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Work, David's Birthday and other topics
Dec. 17th, 2010 10:28 amWORK!
I am still very much enjoying my new position here at Stanford University - my first project for them just broke into beta testing with external clients and should go live the first of the year.
Current site: http://conferences.stanford.edu
New Site: http://rde.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/drupal/conferences
I am having a ball at this new job - where every single one of my talents are being pushed to new limits and I'm learning new things every day. I'm getting zoned in on jQuery, Drupal Module Development and I'm also flexing some of my diplomacy skills helping this organization see the web differently - as a fluid changing medium that we can really communicate with.
the next project is Stanford Hospitality:
Current site: http://rde.stanford.edu/shaa
Development Site: http://rde.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/drupal/hospitality
DAVID'S BIRTHDAY
Yesterday was David's 54th birthday. I got him a couple of simple gifts - a Mouserug (link) for his new office - and a fun tshirt from shirt.woot.com (link). The highlight was it happened to fall on the holiday dinner for Dave's new job at eBay. He left me a note on my monitor in my office at home yesterday threatening me with "painful death" if I were reveal to his coworkers that yesterday was his birthday.
David and I are doing so well together - we're coming up on our third anniversary in March. He's just the sweetest, most patient, adorable man. I'm very lucky!
SERIOUS DINNER
Wowsers. Dinner was at The Plumed Horse in Saratoga, CA. The restaurant redefined elegant and fancy. The whole set up was extreme - a foody's foody restaurant with an army of courteous, extremely well trained staff. there were 22 of us for dinner - and each of us ordered off an iPad brought around by the concierge - and then the food and wine just kept coming for four hours. five appetizers, a jumbo shrimp plate with a citrus wasabe broth, a fantastic butternut squash soup with roasted pumpkin seeds and garlic, a arugula salad with smoked cashews and grapes - and for entree - David has an amazing halibut - and I had the smoked chicken. Now at restaurants like this - you don't expect gigantic portions because it's more of a 'food-experience' - than a traditional dinner. each course was overtly flavorful - and honestly, for a food network junkie and food lover like me - it was a tremendous opportunity. As one can imagine - service and food presented this way with an army of staff doesn't come cheap. We had a great time - and it was wonderful to meet David's new peers - and hear how excited they are to have him on staff.
FURLOUGH
Stanford University closes this afternoon - and is closed till January 3rd. and all contractors (I'm a contractor here) are furloughed without pay. While it's a hit to the pocketbook - I have savings - and am prepared for it. It will give me an opportunity to work getting the final touches done to the re-edited manuscript for "The House of Wolves" - which needs to be delivered to my new publisher shortly after the first of the year. I can also get some great gym workouts in at reasonable hours (1pm or so vs. 7pm or 5am). and it will give me some great time at home to also work on some craft projects and catch up on reading. The weather is going to be wet and windy all the way through Christmas apparently - so there will be little bike riding - but I might hit the bike at the gym to keep that up.
ART
Tomorrow morning I'm flying down to Long Beach, CA to visit my friends Larry and Bruce. The big highlight is going to be hitting the Getty Museum and soaking up some art. (and perhaps finding David the perfect final birthday gift) David is staying home - feeling obligated to get himself up to speed with all things eBay. I'll be in Long Beach till Monday evening, then home. I am also planning to spend a day in the Cantor Museum on Stanford's campus. The museum is open for the holidays but on reduced hours, so I can do a couple of hours in the AM before the gym one day.
I am still very much enjoying my new position here at Stanford University - my first project for them just broke into beta testing with external clients and should go live the first of the year.
Current site: http://conferences.stanford.edu
New Site: http://rde.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/drupal/conferences
I am having a ball at this new job - where every single one of my talents are being pushed to new limits and I'm learning new things every day. I'm getting zoned in on jQuery, Drupal Module Development and I'm also flexing some of my diplomacy skills helping this organization see the web differently - as a fluid changing medium that we can really communicate with.
the next project is Stanford Hospitality:
Current site: http://rde.stanford.edu/shaa
Development Site: http://rde.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/drupal/hospitality
DAVID'S BIRTHDAY
Yesterday was David's 54th birthday. I got him a couple of simple gifts - a Mouserug (link) for his new office - and a fun tshirt from shirt.woot.com (link). The highlight was it happened to fall on the holiday dinner for Dave's new job at eBay. He left me a note on my monitor in my office at home yesterday threatening me with "painful death" if I were reveal to his coworkers that yesterday was his birthday.
David and I are doing so well together - we're coming up on our third anniversary in March. He's just the sweetest, most patient, adorable man. I'm very lucky!
SERIOUS DINNER
Wowsers. Dinner was at The Plumed Horse in Saratoga, CA. The restaurant redefined elegant and fancy. The whole set up was extreme - a foody's foody restaurant with an army of courteous, extremely well trained staff. there were 22 of us for dinner - and each of us ordered off an iPad brought around by the concierge - and then the food and wine just kept coming for four hours. five appetizers, a jumbo shrimp plate with a citrus wasabe broth, a fantastic butternut squash soup with roasted pumpkin seeds and garlic, a arugula salad with smoked cashews and grapes - and for entree - David has an amazing halibut - and I had the smoked chicken. Now at restaurants like this - you don't expect gigantic portions because it's more of a 'food-experience' - than a traditional dinner. each course was overtly flavorful - and honestly, for a food network junkie and food lover like me - it was a tremendous opportunity. As one can imagine - service and food presented this way with an army of staff doesn't come cheap. We had a great time - and it was wonderful to meet David's new peers - and hear how excited they are to have him on staff.
FURLOUGH
Stanford University closes this afternoon - and is closed till January 3rd. and all contractors (I'm a contractor here) are furloughed without pay. While it's a hit to the pocketbook - I have savings - and am prepared for it. It will give me an opportunity to work getting the final touches done to the re-edited manuscript for "The House of Wolves" - which needs to be delivered to my new publisher shortly after the first of the year. I can also get some great gym workouts in at reasonable hours (1pm or so vs. 7pm or 5am). and it will give me some great time at home to also work on some craft projects and catch up on reading. The weather is going to be wet and windy all the way through Christmas apparently - so there will be little bike riding - but I might hit the bike at the gym to keep that up.
ART
Tomorrow morning I'm flying down to Long Beach, CA to visit my friends Larry and Bruce. The big highlight is going to be hitting the Getty Museum and soaking up some art. (and perhaps finding David the perfect final birthday gift) David is staying home - feeling obligated to get himself up to speed with all things eBay. I'll be in Long Beach till Monday evening, then home. I am also planning to spend a day in the Cantor Museum on Stanford's campus. The museum is open for the holidays but on reduced hours, so I can do a couple of hours in the AM before the gym one day.
