Really, February 5th? I gotta get better at updating this.
So, everyone is back to what passes for normal in our house, which is a nice change of pace.
I've been a bit busy with work lately, and prepping for my 2 weeks of active duty which I'm doing now. Those of you who know me on Facebook know where I am, but I kept the rest of you fine folks in the dark. Sorry 'bout that.
Left DC on Saturday last for a fortnight in Jolly Olde, just in time to miss the 9 inches of snow that I'm sure crippled DC. Talk about timing... I'm in the same place I went last year in East Anglia. A bit colder this time of year, but I'm not complaining. I guess I could complain, but it wouldn't seem, you know, proper. The base wi-fi was down for the better part of 2 days, but we all make sacrifices for the sake of the Service.
Of course, it's not all Beer and Skittles over here. Ale and Chips is more like it. I've managed to PT every day, which I fear is hardly putting a dent in the gallon or so of beer that I feel compelled to drink whilst I'm here. General Order #1, never heard of it around here.
Seriously, I miss The Wife and Kid terribly, but the email updates from home are wonderful.
I hope to have some pics up soon. Until then, cheerie-o and all that.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Patient Zero
In epidemiology, the term Patient Zero is sometimes used to refer to the initial patient in an epidemiological investigation. It is more formally known as the Index Case, but whatever the name is, it refers to "the guy that started it all".
We're still trying to piece together who exactly Patient Zero is here at Casa del Jeopardy. Suffice it to say, things are bad. Yours truly had the one-two punch of Influenza followed by rapid onset norovirus, which made for an uncomfortable 2 weeks. And we're not out of the woods yet. Lacking a BSL-4 facility at home complete with space suits and a laminar flow hood, restricting contagion among the nuclear family was all but impossible. The best we could do was to isolate as much as possible and keep our contact with the outside world to a bare minimum. We were going to spend some time with our adopted midshipman (is midshipperson even a word?) last weekend, but the thought of being responsible for infecting the entire Brigade at the Trade School brought forth visions of a very distressed LTjg being court-martialed for violating articles 93, 133, and 134 of the UCMJ. Good times.
The two upsides?
1) There are numerous over-the-counter medications that will take away the symptoms and knock you out for the duration.
2) The Wife was so extraordinarily helpful that she deserves some sort of award from the Public Health Service.
Norovirus is uncomfortable but not very threatening, which is a relief. I'll spare you the details, but I could probably tell you how many 1 inch tiles there are in each of the bathrooms in the house.
The flu just sucks all that and more. It made my skin hurt and made me sleep about 18 hours a day.
Viruses are a fascinating bunch of things. They are both very simple and deceptively complex in their makeup, replication and life cycle. They make for fascinating detective stories, both historical and contemporary. A sort of a whodunit with the smallest of perps. Of course it's not their fault. That's what they're designed to do. You don't blame the dog for being a dog, or something like that.
With most viruses, your immune system builds up an immunity after the first infection (that's why vaccines work and you don't usually get chicken pox more than once), but the good folks at the CDC had this distressing little tidbit about mr. norovirus:
"It appears that immunity may be strain-specific and lasts only a few months; therefore, given the genetic variability of noroviruses, individuals are likely to be repeatedly infected throughout their lifetimes."
So I've got that going for me. Which is nice. I may have to get more magazine subscriptions.
We're still trying to piece together who exactly Patient Zero is here at Casa del Jeopardy. Suffice it to say, things are bad. Yours truly had the one-two punch of Influenza followed by rapid onset norovirus, which made for an uncomfortable 2 weeks. And we're not out of the woods yet. Lacking a BSL-4 facility at home complete with space suits and a laminar flow hood, restricting contagion among the nuclear family was all but impossible. The best we could do was to isolate as much as possible and keep our contact with the outside world to a bare minimum. We were going to spend some time with our adopted midshipman (is midshipperson even a word?) last weekend, but the thought of being responsible for infecting the entire Brigade at the Trade School brought forth visions of a very distressed LTjg being court-martialed for violating articles 93, 133, and 134 of the UCMJ. Good times.
The two upsides?
1) There are numerous over-the-counter medications that will take away the symptoms and knock you out for the duration.
2) The Wife was so extraordinarily helpful that she deserves some sort of award from the Public Health Service.
Norovirus is uncomfortable but not very threatening, which is a relief. I'll spare you the details, but I could probably tell you how many 1 inch tiles there are in each of the bathrooms in the house.
The flu just sucks all that and more. It made my skin hurt and made me sleep about 18 hours a day.
