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Mocha Friday
September 30, 2005 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. It was fairly dreary on the way in, sprinkling a bit on the ride into work. The bike cage was fairly empty and it seems quiet at the office. I started to get whatever Emma has last night, though so far it hasn't been too bad. Mostly I feel tired and my throat is sore.
I'm going to try to go see Serenity with Sam and my dad tomorrow. It's a little tricky with Sam's soccer game at one, but I think we can go see it afterwards.
There's also talk of a trip to Eagle Crest near Bend later in October. It may be that Jamie and Emma go, leaving Sam and I for a boy's only weekend. We'll see how that all turns out.
In general, things keep moving on. I took the kids to soccer practice last night. Emma and I played on the playground a lot. Dave and Kirsten came over and played with the kids. Life's pretty good.
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We arrived in Budapest yesterday late morning...
September 29, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
We arrived in Budapest yesterday late morning, and it has definitely been a quick trip. Yesterdays walking tour was so fast, and our local guide, a university professor, was so ironic, that I was completely unclear about what was going on and where we were. However, we spent this morning
at a grand and lovely public bath, followed by coffee and dessert. I then came to the National Museum, with rooms and rooms of artifacts from about 400000 bc to Roman times. I was in hog heaven. I am now aware of the amazing number of foods, words, and customs maintained by the Stallsmith-Jones
clan for which I can see the source in these countries.
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I got a call a few minutes ago from an insura...
September 29, 2005 by Adam in Family
I got a call a few minutes ago from an insurance agent, asking me about a car accident. After a bit, I realized that Jamie had been in an accident and hadn't told me about it. I passed along Jamie's cell phone number, sweating bullets and hoping that everything is fine.
After giving a suitable amount of time for the agent to talk to her, I rung her up. It sounds like she backed into a pole in the parking lot, so all is well. Freaky experience, though.
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Well, I'm all caught up with my OC fix
September 29, 2005 by Adam in Adam
Well, I'm all caught up with my OC fix. I'm a little less enthusiastic about it as things started trending towards the typical dramas and less about the family comedy. Or perhaps the family comedy episodes haven't been as interesting lately.
In any case, I've been having fun watching various new shows. Lost is an obvious favorite, as is Veronica Mars. I've also been watching Hex as well, an odd British show that seems similar to Buffy.
Of course, finding the time to feed my television habit is a tricky one. I often find myself multitasking, combining it with my evening cereal snack. Unfortunately sleep tends to suffer on occasion.
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Emma had her first dance lesson yesterday
September 29, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Emma had her first dance lesson yesterday. Jamie said it was pretty free-form, with two-year-olds wandering about and playing with instruments. Still, she was very excited, putting on her pink Barbie ballet outfit for the occasion.
Emma also says some hysterical things at times, though not always intentional. The kids were in the bath and Emma was distracted with some odd toy. Sam decided to take Emma's hygene into his own hands, resulting in Emma replying, "Thank you for washing my bottom." Needless to say, Jamie and I started cracking up.
The kids are going to the dentist today, and perhaps get dropped off for an impromptu visit. Jamie called this morning and reported that Sam was taking extra care with brushing, flossing, and rinsing.
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Some of my favorite times on the computer are...
September 28, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
Some of my favorite times on the computer are those I spend with Sam, playing cooperatively. It's pretty rare that we can arrange for the time, as I typically have Emma with me. We've been playing Counterstrike a fair bit, and to be honest we're both equally bad. I'll turn around the corner, see a few terrorists, hide for a moment, and then poke my head out again. Oops.
Still, on occasion we work really well as a team, sticking together, diffusing bombs, saving hostages, and the like. It's funny how in the modern age this seems to be the equivalent of grabbing spears and heading off to go hunt. If they ever make a mammoth hunting game, I'm sure Sam and I would do quite well.
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I spent most of last night with poor sick Emma
September 28, 2005 by Adam in Family
I spent most of last night with poor sick Emma. As soon as I arrived, it was a whirlwind getting Sam ready to go get his team picture taken and then off to practice. Jamie took him and they went out to dinner as well, so I didn't see them until close to bed time.
Emma was sniffly and somewhat miserable, though trying hard to be cheerful. I took pity on her and we played all the games she liked to play. We broke out Candyland, moving the pieces along the path to sample the candies and talk to the various characters. Giraffe-shaped swizzle-sticks became our dear friends, talking and kissing each other. In the basement we made a little fort and put the kitties down for a nap.
She ate a huge dinner and then collapsed asleep on the couch. Sam and Jamie arrived a bit later. Somehow Sam and I managed to play a little Counterstrike, work on spelling homework, take a bath, and get him tucked into bed all within a 45 minute period.
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Im in an internet cafe in a building which is...
September 27, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Im in an internet cafe in a building which is probably about four or five hundred years old. Hungary is a lovelyy country, butlike all the Central European Countries, steeped in the sadness of conquest. We visited a Soviet Gulag today, fortunately followed by wine tasting. Our guide explained that in Hungary, when things were good, people sang, danced, and drank, and when things were bad,
people sang, danced and drank. Wise people, they. I am missing you all so much. At least a hundred love, Mom
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Poor Emma is sick today
September 27, 2005 by Adam in Emma
 Poor Emma is sick today. She woke up last night, quietly sobbing and feeling lousy. Jamie sent me off to the store at seven this morning, returning with assorted kid medical supplies.
