When It Rains, It Pours

What is it with my life, where everything happens all at one time? Let's recap the past three days, shall we?

Friday: Total outage of the entire building housing our company's headquarters resulted in a hard crash of every single computer. We spent all day scrambling to restore systems to a reasonably stable condition. Needless to say, we are holding an ass-kicking contest at the power company next week.

Saturday: A major software deployment and hardware reconfiguring project rolled out to the data center. We started at 5am and didn't finish until.. well, truth be told, we're still doing parts of it. We lost a day in preparation for this (see above) so we came in Saturday morning with a sense of fear and trepidation we haven't had in releases past.

Sunday: I have a mid-term exam due by midnight. I just finished the damn thing and I need a stiff drink! Another one of those "tell me everything you know about ______." Nine of those questions and 4 hours to answer them, one shot, no repeats. I'd be hard pressed to give good answers if I had four days!

And now, for the monthly news...

A quick update on school: I got an A for IT Security, even if the professor did have a typo in my grade. All I have left is the capstone course, already in progress, and IT Project Management. After that, one HELL of a long nap to make up for all the late nights studying and scrambling to complete assignments on time, then on to graduation. Followed by a party that will probably make international headlines.

A quick update on my transition into management: some days, it sucks being the boss. You try to find ways to make things work, help people out, and you get kicked in the nuts for your efforts. There are days where all I hear is bitching and whining; I'm getting good at tuning out the noise and perking up only at the parts where I can do something about it. Still, it's therapeutic for them to vent, so I let it ride, even if it does get me down at times.

A quick update on family: The Skating Gnu had a great hockey season. They made it all the way to the semi-finals. She's made honor roll again, a perfect record for the entire school year. Mrs. Gnu is doing well, still putting up with my crap. God only knows why, some days I can't stand myself.

A quick update on me: I'm still kicking. For now. Who else did you think was writing this!?!?

In Remembrance

Today, we take pause from our busy lives to remember those whose lives are no more. Who gave their lives that we may live free. What is the price of freedom? For some, it is a mere birthright, something that they go though their entire, happy-go-lucky lives taking for granted. For others, it is a hard-fought victory, paid for in blood, tears, sweat and the sacrifice of everything near and dear. For still others, it is a far-off dream, unattainable, impossible, even dangerous to reach for.

For the few, it is a gift, handed off with their last breath, from the dying to the unborn; a gift of life, love and hope, paid for in full. Life and freedom are inseparable: without one, the other does not matter. They are priceless. Yet, the price is paid each generation, that the next may enjoy these jewels of God's grace.

Remember the few, who gave their all to protect the many, that they may live on in freedom. Remember the One, from whom all these blessings of life, love and liberty flow.

God Bless America.


Picture (c) 2005 The Smoking Gnu