Good laugh!

My friend Tom Keating has a hilarious post on the new Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) nag-screen - read it here.

I'm off to find some "high quality" bootleg of win2k...wish me luck! *grins*

Oh: and the baby's fine, as are the Mom and Dad...even if the Mom's a bit tired from the nightly feeding (Daddy very supportively snores straight through). :-P

It's a boy!

I realize I've been scarce...but that's what parenthood will do to you! :-) A healthy, strapping baby boy arrived last Wednesday (17th) at 02.53am. Now, a week later, I still pinch myself that he's here...he's so unbelievably gorgeous and sweet, it makes all the clichés even more clichéed...*grins*

But don't take it from me - judge for yourselves:


I know I'm hooked. :-)

Epitaph

...and a voice cried out from heaven, saying: "It is done."
- Book of Revelations, 16:17

After 9,5 weeks, 86 pages now await the final read-through (thanks Pete & Martin!), before I correct the last comma's and dot the last i's. It's been a growing experience for sure: I have had virtually no social life for the duration of this project, and - oddly enough - not that many "all-nighters"? I guess when you get up at 7am every day, you tend to not last so long into the pm (latest recorded shut-down: 03.25)?

So now, it's time to relax, help out where I can (both the girl and the house!) and wait for impending fatherhood.

So long, thesis, and thanks for all the fish...

Gentleman Poet

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Stumbled upon this poem from my past, and was sent tumbling down memory lane. I love the feel and emotion of it. I think it safe to say that it is one of my favourite poems of all time. Robert Frost was a remarkable wordsmith indeed.

Oh - and no baby yet. :-)

Not Daddy yet...

*grins* - no, children: I am not a member of the "fatherhood" crowd yet. :-)

Actually, just came on to make a mental note: I think I may be nocturnal? I just realized that durring the day, I get very little real work done on the thesis? Always a million other things to do? But as soon as the clock strikes 23 (11pm for the yanks...*grins*), productivity soars, and the creative juices flow? This sucks! But in my defence, I've always been like this? Have been actively fighting it for a while, but maybe it's time to say f-ck it, and give in? Might actually come in handy with the baby...? *grins*

Oh well - off to capitalize on the nocturnal energy! Will keep you posted...

Officially, the date is upon us...

Later today, I may become a Dad.

Let that just sink in for a minute.

Later today, I - may - become - somebodys - DAD. Father. A parent.

How competely irresponsible? Creed set me off, "With Arms Wide Open" came into my iTunes rotation, and I caught myself "zoning out", mentally focusing on the lyrics (I'm big on lyrics):

(...)
Well I don't know, if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be?
I take a breath, I take her by my side
We stand in awe; we've created life!

With arms wide open, under the sunlight
Welcome to this place, I'll show you everything
With arms wide open, now everything has changed
I'll show you love, I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
(...)

This sums my feelings up pretty nicely. I don't feel...mature enough? - old enough? - to be a father yet? But then again, I don't think you're ever ready...you just have to jump out - sort of like what I imagine sky-diving must be like? *grins*

Well then: this is me, grabbing my humour and my positive mind, and setting off on some more thesis-pounding, all while seriously crossing all extremities that I do not become a parent before I father this bloody thesis!!! :-)

Don't hate me...

...but I really, really like the new Mac ads currently running in the States! I sat in front of my Mac and laughed...which is always a good sign! :-D

You can catch the ads online here or by clicking the picture.

I particularly like Viruses, Restarting and Network. ;-)

Morning after - looking better

Not difficult to look better after last nights post... But oh joy of man's longing! - the inbox held glorious advisor e-mail:

Hi: This looks actually pretty advanced. A key point for now will be to improve the discussion section in terms of theory how does your theory listet in the theory chapter apply? What do we need to learn to make theory applicable to this specific case? Do you suggest a own model in the end that intergrates old theory and new empirical insigths? My recommendation is to make a own model and then show how it can be applied adn goes beyond thos models you have listed in the theory section. Do that on 3-5 pages. I think there will be one week work more. Best, V.

(Yes; he's German.)

So yeah...just have to make my own model...! Damn. Say what you will about the man, but he's not one to cut me slack or belittle my skills...! *grins* But I have no clue as to how to tackle my own model...so I'll put that off, and do the other stuff first. Maybe it will come to me? *crosses fingers*

Oh: and if he think this'll take me another week, he's got another think coming: time is a luxury I do not have! :-)

Completely beat

*whimpering*

- I surrender, oh evil thesis! You have me by the gonads, lacking sleep and coherent thought. The clock shows almost 3am, and I've been listening to trance for the past 3 hours. Currently I'm listening to New Order's Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix of "Confusion"...and I think the bass is the only thing currently keeping me upright/awake?

Just sent 77 pages to my advisor. Some good, some utter crap, but all mine. 77 pages in 2 months. It's not finished - yet. But it's closer than it's ever been! My guess is I will have it done by Wednesday, if I manage to get some sleep right about...now.

*face-plant on keyboard, begins silenty snorring*