The last few winters have been pretty hard for our family as wave after wave of illnesses hit. Hopefully things will be better this season now that Emma's a bit older. We'll see how it goes.
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The week has been slowly moving on
September 27, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The week has been slowly moving on. Sunday evening was fairly low-key. Sam did well at his soccer game. We returned home for dinner and a family walk about the neighborhood. Emma was a little on edge, going from sobbing for Jamie to happily petting a cat in a few short seconds.
Yesterday Sam returned with another 100% on his spelling test. He's doing very well with school in general. We have homework every night, which we're getting into the routine of doing. I did have to make his math homework a bit exciting by turning it into "Battle Math". Now he wants to play board games where you move troops around.
Emma's getting increasingly strong-willed about certain things. Sam went through a similar phase, so it helps to know that it will pass. Still, having Emma wildly scream when she doesn't get what she wants is unpleasant. At other times she can be very sweet and loving, so I know there's a happy kid in there somewhere.
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A few weeks back, I picked up a second copy o...
September 26, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
 A few weeks back, I picked up a second copy of Half-Life 2 for $10. As expected, the CD key had already been used, so I sent it in for a new one. Well, after a lengthy delay I finally got it back and set it up on the second computer.
The whole point was so that Sam and I could play together, so this weekend we finally did. The first game was simple Deathmatch, though with the added fun of the gravity gun. We would grab toilets and launch them at each other, toss off explosive barrels, and generally amuse each other throwing debris around. Sam did surprisingly well at holding his own. He got me more than once in a completely fair fight.
Today we played Counterstrike, which is one of the more popular games on the net. We ran around as counter-terrorists, taking on a bunch of bots while working as a team. He did very well again, and both of us had a great time doing it.
There's another Half-Life 2 mod being worked on that lets two people play through the official game together cooperatively. I can't wait for that to be finished up.
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Sam had his first soccer game of the season today
September 26, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 Sam had his first soccer game of the season today. He was his typical self, goofing off when he was on the sidelines, occasionally falling to the ground at seemingly random moments when he was in the game. Still, he also managed to score four goals and generally work well with the rest of his team.
Getting to the game was fairly exciting, way out in west Eugene. I had Emma as well, so I was hauling her, our gear, and trying to lead Sam to the particular field. Fortunately we ran into a few other parents who were equally lost. We banded together as an impromptu tribe for survival.
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For having nothing in particular planned, it'...
September 25, 2005 by Adam in Family
 For having nothing in particular planned, it's been a fairly busy weekend. Friday night had both Yayoe and Dave and Kirsten coming over, at different times, while Jamie was off at her friend Victoria's house. My week-long illness was mostly over by that point, but the help was still welcome. Dave enjoyed himself, tossing the kids about the yard.
On Saturday, Jamie announced that she'd finally fell ill herself. I tried to give her time to rest, always a challenge with strong-willed children. She whipped up a wonderful soup with a name I can't pronounce, and then we both left the house at three to leave the kids in Dave's care again. Strangely, we ran into Seraph and Robbie at mom's house while we were watching an old 60's movie.
I've had the kids for much of today as well, trying to make Jamie rest. I've been largely unsuccessful as she ended up cleaning and doing various projects in our bedroom, mostly hanging paintings and candle holders. The kids and I did have a fun library run this morning, though, returning with about fifteen books for them and one for me.
In a few moments, I'll be leaving to take Sam to this year's first soccer game. We practiced a little today, with the main goal being not to fall down as much.
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Well hello again to all
September 24, 2005 by Jenny in Jenny
Well hello again to all. I finially got time to sit down and write. My neighbors are gone for the next 6 days so i only have my kids. It is like a whole new world. They are all hear all the time so i'm enjoying the piece. I had two kid for a reason not 5 plus two parents, who parden my french ,have thier heads completely up thier bunholes. Well so we have started the new school year with a very good foot forward. Destin really likes his new teacher she doesn't let him get away with much, which is really good because he has turned into a young man.Jordan started speach therepy last week so thats a good thing. He has move to the kindergarden roon a few weeks again and in talking much better. Well my life is still kind of boring. Still talking on internet with many people but not yet meet anyone or talked on phone. I'm looking at thing as i'm living life via email, but that works as really safe sex, or maybe just harmless stimuly.Well for the most part of life things are good with me i still love my new car, i now feel complete. My people at work are tired of hearing about my car , and they think we should get married. I think thats a good idea because, its much cheaper then marrying a man, plus he will not leave for a younger model(he-He). Not with the gas prices the way they are.Well i hope u all are well sounds like adam u have been sick. Mom have a great time and dez did get postcard. Seraph hope evrythings good. Sadie we still miss u.yayoe did dad talk to u about dinner i don't have boys that night. The boys and i send our love to all.
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Saturday morning with coffee, catalogs, and s...
September 24, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Saturday morning with coffee, catalogs, and stolen wireless from some nearby home- have I found shangrila? Honestly, the east coast in late September is a little bit of heaven, but only compared to the rest of the seasons. It couldn't hold a candle to the Willamette valley, of course.
Today begins the Hurricane Relief Coalition's Week of Solidarity and Action. I'm going into the office to paint big canvases with the coalition's logo this afternoon. Fortunately, the hundred and fifty Williams tutors are almost placed in the local schools, so I have more time to help out.
