Surviving US Airways

Whew! It turns out that the last 48 hours of system and network debugging were wasted. The slowness in the employee travel application that we installed was because the developers in India had not turned off debug mode. So, everyone trying to use the system were all trying to write to the same debug file. 10,000+ people, all at once. Once the problem was identified at 9:30pm tonight, the system started working as expected. Yeah! Well, what I mean is that we can now begin to debug the app and not be distracted by the infrastructure around it. I know there are problems because I just looked at PHX to BWI (Baltimore). It gave me two screens of valid flights, but then the third screen displayed return flights from BWI to LAS (Las Vegas). Another offered me a return flight from SEA (Seattle) to PHX. Whaa?

As for we, I am bushed. Maybe because I've been bushwhacked for the last two days.

Survivor - terry won immunity...again. He is the only one so far to win individual immunity. 4 times in a row. Come on, people. Vote out Shane the Whiner!!!

While It's Still Today

I thought I'd pop a post out here while it is still Wednesday. We started to install a new application for web-based employee travel last night at 9. I went home and went to bed, because I am a manager over these people and not a worker-bee. Hmm. Seems I spoke too soon. It was supposed to go live at 6am. It is now 10:15pm and we are still not finished. The system is live, but is dog slow and has a few data errors. My boss and his boss were here earlier (around 6pm), but they went on home. After all, they are managers. So, my boss said call him when we get it cleaned up. Oh well.

So, I missed choir practice. I missed CSI:Miami. I missed Kathie, Gizmo, Morris, and Chino. I missed daylight. I missed dinner.

A Few SF Photos

I'll have to display just a few "teaser" photos in this post. I've used all my Flickr uploads for April, so I cannot post my SF photos there until next month.


Cable tracks and Alcatraz.


This is our Caleb and Lauri photo.

We left our hearts...

Whew! Let me see if I learned from Leigh on listing times in her recent post. I got up at 3:15 to check us in. America West lets us use web checkin 4 hrs before a flight leaves. We were standby #1 and #2. We left the house at 5:15am. Arrived at airport parking by 5:35am. Security cleared us at 5:51am. We heard another flight had been cancelled last night, so ours was overbooked. Well, we got on and let on time at 7:05am. We landed in SF at 9:06am, also on time.

We rode BART to Powell St and then took the cable car down to the Wharf. We got there at 10:35am.Walked up and down. Took some photos, but I'm not gonna load them tonight. I learned that lesson from Lindsay. I called Dad and asked him to check us in around 2:15pm. We had clam chowder in bread bowls for lunch out at Pier 39. We toured Boudin Bread factory after lunch. So, waiting in line for the return cable car, I checked with Dad. Oops. The site doesn't work on Macs, so he went over to Carey's place. Oops #2. I gave him the wrong password. So, he just had Carey do it for us. Thanks, Carey.

OK, we got home at about 8:45pm. Still, our first time to say, "Yes, we just had to have SF sourdough for lunch, so we flew over for the day." I think we'll stay in town next weekend.

And, by the way...we had fun! If you had fun, you won.

Thanks for song ideas on the last post. Anybody else?

Lunch By The Bay

I think we are going to head over to SF for lunch. The flights show only 75% full. So, we'll catch the 7:05am over, get there around 9am, go down by the Wharf for the day, and catch the 6:50pm back. It's time for me to get my feet wet on one of the perks of working for an airline. I thought about Albuquerque, but come on, which would you choose?

Hey, y'all are not doing a very good job telling me about Praise songs. Which ones are they doing in your church?

New Post About a New Post

Well, I have a new post that exists solely to say Kyle has a new post. Go look. It's OK, I'll wait.

Hmm. No Bella sightings since Sunday. What am I gonna do? Yes, you are right, there is still my lovely wife.

Some church members are starting to ask if we are ever going to sing contemporary stuff. So, campers, let me know which choruses or songs are your favorite. Maybe we can learn one and almost sing it at the church.

Easter Music Behind Me

Well, we did our big Easter music today. I think it went well. A small bobble on the accompaniment at one point, but they recovered. I almost heard parts a couple of times. The church seemed to enjoy it. I might have heard an amen, but Aunt Kim knows how elusive those can be.

Kyle thought the choir got better as the music progressed. That's quite a bit of praise from Kyle. Come on. Y'all know how he can be. Alison did notice the slight bobble, but thought the choir was exactly what I had described. Wonder what that means? In the choir's defense, what they lack in sheer musical ability, they more than make up in love for God and their church and, dare I say it, even me. They are all nice folks.

We had a good visit with Alison. She gets back to Big D tonight at 11:20. Plus, she's been sleeping 2 hours later on PHX time. She's gonna feel that in the morning.

