Some people have all the luck.
And these days apparently ours is of the getting to deal with car insurance variety.
M got rear-ended this morning, which caused him to rear-end the person in front of him. The person in front of him who had slowed down just as the light turned green because they were trying to make an illegal left turn. Fabulous. It was just a fender bender, but nevertheless the last thing we needed on the weekend we are trying to finish up all our last minute details before having a new baby.
Gotta love the timing. We just finished dealing with our claim for hail damage on the same car. I guess I should just be glad we hadn't already actually repaired the hail damage yet. While M is taking his paternity leave he can spend time on the phone dealing with homeowners (more hail damage) AND car insurance. Yippee! At least I get to cry, "Childbirth!" and pass the buck :)
And maybe we'll even get everything squared away in less than 18 months this time!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sweet Relief
Tuesday, June 30th.
Seems like a good birthday to me. Hope so, because it will be Kate's.
(Now if I can just survive the next four days of continuing over 100 degree heat. I was SUPPOSED to have this baby before the worst of the heat hit, but nature decided to remedy that in the last couple weeks. I should have kept my big optimistic mouth shut. I was just tempting fate and it has totally come back to bite me in the butt.)
Seems like a good birthday to me. Hope so, because it will be Kate's.
(Now if I can just survive the next four days of continuing over 100 degree heat. I was SUPPOSED to have this baby before the worst of the heat hit, but nature decided to remedy that in the last couple weeks. I should have kept my big optimistic mouth shut. I was just tempting fate and it has totally come back to bite me in the butt.)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sometimes, the Stupid Answer IS the Right One
I listen to a lot of books on CD. Well, actually on my MP3 player. I check the CDs out of the library and then rip the tracks so I can listen on my MP3 player while I do chores around the house. (Don't worry, I delete it all when I'm done. No piracy involved. After all, I am married to M, the anti-piracy nazi.) In fact, books on CD are basically the only way any actual cleaning gets done around here. If I forget to pick up a new book before I finish the book I'm on, it's pretty much a guarantee that we'll run out of clean spoons AND underwear until I get to the library.
Well, the other day I started ripping CDs for my latest book. Now there's something you need to know about the data encoded on most books on CD. Turns out that whoever burns these things isn't very good at using a consistent naming scheme. For example, the first CD might be named "Book I'm Reading" and the tracks might be called 01-01, 01-02, 01-03, etc. Then the second CD might be called "Book I'm Reading Disc 02" with the tracks called 02 Track 01, 02 Track 02, etc. Then you get to the third CD and it's called "03 Book I'm Reading" and the tracks are Track 01, Track 02, etc. This is all a pain, but then it gets really interesting because you get to the fourth CD and it's simply called "Book I'm Reading" again. Suffice it to say that sometimes you have to do a little supplemental naming and regrouping when you're done. So when I started to rip the 8th CD from a book the other day and it came up with the CD titled as though it were the 4th CD, I didn't think much of it. I mean, apparently this was just another case of the CD company farming CD burning out to a wide array of teenagers in their garages or something. But then I noticed that it had overwritten the files from the real 4th CD. I went through a variety of renaming tactics as I reripped both CDs several times. After a long time I finally admitted defeat and asked M for help. I was a technical failure...
He asked me about what I had tried so far and he seemed fairly satisfied by my thorough answers. Then finally he asked me, "Are you sure the CDs are actually different?" Of course I was. One had Disc 4 printed on it and the other had Disc 8 printed on it. The first tracks were a different length (by one second). "Did you actually listen to it?" Well, no...
Turns out Disc 8 really has the same data on it as Disc 4. Well, that would explain things, wouldn't? But I still can't believe it! Has no one else ever checked this book on CD out? Did no one else ever bother to mention this little idiosyncrasy to the librarians? Did no one notice they were missing out on 1/13th of the book???