Then Anna and I may go to see Luke Newton, who is at a weird philanthropist's conference in upstate New York. Yeah!
Mom, I have your comment about Rick Steves as my screen saver marquee. Adam, I love the image of coffee fueling your puppet body, like the tin man squeeking for oil in The Wizard of Oz.
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Mocha Friday
September 23, 2005 by Adam in Family
Mocha Friday. I'm feeling increasingly recovered, though still a bit achy. Hopefully by this weekend I'm be mostly myself again.
I'm not quite sure what's happening this weekend. I know Dave's watching the kids tomorrow afternoon. There's endless house projects to work on. A little relaxation would be nice, as well as spending time with Sam. Emma's been monopolizing all my free time and poor Sam gets stuck with the short straw.
Sam got these animal trading cards from a Ranger Rick subscription through my mom. He was very excited about them, and so we created a little card game out of them. It was pretty fun, especially getting to play with just Sam for awhile. I love that kid.
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Hi, sweeties
September 23, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Hi, sweeties. We're now in Kracow, staying in a really fancy hotel with bathtubs about seven feet long. It is easy to see why Dick enjoyed Poland so much.
The tour spent yesterday in Auschwitz with the predictable
physical reaction, tears, on the part of many members in the group. The only place I had to fight back nausea was in the room with human hair and the material made from the hair. I had brought two stones from Oregon on the trip. I left one in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, and one at Birkenau. It's easy to say Never Again, but we have to remember subsequent atrocities such as Rawanda.
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My dad has this funny thing about teen dramas
September 22, 2005 by Adam in Adam
 My dad has this funny thing about teen dramas. We always used to make fun of him when we were kids (and still do on occasion). Still, he did go to an all-boys boarding school, so I figure he had a pretty good excuse.
Of course, now I find myself obsessively watching The OC, about two episodes a day, slowly catching up to the current season. Oh, sure, I can point to the hysterical comedy or the quality of the acting. One of the main characters is basically a nerd who's into video games and comic books. I can give excuses about my high school dating scene being terribly uneventful.
In the end, it's still a teen drama and I've found yet another unexpected way that I'm just like my father.
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I was feeling pretty good yesterday, up until...
September 22, 2005 by Adam in Family
I was feeling pretty good yesterday, up until the time I got home. I somehow powered through getting the kids to bed, and then started down another spiral of misery and woe. I kept waking up in the middle of the night feeling horrible, finally getting up around seven in the morning.
I managed to drag myself to work, though I'm only slowly getting things together. Hopefully the caffiene can move my puppet body about, maintaining the illusion of a productive worker.
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I§m still having a terrible time with Czech k...
September 21, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
I§m still having a terrible time with Czech keyboards, and haven§t been able to open mz e=mail because I can§t tzpe in a dash. We have left Prague and hacve come to the mountains. I have never walked so far so frequentlz. I have lots to share. Jamie, I did pick up something in Paris for your birthday. Many years, and many hugs. PS Rick Steves sucks.
Love, Mom
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I was sick as a dog yesterday
September 21, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I was sick as a dog yesterday. I left work around 3 pm with a headache and upset stomach. Riding my bike home was fairly grueling, but I made it there. Initially I watched a show quietly, taking breaks to writhe around on the floor until my nausea passed. I took a long nap and woke up to eat crackers and keep an eye on Emma.
As the evening continued, I felt quite a bit better. Jamie brought me tea in the bathtub and generally kept the kids out of my hair. I had a long sleep and woke up nearly normal.
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Well, my semi-annual computer upgrade and shu...
September 20, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
Well, my semi-annual computer upgrade and shuffle is over. Jamie now has my brass and wood case, Sam has my old computer, and my new computer is hooked up and ready to go.
My new computer is certainly fast and spiffy, though it's hard to really tell unless I'm playing certain high-end computer games. I like the new LCD monitor for the most part. It has a native resolution of 1280 x 1024, which is weird. Everything is smaller but the bigger size of the monitor makes up for it.
I preordered F.E.A.R., a creepy survival/horror game that's coming out in a few weeks. It looks like it'll be the first game to really push the limits of my system. Should be fun.
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I'm pretty tired today, waiting for my tea to...
September 20, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I'm pretty tired today, waiting for my tea to kick in.
Jamie went off to Angie's last night after I got home, so the kids and I played all evening. For the hour before dinner, we pretended we were monsters, being chased by evil hunters. Then it was "Breakfast for Dinner", complete with waffles and sausages. Both kids were pretty hungry, wanting seconds. Emma was poking at her bagel with a fork, when all of a sudden she laid her head down and fell asleep.
Sam patiently watched a show with me until she woke up a half an hour later, and we transitioned to bath time and getting ready for bed. I brought them outside to watch the sunset and see a couple bats flying around, catching bugs in the twilight. Eventually I got a hold of Jamie and she said she'd come home. We waited by the window for a long while, being silly and watching cars. As nine o'clock approached, I tucked the kids into bed and Jamie finally came home.
I snuck downstairs for my typical evening routine, cereal and a show. Now it's back to work for me and the cycle of life continues.
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Few people know this, but our bathtub is a ti...
September 20, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 Few people know this, but our bathtub is a time machine.
