Last night as Jon put the kids to bed, they could not have known what this day would bring for them. Today was Jon's first day at his new job. He got up early, well relatively early. He had an hour of work in before anyone else in the house had stirred. I got Taylor up around 8 so he would be ready for his first appointment. The Early education teacher, Mary, who works with Taylor everyother week showed up right on time at 8:30. Livi was fast asleep still, so we got a rare oppurtunity to play one on one with Taylor.
Mary has a ball toy that he is supposed to put the balls in and then push a lever to get the balls back out. This toy used to puzzle him, and rather than pushing the lever, he would just pick the whole thing up, and the balls would fall out the bottom. Not so today! She handed him one ball, he threw it in the top, took the second ball, threw it in the top, and then pushed the lever and both balls came rolling out. He looked up at Mary, and grinned ear to ear... smarty pants! :) It amazes me week to week how much he learns! He even decided that this would be a good week to show Mary how he can sit up from laying on his tummy, all by himself! I have been trying to get him to show that for a month.
While Taylor was having a super session, Livi was waking up. I got her up just in time for Mary to leave. Livi was really dissapointed to see her go so soon. Shortly after Mary left, I got Taylor up in his new stander. Its a beast! I will post a picture later... He hasn't been tolerating this one as well because he actually has to do more of the work. So he only usually gets about 15 minutes at anyone time, for now. Today he did a little better... and we got about 18 min. As I was putting him in though, he hit the tray which was leaning on the box next to it. The tray fell over on top of Livi, and she got a jelly bean sized bump right on her little noggen!
Livi and Taylor had juicy little blackberries for breakfast today. They had little purple faces and Livi had little purple hands!!! It was super messy, but super cute. Taylor gave us his usual disgusted look, but didn't gag or puke, so I guess that is a keeper! Just before they went down for their naps, Terra noticed that Livi had a long scratch on her arm. I have no idea what it is from. So on our first day without daddy, Taylor did great, and Livi ended up with a bump and a scratch!!!
I won't know how Daddy's first day went until I see him tomorrow after he gets home from work... maybe he will post...
Us
Wife, Parent, Nurse; my life raw and real, as I see it.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
House of Healing
So at our house, we are all on the mend these days. Livi is finally pretty much back to her usual moody self. She/they, perform for crowds of admirers and smile big for strangers, especially old ladies... and she cries and cries for attention at home. Especially the attention from Jon. If he even appears in the same room without picking her up, oh all hell breaks loose! The nerve of him! Taylor is pretty happy most of the time. He continues to spin around and around on his little tushy. Each time around, he looks up at us and just giggles. It seems that Livi has caught his nasty teeth grinding habit. They love to play peek-a-boo with anyone and any object that might be between you. This morning I was working on the computer and Livi was on the couch in front of the computer. Nothing was more fun than hiding behind the computer screen, and jumping up just at the moment that I wasn't expecting it! She would just squeel with glee. Taylor goes to bed every night playing peek with Daddy and his blanket. This is definately one of the funnest times with them. They are starting to really understand all those little baby games, and it is so much fun to watch them figure it out. I love when Livi sings the Monkey song with me by making the motions. Even though she knows them by heart, she gets so excited that all the different motions for all the songs that she knows burst out at once. It is truly adorable.
Jon is starting his new job this Thursday. I am dragging my feet towards the day, as I know that my life is going to change dramatically. I must say that I have been spoiled having him at home all this time. We are scrambling to finish all the loose ends that we wanted to accomplish before this day came. We are also just beginning production of our first large photo order. These last few days of tweeking have been trying, mostly because we are so anxious to see a finished product. So life continues to be busy busy.
Yesterday we spent the morning at a housewarming party for a couple of very good friends of ours. I left for work shortly after 2, but I would find out later that the "fun" was just beginning. As the day unfolded, their beloved pet bird decided to fly away. Frantically they tried to retreive the bird, injuring themselves in the process, but had little success. The bird ended up spending the night in a neighboring tree... intilling panic and worry into the hearts of her owners. Fortunately, they were able to retrieve the bird in the morning. So besides panic, anxiety, loss of sleep, and a fair bit of physical pain... all is ok there now.
This morning (well afternoon since we were all out late bird-searching etc) we invited them over for breakfast (technically lunch). We served french toast made with homemade Amish bread that we picked up from the farmers market Saturday morning. With that we also enjoyed some homemade "butter" (Pumpkin-Apple Butter, Spiced Pumpkin-Peacon Butter, and Strawberry Butter) and fresh strawberries for toppings. It was a nice relaxing morning following a night of chaos!
Jon is starting his new job this Thursday. I am dragging my feet towards the day, as I know that my life is going to change dramatically. I must say that I have been spoiled having him at home all this time. We are scrambling to finish all the loose ends that we wanted to accomplish before this day came. We are also just beginning production of our first large photo order. These last few days of tweeking have been trying, mostly because we are so anxious to see a finished product. So life continues to be busy busy.
Yesterday we spent the morning at a housewarming party for a couple of very good friends of ours. I left for work shortly after 2, but I would find out later that the "fun" was just beginning. As the day unfolded, their beloved pet bird decided to fly away. Frantically they tried to retreive the bird, injuring themselves in the process, but had little success. The bird ended up spending the night in a neighboring tree... intilling panic and worry into the hearts of her owners. Fortunately, they were able to retrieve the bird in the morning. So besides panic, anxiety, loss of sleep, and a fair bit of physical pain... all is ok there now.
This morning (well afternoon since we were all out late bird-searching etc) we invited them over for breakfast (technically lunch). We served french toast made with homemade Amish bread that we picked up from the farmers market Saturday morning. With that we also enjoyed some homemade "butter" (Pumpkin-Apple Butter, Spiced Pumpkin-Peacon Butter, and Strawberry Butter) and fresh strawberries for toppings. It was a nice relaxing morning following a night of chaos!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Walk 2007
Jon and I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed money in the name of Team Stanis for the 2007 March of Dimes Walk America! As a team, our Nine members (including our little miracles) collected $547 with only a little over a two months time. We are so proud to say that we were able to collect for such a good cause. We are super excited to be gearing up for Walk America 2008! Our goal is to double our number of team members as well as our funds. Please consider walking with us for 2008 and collecting from your collegues, friends, family, and whomever might be willing to save babies. You can walk for Team Stanis even if you cannot walk here in Wisconsin. March of Dimes hosts a number of walks all over the country on different days in the spring. You can find a walk near you by visiting their website: www.marchofdimes.com
Thanks once again to all of our 2007 Sponsers and Walkers!!! You are awesome!
