Life, Kids, Technology & that move to another continent
I couldn’t sleep much last night. It was first too hot so I put the ac on. Yes I know AC in NY in January. it was rainy so I couldn’t open a window without getting my comfy chair by my window wet. Then I was nice and temperature controlled, but my allergies started kicking in with the extra dust of using the AC for the first time in months. It was not a fun night. It didn’t help that I was a lazy bastard and took a 2 hour nap on Sunday.
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So far this weekend has been absolutely unproductive, and I couldn’t be happier. Yesterday was reorganizing and then just lying around on the couch watching TV. Today has been a continuation on yesterday’s theme. I don’t know why but I got up early and just bummed around all day. Nothing else to report as of yet!
So my experience with my watch took a turn for the worse. I realized on Friday that the alarm wasn’t working since I took it in for a battery replacement. Turns out when I turn the backlight on it makes a weird buzzing sound. I bet that has to do with the fact that the alarm does not plan at all. I took it back to Tourneau (since I bought it there and they changed the battery in the first place). They looked at it for a second and said I had to send it in. To say I was ticked off would be an understatement. I was furious. They changed a friggen battery and then the watch (not exactly a timex) didn’t work right. So I explained that to them. They gave me the song and dance about it is an electronic device, bla bla bla, things happen, etc. I understand that, but it wasn’t like the dam thing just stopped working. I gave it to them for a 10 minute piece of maintenance and they give it back to me not working. The clincher was that the watch had to go back to Omega for service. They said that would take 6-8 weeks. Having no other options I gave the watch in for service.
At least I got an answer to an age old question I had. You can get really horrible service at an expensive store just like you would at Walmart. I will probably be sporting my Dad’s old watch until I get mine back. Not the end of the world (i will admit that), but just an annoyance!
Meet up with Carrie, Morgan, and my dad for dinner at Sante Fe by my sisters house tonight. I didn’t really eat much. I started feeling out of it towards the end of the day. I was not hungry but nibbled on some chicken fingers while everyone ate. I went to see the family more than the food. Morgan still rocks. she is too cute for her own good.
At luch I had to get my watch fixed since I went to a store that couldn’t help me yesterday. Cost me $28 bucks but I could get that money back when I bring in the receipt from the purchase of the watch. I also had a link let out since the watch was a bit tight since I got it. now it is too loose. Go figure?
I had to cut out of the office a little early to meet up with the family. I am spoiled by the 20 minute commute now that I get frustrated with the 45-60 minute trip to Forrest Hills. The funny thing is I know it isn’t a bad trip, but compared to what I am used to it sucks. Of course to see my niece I would do double the trip. She is worth it, but only in small doses. She is allot of energy.
Even with the not feeling good it was a nice visit. My mom heard about the trip and jokingly got upset that I meet up with the family when she was out of town. She is in Florida relaxing with her friends for the week. It seems like retirement is nice!
I took the bus (yeah I know) to Jayson’s and we headed over to the Queens mall. I do get out to the other boroughs sometimes. I needed shoes and to do some general shopping. I found a nice pair of rockports that should hopefully not hurt as much as my Doc’s have been recently. I got some new docker paints and some other crap. After the mall we dropped our stuff off at our respective apartments and then went to Compusa where we looked for what stuff they had cheap! I ended up with a Lacie 250gig USB drive. I needed extra space and the price was right.
Most of the day was spent running around, but I did get to kick back and relax a bit in the evening. that is how I prepare for the new work week!
Cari and I meet up with some old work friends that were having a mini reunion at a bar around the corner from my current office. it was good seeing some people. Others I didn’t remember. It is weird to look someone right in the face and not know who they are, but have them know you. I admit I am always bad with names and faces, but there was some awkward moments.
Got to see Dave (for a little bit), Jeff, & Nick. Lefty & John where unavailable but I need to go over and meet up with them sometime soon. Jayson and Danny meet up with me at the bar and we headed out for some dinner before I headed home to drink lots of water to prevent a hang over!
A few Saturday’s ago I took a stack of bills and other important papers to work and ran them through the high speed scanner we have. We have a page feed scanner that can scan duplex copies of pages right into PDF. It is great. I got about a years worth of backlogged papers scanned into the computer. Now I have to shred all the originals since I don’t need them anymore. I am one of those people who is trying to digitize everything.
I am not there yet, but every year I get closer. I am slowly getting to a point where all bills are sent electronically so I don’t need to deal with scanning paper into the computer. I am close. Most statements are available to me both as print or online, but some still are paper only. My electric bill’s online system sucked so bad that I actually switched back to good old paper. I never thought I would do it, but Coned made it so hard to make a change to your account I found it easier to just change back to paper and give up the online option for them.
If you have read this site before (or you know me) you will know I am into mostly modern and electronic stuff. Would it surprise you if I said that not everything new and electronic was better? Well it isn’t. Allot of the time I do think that modern stuff is better, but there have been (more of them recently) where the “old school” way to do something has become my preferred choice.
What brought on this trend? I think it started when my dad gave me his old Omega Speedmaster. For years I shied away from an old fashioned wind watch. I was happy with my digital, it was easier to use. Then after having the Omega for about a year I started to wear it. I was hooked. I ended up going out and buying a newer Omega that was a hybrid. it was like an old school chronograph but it had some digital elements. But the classic analog watch switched me over from my timex indiglow.
My most recent switch to less modern, is shaving. I have found it more and more of a pain to get a good shave. I have a year old top of the line braun electric razor in my closet that I never use. It never gave me a close shave. It was more of a pain than anything. I currently use a Schick Quatro. It was ok for a while, but now it is just allot of blades (4 of them). Who needs 4 blades? Over the summer I read an article about old guys finding old fashioned shaving to be actually better than this modern crap. I finally got fed up and went surfing for answers. My own research and an MSNBC article got me to Classic Shaving.com. About $100 later I am eagerly awaiting my starter kit to a better shaving experience. A few months ago if you asked me to buy a razor designed 100 years ago I would have laughed at you, but that is exactly what I did. Hopefully I will be happy with my choice.
Next on my list? I have no idea, but I am slowing having a more open mind about tried and true options vs new and modern. Of course I will still pick my PDA phone and laptop over a rotary dial phone and a typewriter any day!
Tonight I got to meet up with my friends Joe & Karen. They live far away (aka a time zone & 1,000+ miles). They were up for the holidays so Jayson, Gretchen, John, Zee, and I met up with them for dinner at a place in little italy that we like to goto. A lot of food and like 4 bottles of the house wine later we had a great dinner. It was nice seeing everyone. The last time I saw Joe & Karen was like July so it was good to catch up.
Joe is trying to get me out to Vegas again this June for another convention. I am all for it. Now I have to convince my boss that he is all for it also!
It was cold tonight, but besides that I had a good time. Now off to bed since I have work again tomorrow!
What to do on Christmas day? It is really the only holiday that not being catholic I can’t do anything (since everything is closed) and it is not a holiday for which I celebrate. The typical jewish thing to do is goto the movies. I am not talking about a stereotype. I can recall countless Christmas eve’s or christmas days where my mom has taken me and my sister to a movie. Within the past 10 – 15 years it has been super crowded. When I was like 5-7 my mom took us to Rockerfeller Center for ice skating on Christmas day. That also was very crowded so we stopped going.
The other tradition besides movies was the Christmas day party at my mom’s friend Beverly’s. In recent years that tradition has been brought back but there was a long period where there was no party. I went last year. it was fun. This year the party is on, but I am off to a friend’s little get together. Some other friends are meeting me (any minute now) by my place so we can share a cab over. hopefully it will be fun.