe consultant from London is a nice guy but kind of exemplifies the stereotypical Londoner like John Wayne or George Bush exemplifies the typical Texan. I felt like a little kid when he came to set things up. I had spent all my time on the other project so when we were getting things rolling on the ImageNow software it was a little rough at first.
Phil: So did you get those passwords and accounts setup like I asked?
Me: Yeah, you see there was this project and well … no.
Phil: How about those ISIS drivers do we have those for the scanners
Me: Hmm … again I’m going to have to say no on this one.
It really wasn’t that big of a deal and in the end it made sense. Should I bust my butt to prepare 100% for a guy we are paying to be over here or for a project that my boss needs. I got all the major things done and we just took a little while to get the ball rolling. After the first week we are on schedule and the Office of Admissions and Records have a fun new toy to work with.
Pilgrim’s BugPoor Phil had trouble with more then just me not getting all my work done. After the first couple of days he got some nasty stomach bug. While we were at dinner on Thursday I literally watched him throw up and catch it in his mouth. It wasn’t like it coming half way up your throat and swallowing it. It looked like projectile vomit hitting the back of his teeth and then him trying to send it back down with as much force. After his brief fit of convulsions at the table he was great and insisted that we stay there so not to ruin the rest of the evening for the rest of us.
A friend of mine who shall remain nameless had a bout of the same bug. Unfortunately it was much worse and after 24 hour asked Kara and I to take them to the hospital. Before going Kara suggested acquiring a stool sample before going. Apparently it’s easier to zip lock your stool at home then to oblige any request they give you there. We tried calling the hospital before leaving but no luck on them answering. What emergency room is going to answer the phone anyways? Usually it’s just some sick people looking for sympathy. Ahh my stomach hurts, ow I broke my leg, look at me my right eye popped out. Boo hoo, if you are sick just come by. So with stool sample in hand that’s what we did. It was pretty amusing to see a person sick as a dog trudge up to the counter let them know it was coming out of both ends and drop the specimen next to the red crescent jar telling them what it is. The doctor ended up giving them a two IV and sent us all home. While waiting learned that in South Africa a stool sample is referredto as a monster. Wow, that’s hard not to laugh at.
Kara has been sick as well. Not to the extent that requires a doctor’s visit on to play vomit ping pong in her mouth but enough that it has sidelined her for a while. Some coworkers said that those coming back from Haj (the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca) have brought back some sort of bug. Mainly because a lot of people coming from a different area will tend to bring back some new bacteria that everybody has to get used to.
In other newsOther then feeling a little sick Kara has picked up the perfect job. She is teaching one class at the American School of Doha for 45 minutes a day. Since she is there already that means she is the first person on the sub list as well. Yes she is now my Sugar Mama. She really likes it and it still gives her the freedom she needs to do Ladies Bible Studies and meet with local types.
We have been determining when we will get to go home for a while now and we have just about got it all hammered out. I will be attending Microsoft’s Tech Ed at the beginning of June and then go to Texas for about 10 days. I must say that I’m looking forward to seeing Texas after being away for so long. I also know the time will go by incredibly fast. We are still planning on spending two weeks in Germany and Sweden but the Lonely Planet books haven’t even come in yet so those plans are still tentative. We had considered going to Syria on our way to Europe but after learning that our ambassador has been brought back to the US we are thinking that this may not work out. But who knows I never thought Saudi Arabia would be possible. We want to go to Syria only because a friend of ours is getting married and we thought it would be a great time to see a wedding from another culture.
Thanks GMSV for the valentines day love http://www.zefrank.com/valentine/flash.html
I also like Tech Ed because it is some what of a vacation. Even when your brains are leaking out at the end because of information overload you still enjoy it. And the T-Shirts, did I mention the T-Shirts. If for some reason you are not able to clothe yourself but can manage the $2000 registration fee this place is perfect. I wonder if employers enjoy the fact that their employees spend a good 2 hours a day talking to sales reps who’s product they have not intention of buying for a piece of cotton with their loge scrawled across the back. The first year I went I was more then guilty of this. Last year I slipped a little but tried to keep it in perspective. I was having flashbacks from college when I would sign up for a credit card to get a T-Shirt I didn’t even like. Because I can, that’s why. I’m coming to the realization that some legitimate learning will probably do more for me when I get back to the office then a couple of extra pieces of cotton.