Thanks once again to all of our 2007 Sponsers and Walkers!!! You are awesome!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Sans Employment
Since I doubt that Jon intends to make any sort of official statement or announcement, I thought I would end all of your suspense! Jon has officially taken a position with ASI in Green Bay, WI. It will be a little bit of a commute, but nothing like Milwaukee. The position was the best oppurtunity that he was given as it combines both the design experience that he has been using and the project management that he is looking to get into. Lets hope that it provides a good challange for him. Officially, I am very happy for him, however, I am really going to miss having him around whenever I really need him :( Tear, tear.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
House of Ail
What a difference four days can make! In my last post, I blogged that Alivya was pretty much over her cold... WRONG! Thursday morning we woke after a long night of coughing and hacking, to Livi breathing very heavy and retracting. I haven't seen her retract this way since she was just a few months old. We decided to take her in, and she was given two breathing treatments in office and had a chest x-ray. I had to leave about half way through the appointment to take Taylor to his scheduled GI appointment. So Jon told me that the doctor saw something on x-ray, but she wasn't comfortable calling it pneumonia because we did not measure a fever at home. The fact is that I didn't actually take her temperature. I knew that she had a fever from feeling how warm she was, so we just gave her some Tylenol. So the lesson here is to take the temp anyway, since the doctor might make her whole diagnosis based on that measurement. (Oh and make sure you have an accurate thermometer too!) So she was sent home with a diagnosis of possible pneumonia, possible partially collapsed lung and breathing difficulties. We were told to give her breathing treatments every three to four hours as needed, and prednisone daily for five days. She also wanted to see Livi again the next day. I had told the doctor before I left that Livi had been pulling on her ears... but Jon said that she looked and saw nothing. Well the next day she looked and saw a pretty big infection. So now we have added an antibiotic to the mix.
Taylor, for a change, is doing really well. His newest trick is spinning on his butt! He sits and lifts one leg which he uses like a propeller to turn himself around and around. I don't think he has realized it yet, but while he is doing this he tends to scoot just slightly forward. His PT is not as pleased with this as I am, but she is looking at it from a therapist standpoint. As his mother, I am just happy to see him move in any means. We will continue to encourage him to move on his tummy and hands and knees, but if he chooses just to scoot, then that is what we will have to accept.
As for us, Jon and I spent the last week outside in the heat... landscaping! We planted a couple of trees and four bushes. Just finally getting to a couple of things that we have been talking about doing since we moved in. Hopefully our less than green thumbs won't kill it all though :) Jon found out yesterday that the job he was offered, that he thought was contract to hire, is actually direct hire. This is really good news, and has him leaning even more towards accepting that offer. We are expecting an offer from the company in Missouri by Monday. It will have to be a very compelling offer at this point to justify picking up and moving 10 hours away. Jon seems much more excited about the opportunity in Green Bay than Missouri too. So I think it is highly unlikely that we will be moving.
So I guess we will know more by Tuesday!
Taylor, for a change, is doing really well. His newest trick is spinning on his butt! He sits and lifts one leg which he uses like a propeller to turn himself around and around. I don't think he has realized it yet, but while he is doing this he tends to scoot just slightly forward. His PT is not as pleased with this as I am, but she is looking at it from a therapist standpoint. As his mother, I am just happy to see him move in any means. We will continue to encourage him to move on his tummy and hands and knees, but if he chooses just to scoot, then that is what we will have to accept.
As for us, Jon and I spent the last week outside in the heat... landscaping! We planted a couple of trees and four bushes. Just finally getting to a couple of things that we have been talking about doing since we moved in. Hopefully our less than green thumbs won't kill it all though :) Jon found out yesterday that the job he was offered, that he thought was contract to hire, is actually direct hire. This is really good news, and has him leaning even more towards accepting that offer. We are expecting an offer from the company in Missouri by Monday. It will have to be a very compelling offer at this point to justify picking up and moving 10 hours away. Jon seems much more excited about the opportunity in Green Bay than Missouri too. So I think it is highly unlikely that we will be moving.
So I guess we will know more by Tuesday!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Interview
I realized this morning that we have been home for over a week... doesn't really feel like it. Maybe some of this is because we have been so very busy! Jon was laid off from work effective the day before we left for California, so this past week he spent interviewing... interview after interview after interview. In fact, I think that the interviewing process has been more time consuming than when he had a full time job. Just this morning he left for Missouri, where he is, yet again, interviewing. Ugh. I really hope at the end of all this madness he ends up with a position that he loves, making the kind of money he deserves. (and a little bit of sanity in our home would be appreciated too;)
Me, well I have been working. Today I get a break after a five day stretch. I don't expect a medal or anything, its just that I work part time... theoretically... When I am not at work, I am working here at home, desperately trying to get things put away and cleaned up. We did take a few hours for ourselves last Friday though. MIL gave us tickets to the Lion King stage production for Christmas last year. She watched the kiddos so we could go out for dinner first and then see the show. We have seen the show before, but I would see it a hundred more times just to get a few hours of "us time". Besides, each production is unique, that is the power of live performances! I personally enjoyed watching Symba scramble when Nala took off his head during "Can you feel the love tonight". He recovered pretty good considering. The adult Nala, by the way, was absolutely outstanding that evening. The power in her voice sent chills up my spine, and after seeing the show three times, I am still impressed by several technical aspects of the show. I love how they do the sun effect and the water drying up. I also love the stampeed and Mufasa's ghost scenes.
The kids are doing well... well healing I guess. Livi is pretty much over the cold that she acquired (and faithfully shared with all of us). She has not been wearing her glasses well though. It doesn't help that we have been too busy and can't keep putting them back on. She lost three pounds since she was last weighed, so we added some Peda Sure to her daily intake... she love it. Yesterday Jon said that she just closed her eyes and sucked it down like she was in little baby heaven on earth! She has also started to say Dada... meaningfully.
Taylor is sort of in the thick of his illness now. Initially he had only a runny nose, and I thought we were going to get lucky. Spoke too soon! On Sunday he had a huge buildup of thick yellow gunk in his left ear... on Monday his right ear began oozing thin yellow gunk... so I called his ENT. Now he has drops twice a day for an ear infection. His nose continues to drip, slowly... and gets better as the day goes on.
