gridlore | Entries tagged with family

I need to go to Kaiser and drop off paperwork with the Medical Secretaries, pick up a form from my doctor, and then pick up new medication.

Because my thyroid is evidently running ultra-marathons while chugging pure caffeine.

Then off to the DMV to apply for a disabled tag.

Trust me, these days I need it.

After that, I'm off to baka49er's place to give her a quick course in using Flickr.

Assuming I survive that, I have an old dollar bill from World War II I want to sell. It's stamped "HAWAII" on the back and was one of the bills issued only in the colony. The idea was that if the Japanese invaded, the entire run of currency could be declared worthless.

Depending on condition and which series it is, it's worth $10-$50.

That works for me!

Just need to find a coin shop along my route of march.

Also need to find a new card holder for my wallet.

My Niners are now 3-1.

I made several trades (next year's draft is going to be bad) but picked up a much better right tackle, left outside linebacker, and a new #1 wide receiver.

Also discovered that the practice sessions really help. Especially those "key plays" identified by the coaching staff.

Now playing the game with a pen and note pad next to me.

Finally found the bloody GPS. It was inside a folder from when I had home healthcare.

It will be useful on the drive up to Reno.

Which is next Tuesday. Yikes!

kshandra is picking up our suitcases from murphymom. I'm going to start setting aside what I want to take up later this week.

Need to start wearing teeth again, I suppose.

Go Giants!

Current Mood: hungry
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: The Rachel Maddow Show

I now own a PS2 and four games. Madden NFL 11, MLB The Show 07, Medal of Honor: European Assault, and Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. Thank you,

murphymom!

I also finally have Darby back! I am street legal again, and able to haul my own sorry butt around.

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

We survived a trip to Chuck E Cheese. Kylie and Regan (and their friends) had a great time and the grown ups enjoyed watching the kids. Kiri and I played some Skee-Ball. As usual, she whipped me good. What was shocking was how trashy the place was. They had a specific area set off for the multiple birthday parties going on. This was right in front of the stage with the really bad animatronic band. There were three TVs that were supposed to be part of the show. The main one, an eighties-era big box big screen, was showing everything in black and white with multiple picture issues. The other two had blown color levels. The sound system was junk. When the rat finally showed up, the kid in the suit barely qualified as phoning it in. The little kids didn't notice, but the adults did. I had a chance to chat with one of the employees, and then seem to be enthusiastic about what they do. But if your entire business model is attracting kid's parties (seriously, who goes to Chuck E Cheese for the food?) then it seems that a little money spent on fixing things would be in order.

But the 'za was tolerable, it was great to see the extended family, and the kids had fun. So a success. Probably the last of the big family birthday parties as well. This was more for Regan, the Niece of Last Resort who is turning 4. Kylie, the Emergency Back-Up Niece, who is now 6, is having a party with a small group of friends tomorrow. They are both entering the stage where friends are more important than family on a day to day basis. Good for them. It was fun to watch both of the girls riding this virtual roller coaster. Front camera footage from a variety of famous coasters coupled with hydraulic jacks that tilt and shake the car appropriately. It was all we could do to pry Reagan out of there. She's a bit upset that she isn't big enough to ride the Demon at Great America. Couple of thrill-seekers there!

Coming back we stopped by the +5 Gamestore of Awesome. Where I found something that was both really cool and quite affordable. The Kingdoms of Legend World Guide and World Map Poster. Created for the Pathfinder RPG, this is close to my heart. It's set in an alternate early 15th century where magic works and the religious situation is.. complicated. Very nice.

Full day. A good day.

Happy birthday to Kylie and Regan!!!!!!!!!

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

Just heard that the Emergency Back-Up Niece has begun taking Taekwondo lessons!

Evidently she loves it, even the formality and rules, and has already broken a board with a kick!

She especially likes the shouting.

Everyone is hoping she's sticks with it, not only because the lessons are costly, because of all the positives that come out of the training and discipline.

Me? I'm thinking the 2024 Summer Olympics

The only martial art I ever studied was Aikido. Took a course of beginner's classes while at Fort Benning.

Aikido is about the only martial art you can do in full infantry gear. It was very popular with infatrymen.

Our combatives training and Aikido shared some characteristics.

Both focused on using your opponent's energy against him to get him on the ground for a strike.

I was transferred before I could take advantage of it, but there was an advanced class where the students wore full battle-rattle.

Health-wise, I'm doing a bit better.

