Author Archives: bilborg

About bilborg

I am who I am, there's plenty of data on this site to tell you more. Briefly, I'm a husband, computer geek, avid reader, gardener, and builder of furniture.

Out the Wazoo

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So, the good news is that I’m back on the upslope. Pending a relapse, I’ve gotten the better of this cold. I even got several hours of (non-contiguous) sleep last night. I did, however, fail at taking a nap during the day. Heck of a holiday weekend, eh?

What I did do today was as much of the week’s reading as I could manage. All of the Geology reading is done, and I’m slogging through Chapters 8 and 9 of my Principles of Software Engineering book right now. Slogging is the politest term I can come up with – I don’t find Roger Pressman’s writing very accessible. For example, in just one paragraph, I count sixteen references. And it’s not a very long paragraph, a mere seven sentences to support all that weight. Wow! (Thus, references are flying out the wazoo!)

Additionally, I love statements like this footnote (in Chapter 8): “You might consider reviewing Chapter 15 at this time.” Dude. If you consider the material in 15 to be prerequisite to Chapter 8, then you reorder the chapters. It’s a writing failure followed by an editing failure, IMO.

Tomorrow, back to the work world. I should rest, but I think I’ll read some more Pressman first. Ciao!

Plodding along.

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Someone who’s had a  bad cold in the last couple of weeks decided that I was lonely, and needed a cold, too. Thanks, Hon! Aches (but no fever), head congestion and throat pain. I sound like Kim Carnes on a bad day after a couple of packs of Parliments. But I make up for that with the loonie sense of not having gotten much sleep in the last two nights. I detect a little improvement, and hope to sleep better this evening.

How I feel has no bearing, of course, on the work that has to be done for school this weekend. I ended up writing about 29 pages of material in the last two days, and doing a couple of geologic diagrams, too. I used GIMP for one, and AutoDesk’s Sketchbook Express (SBX. Sounds like a new Cadillac model, eh?). GIMP is great, but it is a complex X11 application, and performance on OS X is teh suck. So I went poking around until I found SBX – it does a fine job for what I needed to do. Oh, yeah, school. I have three more weeks of overlap, then three weeks of just one course to finish out the Spring session. Then I’ll be four classes away from the finish line. Huzzah!

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

Pfc. Cesar Cortez, 24, of Oceanside, California, died Feb. 11, in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca, 20, of North Arlington, New Jersey, died Feb. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyler L. Estrada, 21, of Maricopa, Arizona, died Feb. 14 as a result of a non-combat related training incident in Djibouti.

Sgt. Jerry D. Reed II, 30, of Russellville, Arkansas, died Feb. 16, in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

Petty Officer First Class Paris S. Pough, 40, of Columbus, Georgia, died Feb. 17 during a port visit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

New Heat

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The old furnace

The old furnace

The old furnace was a wee bit crufty, and I really don’t like supplemental condensate pumps – they’re prone to failure, which makes a basement prone to water damage. But worst, we had a corroded burner in the old Janitrol, and not a replacement to be found – they don’t make them anymore. Now, thanks to A. P. Mathews, we have something new to heat the basement:

The new Trane

The new Trane

The new Trane – well, for starters it’s 21 years younger. It’s more fuel efficient, and moves more air, too. Two other big wins. We got rid of the condensate pump, and are using gravity to get to a sump access point. We also got rid of the effectively non-functional electrostatic air cleaner, and now have a HEPA filter in that inlet tunnel to the bottom left.

I’ve had A. P. Mathews under contract for the last 10 years, caring for our furnaces and AC units here at the house, they’re good, smart folks. Strongly Recommended!

One

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One …

One free minute would be nice. Yesterday, I sat for my take-home midterm in Geology. It took me 5 hours. I pity the folks who read slowly and are tortured when it comes to writing. After that, I gave several hours to working on the front matter for an SRS (System Requirements Specification) document due this weekend for my Software Engineering class. I had one bum system last night that needed (remote) rebooting and hand holding for about an hour. There were several Linux systems updates last night and this morning, followed by reboot and testing. I did the weekly shopping this morning, finished and submitted the SRS, and did reading for the upcoming week’s class work the balance of the day. I finished up one course’s reading about 15 minutes ago.

One … is about the number of degrees fahrenheit that it felt like this morning, walking the dog in 18 degrees as measured, and gusty winds on top of that. It never did get above freezing today.

And lastly (on this side of the fold), Marcia has one heck of a cold, poor girl.

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One casualty reported this last week by DoD. I got all excited for a moment, before Sergeant Sutton’s notice stopped hiding from my eyes, in between DoD Nutrition Standards and the Overseas Service Photography Project. None of my narrowly averted excitement takes away from my  somber gratitude for the service and sacrifice on the part of Sergeant Sutton. Our condolences to the Sergeant’s family, friends, and the 223 Engineeers:

  • Sgt. 1st Class Billy A. Sutton, 42, of Tupelo, Mississippi, died Feb. 7 in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan.

Gladiators: second door, down the hall, third office, please.

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Yeah, apparently there’s going to be a game of feet-baal or something like that. The pregame show was on the tube when we awoke this morning apparently, and may have been on before we retired last night, for all I know.

I’m all caught up on schoolwork for the moment. I have some reading to do for Geology, and an assignment and midterm for that class this week as well. My Principles of Software Engineering class starts tomorrow. I’ve done the first week’s reading for that, but there’s an assignment there, too. This new eight-week pressure cooker format is going to suck, I can just tell.