Guess I need to have a chat with the librarians AND go find a hard copy of this book so I can read whatever parts correspond to Disc #8. And since the CDs aren't kind enough to actually list what chapters each CD covers, I get to listen to Disc #9 to try and figure out the first time it starts a new chapter so I know when to stop reading the printed book and get back to folding laundry.
Well, the other day I started ripping CDs for my latest book. Now there's something you need to know about the data encoded on most books on CD. Turns out that whoever burns these things isn't very good at using a consistent naming scheme. For example, the first CD might be named "Book I'm Reading" and the tracks might be called 01-01, 01-02, 01-03, etc. Then the second CD might be called "Book I'm Reading Disc 02" with the tracks called 02 Track 01, 02 Track 02, etc. Then you get to the third CD and it's called "03 Book I'm Reading" and the tracks are Track 01, Track 02, etc. This is all a pain, but then it gets really interesting because you get to the fourth CD and it's simply called "Book I'm Reading" again. Suffice it to say that sometimes you have to do a little supplemental naming and regrouping when you're done. So when I started to rip the 8th CD from a book the other day and it came up with the CD titled as though it were the 4th CD, I didn't think much of it. I mean, apparently this was just another case of the CD company farming CD burning out to a wide array of teenagers in their garages or something. But then I noticed that it had overwritten the files from the real 4th CD. I went through a variety of renaming tactics as I reripped both CDs several times. After a long time I finally admitted defeat and asked M for help. I was a technical failure...
He asked me about what I had tried so far and he seemed fairly satisfied by my thorough answers. Then finally he asked me, "Are you sure the CDs are actually different?" Of course I was. One had Disc 4 printed on it and the other had Disc 8 printed on it. The first tracks were a different length (by one second). "Did you actually listen to it?" Well, no...
Turns out Disc 8 really has the same data on it as Disc 4. Well, that would explain things, wouldn't? But I still can't believe it! Has no one else ever checked this book on CD out? Did no one else ever bother to mention this little idiosyncrasy to the librarians? Did no one notice they were missing out on 1/13th of the book???
Guess I need to have a chat with the librarians AND go find a hard copy of this book so I can read whatever parts correspond to Disc #8. And since the CDs aren't kind enough to actually list what chapters each CD covers, I get to listen to Disc #9 to try and figure out the first time it starts a new chapter so I know when to stop reading the printed book and get back to folding laundry.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Bitter Update
So remember all my whining about comparing myself to my other pregnant friends? Well I have no pregnant friends left. Leann had her baby yesterday. Eleven days early.
Double hmph.
Double hmph.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
How Would You Feel If YOU Scored a 1 Out of 10?
NOTE: I'm going to talk about having a baby. Nothing gory, I promise, but I'll still be throwing a lot of labor lingo around like dilation numbers. I think we can all be grown up enough around here to mention things like *gasp* cervices. Just deal, okay?
(Also, I am happy to have had an excuse to use the plural of cervix. I don't care if "cervixes" is correct too, because "cervices" makes me smile.)
My sister Jessica is having her baby as I write this. She isn't due until tomorrow. (Every time the phone has rung the last few days, I've wondered if it's her telling me she's having/had the baby. She called me on Tuesday just to ask a question and got me all excited. I feel like she needed to start every conversation with, "No baby yet." Like even before she said, "Hello." If I picked up the phone, the first words I heard in her voice should have been, "No baby." Because my suspense should be her first priority in life, right? But tonight I emerged from hiding in a closet due to a tornado warning in our neighborhood, put the kids to bed in the dark because the power was out, and then decided to give my mom a call. Because what else can you do when the power is out besides use your land line? On one o' them archaic CORDED phones, no less. Only then did I find out my mom is waiting in the hospital waiting room for news of the yet-to-occur birth.) I know that she'll probably hate me for saying it, but I'm secretly pleased that Jessica didn't have her baby any sooner. I mean, she went in for her 35 week appointment and was already dilated to 2.5 cm. I believe she was at a 3 just before she went into labor this morning.