Controlling all the lung issues, doing my best to build up endurance and strength.

Downloaded Blender.

I've got all this bloody free time, and I spend all day in front of the computer anyway.

Might as well to learn to do this.

Who knows, if I develop half-way decent skills, I might start self-publishing stuff for games.

But that's a long way off.

BEAT L.A.!!!!

Current Mood: hot
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: Giants - Dodgers, no score, bottom 3rd

Wow. Things are getting really busy for my poor broken butt.

This weekend is the annual birthday taco feast at baka49er's place. Ann and I both have places to be on our actual birthday, so we're doing it a week early.

Yay tacos and time with the nieces of awesome!

Next week I have a pulmonary function test. Dr. Butcher and I thought it would be a good idea to get a new baseline since the last test was done before we knew there were blood clots in my lungs.

Not very social, but it gets me out of the house.

Then comes WesterCon 64. We're po'folks for this event, so feel free to buy me a beer.

Without so much as time to draw a breath, we're going to see Tales of the City at the ACT. Kiri won the tickets from KFOG

So, after all that we get to rest right? Ha.

We have a fannish event on Saturday the 9th.

Then the Mayhem Festival on Sunday. \m/

I won the tickets to that one.

Luckily after that we get two stress free weeks to prepare for an event that promises to be louder than Mayhem Fest..

The Niece of Last Resort's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese!

She's turning 4! Her big sister is turning 6!

How did this happen????

After that, we're cool until mid-August when we go to Reno for Worldcon.

There is very good news on the medical/financial front.

My application for Social Security was approved. So money is a bit less of a problem.

Not cured, but not quite at the "selling organs" state anymore.

The Giants are 41-34, half a game out of first in the NL West, and tonight face the Cleveland Indians.

Current Mood: busy
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: Tool - Lateralus

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"If you draw a good hand in poker, bet conservatively until the last round. Then ramp it up to a level that will make most people fold."

"Any bar that can't make a decent whiskey sour isn't worth staying in."

Amusingly, both of these were given to me when I was about 13, and both came on a cruise.

Current Mood: hot
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: Giants 1, A's 0, top 5th

But considering that my father was from SW England (with a long history of mutual raids across the Irish Sea) as well as the rather muddled and muddy history involved, who knows what that percentage actually is? One thing many people forget is that the Irish had the pipes first, and I think best. So let's celebrate It Sucks To Be A Snake In Eire Day with some Irish pipes and politics.

Now, who's up for a quick raid on Wales?

Current Mood: predatory
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: The Wearing of the Green

Hey folks. I've got a new phone (geeky post to follow) and I'm in the process of updating my contact information, and realize that I don't have current phone numbers or addresses for a lot of you. This includes family. So, if you'd please, leave a reply with as much contact info as you feel comfortable giving me. All replies will be screened.

Even if you've given me this stuff before, y'all know both my seive-like brain and my awesomely bad filing system. So help a penguin out!

Current Mood: curious
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: Metallica - Blackened

Great picture of my sister and her family.

Current Mood: awake
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

I categorically refused to let how crappy I was feeling get in the way of enjoying Christmas.

kshandra and I went over to my mom's place yesterday morning, and after an hour or so we were joined by my sister and her crew.

Good grief, the Emergency Back-Up Niece and the Niece of Last Resort are getting huge!

Had a lovely breakfast. Mom did one of her ~~famous~~ infamous experiments, something called "Amish Breakfast Casserole" if I heard right.

Eggs, sausage, hash browns, all mixed together and backed. I had some, and it was OK, but my appetite just wasn't there.

Kiri loved it, and wants the recipe on the theory she could make it on a Sunday, put it the fridge, and take breakfast to work.

The girls have wonderful table manners.

It was funny, after Ann had told us several times that Kylie doesn't like sweets, Kylie proceeds to devour several cinnamon rolls.

Good job kid, keep Mommy guessing!

Then it was present time. The girls, as always, made out like bandits.

We gave them McDonalds re-loadable gift cards. The girls love ordering and paying for their food, so this is a way for them to be able to do it.

I got Kiri a book on obsessive fans, she got me a Giants World Series Champions hoodie. She has another gift coming, but Amazon shipped it late.

Mom got two painted plates from the kids, and clothing from her sisters.

As I mentioned yesterday, mikkop sent me the Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium! omnibus. Totally unexpected and much appreciated.

We bowed out early, came home, and while Kiri took a nap I noodled on the computer.

After that, we set out again to pick up murphymom and head over to mom's for dinner.

