August 9th 2010 · Read More · Comments(2)
Crikey. Actually, it could even be 39 weeks at this point; the estimate was between 15th and 20th of August. Von’s back continues to mend, slowly, thanks to our lying around all weekend.
Last week was the Sydney Uni (SUMS) puzzle hunt. Our team did pretty well, and I was delighted to have a significant part in solving several of the puzzles (acting as a stand-in for Steven, who was unable to participate due to moving house). Once again, a magnificent set of puzzles. Thoroughly enjoyable.
I started creating a new puzzle after a sudden flash of inspiration in the middle of the night on Saturday.
August 2nd 2010 · Read More · Comment(1)
OK, I’m better now. That was just a lot of work potentially wasted. Months and months.
Good news everyone! Von’s still doing well, though monkey has not descended any further than 3/5. But everything is healthy and good, and Von’s back is feeling quite a bit better for three days of rest.
August 2nd 2010 · Read More · No Comments
I’m… about… to… blow… my… stack.
It’s nobodies fault. It’s about an ostensibly minor thing (a puzzle I’ve been working on for the last three months or more). However, while I normally have low blood pressure, it currently feels like my head is floating in a pulsing pressure cooker of blood.
Grr.
Bother.
Sad face.
Bastard scum.
Pooooooooooooop.
SNNNRRRGGHHAAAHRRHHH
July 29th 2010 · Read More · Comments(2)
Go monkey! Monkey is currently 3/5 engaged, which probably doesn’t mean what you think it means, if your thought processes run similarly to mine, which is improbable.
Well, I’ll tell you. It means that monkey has started deciding to escape, and his or her head is facing downwards and has descended 40% into the pelvis. Last week monkey was 4/5 engaged, ie. 20%. To me, the numbers seem a bit backwards, but I’m sure there’s a good reason.
July 27th 2010 · Read More · Comments(2)
It’s been difficult getting the time to practice much lately, but it’s also been really enjoyable when I do. I’m spending most of my practice time doing exercises. It’s beginning to pay off. For years I’ve been avoiding rest stroke (where you strike the string such that the finger follows through and rests against the next lower string) ’cause my guitar tutor taught me free stroke, which is more generally applicable. But the exercises demand rest stroke, and after a good bit of embarrassment and ratcheting down the metronome, I’m now better at some exercises in rest stroke than in free stroke.
After the exercises this morning, I was playing a piece (one of the Sor studies) and I got to one of the sections I’d always had a bit of trouble with. And lo, playing the melody in rest stroke was easier and sounded nicer that free stroke. Still not perfect, but highly encouraging.
July 19th 2010 · Read More · No Comments
A busy weekend of breaking fingernails assembling Ikea furniture. While the bookcases were straightforward (if time-consuming), the baby changing table was a nightmare of not-quite-fitting parts. Either the chipboard sheets had swollen slightly, or they really did need to be sanded down at the edges in order to fit into the frames. Perhaps they’re just getting us used to advanced problem solving, specialising in intractable objects. One more bookcase to assemble next weekend, then I can nurse my fingers back into guitar-playing conditions.
The assembly was part of a general nesting activity, in which we moved the piano upstairs, unpacked boxes of books, threw away old clothes and unboxed junk, moved lots of furniture, and did a whole lot of cooking (my chicken pie recipe is getting really good now). It’s nice to be at work where I can relax.
Oh yeah! We also did DMM’s Draftikar on Friday evening. It’s a home-made magic:the gathering set that takes advantage of the fact that we draft cards using numbered sleeves. It was hilarious, and many of the cards are totally broken, and I really think we’re breaking new boundaries in nerdiness.
As as a reward for getting this far: Monkey is going very well. Five weeks to go!
July 15th 2010 · Read More · Comments(5)
July 15th 2010 · Read More · No Comments
Our roof has been leaking a little, leading to a wet and moldy patch on the ceiling. We finally got around to calling a roofer yesterday. He happened to be in the area, and, though neither of us was at home, based on Von’s description quickly found and replaced a broken tile. Also, he didn’t charge us.
That roofer’s details are going STRAIGHT ON THE FRIDGE.
July 14th 2010 · Read More · No Comments
Both Von and I woke up on Saturday with the dread lurgi, which we spent the entire weekend and Monday fighting. I was victorious on Tuesday, but Von was out until Wednesday. Picking on a pregnant woman, lurgi? That’s pretty low.
Anyway, Von watched a lot of her “Three Kingdoms” soapie, and I finally finished Half-Life 2, played all the way through Half-Life 2: Episode 1, and downloaded “Duel of the Planeswalkers” which was good simple fun. It’s been a while since I got stuck into computer games.
Meanwhile, chores are still outstanding and our new Ikea furniture is failing to build itself. Botheration.
July 9th 2010 · Read More · Comment(1)
Sideways? Is that the way it’s going to be? Monkey’s quest for originality continues as it discovers that lying completely sideways in the womb is its new favorite position EVER.
Don’t worry monkey. Do your sideways lying while you can. Enjoy these halcyon days. Some day – not today, not tomorrow, but one day and for the rest of your life – you’ll look back on this time and be all “that’s so last week”.
Preferably next week.
