They’re ice skating in hell today…

By kate on June 2nd, 2006

I got a Mac. As my desktop computer!

It all happened so fast. One moment, Steve and I were talking about simply installing WordPress on our linux server. Before we knew it, the plan had changed and I was formatting my PC and building a new/better linux server (now on Fedora Core 4 instead of Slackware) with it. After a week or so, when we’re sure the new server is all OK, we’ll reformat the old linux box, install a pared-down Windows, and make it a backup and media server.

That left me without a desktop computer, which I need when my laptop is at work. I think it was Steve who first tossed out the idea of a Mac mini, and I jumped on it.

Last night, I only had about half an hour to play with it (because of the baby and the late hour), and most of that time was spent plugging everything in. I found the “it just works” philosophy to be very true, because it did. I had internet access, my external USB hard drive worked, I could play music, and ssh into my linux server. All without doing any config.

Why did I do it? I’ve had some contact with the Mac OS through work (last two jobs), and have been quite impressed with OS X (the GUI as well as the linux-based shell). I figured it was a great opportunity for me (and Steve) to really get familiar with it. As an IT person, it’s good to understand a platform that’s growing in popularity like the Mac. I’m still going to use MS Office, will be doing some kind of remote desktop into work computers, and still have a Windows laptop, so I’m not abandoning Microsoft by a long shot. I like the variety.

Super geek alert 1: One of my very favorite activities is setting up a new computer. I couldn’t tell you why.

Super geek alert 2: Our house is now actively running 3 different OSes on eight computers (counting my work laptop and the servers for Feedwhip). Good thing we built a server closet when we renovated the basement…

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New Hole

By kate on May 3rd, 2006

I got my left helix (upper ear) pierced on Monday, after wanting to for a long time. I’m not looking forward to the supposed 8-12 month healing time, though! After two nights, I’m already dying to sleep on my left side again (at least some of the time).

Update: It healed in 3-4 months.

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Introducing Ruby Leroux!

By kate on March 20th, 2006

Ruby Joan Keelty Leroux was born (in a natural birth) on Friday, March 3rd, 2006 at 3:59pm. She weighed 6 pounds, 10.5 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.

Filed under: parenting, pregnancy | 2 Comments »

A whole new way of sleeping

By kate on March 1st, 2006

I realized recently that my whole perspective on sleep has changed during pregnancy. Before, if I was woken up once in the middle of the night, I considered it a serious interruption and felt like I hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep.

Now, I wake up every two or three hours throughout the night, to go to the bathroom or because of pain in my hands. After I take care of the issue, I can generally get back to sleep quickly, so I’m not awake too long. Even so, I wake up easily in the morning after the same number of hours, feeling rested and done with sleeping. It’s cool because it doesn’t make sense that it would be possible, but it is. I’m sure my body is doing on purpose because it’s a good preparation for having a newborn.

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No more pencils, no more books, no more boss’s dirty looks!

By kate on March 1st, 2006

My last day of work was yesterday, and it really feels like summer vacation. I should have at least a few days to relax and enjoy the time off. This weekend, there’ll be some hard work as we will finally be able to move some furniture and things into the basement (it will be mostly done on Friday). It’s very weird to suddenly have time on my hands, time in which I have a good chance of actually getting things done on my to-do list, things that are not urgent but nice-to-dos (for now), such as our taxes.

I feel like we’ve done everything that’s really important to do before the baby is born. Obviously, there’s another week or so of house preparation, but since she’ll be sleeping in our room at first, it’s not essential that the nursery be ready right away. All the vital stuff is ready. It’s a nice feeling.

Filed under: pregnancy, work | Comment now »

COPS… in Maple Leaf

By kate on February 27th, 2006

“Get down on the ground!”

“Get down on the ground!”

“Get down on the ground!”

After a couple repetitions of this yelled exclamation outside our bedroom window last night, we both woke up. It was about 2am. After ascertaining that it wasn’t a dream, we looked outside the window to see a police car outside our house. The shouter, a cop, was partially visible in front of the house kitty-corner to ours as he attempted to subdue someone we couldn’t see (because of a large SUV in the way).

Shortly, two other police cars raced up (silently but with lights flashing) and other officers jumped out, guns drawn. One guy had a rifle. Now that reinforcements had arrived, the stand-off was won and the suspect was restrained on the ground after a brief struggle. We never actually saw the guy, but heard his continual shouts, exclamations, and little songs. From what we could hear, he definitely had some kind of mental disturbance.

Then, a period of waiting while some of the cops looked around, watched the suspect, etc. I threw on clothes and went out on my front porch (any danger seeming past). I could see curtains being drawn aside in my neighbors’ houses as the suspect’s shouts continued to wake people.

Another police car pulled up in the line and a woman in pajamas walked with a policeman to where the suspect was being held. I assume she identified him, then was led back away.

Finally, a police van joined the party, making it seven police vehicles filling our street. The police van pulled in the far end of the street (to the front of the line of cars) and they loaded the suspect into the back.

This done, the street was finally quiet and the cops began to disperse. I flagged one down on the way back to his car to ask what happened. He told me the suspect had stolen a car around 80th, crashed it, then ran down our street and had been in the process of trying to steal another. He had also been carrying a fake gun, which he waved at the police when they found him. The cop, who seemed to still be a bit buzzed from the excitement, said the suspect was lucky to “still be here” [in other words, not shot]. I thanked him, and the line of police cars slowly filed away down the street.