Me, well I have been working. Today I get a break after a five day stretch. I don't expect a medal or anything, its just that I work part time... theoretically... When I am not at work, I am working here at home, desperately trying to get things put away and cleaned up. We did take a few hours for ourselves last Friday though. MIL gave us tickets to the Lion King stage production for Christmas last year. She watched the kiddos so we could go out for dinner first and then see the show. We have seen the show before, but I would see it a hundred more times just to get a few hours of "us time". Besides, each production is unique, that is the power of live performances! I personally enjoyed watching Symba scramble when Nala took off his head during "Can you feel the love tonight". He recovered pretty good considering. The adult Nala, by the way, was absolutely outstanding that evening. The power in her voice sent chills up my spine, and after seeing the show three times, I am still impressed by several technical aspects of the show. I love how they do the sun effect and the water drying up. I also love the stampeed and Mufasa's ghost scenes.
The kids are doing well... well healing I guess. Livi is pretty much over the cold that she acquired (and faithfully shared with all of us). She has not been wearing her glasses well though. It doesn't help that we have been too busy and can't keep putting them back on. She lost three pounds since she was last weighed, so we added some Peda Sure to her daily intake... she love it. Yesterday Jon said that she just closed her eyes and sucked it down like she was in little baby heaven on earth! She has also started to say Dada... meaningfully.
Taylor is sort of in the thick of his illness now. Initially he had only a runny nose, and I thought we were going to get lucky. Spoke too soon! On Sunday he had a huge buildup of thick yellow gunk in his left ear... on Monday his right ear began oozing thin yellow gunk... so I called his ENT. Now he has drops twice a day for an ear infection. His nose continues to drip, slowly... and gets better as the day goes on.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Home Sweet Home
We arrived home on Monday morning at 8:30 local time... after flying for almost six hours over night. Ugh. The children slept most of the trip from Seattle, but were awake for most of the second leg of the return trip. When we finally got home, the kids crashed for almost six hours. We were totally exhausted. Unfortunately, Alivya began to cough on Friday night, by Saturday night she had a constant runny nose and was barking like a dog. Taylor's nose also began to run. By Sunday morning Livi had rosy red cheeks, fever, lethargic, and really working to breath. We have been treating her with Tylenol and her inhalers... praying that she gets better soon. I did get her to take two bottles tonight, so I think things are looking up. However, I started feeling really congested, and dry dry mouth... now its nearly midnight, and I can't sleep. Go figure. So we are looking forward to getting back on our own time zone. I personally am looking forward to all the laundry being done, and getting my house back together! I don't think that we will be traveling again soon.
Before I go, after boarding and deplaning five times in the past ten days with two nearly 18 month toddlers and only two adults... I would just like to say, that this is one family who will NOT be flying NORTHWEST again... We will gladly fly ALASKA again though. So if there are any Alaska employees out there, thank you for making one of our five flights as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. Your assistance was greatly appreciated and did not go unnoticed. Northwest... you need some serious work on customer service!
Before I go, after boarding and deplaning five times in the past ten days with two nearly 18 month toddlers and only two adults... I would just like to say, that this is one family who will NOT be flying NORTHWEST again... We will gladly fly ALASKA again though. So if there are any Alaska employees out there, thank you for making one of our five flights as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. Your assistance was greatly appreciated and did not go unnoticed. Northwest... you need some serious work on customer service!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Quick One
So in Malibu we are sitting in the hotel room watching a very violent movie... well what I have seen of it anyway... I am actually trying to get some pix up for this post. However, I have about 30 minutes to accomplish whatever I intend to, before my computer dies... I left the charger down stairs in our room, and I would rather not disturb my family. So here is what I can crank out in 30 minutes or less!
Livi with her glasses!
Before we left, we met the little boy of one of the other ladies that I work with... This is Nicholas... what a super cute (and smart little guy!)
He got along so well with our kids, I think they will become good friends!
We flew to Malibu early Thursday morning... AND SURVIVED!! Haha... I definitely think that all my worrying and concern were justified. It was so horrible trying to get everything on the plane! Our connecting flight in Minneapolis departed from a gate that was almost as far away from our arrival gate as humanly possible. We raced from one end to the other just in time to catch general boarding... a good Samaritan offered to help us load our bags, which was a life saver! Still, I had to have a flight attendant help me get the babies on board since Jon got stuck behind a bunch of people who wouldn't get out of the isle. The kiddos really did well. They cried only a couple of times, and we were able to calm them down within a few minutes. They have adjusted to the time zone well, but the days have been so long with rehearsals, dinners, etc.
We would like to CONGRATULATE our newly weds, TOM and MELISSA! I don't have your pix up yet, but I will post one soon!
Also, CONGRATULATIONS to LINDA and TERRY on 25 years of wedded bliss! Here is to 25 more! ;)
The wedding yesterday was fun, but extremely exhausting! Jon and I left with the babies around 9:30pm Pacific time... after Taylor had fallen asleep on his grandmother's shoulder... I will post a pick of that as soon as my other brother in law shares it with me! We all promptly passed out!
A few pix before I loose power!
Hope you enjoy... Maybe I will be able to post again before we leave Malibu on Wednesday morning! Until then...
Livi with her glasses!
Before we left, we met the little boy of one of the other ladies that I work with... This is Nicholas... what a super cute (and smart little guy!)
He got along so well with our kids, I think they will become good friends!
We flew to Malibu early Thursday morning... AND SURVIVED!! Haha... I definitely think that all my worrying and concern were justified. It was so horrible trying to get everything on the plane! Our connecting flight in Minneapolis departed from a gate that was almost as far away from our arrival gate as humanly possible. We raced from one end to the other just in time to catch general boarding... a good Samaritan offered to help us load our bags, which was a life saver! Still, I had to have a flight attendant help me get the babies on board since Jon got stuck behind a bunch of people who wouldn't get out of the isle. The kiddos really did well. They cried only a couple of times, and we were able to calm them down within a few minutes. They have adjusted to the time zone well, but the days have been so long with rehearsals, dinners, etc.
We would like to CONGRATULATE our newly weds, TOM and MELISSA! I don't have your pix up yet, but I will post one soon!
Also, CONGRATULATIONS to LINDA and TERRY on 25 years of wedded bliss! Here is to 25 more! ;)
The wedding yesterday was fun, but extremely exhausting! Jon and I left with the babies around 9:30pm Pacific time... after Taylor had fallen asleep on his grandmother's shoulder... I will post a pick of that as soon as my other brother in law shares it with me! We all promptly passed out!