Viruses are a fascinating bunch of things. They are both very simple and deceptively complex in their makeup, replication and life cycle. They make for fascinating detective stories, both historical and contemporary. A sort of a whodunit with the smallest of perps. Of course it's not their fault. That's what they're designed to do. You don't blame the dog for being a dog, or something like that.
With most viruses, your immune system builds up an immunity after the first infection (that's why vaccines work and you don't usually get chicken pox more than once), but the good folks at the CDC had this distressing little tidbit about mr. norovirus:
"It appears that immunity may be strain-specific and lasts only a few months; therefore, given the genetic variability of noroviruses, individuals are likely to be repeatedly infected throughout their lifetimes."
So I've got that going for me. Which is nice. I may have to get more magazine subscriptions.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Olympic Update
Sort of an update to the previous post. Since there is no one-person bobsled event currently in the Olympics, it's got to be either a 2 or 4 person team The Kid of which the kid will be a part.
As luck (or coincidence) would have it, there seems to be teammate in training a few hundred miles away from us as we speak.
Longtime readers may remember our friend Julianna. Turns out that she's into the bobsledding thing too.
As luck (or coincidence) would have it, there seems to be teammate in training a few hundred miles away from us as we speak.
Longtime readers may remember our friend Julianna. Turns out that she's into the bobsledding thing too.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Winter Wonderland
Last Friday, The Wife, The Kid, and I all got in the car for the 4+ hour drove to the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains for to spend a few days with friends. A rented house at Wintergreen seemed just the thing for a winter get-together with the same group of folks we go to the beach with every June. All sand and no snow makes for a boring routine. Don't get me wrong, we're still going to the beach in June. This was just a short and very cold prelude.
Did The Kid like it? You be the judge...
What is it that makes bundled-up kids so danged cute?
"Daddy, my lips are frozen..."
Inside fun in a bouncy castle.
What was the best part? That would be the sled, which she didn't want to get out of. Probably because it required me to ferry her around like a princess.
I even had her Uncle Jason haul her up the hill to get a better video of her coming down.
There you have it. The first video of a future Team USA Gold-Medal Olympic Bobsledder. I thought maybe the Luge was a bit cooler, but have you seen what they wear? There's no way I'm letting her out in public wearing something like that. Don't even get me started on the whole "co-ed doubles luge" thing.
Did The Kid like it? You be the judge...
What is it that makes bundled-up kids so danged cute?
"Daddy, my lips are frozen..."
Inside fun in a bouncy castle.
What was the best part? That would be the sled, which she didn't want to get out of. Probably because it required me to ferry her around like a princess.
I even had her Uncle Jason haul her up the hill to get a better video of her coming down.
There you have it. The first video of a future Team USA Gold-Medal Olympic Bobsledder. I thought maybe the Luge was a bit cooler, but have you seen what they wear? There's no way I'm letting her out in public wearing something like that. Don't even get me started on the whole "co-ed doubles luge" thing.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Giant Fun
So I decided that I owed my wife a solid last night and planned to pick up The Kid from daycare and then run by the grocery store for to pick up some essentials (milk, coffee, juice, etc.). It was cold, rainy, and generally unpleasant, so I figured that a solo grocery run in bad weather would be appreciated all the more.
I’m going to preface this next part by stating that I love my wife dearly. I say this because in addition to being a loving husband and father, I am, at my most basic and fundamental level, a guy.
I un-strapped The Kid from the back seat and proceeded to carry her into the local food purveyors’ establishment. I couldn’t help but notice that the percentage of women looking at me and smiling seemed a bit higher than normal. Sure, I’m used to being ogled by the ladies, but I started to think that perhaps I had something in my hair, or had donned some manner of fashion faux pas that morning that would be brought to my attention when I arrived home to the sweet sounds of “Welcome home honey. Is that what you wore today?” As if there was any doubt.
Back to the store. The Kid goes into the cart, and the smiling continues. I believe I was in the canned goods section when I realized that: a) I looked fine, and b) The Kid is a babe magnet.
20 month olds that look like this…
are apparently soccer mom kryptonite. They are powerless when confronted with it.
The Kid behaved marvelously, which probably only enhanced and concentrated her newly discovered powers. Casually tossing a conspicuously placed copy of “Single Parent” magazine into the cart probably would have driven some of those women into a veritable frenzy, so I opted against it.