Many months ago, Sam made up a game where he'd dunk his head under the water, hold his breath as long as possible, and he'd show up in some other time. It's grown to the point where any time I say it's bath time, there's always the question "Can we play the time travel game?"
Initially it was the typical stuff, going to meet your parents as a kid, talking to your future self, and seeing what the computer games of 2050 were like. Since then, the bathtub has acquired new capabilities, such as the ability to travel through space, into people's imaginations, movies, and games, as well as sporting an assortment of weapons to deal with any possible threat. Emma is often the unwitting side-kick, going along on their sudsy ride.
Last night we went to the Farm at the End of the World, where he met farmer Bob and his cows, right before the Earth blew up.
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Happy birthday wishes to Jamie! It was so mu...
September 19, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Happy birthday wishes to Jamie! It was so much fun to see Adam, Jamie and the kidos this weekend. Isa had a great time running around with her cousins, but I think she has now gone to the zoo often enough that her interest in sitting and watching the animals is waining. It was alson nice just to chat with Adam and Jamie with out a large crowd around.
On Sadie's note about this being Talk Like A Pirate Day...We have been discussing this at home the last few nights, and Isa has taken to saying "Aye, aye, Captian!", I fear there has been to much Peter Pan in her life.
I've been on a made cleaning spree the last two days. First making a mess by gutting closets and shelves, and then neatly putting things back. In two days I've only managed three rooms. Sigh...
(Note to Mom: In your e-mail you had made some referance to a hotel reservation I was making. I'm not sure I know about this, or if you just referenced the wrong kid. Let me know, as I'd hate for you to get some place and not have a room.)
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Happy Intaaaaaarnational Talk Like a Pirate D...
September 19, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Happy Intaaaaaarnational Talk Like a Pirate Day!
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I can tell that Summer is ending and Fall is ...
September 19, 2005 by Adam in Family
I can tell that Summer is ending and Fall is around the corner. This morning ride to work was quite crisp and I ended up wearing a long-sleeve shirt for the first time in ages.
The drive back from Portland was relatively uneventful, with everyone puttering around for the rest of the day. I managed to shuffle all the computers around, giving my second computer to Jamie, turning my primary computer into my secondary one, and finally getting my new computer hooked up.
Emma and I played a lot, filling a wading pool with warm water, playing in the basement, and generally having fun. Sam rediscovered an old bridge-building game on the computer, making his bridges and testing it with a train that often tumbled into the river. Jamie took it easy after she unpacked, making us dinner and relaxing a bit.
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We've had a pleasant weekend so far, enjoying...
September 18, 2005 by Adam in Family
 We've had a pleasant weekend so far, enjoying the wonders of Portland. The drive up was a little grueling, being stuck in traffic for an hour due to a wreck around Salem. Once we got here, we all collapsed and took it easy for the rest of the evening. The next morning we were all up bright and early, going to the zoo with Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell. The naked mole rats were a little boring, but the baby monkey was hysterically funny.
Afterwards Jim and I headed to Fry's. I picked up a new LCD monitor, which I think I've grown to appreciate. It's big, has a fast refresh rate, and is easy on the eyes.
Come evening, Jamie and I went out for a birthday dinner. We went to the up-scale mall with fancy restaurants, waiting a half an hour to get in for dinner. It was nice to get out with her for awhile, a rarity to have it be without children.
It's Sunday morning now and we're taking it easy before we return home. I'll probably take the kids down to the part and help finish setting up Jim and Judy's new computer.
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Last year, in Germay, Megan Wells-Jamieson me...
September 17, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Last year, in Germay, Megan Wells-Jamieson met a South Eugene grad, fell in love, and is going to visit him in his hometown in a week (before he goes off to Cambridge for his PhD... of course). As Adam remembers, the last time she saw Sam, he was two and she wasn't wearing any clothes. Please ply her with sweet Eugene breads if she knocks on your door in a week or two. She's as lovely as ever.
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Travel is so broadening
September 17, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Travel is so broadening. But Adam, computer keyboards need to be internationalized. This internet cafe has its local
keyboard section and its English section. And as you can tell from yesterday's contribution, the A and W are reversed on French keyboards, and God only knows that the M has floated off. The format of typewriter keyboards was originally to make typing hard. Muy dummo idea. How about a phoenetic keyboard, like a court reporter's machine.
Anyhow, I'm now a Paris fan. The city must have, like London, taken a huge leap in population at about the same time that builders figured out how to make non-wood apartment buildings several stories high and there was a particularly graceful building style in vogue. I took the
train from Paris to Frankfort, just south of the area where
the Stallsmith family stomping grounds were. Great farm land! At Frankfort, I switched to a night train, envisioning a romantic Greta Garbo experience; the romance
must come with first class reservations, because I shared a
sleeping car with five college kids, including two American boys who played cards until 1:00 am. The Japanese
girl in the bunk above them dropped (literally) a note explaining that she and her two buddies were really tired
and asking the boys to stop playing cards. A good lesson about ethical tourism.
Prague is lovely, but cold, and I'm glad I brought my coat.
I love you all, and miss you.
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Three weeks into a cripsly perfect September ...
September 16, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Three weeks into a cripsly perfect September (weather that that craves tweed and turtlenecks), we're barreled back into crumpled linen by humidity. I am frizzy. But it's Friday, so Anna and I have big plans. They'll probably involve leftover curry, a rented movie, and the shrunken apple heads we made last night.