Similarly, my best friend Leann is due to have her baby on the 23rd of June. She went in at 35 weeks and was also at 2.5cm. Last I heard, she was at a 3.5.
All I have to say to these women is, "I hate you people."
In case you wanted to know, nothing's really happening with my cervix thus far. No big surprise.
When I went in to be induced 4 days past my due date with Claire, I was what I like to call a "courtesy 1." I believe the exact quote from the doctor was, "Mmm... we'll call it 1 cm." As in what the doctor was really saying was, "Well, at the last few appointments I've had to tell you that you weren't even a 1 yet and I just don't have the heart to tell you that you're still not even a 1 although you're past your due date, so we're going to call it a 1 to make you feel better since it really makes no medical difference if you're 1 or less than that. Either way you are SO not about to go into labor any time soon and we have our work cut out for us 'ripening' your cervix."
With Scott, I think I made it to 1 cm sometime shortly before my due date and when I went in to be induced with him (5 days late that time) I was at 1.5. Yah, still not exactly ready and rarin' to go the second time around. In fact, toward the end of my pregnancy with Scott when I asked my doctor at what point I should go to the hospital if I started having contractions, do you know what she did? She laughed at me. Laughed! She answered my question, but then she told me that she highly doubted I would go into labor on my own.
So I am resigned to the fact that needing to be induced a week early this time means I will DEFINITELY not dilate ahead of time. At least not to any useful extent. I keep telling myself that everyone is different and that's just the way my body rolls (and "rolls" is a pretty good description of both how I look and move these days). But I can't help but be jealous. I mean, my only sister was my biologically best bet for a "labor twin," right? But apparently she doesn't have a lazy cervix, as I like to say in derision of my own anatomy.
Does no one actually deliver past their due date anymore? I want to hear that I'm not a freak of nature. I guess I know a few people who have delivered late. But I bet they all reached their due date dilated to like a 3. Or you know, something larger than 1.
Hmph.
(Also, I am happy to have had an excuse to use the plural of cervix. I don't care if "cervixes" is correct too, because "cervices" makes me smile.)
My sister Jessica is having her baby as I write this. She isn't due until tomorrow. (Every time the phone has rung the last few days, I've wondered if it's her telling me she's having/had the baby. She called me on Tuesday just to ask a question and got me all excited. I feel like she needed to start every conversation with, "No baby yet." Like even before she said, "Hello." If I picked up the phone, the first words I heard in her voice should have been, "No baby." Because my suspense should be her first priority in life, right? But tonight I emerged from hiding in a closet due to a tornado warning in our neighborhood, put the kids to bed in the dark because the power was out, and then decided to give my mom a call. Because what else can you do when the power is out besides use your land line? On one o' them archaic CORDED phones, no less. Only then did I find out my mom is waiting in the hospital waiting room for news of the yet-to-occur birth.) I know that she'll probably hate me for saying it, but I'm secretly pleased that Jessica didn't have her baby any sooner. I mean, she went in for her 35 week appointment and was already dilated to 2.5 cm. I believe she was at a 3 just before she went into labor this morning.
Similarly, my best friend Leann is due to have her baby on the 23rd of June. She went in at 35 weeks and was also at 2.5cm. Last I heard, she was at a 3.5.
All I have to say to these women is, "I hate you people."
In case you wanted to know, nothing's really happening with my cervix thus far. No big surprise.
When I went in to be induced 4 days past my due date with Claire, I was what I like to call a "courtesy 1." I believe the exact quote from the doctor was, "Mmm... we'll call it 1 cm." As in what the doctor was really saying was, "Well, at the last few appointments I've had to tell you that you weren't even a 1 yet and I just don't have the heart to tell you that you're still not even a 1 although you're past your due date, so we're going to call it a 1 to make you feel better since it really makes no medical difference if you're 1 or less than that. Either way you are SO not about to go into labor any time soon and we have our work cut out for us 'ripening' your cervix."