Very nice roast beef. Even better conversation.

As Kiri pointed out, our mothers have seen each more in this year than in the last 19.

I was really feeling miserable, the cold was making my breathing horrible, and I was pushing the edge of acceptable inhaler use.

Plus, we were all getting tired, so homeward bound for everyone.

Thanks to murphymom for the gift cards!

A good, quiet Christmas.

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

To celebrate Veteran's Day I'm reading The Record of a Regiment of the Line - Being a Regimental History of the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment during the Boer War 1899-1902 by Colonel L M. Jacson (Free at Project Gutenberg). Since my Great-Grandfather fought with the Devonshires in South Africa, this period is of interest to me. I'm loving the book, which is written in a very straight forward style. But with the British flair for understatement. Take for example, this line about an early skirmish in the war:

On Sunday, October 15th, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, who had arrived about two days previously, marched out of the Tin Camp Ladysmith to entrain for Dundee, which place it was reported the Transvaal Boers were threatening; and on the same day the news was confirmed that the armoured train at Mafeking had been twice attacked. It was said that our khaki uniform had completely nonplussed the Boers, and that they had expected to meet us coming on in red, as in the days gone by, and that they were consequently rather surprised and annoyed.

" Rather surprised and annoyed." I love it!

Current Mood: content
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge

Well, I'm a sheep.

I also find this things to be interesting, for the most part. While many of the questions fall into the fluff category, some of them made me think, and a couple pushed me into areas I was not comfortable in. Take the "letter to the parents" question. My first draft was a a rant directed at my father. Until I actually sat down to write it, I had no idea how much anger I was still carrying. I didn't post it, because the man is dead and we did reconcile there at the end. So you got the snarky answer. Humor is my defense mechanism.

Another revelation came when answering questions about my friends, asking for pictures and the like. As most of you know, I suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder. It makes it very hard for me to relate to people, as much as I might want to do so. It's easier for me to stay home and interact from a distance. But realizing that my last real photo of me with friends was ten years old shocked me. It's why I'm trying to get back into gaming on a regular basis. If I'm going to hold onto to me tenuous grip on society, I need to interact with flesh and blood humans more often.

So yeah, sometimes these memes are just good fun; sometimes, though, they can be good tools for self-examination.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

Almost forgot I was doing this.

Day 24- A letter to your parents

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thanks for not doing the smart thing and selling me to gypsies. Or to the crew of the Spirit of London.

Am I still grounded?

- Doug.

Current Mood: weird
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

Finally, Labor Day Weekend.

As predicted, today was terribly slow.

The morning was marked by drivers looking at invoices, announcing "these guys are off today" and putting the invoice back into the route box.

Because it was so light, we managed to get a safety meeting in.

For once, it had useful information. Like we're hiring for several positions both in the warehouse and the office.

Rumor of the day: A now-departed senior executive was blocking appeals to bring in more staff, expecting the current staff to just work harder.

The result? An explosion of overtime and work-related injuries as we all began hitting 11 hour days on a regular basis.

Who knows? They may even re-start the Mid-Peninsula route to take some heat off West Bay and Local 1. Another option is a daily South Santa Clara/Santa Cruz/Monterey run that would allow us to better serve out clients in the Santa Cruz and Monterey county area (currently they get deliveries twice a week) while taking some stops of the always-overloaded Local 2 run.

I'm certain Victor, the East Bay driver, would just be happy if there was someone to help with his endless vendor pick-ups.

Me? I'm good. My route really doesn't need any help, and in fact I could handle adding a couple of cities to it. Adding Hayward and San Ramon would take a lot of pressure off the East Bay and LV-2 routes, and allow me to take 580 E to get over to the actual Livermore Valley.

Right now when I finish up my Fremont stops, there's rarely a good option for getting over to 680.

Other than Niles Canyon Road, which I take any excuse to drive.

If you live in the South Bay and are looking for a job, and think you might be cut out for warehousing work, contact me. A clean DMV record is essential. Forklift experience a plus.

If you are looking for office-type work, let me know and I'll try to find out what they are hiring for. Right now all I know is we are at least getting some assistance for our beleagured purchasing agent.

The Giants, amazingly, are not dead yet! Three back of the Padres with 28 to play.

Tonight? BEAT L.A.!!!

Also tonight, my annual "Kirsten's in the desert, so let's have a party!" pizza orgy.

Assuming I can find a Round Table that delivers here.