Marcia is doing her home physical therapy right now, stuff with weights and rolled up towels and strips of fabric – all in the service of extended bending and stretching and such. She’s doing GREAT, frankly. Stairs and all! Marcia starts back to work tomorrow.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

  • Sgt. William C. Stacey, 23, of Redding, California, died Jan. 31 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Lance Cpl. Edward J. Dycus, 22, of Greenville, Mississippi, died Feb. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province,
  • Brig. Gen. Terence J. Hildner, 49, of Fairfax, Virginia, died Feb. 3, in Kabul province, Afghanistan.

 

What Happened to January?

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Yeah, I know what happened. Surgery, school, work, life. Funny thing, that. I have lots of stuff I’d like to work on, and comment on, but I have no time, so I don’t, and I don’t. Marcia’s doing really well, though. Tonight is the last of the rat poison, and tomorrow is the last day for the by-now-truly-hated compression hose. I’m not personally a huge fan either, because I assist in the changing thereof, and wash each pair once a day, to keep them in rotation. But I’m still glad I haven’t had to wear them. Also, with the Coumadin out of the regimen, no more twice-a-week blood tests. So we’ve got that going for us…

*     *     *

Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

  • Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, 23, of Temecula, California, died Jan. 21 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Capt. Joshua C. Pairsh, 29, of Equality, Illinois, died Jan. 22 in the United States of a non-combat related illness.
  • 1st Lt. David A. Johnson, 24, of Horicon, Wisconsin, died Jan. 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosive device while conducting a dismounted patrol.

My Bad…

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Yeah, I know it’s Monday. The weekend got away from me, and evenings aren’t as free as they once were, or will be again. Marcia continues to make great strides (relatively speaking).

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

  • Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise, 34, of Little Rock, Arkansas, died Jan. 15 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries sustained on Jan. 9 in Balkh province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.
  • Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died Jan. 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho, died Jan. 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Spc. Keith D. Benson, 27, of Brockton, Massachusetts, died Jan. 18, in Paktika province, Afghanistan.
  • Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath, 25, Glendale, Arizona, died Jan. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Washington, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Capt. Nathan R. McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, 40, of Centerville, Iowa, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, 23, of North Beach, Maryland, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, New Jersey, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
  • Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas, died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Catch-up Time…

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Weirdly, the other night (Wednesday?) both of the touch lamps we use as bedside light broke and would no longer light. The proximal event was a light-bulb blowout on Marcia’s side (one of three small bulbs). I’ve observed in the past that the touch lamp circuitry, while incredibly convenient, seems to be terribly fragile (at least in consumer-grade gear) to spikes and dips. So yesterday evening I trundled down to Lowes and picked up a couple of three-way manually switched lamps and a pair of three-way CFL bulbs. Bloody profit-taking on the LED “bulbs” keeps those prices too high.

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In Marcia news, on Tuesday evening, she sprained a hamstring attachment point while straightening her leg to sit in the recliner. The surgeon’s office was called on Wednesday morning, and they waved her off of PT for the day, and saw her on suture removal day: Thursday, in the morning. 30 staples were removed, and two different PAs (Physician Assistant) evaluated her issues. With a modified PT order in hand, she went to PT on Thursday evening (where she ROCKED, and was graduated from walker to cane) and again on Friday morning, where she pushed really hard again. She’s making great progress, but pain is the price of progress. She doesn’t like that part so very much.

On the extra-good news front, they’ve told her she can stop taking rat poison on the 30th, and terminate the wearing of the compression stockings then, too. The process around the blood thinner and the stockings is pretty intense, and consumes a not-inconsiderable portion of each day.

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I’m finally getting caught up on the school work. The geology class is rolling, and has lots of reading and a fair amount of writing involved. I’ve finally done all of the work for week one, and forging ahead into week two’s work, since I want to be well ahead of the game before my Principles of Software Engineering course starts on 6 February.

Physical Therapy with a Chance of Walking

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Marcia continues to make stellar progress with her PT exercises – straight leg lifts that could not be done without an assist four days ago are now done on leg strength alone, and twice as high as before. Rockin’! She’s also doing 10-15 minute sessions of laps on the main floor of the house with her walker, and pain management is improving daily. Some neighbors dropped by today, with conversation, balloon, and chocolate to share with Marcia – she enjoyed the little bit of company, I think.

MLK day tomorrow, then I’ll do some work in the ensuing four days, maybe even some AT the office. Maybe the work will amount to half- or three quarter-days, wrapped around blood tests, staples out, and physical therapy for Marcia.

School “Spring” session starts for me on Tuesday, as well. Of course I’ve been pre-reading… The first class this session is also the last of my general education requirement courses, I’m taking Geology 100. I’m sure to learn a thing or two. The next class starts a couple of weeks down the road: Principles of Software Engineering. It’s an upper division elective class – all I have left are those.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

  • Staff Sgt. Jonathan M. Metzger, 32, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died Jan. 6 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
  • Spc. Robert J. Tauteris Jr., 44, of Hamlet, Indiana, died Jan. 6 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
  • Spc. Christopher A. Patterson, 20, of Aurora, Illinois, died Jan. 6 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
  • Spc. Brian J. Leonhardt, 21, of Merrillville, Indiana, died Jan. 6 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
  • Pfc. Dustin P. Napier, 20, of London, Kentucky, died Jan. 8 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from enemy small-arms fire.
  • Pfc. Michael W. Pyron, 30, of Hopewell, Virginia, died Jan. 10 in Parwan province, Afghanistan.
  • Pfc. Neil I. Turner, 21, of Tacoma, Washington, died Jan. 11, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.