Weekly Travelogue

I seem to only update while waiting at the airport.  8:30 p.m. flight to Newark and a return tomorrow afternoon.  The Crown Room closes at 7:30, so I get to hang out in the terminal and listen to the vacuum cleaners.  No Dunkin Donuts report, but there’s a Nathan’s right here and so far I’ve fought off the urge.  At least Miami Airport has “free” Google-sponsored wifi for the holiday season.  The trip should be OK – I’m a world-class airplane sleeper (although I’m in the last row).

Hanukkah is so far, so good.  Jake really, really wanted the new Yu Gi Oh PSP game, so that’s what he got.  Of course, he doesn’t actually have a PSP, so I had to pick up one of those too (79.00 used at Gamestop).  I keep threatening him with socks and underwear, because that’s what my grandma always got me.  I got what I asked for – new speakers for the computer.  I highly recommend the M-Audio desktop speakers (AV30). 

We don’t attend Hanukkah services.  On the other hand, we will probably attend church.  I’m one of the sponsors of the musical series at the local Catholic church, so we’ll probably see the Christmas musical show.  Maybe they’ll let me light up the candles that go in the paper bags out front.  I’m experienced.

No big news to report.  Lots of Yu Gi Oh.  We’re going to Fernandina Beach for the week after Christmas, so we picked Jake up a wetsuit.  I’ll probably get one too.  My brother and his family will join us in Fernandina for a few days before they go on to Disney for new years day. We can’t go to Disney for a few more months, because of Jake’s immuno-suppressed state.  

Back on the blog/Opinionated tech update

It’s been a while since we updated.  This is attributable to two things.  First, I’m not travelling as much, and I used to be a prolific airport blogger.  (I’m currently at Fort Lauderdale Airport, and the fact that the Dunkin Donuts doesn’t sell donuts would be good for ten column inches alone).  Second, Jake is doing so well that there are very few new developments.  Our Gainesville trips are now at least three months apart, and his blood test results are consistently good.  Without conflict or uncertainty, there’s no compelling story.  I usually didn’t let a lack of new stop me from attempting to report the news, but then I got lazier.

Jake’s doing great.  On the dialysis diet, he had to severely limit his protein intake.  Now, all he wants is steak – for every meal.  He didn’t like meat before he got sick, but he’s making up for lost time.  He’s now a very, very expensive date.

During the time he had a catheter, he couldn’t get wet.  That meant sponge baths and no swimming.  He now wants to swim at every opportunity.  We’re decided to put a pool, but I’m in a battle of wills with the pool company over the terms of their proposed contract.  Their boilerplate contract has me representing to them that the ground is suitable for a pool and that they have adequate access and power lines.  I told them that they are the experts, and that they need to represent to me that the ground is suitable and that they have sufficient access.  I’ve heard too many horror stories to back down now.

There’s plenty of new tech to review.  I still love Windows 7, and have converted the last of our computers.  It works great on the Acer Aspire netbook, but there was some challenge in getting the software onto the netbook (which doesn’t have a DVD drive).  I ended up downloading it from Microsoft and using the last of my “Family Pack” validation codes.  It worked fine, and I still get nine hours of battery life.

Jen got me a PSP GO for my birthday.  It’s a neat little device, but can only run downloaded games from the SONY website.  Since SONY has a well-deserved reputation for incompetence when it comes to their online “Store”, buying a device that only runs on downloads is a leap of faith.  So far, some of the games have been great, but SONY has inexplicably failed to offer some games which have been available in the physical stores for weeks.  Jake wants a PSP for Hannukah so he can get the PSP-only Yi Gi Oh game.  We’ll probably get him one, because the download-only PSP GO format means that he won’t misplace his game cartridges.  Over the last three years, he’s lost at least 15 Nintendo DS games.  There’s a reason they sell them on those mini-chips.  I think we bought New Super Mario Brothers three times.  The PSP has lots of on-line capability, so I’m open to any head-to-head challenges.  I’m also open to FIFA 10 online play.  I can beat Jake’s friends every time – but they are only 8 years old. 

I’m still happy with the Palm Pre, but I got to play with a Verizon “Droid” for a bit and it seems like a cool device.

Yom Kippur Update

I put the same update on both blog pages:

We've been boogie-boarding in Fernandina Beach all weekend. We were supposed to drive home tomorrow evening, but instead we're driving to Gainesville later this afternoon. Jake is scheduled to have a radiology-assisted kidney biopsy at 11 tomorrow. I hate those late morning procedures, because he can't eat all morning. due to the anesthesia. We'll have to stay overnight at the hospital to recover from the biopsy, and we'll see the results Tuesday morning.

Jake had previously tested positive for BK virus, which is fairly common in the population but which poses a problem when you're immuno-suppressed. His creatinine numbers are up this week, so they want to take another biopsy to see if he's rejecting, etc. If he needs an anti-viral treatment, we may be in the hospital a while because that's a pretty serious IV-administered medicine. I need to talk to the docs, because my view is that all of this can be done, if necessary, at home instead of Gainesville.

Jake has been stalking some pretty serious (and expensive) Yu Gi Oh decks on ebay. I told him that we can't bid on them because we need to save that kind of thing until we need an in-hospital distraction. He agreed. There's a t-shirt for sale on one of the sites that says "My deck costs more than your car." That's an exaggeration for most cars, but a "Lightsworn" deck costs several hundred dollars.

I only brought one laptop with me for this trip, because we weren't expecting the detour. If it lasts, I may "need" to buy another one. That always gives me some editorial fodder.