A few pix before I loose power!
Hope you enjoy... Maybe I will be able to post again before we leave Malibu on Wednesday morning! Until then...
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Malibu... Here we come!
Despite my many attempts at denying that this trip was coming... it has in fact arrived ;( So here goes ten days of toddlers on the loose in hotels, planes, and airports! May they sit quietly during the wedding on Saturday... oh I have lots of prayers for the next ten days!!!
In other news, Livi got her new glasses! She looks so studious... I am going to try to get a good picture later, and I will try to post it...
In the meantime, I have many other photos that I have been unintentionally holding back on you all...
Look at that bagel!
Chuga chuga choo choo !!!!!
Whooosh!
SO BIG!!!!
In other news, Livi got her new glasses! She looks so studious... I am going to try to get a good picture later, and I will try to post it...
In the meantime, I have many other photos that I have been unintentionally holding back on you all...
Look at that bagel!
Chuga chuga choo choo !!!!!
Whooosh!
SO BIG!!!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Not just a cute face after all!
Yesterday we went to see the eye specialist from UW Children's... we left home at 9am, and arrived back around noon! UGH! Turns out that there is one other thing that Taylor has really excelled at (beside growing teeth!) seeing!!! In the words of the doc, "No glasses for him!" Livi, on the other hand, has a large difference between her two eyes... one is -1 and the other -4... I have no clue what that means, but I know its not real good. She also has one eye that wanders intermittently. (the one on the left... probably the reason why she is squinting in the photos above...)
After first suggesting that she wear a patch over each eye on alternating days, the doctor decided that glasses would better correct her problems. I was grateful at first, since the thought of putting a patch over one of her eyes every day was a bit difficult for me to comprehend. Over the last year we have gotten pretty good at explaining oxygen tanks, G/J tubes and accessories, and all the other questions that come along with 26 week preemies... but how would I even begin to explain patches... I know that we don't have to explain, but people look at you funny, and many many people ask. We are usually pretty good at explaining or politely telling them to bud out, but it gets tiring. Anyway, so the idea of glasses is at the very least, more normal to most people. Many people have glasses and explaining that is easier than a patch... in my opinion.
However, we spent the evening today trying to find glasses that are small enough for our little dainty Livi... no small task! We lucked out at: Target, Wal-mart, Shopko, Perle Vision, and Lens Crafters! We decided to participate in a vision plan at work since Jon and I both wear glasses, and we expected that the kids would also... but it seems that we are going to have to find some place so specialized that our vision plan won't even be any good for her. That really pushes my buttons! I just can't believe that it is so strange for a little kid to need glasses!
Sorry about the venting, but I am really erked!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Las Vegas
So Jon is off to Las Vegas for the old Bachelor party... and can I say that I am so grateful that he doesn't have anymore brothers to have them? Last August when he went for the other one's B party, Alivya came down with pneumonia, followed by me a few days later... well yesterday as he started off for the trip, guess who starts coughing and crap... Yeah me and Alivya... so I took her to the ped, but he was satisfied with calling it a cold. So we wait with that, our luck... we will all get sick in Malibu! Haha, wouldn't that be funny!?!
Anyway, a cold front has sort of taken hold of this house, and I hope that it will all get better in a few weeks...
So in the spirit of Happy thoughts...
Isn't my family beautiful?
Anyway, a cold front has sort of taken hold of this house, and I hope that it will all get better in a few weeks...
So in the spirit of Happy thoughts...
Isn't my family beautiful?
Friday, May 04, 2007
Moving on?
So it has been one week and one day since I lost Daddy... and I have said good bye, cried, told each and everyone of my siblings and my mom, watched him wheeled out of my house on a stretcher... under a blanket, cried, met my family at the funeral home, cried, finalized the arrangements, made a commemorative DVD (which Jon is working on uploading... waiting on non copyrighted music), made poster boards and photo enlargements, cried, began to rewrite my eulogy that I started over about six times in the last five years, threw away four blank sheets of paper, wrote something suitable; I guess, got all dressed up, cried, met my family at the funeral home again, set up the room with memories of life, wrote a speech to read on behalf of my brother, mingled, reminisced, hugged, laughed, gave my eulogy, listened as everyone cried when I played "That's my Job" by Conway Twittey, surprisingly didn't cry... ate, more mingling etc... cried, gathered up the plants, flowers, photos, cards, and remembrance book from the funeral people... cried, crashed and finally got a little sleep TOO! Wrote out 84 Thank You cards, at least...called the lawyer. Went back to work, walked on egg shells, cause no one really knows what to say... went back to the funeral home yet again, picked up Daddy. Sorry, picked up Daddy's "cre-maines" who came up with that? The funeral director had me sign the paper, then walked us, and Daddy, out to the car. He placed Daddy's cardboard box into the back seat of our car more delicately than an infant. He said his apologies once more, and here I am dazed.
I don't feel like myself. I feel like I have walked through every day since last Thursday as if I were some ghostly observer, just making the motions of life. I have made many decisions, which scares me knowing the state that my mind is in. I can't seem to get myself back into my routines. I just don't really want to clean, cook, eat, or even sleep most of the time... Does this insanity end?
I am probably the problem, but I can't seem to communicate with anyone. I feel like I am picking more fights with Jon, yet I don't mean to. Can he really understand? Does he even want to, I mean shouldn't I just move on?
I don't feel like myself. I feel like I have walked through every day since last Thursday as if I were some ghostly observer, just making the motions of life. I have made many decisions, which scares me knowing the state that my mind is in. I can't seem to get myself back into my routines. I just don't really want to clean, cook, eat, or even sleep most of the time... Does this insanity end?
I am probably the problem, but I can't seem to communicate with anyone. I feel like I am picking more fights with Jon, yet I don't mean to. Can he really understand? Does he even want to, I mean shouldn't I just move on?
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Massey, Leroy A.
Posted April 28, 2007
Leroy A. Massey, Appleton, age 67, passed away on Thursday, April 26, 2007. Leroy was born on June 23, 1939, in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, son of the late Edward and Agnes (Spanner) Massey. Leroy was a Fox Valley resident all of his life. He was employed as a truck driver at Kaukauna Recycling for 26 years, and was employed at the Fox River Mall for 9 years, retiring in 1992.