The rest of Labor Dar weekend, I'll be laboring.

I'm making a concentrated effort to unpack and put away as much stuff as possible in the next two days, leaving Monday for rest.

But the most important thing has been done!

The artwork created exclusively for our refrigerator by the Emergency Back-up Niece and the Niece of Last Resort has been put up in a prominent, central position.

Expect another local gaming related post soon. Really disappointed with how the last attempt went.

Haven't bought the new camera yet. As with all big expenses I want to clear it with Kiri first.

Been reading more of the Dark Heresy. Really enjoying the system. May run this or Rogue Trader. Not only a well-conceived set of rules that look like they flow well in play, but the best set of Critical Damage tables since the Arduin Grimoire had us rolling dice to see just how far the pulped remains had flown.

How can you not like a game that has a section titled We're on a mission from the God-Emperor.

It occurs to me that Vila Restal would be an awesome character in a DH game.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: ZZ Top - Rough Boy

Day 14- A picture of you and your family

Again, we're not big on group photos. That me and my mom at Christmas, 2008.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050
Current Music: Grateful Dead - C.C. Rider

I just found a treasure trove of stuff in an old storage box. The Chronicle Extra from the Loma Prieta quake. The San Jose News from the Apollo 11 landing. One of my father's photo albums from before he came to the US. My Great-Grandfather's military records. Amazing stuff. Need to get some of these photos scanned in. There's one of my father in his cadet uniform that I'd love to put up with one of my portraits from Infantry OSUT. Photos of my Great-grandfather taken during the Boer War (He fought at Elandslaagte and was one of the besieged troops at Ladysmith)... enough documentation to make ancestry.com sit up and beg. I'm going to get it all organized and entered, and see what I get from it.

Oh, and an autographed photo of Louis Armstrong.

Current Mood: impressed
Current Location: Santa Clara, Ca, 95050

apandaleaf who just happens to be

kshandra's little sister, has graduated from UCLA! We're all very happy for her, as we're all depending on her to get rich and support us in our elder years. Well, her and

madelineusher.

To celebrate, let's catch up with a little GWAR and their cover of Alice Cooper's immortal School's Out

Current Mood: Bruins!
Current Location: San Jose, Ca, 95118
Current Music: GWAR - School's Out

Happy Birthday

isomeme!

My eternally-older brother ages another year. By the time he's 1,000 and I'm 996 the difference will be statistically insignificant.

All creatures will make merry upon pain of death!

Current Mood: woot!
Current Location: San Jose, Ca, 95118

Finally feeling good enough to go out and do something, so this morning I put my teeth in for the first time in a while, went downstairs..

..and turned right around and came upstairs to take my teeth out. I keep forgetting that there's an adjustment period after having them out for so long (I rarely wear them at home.) After massive cleaning of my mouth and a little retching, I was back on the road. Had to head over to Kaiser to pick up my return to work statement. The surgeon got the right dates on it, so happy there. Then limped over to the main hospital to visit my mom, who was looking good and quite ready to escape. She'll be out tomorrow, and recovering at a friend's place. A new hip and her stairs are not a good match. The last errand was cashing one of the money orders from the Great Sale. Boxes are going out as fast as we can print labels, so again, thanks to everyone who bought something.

But now my foot hurts. So time for Civ IV!

Tomorrow morning, I put my teeth in when I wake up, and sip a Coke to keep my mouth wet. It's the best way to retrain to wearing the bloody things.

Current Mood: sore
Current Location: San Jose, Ca, 95118
Current Music: Metallica - No Remorse

The couple of decent pictures I got are here.

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: San Jose, Ca, 95118
Current Music: Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue

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Douglas Berry

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Page generated Jul. 5th, 2025 07:26 am

Douglas E. Berry

Are we getting ugly or are we getting old?

Entries tagged with family

Tomorrow is going to be busy.

My Mother-in-Law rocks!

Back from the social event of the year.

Fear the Niece! And other bits of random news!

I'm a social penguin!

Writer's Block: Father figure

I can claim that a good portion of my genetic heritage is Irish.

We want information... information

One last Christmas note.

The Midwinter Holiday Wrap-Up

Very, very, British.

Thirty days, Day 27

Thirty days, Day 24

Let the revelry commence!

Thirty days, Day 14

Hidden treasures.

Heavy Metal Sunday declares a day of massive w00tness!

A day of penguin dancing wootness is declared!

Breaking News! Outside still there.

Merry Christmas from the Niece of Last Resort.