Waiting for Labor day

 

Jake had an excellent first week of school.  He likes reading and math.  He’s a little intimidated by Spanish, because he’s missed the last two years of Spanish class due to dialysis.  On Friday he brought home his new recorder (flute) and I think I’m going to get tired of hearing it very quickly.

Jen finally had a week to herself.  She used it to catch up on her own doctor visits, but there was a mall or two thrown in there.

The first week at the new office went very well. It looks great and makes us feel big-time.  I was supposed to go into the office this weekend but forgot my office keys in the office, so it will have to wait until Monday.

No big Labor Day plans yet.  My goal is to stay home and clean out the play room, but we’ll see what happens. 

Back to School

Tomorrow is the first day of school.  Jake has missed a lot of school over the past year, so he’s in a special class 3rd grade class with 7 students (and priced accordingly).  He’s not particularly excited about school, but he’s excited that all of his school friends are back in town.  He’s also excited to be on the regular school lunch meal plan for the first time in 3 years.  No more special bland kidney lunches.

Everybody had a good week.  Jake finished the last of his swimming instructions for a while.  He learned to dive in head-first, which is something I’ve never been comfortable doing.  We have all our back to school supplies, but haven’t yet determined if there is a new cool “must-have” backpack.  I was considering offering him $20.00 as a dare if he would take the old pre-K Thomas The Tank Engine backpack to school.

We moved to our new office this week, and I had a ton of big hearings, so it was a very stressful work week.  The move went really well, because the computer guys from NY and our Miami staff pulled an all-nighter.  I was really gratified that I didn’t have to do much work, because the other people took care of everything.

This is the week to decide where the desk knick-knacks go.  Last night I decided that I really miss the Levenger catalog, which used to be full of office porn (fountain pens, book holders, etc.).  I may take a trip to one of their few remaining stores (in Boca) this week.  I have a bunch of fountain pens, but I rarely hand-write anymore.  I went to fill the pens and the inkwell had turned to mud after 2 years of nonuse.

The consumer picks for this week are the Plantronics CS 361N 2 ear wireless headset and Oakley Jawbone sunglasses.  We got new headsets with the new office phones, and the 361N is awesome.  I was a convert to the headset world last year after I found some old headset equipment in a box at our old office.  All I want now is the ball for the end of the boom microphone so I can look like Britney (or maybe Garth).

I succumbed to the lure of the Oakley Jawbone – which is really ugly but all the pro racers wear them.  I can say after one day’s use that quality optics really do enhance the experience (especially on a rainy day). 

I did my 14 mile run yesterday with our friend Susan.  It was 91 degrees. I suspect she’s trying to kill me.  I don’t remember making her a beneficiary on my life insurance.  Maybe she’s in cahoots with Jen.

One more week 'til school starts

We had a very nice week. Friday we attended the 5th Anniversary party for the Joe Dimaggio Pediatric Dialysis Center. (We paid for much of it) We met a bunch of transplant alumni, and they all seem to be doing well. They all continue to drink massive quantities of fluid every day, but none of them have that sunken eye dialysis look. For most of them, you'd never know they have health problems.

Yesterday was a five hour Yu Gi Oh tournament. He loved it. Someday, I'll dread going, but for now I get a sense of satisfaction watching our allegedly brain damaged kid duel with the older kids. He does well in the preliminary rounds, but gets beat in the playoff rounds. Nobody wants to duel him (the pairings are computer-generated), because there's no upside to beating a 9 year old and a loss is embarrassing. He did meet a 10 year old player, so those two spent most of their time dueling each other.

Jake got his new bedroom set, and really likes it. I offered to put a laptop computer in his room, but he advised me that "the dialysis laptop sucks". I reformatted it, and he's now pleased to have it.

He's been swimming every day, so he's got a ton of freckles despite SPF 80. He has swimming lessons a few times a week, and is quickly making up for lost time.

We have our big office move on Thursday. I have a bunch of hearings this week, so I'll miss much of the excitement.

I'm still shopping for a high end Italian bike frame (looking at a Guerciotti) and a used classic VW Bug. I want both and need neither.

Both of my soccer teams (Everton and Aston Villa) got crushed in week one action. Ugh.

The first post

It’s a lot easier starting a new blog when nobody’s in a coma .. .

A heckuvaweekend in Fernandina Beach.  The weather was awesome.  Jake really enjoyed boogie boarding.  It was actually the first time I’ve ever done it, and it was awesome.  We live 10 minutes from the beach, but only go when we’re up here.  I think we may do more of it when we get back.  On the other hand, the sand here is very smooth and fine, while the sand in Miami Beach is rocky and shelly, so the knees are much less beaten up here.

I’ve been shopping for a classic used Bug.  If Jake continues his beach going ways, I could put a surfboard rack on a classic bug, and that would be unbelievably cool.

Here’s Jen sitting next to me.  Jen - say something:

We  had a great time this weekend.  Back to Miami tomorrow and Jacob’s swimming lessons resume on “Tuesday.  A nice young man named Tommy is Jacob’s instructor.  Jacob is swimming like a fish.  He’s learning to stroke but what he really wants to do is dive down to the bottom of the pool and pick things up.  We bought him a set of diving fishes for him to play with on Tuesday.  School starts on the 24th and I’m really looking forward to getting back to a routine.  I’ve taken the summer off from cooking but will start preparing meals again when school starts.  Also hope to volunteer at the school one or two days a week and start a business with my friend Susan.  More on that as it develops.  Back to Larry.