Leroy is survived by his wife of 28 years, Meridene (Watts) Massey; his children: Joseph Massey and his special friend, Kim Fenske, Shiocton; Michael Massey and his special friend Barb Kuranda, Oshkosh; Amy Massey, Appleton; Julie (Jonathan) Stanis, Appleton; his grandchildren: Evan Leifermann, Taylor and Alivya Stanis. He is further survived by two brothers: Ronald Massey, New London; Dennis (Ginger) Massey, Menasha; a sister, Norma Bernard, Chilton; and a brother-in-law Jerry Artz.
Leroy was preceded in death by two sisters: Darlene Artz, and Vivian Vanden Bosch; three brothers: Robert, Roland, and David; two infant sons, Peter and James Massey; two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law.
Funeral Services will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2007, at the funeral home. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until the time of services. A memorial is being established.
WICHMANN FUNERAL HOME
3212 South Oneida St.
Menasha 920-831-9905
www.wichmannfuneralhomes.com
Leroy A. Massey, Appleton, age 67, passed away on Thursday, April 26, 2007. Leroy was born on June 23, 1939, in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, son of the late Edward and Agnes (Spanner) Massey. Leroy was a Fox Valley resident all of his life. He was employed as a truck driver at Kaukauna Recycling for 26 years, and was employed at the Fox River Mall for 9 years, retiring in 1992.
Leroy is survived by his wife of 28 years, Meridene (Watts) Massey; his children: Joseph Massey and his special friend, Kim Fenske, Shiocton; Michael Massey and his special friend Barb Kuranda, Oshkosh; Amy Massey, Appleton; Julie (Jonathan) Stanis, Appleton; his grandchildren: Evan Leifermann, Taylor and Alivya Stanis. He is further survived by two brothers: Ronald Massey, New London; Dennis (Ginger) Massey, Menasha; a sister, Norma Bernard, Chilton; and a brother-in-law Jerry Artz.
Leroy was preceded in death by two sisters: Darlene Artz, and Vivian Vanden Bosch; three brothers: Robert, Roland, and David; two infant sons, Peter and James Massey; two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law.
Funeral Services will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2007, at the funeral home. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. until the time of services. A memorial is being established.
WICHMANN FUNERAL HOME
3212 South Oneida St.
Menasha 920-831-9905
www.wichmannfuneralhomes.com
Friday, April 27, 2007
The sun came up...
As you all know, on April 17th we brought "daddy", as I usually called him, home to die. Yesterday at nearly 2:00pm CST, with Taylor and me and Jon by his side, he left our world. His final moments were not, perhaps, what I had imagined them to be, but he was loved, cared for, and most importantly, not alone or in pain.
I knew that I would not take this well, but I have been preparing for it for many years. My family was probably so tired of hearing me tell them how sick he was, that I can't even imagine how they took my phone call for them to come here yesterday. When I made the calls, he was alive. His hospice nurse wanted to make sure that we didn't want him evaluated for the changes that had occured practically over night. So even in his final moments, he was unpredictable. Later, Mike (RN) told me that he really expected him to hold on for a day or two. Unfortunately, I think Daddy was very tired, and given life everything he had. As I took his hand, I said, "Daddy, I am here, and Mike, Joe, Amy, and Mom, they are on their way here..." I think he knew then that it was really ok to go.
I know that his suffering has ended, and not being a very religious person, I had actually prayed most of the nights this week that it would. Perhaps there is a place beyond our reach where the souls of the dead go to live out eternity doing the things that they loved. I can say this morning that I truly hope so. Daddy would be in a boat fishing or building picnic tables and birdhouses once again.
Daddy was many things to many people, and although he was not always the most graceful, or politically correct human being, he was genuine, honest, accepting, and very wise. He was a father, a husband, a grandpa, a brother, and a special friend to many, and he will not soon be forgotten.
I knew that I would not take this well, but I have been preparing for it for many years. My family was probably so tired of hearing me tell them how sick he was, that I can't even imagine how they took my phone call for them to come here yesterday. When I made the calls, he was alive. His hospice nurse wanted to make sure that we didn't want him evaluated for the changes that had occured practically over night. So even in his final moments, he was unpredictable. Later, Mike (RN) told me that he really expected him to hold on for a day or two. Unfortunately, I think Daddy was very tired, and given life everything he had. As I took his hand, I said, "Daddy, I am here, and Mike, Joe, Amy, and Mom, they are on their way here..." I think he knew then that it was really ok to go.
I know that his suffering has ended, and not being a very religious person, I had actually prayed most of the nights this week that it would. Perhaps there is a place beyond our reach where the souls of the dead go to live out eternity doing the things that they loved. I can say this morning that I truly hope so. Daddy would be in a boat fishing or building picnic tables and birdhouses once again.
Daddy was many things to many people, and although he was not always the most graceful, or politically correct human being, he was genuine, honest, accepting, and very wise. He was a father, a husband, a grandpa, a brother, and a special friend to many, and he will not soon be forgotten.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Pix
As demanded :) I have pix!
Livi is such a good helper!!!
Look at this big tooth!
Those big eyes are just simply killer!!!
Look how much alike they look in this photo! Most of the time they are so different, so a moment like this is truly precious.
Livi is such a good helper!!!
Look at this big tooth!
Those big eyes are just simply killer!!!
Look how much alike they look in this photo! Most of the time they are so different, so a moment like this is truly precious.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Callus'
This afternoon Jon and I worked out in the garage on yet another project that I dreamed up. For those of you who may not know, I am infamous for conceiving up time consuming and labor intensive projects... One day several years ago, I called Jon up at work and said, "Um, you were serious about the bathroom project, right???" I mean, it wasn't like we had been talking about removing some shelves and knocking out a wall, when I just, you know, took a sledge hammer while he was at work and knocked a huge hole in the wall... [sarcasm, wink]... Other infamous little projects included replacing the kitchen sink (and should I mention adding a disposal...dishwasher...new counter top and faux finishing the walls ;), Demolishing the existing garage, building a new garage, ripping out the carpet and refinishing the hard wood floors, adding another pillar to our front porch, hmm... I am sure Jon could think of more.
Anyway, this time I wanted to build a vertical screen that we could use to give Dad a little privacy. Our house has a truly open concept in terms of floor plan. Our living room (now Dad's room) is one large room combined with the dinning area and the kitchen. So I had planned to build an eight by three foot screen with three panels (totaling 8 x 9 feet). I quickly reduced the size to 6x3 foot panels though. They are still sort of big, but I think they will give Dad some needed privacy, especially where bathing and dressing are concerned. Besides my poor thumb, we got through this one injury free ;) I can't remember the last time I had a splinter!