Bella and a few others of us met at Chili's for lunch today. Mmm, mmm, good. I know that you remember she and her family met us at Red Robin last Friday. However, no photos today.

Oops. I sort of erased Alison's iPod the other night. We tried to hook it up to my Mac, but since it is a Windows version, no dice. So, I took it in to the PC and, bingo, it connected. Unfortunately, it also started downloading my songs by first erasing hers. Even worse, there is not really anything she wants from me. Sorry, James. I hope you didn't lose anything.

A Quiet Friday Night

Alison came in from TX this morning, safe and sound. Then, she spent the day with Kathie and Lyndsay and Isabella. Shopping, I imagine.

Anyway, tonight we ate over at Red Robin. Afterward, they came by the house for a bit. Luckily for all, including you, dear reader, I had my camera. Check out this photo and look in Flickr for a couple more.

Last Practice For Easter Program

Tonight is the first and only "dress" rehearsal for Sunday's extravaganza. Well, a few songs and some scripture. Anyway, Kathie worked in the nursery last week, and one of the women she worked with is in the choir. She told Kathie it seems like I am never satisfied. Hmm. I thought I was giving enough praise. I'll be better tonight.

Kyle and Lyndsay are going to the Suns game tomorrow night, so more babysiting. And they are thinking to take Alison out Saturday night, but I don't know if she'll be up to that. If so, though, more babysitting. Hey. I'm seeing more of Bella than I did of Kyle and Alison....put together...for the last 20 years.

Work is crazy. Maybe I should have been a tax accountant. Speaking of which, I've got to finish my taxes Thurs or Fri. I only lack inputting medical amounts and the school donation tax credit for AZ.

Oh yeah. Ali comes in Fri morning. Listen to this. I cleverly maneuvered Dad and Kathie into picking her up. During rush hour. Tee hee.

Speaking of which, my monster project, payroll, remains firmly behind. So, the head of US Airways IT made us set up at 8am review EVERY DAY until we get the issues settled. Gross, huh? First, that it is at 8am. Second, that I start every day with my problem child. Remind me why I wanted another corporate job?

Babysitting Without A Camera

Well, I forgot to take my camera when we babysat last night. So, nothing new today. My folks took some today at their house, but I don't have their camera. And if I did, it wouldn't be their camera and so they wouldn't have taken pictures using it today. So, no matter how you slice it, no photos.

Bella is a noisy baby. Even when she is sleeping, she makes noise.

Alison is coming to visit next weekend. It will be her first time to see Isabella in person. James will not be coming, so he has to wait.

Easter music next Sunday. Wed is our last practice. There are a couple of songs that still need a little work. It'll be ready, though. I'm sure.

I heard Alison updated her blog. I'll check it after I finish this note.

Asleep At The Meal

Well, it doesn't matter where Bella is...when it's time for a nap, it's time for a nap. So, Kyle's Granddad held her while the rest of us ate lemon pie. Mm-mm. Tasty. And this after Lyndsay cooked chicken parm and spaghetti. I'm full.

One of my project managers turned in his resignation this week. Boo. So now, another one that had said he really needed to be full-time on his current project instead picks up two more. Well, that's the way it is in the cutthroat airline biz. Or so I'm told.

I think we'll catch Inside Man tomorrow. Then, we babysit again for our granddaughter tomorrow night. So, maybe more pictures. I added a few in Flickr on the right side of my page. Take a look. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Finally, A New Post With Photos

Yee Haw! The new photos have been uploaded. You may check them out on the Flickr thing to the right and down. Or you can just look at this one for a bit. Your call.

No, taxes are still pending.

Yes, Easter music and narration are complete. No, I don't know for sure if it is Sunday morning or Sunday night. The concern is that, since we have a sunrise service, that makes for a long day if we try and have the music that night. Plus, one of the two churches never held Sunday night services on Easter, Mother's Day, etc.

Too Late For Pics

Got some pictures from babysitting last night. I'll try and get them posted tomorrow.

Finished the narration for the Easter music today. Finally.

Just watched Sopranos. Horrible show. Plus, I've got to wait a week between episodes.

Worked some on taxes yesterday. Still have some numbers I need to pull together.

A Week Without A Post?

Wow! Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I haven't even had a visit with Bella. So, no pictures.

However, we have our first babysitting assignment tonigh over at their place. Sure, they offered to bring her over here, but Morris barks a lot. Plus, they've got all the baby stuff over there.

Work is crazy busy. However, it does pay a salary, so let's get it done. Maybe someday, I can grow into a tax accountant liked certain unnamed nieces.

We are thinking of catching Capote later today. The movie, not the dude. He's dead.

Ooo, I've got to finish my taxes. Where is that tax accountant when I need her?