Archive for 2008-09

Contact Details

2008-09-28 23:04

We have a new phone number that you can use to reach us in Switzerland. Non-techies: don’t worry about it, just dial it, it’s just like we never left Boston. Techies: It’s a Skype-In number.

Email or otherwise get in touch with us for details.

Moving Complaints

2008-09-26 22:41

I’m a bit sad today that we’re moving. Most of the hard work of the move on this end is now done… we just have to say some goodbyes, pack our luggage, and hop on a plane. Then the hard work starts on the other end. Right now we’re sleeping on the futon and air mattress in an almost empty, echo-y apartment.

Alex’s biggest complaint about the move (he’s been repeating this since Tuesday):

[Holding out 3 fingers] 3 guys came and take my TV to Brian’s house. 3 guys. My TV is gone.

Dina and I find it hilarious. At least he can still watch his favourite shows on the computers.

Positives:

  • Kids his age are supposed string together 3 or 4 word sentences occasionally. That was 10 words.
  • He’s using plurals correctly. He even knows some of the exceptions (like the fact that people doesn’t need an ’s’ at the end to be plural).
  • He’s using possessives correctly.

Negatives:

  • He’s totally addicted to TV.
  • He still has conjugation issues.

R.I.P.

2008-09-26 01:45

K.K. – 2008-09-26 05:34:42Z

Avid readers may wish to observe a moment of silence.

What I Do

2008-09-22 23:03

There are times I feel like this is what I do for a living:

Bob Slydel: What you do at Initech is, you take the specifications from the customers and you bring them down to the software engineers.

Smykowski: Yes. Y–Yes. That’s– That’s right.

Bob Porter: Well, then I just have to ask, why couldn’t the customers just take them directly to the– to the software people, huh?

Smykowski: Well, I’ll tell you why. Uh, because… engineers are not good at dealing with customers.

Bob Slydel: Uh-huh. So, you physically take the specs from the customer?

Smykowski: Well… no. M-My secretary does that, or they’re faxed.

Bob Slydel: Uh-huh.

Bob Porter: So then you must physically bring them to the software people.

Smykowski: Well… no. Yeah, I mean, sometimes.

Bob Slydel: What– What would you say you do here?

Smykowski: Well, look, I already told you. I deal with the goddamn customers so the engineers don’t have to. I have people skills! I am good at dealing with people! Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?!

Backlog of Random Thoughts

2008-09-21 22:19

Moving day is in 8 days. Life here is hectic. All the more so since I just had knee surgery. Life is good though… Dina and I are tired but functioning. Alex has been wonderful through out the process. Despite a no-longer-childproof apartment, he’s been great.

Advertising

The advertising during the TV Show “Eureka!” is interesting. They have actors from the show doing ads in character. During the show itself, they have obvious sponsor tie-ins. It’s pretty interesting… I think I like it.

Notes On Alex

  • He’s been singing some of the words to Seven by They Might Be Giants. Except he says “sand dunes” instead of sevens… on purpose (his version of a joke). He’s very cute when he says “We want cake! Where’s our cake!?”
  • It weirds me out when people in public (aka, strangers) pay a lot of attention to him. Last time Alex and I were at Tavern together in Central Square, some lady was essentially hitting on him. It was to the point where even her friends were weirded out by it.

Conversations With Alex

He correctly remembers couples and families.

Alex: Where’s mommy?

Me: Out with her friends, Michele, Dan.

Alex: Michele and Mario!!! Dan.

Another time.


N: You know who auntie Michele is married to?

A: Uncle Mario.

He makes odd associations.

Me: We’re going to eat in the square.

Alex: Dancing in the square?

Me: Pardon?

Alex: Square dancing!

And sometimes he answers incorrectly yet correctly.

Nick: Who’s Michele married to?

Alex: Married to?

Nick: Yes, who’s Michele normally with?

Alex: Uncle Dan!!!

I need to do better at updating our quotes page.

Twice Bitten

2008-09-18 10:00

First time I ordered an SD card online from Buy.com, received the 2GB card but the manufacturer folded before sending us the $50 rebate (on $60 purchase price).

Second time I ordered an SD card online from NewEgg.com, the 16GB card was lost in the mail and I don’t have time to re-order since we’ll be moving soon.

Filling In Forms for Alex

2008-09-18 09:09

It seems odd to me that Alex has frequent flier numbers, an email address, a passport (with height listed as 1′ 9″), yet no phone number.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

2008-09-09 19:30

We leave Cambridge on the 29th of September and start our new life in Winterthur on the 30th.

Surgery Bump

2008-09-08 13:11

The time for my knee surgery just got bumped… think it’s because of Brady?

Last Bash Before Switzerland

2008-09-03 23:47

Hi everyone!

As most of you have heard by now, we are moving to Switzerland at the
end of the month. We want to see everyone and have one last bash
before we go.

Saturday September 13, 2008

Our Place

3PM til late

We’ll have food. Something between nibbles and something more
substantial, depending on what the pantry has left and what we have
time to whip up. Bring some food to share if you’d like but it’s not
necessary. Bring drinks if you’d like (we probably won’t have much
beer – but you’ll have to bring home what ever’s left), but please NO
hard alcohol. We have too much alcohol and it needs to be finished
before we leave.

We’re going to be kid friendly from 3pm to about 8pm.

Hope to see everyone then.

Dina, Nick, Alex

PS- No one was intentionally left off the invite. Please forward along
to anyone we may have missed. SO’s, kids, pets, etc all welcome.

PPS- Sorry if you receive this message more than once, you must be on
a few of our lists.

Bank Account

2008-09-01 08:47

We’re in the process of opening a UBS bank account. Part of me keeps thinking that we should open a USB account, which would just be plug-and-play with our existing accounts.