Work things

I got asked to send out a request to go to Pycon in Chicago next month. Later on I found the reason why. Lets just say they want me there for a long time. ;)

Pycon is the big Python conference that is held every year. Google and Microsoft are big commercial sponsors. There are chances to learn awesome stuff and do tons of good networking.

The weekend

• Got into some bitter fights over the weekend with the wife and son. I made it clear after his last report card that he had to bring positive evidence from all his classes or each weekend he would be grounded. Also, he needed his chores done. Finally, she needs to stop buying him stuff when they go out, since his report card doesn't deserve it and he's old enough to get/keep a job. I didn't handle things well but we do need to have a solid front, and his grades, while not failing, can certainly improve.

• Our water heater didn't seem to be working well this morning. I checked with the kid about the shower he took last night and he said, "Yeah, it wasn't working so I didn't take one." Sigh. He ought to have told me. Then I could have checked to see if it was a fuse or something easy. Alas, I doubt that is the case, and I bet this will be yet another expense.

• It was a three day weekend so I worked my consulting gig all day on sunday. Then monday I worked some on that, some on the normal job, and did some cycling. It got rainy so I headed home.

• Watched Flags of our Fathers last night. A really awesome film about what war does to people and why symbols are so important. There are some horrifying bits during the war scenes on Iwo Jima. This one goes beyond political preferences, so every voting adult is safe to watch this film.

• Worked with the kid on learning Python, specifically using pygame. The book on it is really good, and he likes it a heck of a lot more than the Visual Basic and MoldFusion he's been exposed to before. Who can blame him?

Me being snarky

I got this in my email bin today:

My name is xyz xyz and I'm with xyz, a National IT consulting firm. At some point you submitted your resume to xyz or I ran across your information on a job board and I was wondering if you could help me out. I am working very hard at finding a Windows System support positions in Newington VA. I see that you did or do have this experience within one of the organizations you've worked for. It seems most professionals usually are working and not reading the job boards for new positions so the only way possible I'll be able to find someone is through good old fashioned networking (well maybe the internet isn't old fashioned but you know what I mean). Could you possibly point me in the right direction by giving me a name of someone who might do this within your organization or someone who is outside of your organization? If you prefer I will keep your referral completely confidential. It would just greatly help me out if I could start talking to some people within the Windows Support Community and see who knows who. If you are currently available and interested, please update the following information for me and let me know the soonest we can talk. If you are not available or interested, let me know and I will update your records in our database - thanks!

My response:

I do python programming on Mac OS X and Linux. I know less about Window now than my 70 year old father. Also, I no longer know anyone who does Windows support. We've all moved over to the *nix world.

Hrm...

The kid has decided not to return to sword class. He and his mom told me 'he felt pressured'. The wife should not have intervened. She has for about 4 years vigorously defended his right to eat badly and not exercise. Its been a hard and nearly impossible battle to get him to do anything physical. I admit when we were biking this summer it was awesome, but that when he wanted to go I was already beat from doing my commute.

Anyway, he hasn't been pressured. I've got his friends in school talking about it and every time I leave to go workout I politely ask him if he wants to go.

Why do I do this?

The kid is 16. He is maybe an inch taller than me. And he outweighs me by 40 pounds and his BMI is probably around 30. That puts him at the edge of obese.

At age 16.

I worry about the long term implications of total lack of excercise combined with obesity. I want him to lose both weight and exercise, but would be delight with just one.

Gym things

• The kid wants to start up sword class again since a group of his friends are joining. But he is apprehensive since its been a while and he is afraid of not looking good in front of his friends. Also, our school is hard, and since his fitness level is not good right now I know that makes this a bit more daunting. Of course, on newbies and returning students we are a bit more gentle, but still...
• One of the senior Hapkido guys, a fully ranked master, turns out has a similiar background to me in kali, eskrima, and arnis. In fact, he trained in Maphilindo Kali just like me! So that means we'll be meeting this saturday to do some stick and knife work.
• Now that my back is recovering and I'm able to build my speed back up again, I've been asked to spar again by several people. Much as I want to do this at full effort again, I'm apprehensive about jumping in. My back is still achey at times and I want a full recovery before I risk anything. I've found that the back issue is worse than a broken bone or sprain since it impairs my mobility, flexibility, and sucks the energy out of me.
  

Baby news

My coworker and friend just had a baby. Story here:

http://gooberfishbowl.blogspot.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for:

• My family
• My students
• Everyone who helped out when my bike got stolen
• Only two minor injuries this year
• My friends
• My family
• My crazy coworkers
• The trip to Italy
• My NASA customer
• Python
• The Plone and Zope communities
• Good training partners
• Good teachers