There and back again

The Lord has brought me back home safely. I have a new un-appreciation for highway 152. Yikes. Also, I am definitely not a big city kind of person. I've been to LA and SF and I didn't really care for it, and now that I've been to San Jose/Santa Clara area, I'd say it's pretty much official. Although the area I was in wasn't like skyscrapers everywhere, the culture was very similar. The training was excellent, and the high point of it all was that I got to meet my old friend Taver for lunch, since he lives in the "Man Jose" area. LOL. Seriously, that area is like 85% guys, which makes sense considering the industry in that area. Anyway, it was a good trip, but I really missed my family, and am happy to be home!

Santa Maria!!

I'm in Santa Clara! Yeah, so we just moved, and we're getting all situated and comfortable...and now I'm in Santa Clara for a week. ?Que? Training for work, scheduled months ago. At least it's after most of our stuff has had a chance to get set up. AND the training is very interesting so far, which is great. Not all training is like that.

One thing I think needs mentioning, when I arrived in my hotel room last night, all the lights were off, and the radio alarm clock was on, playing Sinatra or something. Whatever it was, it made me afraid to turn the lights on for a minute, like there was a disco ball hanging in the middle of the room or suede paneling on the walls. Fortunately, there was none of that, but I'm RIGHT next to the expressway, and I've got a floodlight pointing RIGHT at my window to highlight the hotel name on the front. LOL!

Wow wow everyone

So yeah, we moved. Into a new house. CRAZY!! So many things have happened in the last 3 weeks, the mind reels. We just got internet/phone/tv installed today, it's good to be back on teh intarwebs. I just finished installing a new dishwasher (with no leaks, thank you God!!), and everything is getting into the places it needs to. I tell you, there's nothing like moving to let you know just how much C-R-A-P you have.

Let's see, what else...Precept is going good, I taught the last two classes, and I'm still getting positive feedback from everyone, so I guess God really wants me doing this! I have made some pretty good progress on Windkeeper, I had to redo the way rendering data is handled in the engine to accommodate what I want the UI system to do, and overall it was worth the effort. Next week I'll be out of town for work, which I really don't enjoy! I really do hate being away from the family, but this training is actually important, and I am looking forward to it. I just wish there was a way to take everyone with me.

Yeah, so big changes in the Llanos house (including the house!), and I am so blown away and so grateful to God for everything He is doing, it is just so humbling. Time to check the dishwasher one more time, then it's time for bed!

Free of the beast!

You ever have a project that took you over a year and a half to complete? Well I just finished one today at work. Rolled it out into "prod", and no problems yet. Yet. I think I'm going to celebrate. Let's see...I know, I'll post on my blog! Hooray!

In other news, I'm researching weight lifting equipment. 2 20lb dumbbells and bodyweight exercises just don't cut it when you want to get HYYYUUUUUGGGEEE! Which I don't, but it would be nice to be a little stronger and burn enough calories to lose this gut I'm carrying around.

And finally, it just can't be said enough how amazing God is. Being deep in a good Bible study gives you moments of clarity where you really see just how much we should be on our faces before Him in humble gratitude, and how little we ever are.

Have a good 2 weeks (I'm anticipating that's how long it will take for me to post again).

I could do this all the time

I'm home with the kids this morning. Carrie's doing her 3 hour tour of her insulin levels, so I get to relax a little and take my time getting to work. And after the day I had yesterday, it's a welcome break.

I'll tell you, I'm grateful to be where I am now. I have supervisors and coworkers that are supportive and work as a team. I have not always worked in a situation like this, and it is a real blessing that I am thanking God for, especially when the you-know-what hits the fan.

And speaking of you-know-what, you know what I like about being home with the kids? It's not flying around here. It comes to you from effort you don't have to put out, and it's wrapped up in a cute little package. No surprises, no last minute rushes, you know what to expect and after a while, you can see it coming from a mile away. Kids are great, no?

It's ALIVE!!!

I live. Honest. Yes, it's been awhile since I posted, but I warned you (see blog title). I'm on the upswing of illness, there is light at the end of the tunnel for my current project at work, and things just feel like they are slowing down. I don't know why, maybe it's because I've been sleeping more with this blasted cold. Noah is doing Awanas on Wednesdays now, which puts Carrie and me at the Wednesday night service at church, which is cool. Yes, it is another thing, but what can you do?

We're going to be doing a 40 day fast with our church for a number of things, one of which is the upcoming election. Carrie is trying to convince me to fast soda. Which also happens to be what Kevin told me to fast. Hmmmm... I'm not entirely convinced, but my wife has her ways of making me bend to her will (I can just see the sad eyes and pouty lip now). So I'll probably be fasting soda.

It's 12 o clock somewhere

What is this??? A post on my blog in the middle of the day?? Yes, that's right. The entire County can come to a stand still for 10 minutes while I try to collect the pieces of my brain that just exploded out of my ears. You know, these "desk jobs" are so easy. All you do is sit around all day, right? Well I'm trying to code business rules and systems that are too complex for their own good, and they are giving my head a beat down. It just makes me wanna cry, Jim.

So while I take a breather, I thought I'd share with all 2 of you that read this what I did last night. Guitar on rock band. I played through medium solo tour until I unlocked level 9 (and the Metallica song, woo hoo!). And freaking "vasoline" on MEDIUM can kiss my butt. It's on level 8, but it absolutely stomped on me the first time I tried it. Did I mention on medium? But it was all that stood between me and Metallica, so I did my best and 3 starred it. Barely. Then I tried "enter sandman" and lol'ed at how much I suck. Then I tried expert mode. At half speed. And was a terrible failure. Man I'm telling you, I'm prepping myself for hard right now, I'm holding the frets differently and everything, and I can even play a couple songs on hard with relative success. But expert? Forget it. I have no idea how anyone could do it. It just goes so fast, even if I know what notes are coming, my fingers don't move that fast. I guess it's the same way I thought when I was still on easy and I saw medium or hard, but this just seems more impossible.

Ok, my head feels better. Time to think really hard until lunchtime.

Think of the children

Now my post titles show up on my bride's blog page. I have a "naughty" word in the last one, and I wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong impression about her, so now it's fixed. I'm a fixer. It's what I do.

Also, my "sky light" is now gone in my cubical. A gentleman came and put a ceiling tile in place of the gaping hole in the ceiling above my desk. He also decided to knock down as much dust and tile debris as he could from up there onto my self, desk, and keyboard. It could be worse I suppose, he could have dropped a hammer on my head or something.

Now then, back to work.... I can already tell this is going to do nothing but bad things to my life.