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07/05/2004 Entry: "Dependence Day" So, this weekend, I wanted to get some quality leisure time. On Friday night, I used the last of my antibiotics, and had been feeling fine for the last two days. But by Saturday night, I wasn't feeling so good. My throat was closing in on me again. Were the antibiotics not enough? Did I have something anitbiotics couldn't cure? I spent most of the day out, because Christine and I wanted to go out because we had been sick for so long for a while, we were sick of bed. We were going to drive to Pennsylvania, but the weather turned ugly, and it rained, so we decided to stay around home. I ended up sorting through my den, trying to clean up some of the mess that has accumulated in the last few months. But by the end of the day, I didn't feel so hot, so I went to bed early, cursing this almost never-ending cold/flu/tonsillitis/whatever... On Sunday, we were to go to Sean's house to have a kind of 4th of July party and keep Bruce and Cheryl occupied so they didn't have to think about not having a Castlecon. I mean, I know they didn't want to do them anymore, but this was first time period where they didn't have one, and we knew that they were going to feel like something was missing. Cheryl even said she didn't want to be in the house. So we had a party at Sean's house. It started out with just Sean, his family, my family, and Bruce and Cheryl, but then more guests got added until the guest list was over 20 people (double what we expected). I guess luckily, not everyone showed up. I think there were maybe 15-17 people. Many of them people who USED to work at my company, but some odd coincidence. But during the party, Christine got a call that Fran was admitted to a hospital near Harper's Ferry. So half the party was calling her sister Debbie back and forth, trying to get information about Fran. Apparently, he was visiting his stepdad, and got real sick, so he was admitted to the emergency room. Later, as this unfolded, it didn't seem so bad, but Christine is going to see him today, and possibly, if he's well enough, take him Also at the party, I heard from Cheryl that Kory at MSD really, really likes me as an employee. I hope I live up to those kinds of standards. My book is also selling well, and while I don't know how well yet, I had forgotten that while some of my friends would be getting one... other people who buy MSD products would also buy some. I undersold myself. Well, we'll see what the next few weeks, and Gencon, have to bring me. I told Kory I didn't have electronic copies of the old book (I used to, but they were in some weird publishing format on 5.25 inch 360k disks which I am not sure I could find anymore), and he said, "We have a team of typographers and data entry people if we need to do reprints..." If there is a reprint? I am going to edit it a little. Not change the stories per se, but maybe... fix a few things, if Kory lets me. There were a few mistakes that go through, mostly where pages were, and over time, I noticed some slight grammatical errors that got through. I hope they will publish my second book, though! It's been in the can for a while. That I *do* have electronic copies of. Poor Kris Trader did those wonderful illustrations and now maybe they'll finally see the light of day... In other news, work had a major snafu. There's a saying in our group about never doing any changes in production over a weekend, especially a long weekend. Well, some team decided that they HAD to get this test done THIS weekend, and honestly, I don't blame them. But doing a dialing stress test over a weekend where phone call volumes are low anyway is not going to yield the results they want. Plus, we had to do all this new stuff in a hurry, and communication was broken down between departments, so my software didn't work as well as it should have because some people who set up these machines didn't use the settings I told them to use. Bruce and Cheryl told horror stories that some yahoos that live on their block set off real fireworks, the big kind, Friday night (before the big rains), and they were afraid these idiots would set the whole neighborhood on fire. Luckily, the police and the Fire Marshall showed up and shut them down. In Virginia, we are allowed to have small fireworks, but where they live in Maryland, I think even sparklers and snakes are illegal. So what possessed their neighbors to set off HUGE ones that lit up the night sky is beyond anyone. I mean, you KNOW you can't do that without someone seeing you, and tracing down where you are pretty quickly. The party was pretty good, but we ended up leaving a little earlier than normal (and for our friend's parties, that's like 11:30). And when we leave, then everyone else leaves. Man! Can't you people entertain yourselves? Seriously, though, we had a lot of fun, the kids got to see fireworks, and those that didn't want to see them got to stay behind and sit in nice air conditioning and talk. Speaking of dependence... so I get paged from work, on a holiday, that all hell has broken lose today. Things are not where they are supposed to be and my software "failed" and I am "in the doghouse." I retorted back that they did not listen to me, use my documentation, or use common sense. Hilarity ensues. They want me to come in. I can't, because during this time, I have to clean the house and get ready for Fran to stay. They are not happy. Luckily, Roy at work saves my ass by coming in, and was fairly good about it. I also have to get dental work done. But Christine has to go, so I have to walk to the dentist's myself. Wonderful. At least he's only a mile away and it's not as hot as it could be. And since it's hot, it won't make me sicker... right? Because I have a helluva work day ahead of me tomorrow. Calling in sick is not an option. I just hope I still have my voice so I can defend myself. And get everyone else what I have because I am too mad to care right now.