Anyway, this time I wanted to build a vertical screen that we could use to give Dad a little privacy. Our house has a truly open concept in terms of floor plan. Our living room (now Dad's room) is one large room combined with the dinning area and the kitchen. So I had planned to build an eight by three foot screen with three panels (totaling 8 x 9 feet). I quickly reduced the size to 6x3 foot panels though. They are still sort of big, but I think they will give Dad some needed privacy, especially where bathing and dressing are concerned. Besides my poor thumb, we got through this one injury free ;) I can't remember the last time I had a splinter!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Long Days
Dad moved in with us on Tuesday. He arrived just after noon. In most ways, the new addition to our home has been exactly what we expected it would be. Every minute of my day is filled with cares, cleaning, or preparation for later. This morning while making breakfast, testing Dad's blood sugar, and getting him up from bed, I was also making our dinner and preparing for tomorrow's dinner. While making lunch, testing Dad's blood sugar, and putting the kiddos down for naps, I was also making myself a lunch for while at work, mixing formula for Taylor, making bottles for Alivya, changing Dad's sheets, and making a list for things that Jon needed to remember to do tonight. I feel like I have to stay six steps ahead to stay afloat. This doesn't really come as a surprise to me, but my body was definitely not as physically prepared for it as it was mentally.
I had Dad's hospice care switched to a new provider, and so far, I think it is working wonderfully. The nurse that is working with Dad has been over everyday since he has been home. The first day, there was coverage from the time he got there until three am. Around 9am the next day another woman came, and stayed with us until almost five. I really felt like they were trying to achieve the smoothest possible transition for him.
Last night was rough, as Dad fell out of bed. As we agreed to do this, Jon and I have always maintained that our biggest concerns had to do with his safety during the night. We asked for bed rails, but the hospice people have had some bad experiences with rails, and therefore really try everything else first. We did finally get them today, I think it will help keep him in bed. Luckily, we sort of expected the fall, so I placed pillows and blankets on the floor before we went to bed. Jon also heard it right away, so he wasn't laying there all night either. Other than these falls, Dad has been somewhat withdrawn. In general, he is pretty slow to respond to questions and sleeps pretty much all day. He is most alert and awake in the mornings, and slowly deteriorates as the day wares on. As always, it is difficult to assess whether he is comfortable or not. He spends a lot of time having coughing fits, although the nurses tell me that his lungs are clear. He has complained a little about a sore back, but refuses to take Tylenol for it. I wonder if he isn't just confused about what Tylenol is. We did get him to take some Morphine the other day, but the taste is so awful that he refuses to take any more.
So time ticks on... I felt good this morning as my cinnamon waffles were a big hit, not only with Dad, but with the kids too!
I had Dad's hospice care switched to a new provider, and so far, I think it is working wonderfully. The nurse that is working with Dad has been over everyday since he has been home. The first day, there was coverage from the time he got there until three am. Around 9am the next day another woman came, and stayed with us until almost five. I really felt like they were trying to achieve the smoothest possible transition for him.
Last night was rough, as Dad fell out of bed. As we agreed to do this, Jon and I have always maintained that our biggest concerns had to do with his safety during the night. We asked for bed rails, but the hospice people have had some bad experiences with rails, and therefore really try everything else first. We did finally get them today, I think it will help keep him in bed. Luckily, we sort of expected the fall, so I placed pillows and blankets on the floor before we went to bed. Jon also heard it right away, so he wasn't laying there all night either. Other than these falls, Dad has been somewhat withdrawn. In general, he is pretty slow to respond to questions and sleeps pretty much all day. He is most alert and awake in the mornings, and slowly deteriorates as the day wares on. As always, it is difficult to assess whether he is comfortable or not. He spends a lot of time having coughing fits, although the nurses tell me that his lungs are clear. He has complained a little about a sore back, but refuses to take Tylenol for it. I wonder if he isn't just confused about what Tylenol is. We did get him to take some Morphine the other day, but the taste is so awful that he refuses to take any more.
So time ticks on... I felt good this morning as my cinnamon waffles were a big hit, not only with Dad, but with the kids too!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Price of Mac
One comment that everyone seems to have concerning Apple and their brand of Mac computers is that they are nice, but very expensive. As some of you know we recently purchased a MacBook to replace the one that is currently on life support and fading fast. The decision came from my wife wanting to get into professional photography. It is not so much that a Mac is more adept at working with graphics, but they tend to be much more prominent in the photography field.
We started looking at their notebooks and did find the prices to be a little high. Thankfully my brother works for a university and was able to get us a $100 discount, making it more attractive. We ordered the MacBook on Monday. It was shipped from China on Thursday and arrived Friday morning. Fed Ex is damn fast. We quickly got to setting it up.
Now I have used OS X a little in the past with my brother and mother, both long time Mac users. I even used to be a Mac user before I started down the PC path with my rocking 200mhz P2 with a whole 64mb of ram and 4gb of hard drive space. The experience turning this thing on and starting to use it was fantastic. I don’t know if it is the fact that my wife’s old notebook was so underpowered for what we are doing or if OS X is just that much better than XP. Maybe it is just the new shiny and I will be over it in a month. Either way, I am currently enthralled.
In some ways the fact that the OS and hardware are a closed system actually appeals to me. I think of it in the way that game consoles are closed systems. With a closed system you can pump so much more out of each part of the hardware as opposed to an open system that needs lots of redundancy so that it runs on everything available. My Nintendo DS and Wii, both ironically Mac white, can do way more with their systems as far as gaming when compared to a pocket PC or desktop PC of the same size or cost.
This all has me wondering how much extra the MacBook, and Macs in general, cost compared to similar, at least in hardware specs, Windows systems. I did some research and comparisons and this is what I came up with.
Entry Level
The Mac Mini is their entry level, Web and E-mail, system in the computer market. Even with that it is a decent system, something that most people probably do not notice. To make comparisons I decided to use two different PCs, a Dell and a self built one I priced at PriceWatch.com.
Here are the system specifications.