Ah, the domestic life.
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It's a Mocha Friday, though I'm still waiting...
September 16, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's a Mocha Friday, though I'm still waiting for my coffee buddy to show up so that I can taste that heavenly beverage. It's also a half day for me as we're heading up to Portland as soon as Sam gets out of school. My morning at work is packed, with upgrades and meetings galore.
Sam was in a foul mood when I arrived at home last night, and Emma was taking a late nap. Fortunately as soon as we got to soccer practice, he perked right up and seemed his normal self. This was the first time I assisted with the coaching as I wasn't watching Emma. The six-year-old boys were driving me crazy. They couldn't stop wrestling and touching each other. I was sorely tempted to break out the duct tape and take care of the situation in a more direct fashion. Sam seemed angelic by comparison.
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Generic Heading
September 16, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
In paris and alls well
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The kids wore me out last night
September 15, 2005 by Adam in Family
The kids wore me out last night. As soon as I got home, we went outside to play and walk around the block. Jamie left to go with Angie and her friends to the Art Museum, returning shortly before eight. Fortunately she'd left us with a tasty polenta dinner, which of course Sam refused to eat. As the evening wound down, Emma was screaming how she hated me for taking away her toy kitties when it was bath time. Sam got a bloody nose and kept asking where mom was. By the time Jamie returned, I was happy to turn over the reigns.
I'm starting to get excited about our Portland trip we're taking tomorrow. It always seems fairly relaxing up there, I'm eager to see Seraph, Robbie, and Isabell, and I've got a gift certificate for Fry's that's been calling to me for nearly a year.
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Well, I made it though my first two exams, an...
September 15, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I made it though my first two exams, and am taking a short break from writing the longer of my two papers due tomorrow. I will avoid mentioning what wee-hour of the morning it is right now! One way or another this term will be over tomorrow afternoon.
My schedule for next term had been shaping up nicly, with the offer of being done with the school/work week by Thursday. Unfortunately one of my classes was canceled, and I am now taking a Friday afternoon class. Sigh...
Robbie and Isa are setteling into the school year routine quickly. Isa is having loads of fun at school, and is so far enjoying her Tuesday/Thursday mornings with her friend Bella.
Robbie's kids sound fun, and he got a pet rat "Scabbers" for his class room. We will have him at the house on the weekends and we've already started reminding each other that that means the doors will need to stay closed to prevent a tasty snack for the cats.
Yes, that is cats in the plural. Mom's cat Mischa is trying to settle in, actually venturing out a little this evening. He tries to hide during the day, but ventures out from under the bed at night or when Ripply (who is not so nice to him) is outside. Right now he finally dicided he would be ok sharing a food dish with another feline, and is quietly munching away in the kitchen.
Sigh, the life and times of our family...
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Well, I'm about to head into the first of sev...
September 14, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Well, I'm about to head into the first of several exams. Only two papers to write tonight, nothing like feeling like I've shot myself in the foot!
Haven't had much time to post lately. But, huge hugs to all, and thank you thank you for all of the help over Labor Day weekend. You're all quiet saints.
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sitting hre
in dallas-fort orth
September 14, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
sitting hre
in dallas-fort orth. The flight ws unremarkable exceptfor a thunderstorm. eeing the cluds lit from undernath by the lightening was amazing.Only we and the gods have seen this sight.
Seraaph, I forgoy yhr gray skirt, stupidly, but thank you, thank you. Love to all, mom
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I'm a stud
September 14, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
I'm a stud. The cable arrived yesterday. I plugged it in and pushed the on button. Everything turned on. I don't know if I've ever got all the various connections working the first time around. Well, it wasn't absolutely perfect. The memory wasn't in the optimal slots and I'd reversed the leads for the power and hard drive LEDs. Two minutes of switching things around fixed those problems.
Now is the tedious work of installing various software on the device. As the years roll on, strange things get installed on computers. Now I need to track down the CDs or web sites and get it working properly. I'm hoping everything is ready by this weekend so I can take it to Portland and polish it up.
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Oof! The flurry of September's activities (re...
September 14, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
Oof! The flurry of September's activities (replacing the fourth of our thirty group heads who graduated last spring, organizing the hurricane releif coalition, placing three hundred tutors in the local public schools, recruiting for our Scholarships for Service positions, etc.) is a little overwhelming at the moment. It is nice to feel needed, of course. Just makes me a little punchy.
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Bob is driving me to the airport, and I am re...
September 14, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Bob is driving me to the airport, and I am relatively organized, thanks to a kindly staff of secretaries, helpful teenagers, sweet kids, etc.
So, as the poem goes,
Here I am, off to Europe,
Home of the "Du" and the "Oui"
I am ready for Europe,
But is Europe ready for me?
Love to all, Mom
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The week continues along, occasionally bumpy ...
September 13, 2005 by Adam in Family
 The week continues along, occasionally bumpy but still moving forward. Jamie was dead tired yesterday. I think I spent all of fifteen minutes with her. She apologized to me this morning, which was nice. In some ways, not having Sam around as a helper is hitting her hard.
Sam's adjusting fairly well to school. He did have some problems on Monday when they dropped him off. Sam had teary eyes and said, "But Emma will miss me, mom, she wants to stay and sit on my lap." Jamie called to chat about finding time when Sam can do homework in between soccer practice, dinner, bath time, and so on.