Made it out of the store with only one impulse buy (an Elmo toothbrush which The Kid espied and promptly demanded, but needed anyway), and got home none the worse for wear. But certainly with a heightened appreciation for everything The Wife does around the house.
As to the attention from all those lovely ladies, I just let it roll off my back. There’s only one woman out there I’m trying to impress.
I’m going to preface this next part by stating that I love my wife dearly. I say this because in addition to being a loving husband and father, I am, at my most basic and fundamental level, a guy.
I un-strapped The Kid from the back seat and proceeded to carry her into the local food purveyors’ establishment. I couldn’t help but notice that the percentage of women looking at me and smiling seemed a bit higher than normal. Sure, I’m used to being ogled by the ladies, but I started to think that perhaps I had something in my hair, or had donned some manner of fashion faux pas that morning that would be brought to my attention when I arrived home to the sweet sounds of “Welcome home honey. Is that what you wore today?” As if there was any doubt.
Back to the store. The Kid goes into the cart, and the smiling continues. I believe I was in the canned goods section when I realized that: a) I looked fine, and b) The Kid is a babe magnet.
20 month olds that look like this…
are apparently soccer mom kryptonite. They are powerless when confronted with it.
The Kid behaved marvelously, which probably only enhanced and concentrated her newly discovered powers. Casually tossing a conspicuously placed copy of “Single Parent” magazine into the cart probably would have driven some of those women into a veritable frenzy, so I opted against it.
Made it out of the store with only one impulse buy (an Elmo toothbrush which The Kid espied and promptly demanded, but needed anyway), and got home none the worse for wear. But certainly with a heightened appreciation for everything The Wife does around the house.
As to the attention from all those lovely ladies, I just let it roll off my back. There’s only one woman out there I’m trying to impress.
Untitled
I was going to post a humerus anecdote about taking The Kid to the grocery store solo last night, but events have transpired that have led me to postpone that one.
Back at the end of 2007, I wrote about an acquaintance of mine who was who was fighting a brain tumor.
I and many others followed his progress on his website, but it became clear last summer that his health was declining. His daily postings were becoming erratic and almost nonsensical until his brother took over and chronicled what was happening.
At 6:22 last night, David drew his last breath and was finally at peace. He was released from his suffering and went to the place where all of us, as humans, will eventually go. It is our one shared destiny.
His writings were inspiring to all who read them, and it wasn't hard to get something valuable out of them. Focus on what's important. Stay optimistic. Make a positive contribution. Never give up.
In the end, I don't like to think that he did give up. Nor did he "lose" his "battle" with cancer. It was never a fair fight. Maybe there was a reason for it. It did enabled him to use his gifts and serve as an valuable voice for those who have dealt with or will deal with the same thing. Perhaps that was his purpose for being here in the first place. I'm sure it's little solace to his family now, but I like to imagine that sometime in the future, another brain cancer survivor will find inspiration in his story enough to thank David's family personally.
Maybe that's just me being overly sentimental. Could be, but I have faith it will happen. I'm staying optimistic.
Like David did.
Back at the end of 2007, I wrote about an acquaintance of mine who was who was fighting a brain tumor.
I and many others followed his progress on his website, but it became clear last summer that his health was declining. His daily postings were becoming erratic and almost nonsensical until his brother took over and chronicled what was happening.
At 6:22 last night, David drew his last breath and was finally at peace. He was released from his suffering and went to the place where all of us, as humans, will eventually go. It is our one shared destiny.
His writings were inspiring to all who read them, and it wasn't hard to get something valuable out of them. Focus on what's important. Stay optimistic. Make a positive contribution. Never give up.
In the end, I don't like to think that he did give up. Nor did he "lose" his "battle" with cancer. It was never a fair fight. Maybe there was a reason for it. It did enabled him to use his gifts and serve as an valuable voice for those who have dealt with or will deal with the same thing. Perhaps that was his purpose for being here in the first place. I'm sure it's little solace to his family now, but I like to imagine that sometime in the future, another brain cancer survivor will find inspiration in his story enough to thank David's family personally.
Maybe that's just me being overly sentimental. Could be, but I have faith it will happen. I'm staying optimistic.
Like David did.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tis the Season for Doing Dishes
Another holiday (I use that word deliberately - you'll see why later) season has come and gone, seemingly in the blink of an eye. 6 for dinner on Christmas Eve, and another 8 on Christmas Day made for lots of time in the kitchen. Yours truly washed each plate we own at least 4 times in a 48 hour period. Talk about your dish-pan hands... Seems only fair tho. Since The Wife did all the before-we-eat work, it was right that I take care of the aftermath. Who knows when we'll finally get our refrigerator back from all those leftovers.