Mac Mini
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
RAM: 1GB (2x256MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Hard Disk: 60GB Serial ATA
Graphics: Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM
Disk Drive: 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Case: Mac Mini
Cost: $674
Dell
Processor: Pentium D 2.80 GHz Dual Core
RAM: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
Hard Disk: 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3000
Disk Drive: 48x DVD-ROM/CD-RW
Case: Dell
Cost: $549
PriceWatch
Processor: 1.80GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 1GB Kingston Technology KVR667D2D8F5/1G (x4)
Hard Disk: Seagate Serial ATA 500gb 16mb
Graphics: Chiefmax geForce 6200TC 64MB
Disk Drive: LG ELECTRONICS GCC-4481B
Case: Spire SP-2712S
Cost: $588
There is some problem with comparison because the Mini uses an Intel Core Duo and I could not find a comparable one. Even so I think these systems match up fairly well. The Mac Mini is the most expensive, but only costs about $75 more than the cheapest PriceWatch. I’m my opinion $75 dollars is not too much to ask. If they had Mac Minis when I first got my Mother-In-Law computer it would have been a Mini. You can get way cheaper PCs as well, I often see deals form Tiger Direct for only $200, but those systems are very basic, come with no software, and do not have nearly as much firepower.
The Mini also is very small, and comes with a remote and the option of wireless Keyboard and mouse. These options make it ideal for a media center PC, as it also comes with Front Row, a media organization program that is easily navigated by the remote. When Apple comes out with a 2.0ghz option it will even be able to play H.264 video at 1080p. H.264 is a form of video compression that makes the files very small but takes a good amount of horsepower to play. I would love to be able to purchase HD-DVDs or BluRays (which ever comes out on top), rip them to a server, compress them to H.264, and then be able to watch them right from the Mac Mini.
Notebooks
This is area that we purchased in. I did not do a PriceWatch comparison because notebooks are so specialized I feel it is best to get a name brand. A desktop you can switch out components easily if something breaks, not so with a notebook.
MacBook
Processor: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 1GB (two SODIMMs)
Hard Drive: 80GB Serial ATA, 5400rpm
Video Card: Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM
Disk Drives: 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Case: MacBook
Cost: $1299
Dell
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)
RAM: DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm
Hard Drive: 80GB Sata Hard Drive
Video Card: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Disk Drives: 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Case: Dell
Cost: $1049
Again, the Mac is more expensive, and this time by $250. For us it was only $150 due to the discount we received, and I still think the extra cost was worth it. For one you can run Windows XP or Vista on the MacBook natively. Also, the MacBook is smaller, which is a plus for me as notebooks are all about being portable.
High End
These are the dream machines, the ones that geeks like me drool over, ideal for gaming and video/photo editing.
Mac Pro
Processor: Xeon 5160 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo X2
RAM: 4 GB 667MHz DDR2 ECC fully buffered DIMM
Hard Drive: 500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 8MB cache
Video Card: Radeon X1900 XT 512mb
Disk Drives: 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support
Case: Mac Pro
Cost: $4375
PriceWatch
Processor: Xeon 5160 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo X2
RAM: Kingston Technology KVR667D2D8F5/1G (x4)
Hard Drive: Seagate Serial ATA 500gb 16mb
Video Card: PowerColor RADEON X1900 XT 512MB
Disk Drives: LG ELECTRONICS GSA-H42N
Case: Spire SP-2712S
Cost: 3820
Dell
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Q6600 Quad-Core (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)
RAM: 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
Hard Drive: 500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
Video Card: 768MB nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX
Disk Drives: Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer
Case: Dell
Cost: 4017
Plays out very similarly to the other examples, Mac being the most expensive, followed by the Dell, then the PriceWatch build your own. If you can get the educational discount take $200 off of the Mac Pro, which makes it only $150 more than the Dell. Also note that the Mac has a better processor, but the Dell has a better video card.
I did not choose to look at mid range desktops as Apple has put iMacs in that category. iMacs have the screen built into the computer, which bothers me for non notebook computers. Monitors tend to last longer than computers, but if you have the screen built in when you want a new one you need a new screen too. I am still using the 22in I got back in 2002. Also, if something goes wrong with the computer or the screen you need to get the whole thing fixed. If you do purchase a iMac I would highly recommend purchasing Apple Care, which extends customer service and support to 3 years.
In the end the premium for a Mac does not seem that exuberant $50-150 more than a Dell, and up to $500 more than a build it yourself. The amount of time I have spent fixing these machines makes it very compelling to just go with a pre assembled, and when you are talking $4000 already $500 does not seem to be that much.
Time will tell how much I like working in OSX. They still need to come out with an Intel native Quicken and Office, right now we are booting into XP for those functions, which I personally find annoying. Having that ability is still nice, however, since I do plenty of gaming and having the ability to play anything that comes out for Windows is a must in my book.
In my dreams I have two systems, a Mac Pro for music, movies, internet, and a dedicated PC gaming rig. In reality it would be much cheaper to just go with the Mac Pro. Next year, when I get a new machine we will just see how much OS X has grown on me.
We started looking at their notebooks and did find the prices to be a little high. Thankfully my brother works for a university and was able to get us a $100 discount, making it more attractive. We ordered the MacBook on Monday. It was shipped from China on Thursday and arrived Friday morning. Fed Ex is damn fast. We quickly got to setting it up.
Now I have used OS X a little in the past with my brother and mother, both long time Mac users. I even used to be a Mac user before I started down the PC path with my rocking 200mhz P2 with a whole 64mb of ram and 4gb of hard drive space. The experience turning this thing on and starting to use it was fantastic. I don’t know if it is the fact that my wife’s old notebook was so underpowered for what we are doing or if OS X is just that much better than XP. Maybe it is just the new shiny and I will be over it in a month. Either way, I am currently enthralled.
In some ways the fact that the OS and hardware are a closed system actually appeals to me. I think of it in the way that game consoles are closed systems. With a closed system you can pump so much more out of each part of the hardware as opposed to an open system that needs lots of redundancy so that it runs on everything available. My Nintendo DS and Wii, both ironically Mac white, can do way more with their systems as far as gaming when compared to a pocket PC or desktop PC of the same size or cost.
This all has me wondering how much extra the MacBook, and Macs in general, cost compared to similar, at least in hardware specs, Windows systems. I did some research and comparisons and this is what I came up with.
Entry Level
The Mac Mini is their entry level, Web and E-mail, system in the computer market. Even with that it is a decent system, something that most people probably do not notice. To make comparisons I decided to use two different PCs, a Dell and a self built one I priced at PriceWatch.com.
Here are the system specifications.