Emma continues to be two. I had her while Jamie went to the gym this morning. She happily chatted with the people in the bagel store, munching down her entire bagel. Later on we explored the buildings on campus, still empty before the term starts. She also woke us both up at four this morning, sending me downstairs to return with a bowl of cereal to feed her always-hungry tiny body.
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Well, the magic cable is on the truck waiting...
September 13, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
Well, the magic cable is on the truck waiting for delivery. Hopefully by the time I get home I can plug things in and turn them on.
I also ran into a weird issue with my ancient monitor. Everything was blue. It's a 19 inch CRT monitor from the days when they were expensive and impressive. I swapped it with the kid's matching 19 inch monitor. I think what I'll do this weekend is pick up a new 19 inch LCD monitor from Fry's this weekend. Jamie's parents got me a gift certificate for Fry's and I'm finally getting to go to Portland to spend money on something.
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Sam's been playing Dungeon Siege 2 after doin...
September 12, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Games
 Sam's been playing Dungeon Siege 2 after doing work around the house for "DS2 points". He's gotten into it quite a bit, getting past the place where the demo ends. I've been playing along side him for the most part, keeping an eye on his party's health and clicking the "Drink Health Potion" button at appropriate times. On occasion it gets rather tough, though it's often easier than other games in the genre if you're somewhat paying attention. It's about the right challenge for a six-year-old, I think.
Once my new computer gets installed and ready, I'll be eagerly awaiting getting some of the newer games to try it out. F.E.A.R. will likely be the first one. After that, Oblivion, which will probably keep me busy for a couple months.
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I found some time over the weekend and assemb...
September 12, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
I found some time over the weekend and assembled everything, though I'm still waiting for that one cable adapter before I can turn anything on. At the moment, it's just an expensive piece of art.
Fortunately, FedEx is telling me that the magic cable has crossed the country since I ordered it Friday. It may make it into town tonight or tomorrow and then I'll be able to turn it on and start installing things. Installing software on a new computer reminds me of the smell of fresh mowed grass. Everything is new and full of possibilities.
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I was admittedly a bit grumpy this morning
September 12, 2005 by Adam in Family
 I was admittedly a bit grumpy this morning. Too much coffee, I suspect, as well as having the kids be a little grumpy as well. I watched the kids for awhile and then broke free for a short trip to the mall where I picked up a present for Jamie. We hung out at the house, with the kids and I puttering about. Towards the end of the day, we all decided to go to Amazon park.
The day was beautiful and both Sam and Emma made friends very quickly. Sam played pretend with a four-year-old named Emmet, while Emma was followed by another girl her age named Chloe. Jamie and I kept an eye on them and otherwise enjoyed the scenery.
Towards the end of the day, we went out for pizza and ice cream. I picked up Lady and the Tramp, which the kids are watching now. Soon enough we'll be getting ready for bed and the work week ahead.
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Everything was red and white at our house yes...
September 11, 2005 by Adam in Family
Everything was red and white at our house yesterday, with large posters proclaiming "Go Big Red" in our window. Jamie had her brother and dad over for the afternoon to watch the Nebraska football game. She spent much of the morning cooking food out of a family recipe book. Probably the most quirky food item was Husker's Popcorn, which was normal popcorn with red candy melted on them.
The kids and I spent a bunch of time hanging out, usually one at a time. Emma and I took a walk down to the playground, fiddled with playdough, and did some coloring. Sam and I worked around the house, including washing Jamie's car, sweeping the porch, and taking down our porch cover. This wasn't necessarily out of the goodness of his heart, though. He's been saving up "DS2 points" so that he can start playing a new computer game I got for him. Yesterday was the big day and he finally enjoyed the fruits of his labor.
I have no idea what's in store for today. I'd like to go shopping for Jamie's birthday. Jamie's dad is still about, and rumor has it that Brant is in town. We'll see how it goes.
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All my parts arrived yesterday, so the grand ...
September 09, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
 All my parts arrived yesterday, so the grand computer shuffle has begun. I started by emptying the case of Jamie's current computer. It's one of my oldest and dearest case mods. I remember working on it with my dad about five years ago. Holes were cut to make windows in the side. I spray painted everything black, as you could only get beige components back then.
I then transferred everything to a new case just so Jamie wouldn't be inconvenienced by my fiddlings for the next few days. I'd also have a fully functioning computer in case I needed it for something.
I did run into a few snags. The first was realizing that I didn't know how to connect important wires like the power switch to the motherboard after I'd disconnected it. I'd purged my old manuals long ago but eventually got the website in Taiwan to cough up an electronic manual. The computer turns on now, though I haven't dared hook it up as it's still early in the morning.
The other snag is around my new computer. I guess I've been snoozing away these last couple years. It turns out that the new and fancy motherboards take a 24-pin power supply attachment, rather than the usual 20-pin ones. I bought a 20-pin power supply, of course. Fortunately you can buy adapters. Mostly it just slows down the install process.
Since I'm not in a giant rush, I'll probably order online instead of searching around tech stores this weekend. It'll still be built in plenty of time for the latest round of games.
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After work yesterday, Sam, Emma, and I went o...