With Scott, I think I made it to 1 cm sometime shortly before my due date and when I went in to be induced with him (5 days late that time) I was at 1.5. Yah, still not exactly ready and rarin' to go the second time around. In fact, toward the end of my pregnancy with Scott when I asked my doctor at what point I should go to the hospital if I started having contractions, do you know what she did? She laughed at me. Laughed! She answered my question, but then she told me that she highly doubted I would go into labor on my own.
So I am resigned to the fact that needing to be induced a week early this time means I will DEFINITELY not dilate ahead of time. At least not to any useful extent. I keep telling myself that everyone is different and that's just the way my body rolls (and "rolls" is a pretty good description of both how I look and move these days). But I can't help but be jealous. I mean, my only sister was my biologically best bet for a "labor twin," right? But apparently she doesn't have a lazy cervix, as I like to say in derision of my own anatomy.
Does no one actually deliver past their due date anymore? I want to hear that I'm not a freak of nature. I guess I know a few people who have delivered late. But I bet they all reached their due date dilated to like a 3. Or you know, something larger than 1.
Hmph.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Like a Real Blogger...Or Something
I got to do a guest post on my friend Kristi's hilarious blog. If you're a regular here, it won't be new to you. It was just one of her favorites from my archives. But I feel flattered nonetheless. Who wouldn't be with an intro like this? (Although I can't decide. Is it a good thing or not that this is actually the way I talk???)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
New Addition
There's a new addition. No, no, not the baby yet. Seriously, come on. Remember what I said? Claire and Scott were induced well past my due date with my body showing no signs of being close to labor on my own. It would be absurd to expect an uninduced early arrival with Kate.
Check out the sidebar. (No really, click on over from Google Reader and scroll down there toward the bottom.)
Everyone's favorite feature is back! You know you've missed the slideshow of the rock pile, haven't you? Well, rest assured, rock harvesting season has returned and our bounteous harvest will be highlighted once again in the sidebar. We might even put some new trees into the holes left behind.
Check back soon for more, including mandarin orange tree flavored rocks!
Check out the sidebar. (No really, click on over from Google Reader and scroll down there toward the bottom.)
Everyone's favorite feature is back! You know you've missed the slideshow of the rock pile, haven't you? Well, rest assured, rock harvesting season has returned and our bounteous harvest will be highlighted once again in the sidebar. We might even put some new trees into the holes left behind.
Check back soon for more, including mandarin orange tree flavored rocks!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Something Totally Not Repetitive AT ALL
Because who doesn't love even more fuzzy pictures of Kate?
Bear with me guys. The perk of these ultrasound pics is the only thing keeping me sane with all these pointless appointments.
Bear with me guys. The perk of these ultrasound pics is the only thing keeping me sane with all these pointless appointments.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Excuse Me While I Go Annihilate Some Music
I have a confession to make. Sometimes, I'm not as good of a geek as I should be. The dumb broad side of me is known to surface now and then. One example of this is my misuse of media conversion terminology.
I know the right words. You "rip" a track off your CD. Then you "burn" it onto a CD. No matter how much I know this when I stop and think about it, the wrong term keeps popping out of my mouth when casually discussing the management of my audio files with M. He ALWAYS points this out, and then I roll my eyes and say, "Whatever."
I think it's easy to trip up. I mean, what's with all the highly destructive terminology for working with your files? Rip, burn, flash, explode, torrent, tar, strip, hack, crack... am I missing any here?
I don't know, but excuse me. I need to go masticate a CD.
I know the right words. You "rip" a track off your CD. Then you "burn" it onto a CD. No matter how much I know this when I stop and think about it, the wrong term keeps popping out of my mouth when casually discussing the management of my audio files with M. He ALWAYS points this out, and then I roll my eyes and say, "Whatever."
I think it's easy to trip up. I mean, what's with all the highly destructive terminology for working with your files? Rip, burn, flash, explode, torrent, tar, strip, hack, crack... am I missing any here?
I don't know, but excuse me. I need to go masticate a CD.
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