Christmas Eve was with The Wife's parents and the Kid's Godparents. The second round of gifts were exchanged, and after The Kid retired for the night (after being told to listen for the reindeer on the roof), and the men-folk retired for brandy and cigars. Ha! Just kidding. We spent the evening assembling toys using instructions that were translated from Chinese to English by someone who speaks neither language. It's a dad rite of passage, so I didn't complain.
Much.
Christmas Day dawned as early as ever, since The Kid has yet to grasp the concept of "sleeping in". The opening of the presents (round 3) had scarcely begun when my parents arrived, with more gifts and food in hand. Brunch was a Strata that was enjoyed by all, but loved especially by The Kid and The Cat. Both were literally begging for more. By 11:00, The Kid was reaching her MSL (maximum stimulation limit), and needed a nap. Smart one there. The brunch plates were cleared, and room was made for the afternoon snacks for to hold us over until dinner.
As I mentioned, 8 for dinner, including some dear friends who just returned from a little over a year in Australia. When I say "just returned", I mean that one of them landed less than 24 hours before after a non-stop flight from Tokyo. The fact that he was still able to speak in complete sentences was remarkable. As was the fact that they chose to spend the evening with us. Dinner was a prime rib that weighed in at a rather respectable 8 pounds, along with a metric ton of sides and sauces. If The Wife is famous for anything besides her looks, her personality, her style, and her hospitality, it's her sauces. Right Mike?
With the sun a distant memory and the last load of dishes done, I finally got to that a cigar and nightcap.
But it wasn't over yet...
The house was empty again on Saturday, but only briefly. On Sunday morning, we celebrated Hanukkah (or at least one of the days thereof) with another couple and their daughter, who was born about a week after The Kid. It was another Norman Rockwell moment, if only he had painted scenes of tables covered in bagels and Salmon fritatas. The two girls played together, and us grown-ups watched with joy in our hearts.
Back to work today, only to get ready for Wednesday, when a completely different set of people will be staying with us to ring in the New Year. 6 for dinner. I'm thinking take-out on paper plates, but something tells me that I'll be washing all of our dishes at least once more in 2008.
* Pics are coming soon. Technical problems with a Snapfish upgrade...
Christmas Eve was with The Wife's parents and the Kid's Godparents. The second round of gifts were exchanged, and after The Kid retired for the night (after being told to listen for the reindeer on the roof), and the men-folk retired for brandy and cigars. Ha! Just kidding. We spent the evening assembling toys using instructions that were translated from Chinese to English by someone who speaks neither language. It's a dad rite of passage, so I didn't complain.
Much.
Christmas Day dawned as early as ever, since The Kid has yet to grasp the concept of "sleeping in". The opening of the presents (round 3) had scarcely begun when my parents arrived, with more gifts and food in hand. Brunch was a Strata that was enjoyed by all, but loved especially by The Kid and The Cat. Both were literally begging for more. By 11:00, The Kid was reaching her MSL (maximum stimulation limit), and needed a nap. Smart one there. The brunch plates were cleared, and room was made for the afternoon snacks for to hold us over until dinner.
As I mentioned, 8 for dinner, including some dear friends who just returned from a little over a year in Australia. When I say "just returned", I mean that one of them landed less than 24 hours before after a non-stop flight from Tokyo. The fact that he was still able to speak in complete sentences was remarkable. As was the fact that they chose to spend the evening with us. Dinner was a prime rib that weighed in at a rather respectable 8 pounds, along with a metric ton of sides and sauces. If The Wife is famous for anything besides her looks, her personality, her style, and her hospitality, it's her sauces. Right Mike?
With the sun a distant memory and the last load of dishes done, I finally got to that a cigar and nightcap.
But it wasn't over yet...
The house was empty again on Saturday, but only briefly. On Sunday morning, we celebrated Hanukkah (or at least one of the days thereof) with another couple and their daughter, who was born about a week after The Kid. It was another Norman Rockwell moment, if only he had painted scenes of tables covered in bagels and Salmon fritatas. The two girls played together, and us grown-ups watched with joy in our hearts.
Back to work today, only to get ready for Wednesday, when a completely different set of people will be staying with us to ring in the New Year. 6 for dinner. I'm thinking take-out on paper plates, but something tells me that I'll be washing all of our dishes at least once more in 2008.
* Pics are coming soon. Technical problems with a Snapfish upgrade...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)