September 09, 2005 by Adam in Family
 After work yesterday, Sam, Emma, and I went out to Sam's soccer practice. Most of the time I spent trying to manage Emma and her wild ways. I was trying to take a picture of Sam playing, turning my back on Emma for about 30 seconds. The first time, I caught her taking her shoes off. I scolded her and told her it was important to protect her feet. The second time, she'd removed her diaper and was letting it all hang out. We spent the rest of the time in the car.
John is coming over tonight to spend the night with Sam. Sam continues to settle into school, making friends and meeting teachers. It's always hard to pry information from him about how things are going, but I think it's generally okay.
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I got to go along to take Sam to his first da...
September 08, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
I got to go along to take Sam to his first day of school.
Emma sat right down and started chatting with the other first graders at her table. I called Dez, who said that he
liked his teacher but he and his friends are in different rooms .
I leave next Tuesday - thanks to everyone for help, advice, etc.
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Emma has been growing up in so many ways
September 08, 2005 by Jamie in Emma
Emma has been growing up in so many ways. Each day as we drop off Sam she gets this pained look on her face..."But I'll MISS Sammy!" Her sleeping issues I believe are growing pains, as she complains of legs hurting and needs me to rub them in the middle of the night and is constantly hungry. Fortunately these episodes are usually followed by a few days of great sleep. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
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Sam's first day of first grade was yesterday
September 08, 2005 by Adam in Family
 Sam's first day of first grade was yesterday. I think he generally liked it. He says his teacher is nice and that school lunch was pretty good. He also has a new group of friends that he's gathered up, as well as a new club based on a pirate computer game. Today's the first full day, as yesterday was only a few hours. Hopefully he'll survive the experience.
Emma's been a bit wacky these last few days. She's not unpleasant or unkind, necessarily. It's just ever clear to us that she's two years old. I spend my afternoons following her about and making sure Hurricane Emma doesn't cause too much distruction. Last night she didn't get to bed until quite late and she crawled into our bed sometime in the middle of the night. Ah, the joys of waking up to the impacts of tiny little feet on one's belly.
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We all went up to Sam's school yesterday evening
September 07, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 We all went up to Sam's school yesterday evening. We met his teacher and found out which class he was going to be in. It looks like he'll be with his friends Gavin and Maddy, so hopefully today won't be a completely new experience. He also had soccer practice afterwards, which he picked up quite easily. This year we're going to work on having him kick the ball and then remain standing.
Sam's a little nervous about school starting today. Wednesdays only go until 1:30, so hopefully he'll be eased into the situation. Still, going for a full day is going to be a major change. I think we're going for school lunches on most days, for example. We've also told Emma about how Sam will start going to school soon. "I will miss him," she said sadly.
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It is eerie to begin doing the things that I ...
September 06, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
It is eerie to begin doing the things that I did last year over again, coordinating the same programs, and seeing my old students in this new, little-bit-more-experienced context. It's equally wonderful to feel myself changing at least as quickly as they are. Despite the madness and failures and complications, my students are rock stars, and I am greatful for this new year.
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It's the start of the work week, and I'm dela...
September 06, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's the start of the work week, and I'm delaying getting out of the house. The last couple days of the weekend were quite pleasant. On Saturday we mostly puttered around, taking the kids to a park, dropping them off with Dave for awhile, and then heading out to fifth street market for a snack in the afternoon.
The main excitement there was finding a car that had caught on fire. Within a few minutes the fire department showed up, but it was still rather exciting. People were leaping into their cars next to this one, trying to get them out of the way before the flames spread. Crazy.
Sunday morning was fairly odd. I was handed Emma a bit after four in the morning and she didn't go to sleep until ten. By the time Jamie woke up, I was pretty exhausted and took a long nap around the same time my family was having a brunch for Seraph and Robbie. Sorry, guys.
 Yesterday afternoon we took the kids out to Alton Baker Park to run about. They were both in a somewhat grumpy mood, though it was generally improved once they got to a new and interesting place. Sam enjoyed picking blackberries for me, which were incredibly sweet. They both had a good time climbing a big pile of rocks as well.
The day ended with a BBQ at Jeff and Sharon's house. All of Sam's soccer kids and parents were invited, so it was a mad collection of boys running about in the yard. All injuries were minor and Sam had a good time.
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Sam has a fairly important evening tonight
September 06, 2005 by Adam in Sam
 Sam has a fairly important evening tonight. At around four in the afternoon, we're heading up to his school for an ice cream social. Even more importantly, he finds out who his teacher is and which students will be in his class. They're having three combined first and second grade classes, so there's a one-in-three chance he'll be with his friend John.
After that is his first soccer practice. We had a BBQ at the Musgroves last night where a bunch of the soccer parents and kids were invited. Sam had a great time running around like a maniac for most of the time. Odds are he'll sleep very well at night from here on out.
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I'm in the eye of the storm of the Where Am I...
September 05, 2005 by Sadie in Sadie & Greg
I'm in the eye of the storm of the Where Am I?! orientation, and other than a few blips, things couldn't be going more smoothly. Hurrah! The new house is shaping up beautifully, and we almost have everything on the walls and in the closets.
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It was an exciting start to a three-day weekend
September 04, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It was an exciting start to a three-day weekend. After breakfast, Sam and I headed over to Seraph and Robbie's Eugene home. We spent a couple hours there, pruning and hauling away yard debris. I ate far too many of the bagels Yayoe brought. Sam and Isabell played some sort of alien puppy game. Good times.
By the time the afternoon had rolled around, everyone was getting a little stir crazy again. We loaded up the stroller and took a long walk down to the library. It was a beautiful day, and everyone's moods improved. Later that night, Jamie whipped up a tasty batch of home-made soup and Dave and Kirsten came over for dinner.
I have the kids to myself this morning as Jamie goes off with Angie, and then Jamie and I get some time to ourselves after we ship the kids off with Dave for an hour. I think Jamie has painting and shelf hanging projects lined up for me this afternoon.
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I know, a big shock, Jamie has a life, too! ...
September 03, 2005 by Jamie in Jamie
I know, a big shock, Jamie has a life, too! I had a wonderful weekend at the beach with JUST my mom which gave me hope for the detachment of these last pesky apron strings. Emma is fully weaned, and exuberantly vocal. Fortunately it is usually words exerting her independence and not screams and fits (although we have our share of those around this house as well). My schedule will be changing next week when Sam goes to first grade, Emma and I will have to explore Eugene unencumbered by the homebody who never wants to do anything. I've been having time in the eves to read again, and just finished Tess of the D'Urbervilles (again) which makes this girl happy to live in the time of possibility and enlightenment. We've come a long way, babes!
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Well once again hello to all
September 03, 2005 by Jenny in Jenny
Well once again hello to all. Let me know what time we ae getting together tomorrow. I can come help. I've meet a guy online and he may be coming down this weekend from portland so ia time frame would be good. well my boys went of camping with darren. So this weekend i'm home alone but going to try to make it a fun one. Destin took a kick but camp all week learning tyqwando, { insert i know the speling is wrong} which he has had a great time at. Seraph you will be proud. Well to all i send my love. Let me know about tomorrow. And once again to adam hats off you are the most caring, kind, loving, giving to others, awsom, happy , you are going to heaven for this computer which me and my kids both love. I know you had a spot in heaven but now you just moved up to first place. I thank you again and so do my kids. Jordan can now play dino defender and dez can get online. I don't know how to repay you, maybe saying i love you and thanks everyday. The boys and i are going to do something really nice for you when they get back.
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Random thoughts for this week
September 02, 2005 by Sue in Wielesek
Random thoughts for this week...when I came home, the cat food Aric and Anna left for Mischa was gone, the water in the cat bowl was filthy,and my kitchen floor was really dirty. I couldn't figure out why. I was sitting on the deck patting Mischa, with the kitchen door open. I heard a funny noise in the kitchen, and discovered a momma raccoon and three fat little babies scarfing down Mischa's food. She looked at me disdainfully, until I finally jumped up and down and hollered.
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It's been almost exactly two years since I up...
September 02, 2005 by Adam in Adam's Projects
It's been almost exactly two years since I upgraded my main computer. I've moved away from buying the absolute best, like I did when I plunked down $3,000 for a Dell about ten years ago. Now I'm spending $1,000 for a vastly more powerful system, but such is the way of the tech industry. As a general rule of thumb, my new computer is about twice as fast as the old one.
Anyway, my new computer should be quite spiffy. The parts have yet to ship, but it should be able to play all the latest games perfectly, and keep me going into the future as well.
There's other things I'm hoping are speeded up. Burning DVDs is currently painfully slow, as are certain video editing projects. With luck I can get all my video tapes onto a hard drive, just in case the tape disintegrates.
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It's been a rather pleasant last couple of days
September 02, 2005 by Adam in Family
 It's been a rather pleasant last couple of days. Jamie went off with Victoria last night, so the kids and I made pizza and played in the yard. Later on, Jamie and I stayed up way too late watching the Pamela Anderson roast on Comedy Central, trying not to laugh too hard and wake up Emma.
This weekend is hopefully going to be fairly low-key, after two fairly exciting weekends. Seraph sent out a plea to help with gardening at her house, and Sam's already agreed to be my assistant. Other than that, some downtime would be nice.
Sam lost another tooth a couple days ago. He's getting to be a pro at these sort of things. It's strange to think that in a few short days he'll be going into first grade. Already he's started reading random things as he moves through the world. I have to be careful keeping him away from certain graffiti.
Emma's a jewel, though very strong-minded. Last night she spent a long while with her tea set, pouring water from one container to another. She also had a lot of fun helping me make pizza. I threatened to cook her after she'd covered herself with dough and flour. Mmm . . . tasty pizza babies.
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Hello to all! STAC (the student committee I ...
September 01, 2005 by Seraph in Cortez
Hello to all! STAC (the student committee I am on) will be hosting a book sale during the first week of out next term (early October), to raise money for the huricane relief. We are hoping to use the money to create back-to-school bags for the kids and/or classroom school supply boxes for teachers from the areas hit. If you have any books you'd like to donate I can pick them up this weekend.
We'll be heading down either Friday or Saterday (early), depending on schedules. Love to all.
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This site, adamandjamie
September 01, 2005 by Adam in Adam
This site, adamandjamie.com, has it's DNS hosted at a company called DirectNIC.com. Well, it turns out their headquarters is in the middle of New Orleans, where there's currently massive flooding and looting. Fortunately the building is being secured by a guy who's also blogging. It's pretty crazy stuff, as they work around the clock to keep things locked up and the power running. With luck, they'll keep doing their job and everything on this site will keep running smoothly. Pretty crazy to think how fragile all this technology is.
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