Mac Mini
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
RAM: 1GB (2x256MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Hard Disk: 60GB Serial ATA
Graphics: Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM
Disk Drive: 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Case: Mac Mini
Cost: $674
Dell
Processor: Pentium D 2.80 GHz Dual Core
RAM: 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
Hard Disk: 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3000
Disk Drive: 48x DVD-ROM/CD-RW
Case: Dell
Cost: $549
PriceWatch
Processor: 1.80GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 1GB Kingston Technology KVR667D2D8F5/1G (x4)
Hard Disk: Seagate Serial ATA 500gb 16mb
Graphics: Chiefmax geForce 6200TC 64MB
Disk Drive: LG ELECTRONICS GCC-4481B
Case: Spire SP-2712S
Cost: $588
There is some problem with comparison because the Mini uses an Intel Core Duo and I could not find a comparable one. Even so I think these systems match up fairly well. The Mac Mini is the most expensive, but only costs about $75 more than the cheapest PriceWatch. I’m my opinion $75 dollars is not too much to ask. If they had Mac Minis when I first got my Mother-In-Law computer it would have been a Mini. You can get way cheaper PCs as well, I often see deals form Tiger Direct for only $200, but those systems are very basic, come with no software, and do not have nearly as much firepower.
The Mini also is very small, and comes with a remote and the option of wireless Keyboard and mouse. These options make it ideal for a media center PC, as it also comes with Front Row, a media organization program that is easily navigated by the remote. When Apple comes out with a 2.0ghz option it will even be able to play H.264 video at 1080p. H.264 is a form of video compression that makes the files very small but takes a good amount of horsepower to play. I would love to be able to purchase HD-DVDs or BluRays (which ever comes out on top), rip them to a server, compress them to H.264, and then be able to watch them right from the Mac Mini.
Notebooks
This is area that we purchased in. I did not do a PriceWatch comparison because notebooks are so specialized I feel it is best to get a name brand. A desktop you can switch out components easily if something breaks, not so with a notebook.
MacBook
Processor: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: 1GB (two SODIMMs)
Hard Drive: 80GB Serial ATA, 5400rpm
Video Card: Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM
Disk Drives: 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Case: MacBook
Cost: $1299
Dell
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7200 (2.00GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB)
RAM: DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm
Hard Drive: 80GB Sata Hard Drive
Video Card: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Disk Drives: 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Case: Dell
Cost: $1049
Again, the Mac is more expensive, and this time by $250. For us it was only $150 due to the discount we received, and I still think the extra cost was worth it. For one you can run Windows XP or Vista on the MacBook natively. Also, the MacBook is smaller, which is a plus for me as notebooks are all about being portable.
High End
These are the dream machines, the ones that geeks like me drool over, ideal for gaming and video/photo editing.
Mac Pro
Processor: Xeon 5160 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo X2
RAM: 4 GB 667MHz DDR2 ECC fully buffered DIMM
Hard Drive: 500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 8MB cache
Video Card: Radeon X1900 XT 512mb
Disk Drives: 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support
Case: Mac Pro
Cost: $4375
PriceWatch
Processor: Xeon 5160 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo X2
RAM: Kingston Technology KVR667D2D8F5/1G (x4)
Hard Drive: Seagate Serial ATA 500gb 16mb
Video Card: PowerColor RADEON X1900 XT 512MB
Disk Drives: LG ELECTRONICS GSA-H42N
Case: Spire SP-2712S
Cost: 3820
Dell
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Q6600 Quad-Core (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)
RAM: 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
Hard Drive: 500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache
Video Card: 768MB nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX
Disk Drives: Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer
Case: Dell
Cost: 4017
Plays out very similarly to the other examples, Mac being the most expensive, followed by the Dell, then the PriceWatch build your own. If you can get the educational discount take $200 off of the Mac Pro, which makes it only $150 more than the Dell. Also note that the Mac has a better processor, but the Dell has a better video card.
I did not choose to look at mid range desktops as Apple has put iMacs in that category. iMacs have the screen built into the computer, which bothers me for non notebook computers. Monitors tend to last longer than computers, but if you have the screen built in when you want a new one you need a new screen too. I am still using the 22in I got back in 2002. Also, if something goes wrong with the computer or the screen you need to get the whole thing fixed. If you do purchase a iMac I would highly recommend purchasing Apple Care, which extends customer service and support to 3 years.
In the end the premium for a Mac does not seem that exuberant $50-150 more than a Dell, and up to $500 more than a build it yourself. The amount of time I have spent fixing these machines makes it very compelling to just go with a pre assembled, and when you are talking $4000 already $500 does not seem to be that much.
Time will tell how much I like working in OSX. They still need to come out with an Intel native Quicken and Office, right now we are booting into XP for those functions, which I personally find annoying. Having that ability is still nice, however, since I do plenty of gaming and having the ability to play anything that comes out for Windows is a must in my book.
In my dreams I have two systems, a Mac Pro for music, movies, internet, and a dedicated PC gaming rig. In reality it would be much cheaper to just go with the Mac Pro. Next year, when I get a new machine we will just see how much OS X has grown on me.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
For Dad just wasn't meant to be
So I began writing a post on Thursday morning... I was interrupted in the middle of it, and unable to get back to it until Friday night. I thought that I had saved it, but when I got back to it, only one third of it was there. So, not being easily discouraged, I picked up where the save had ended. I finished it, published it... I even saw the post in a new window right there on our blog... So yesterday, Jon logs on and says to me, "you really should finish this." And I am all like, "Finish what?". He says, "The For Dad Post". I am in complete disbelief that it is not there. He shows me the draft that was saved... it was half of what I had originally typed, the new stuff was gone. So I check today, to see if by some miracle this stupid blogger could fix itself... and what do I find? Yeah, the whole thing that I originally typed. So maybe tomorrow the new stuff will show up. Seems to me that "For Dad" was never meant to be.
Since I am too burnt out to retype everything for a third time... My Father is dying from Kidney Failure secondary to End Stage Congestive Heart Failure. We were forced to put him in a nursing home last week Thursday, he lasted one night there. It was awful. He will be coming to live the rest of his days with me and Jon tomorrow or Tuesday.
I am going to get my tired butt to bed now.
Since I am too burnt out to retype everything for a third time... My Father is dying from Kidney Failure secondary to End Stage Congestive Heart Failure. We were forced to put him in a nursing home last week Thursday, he lasted one night there. It was awful. He will be coming to live the rest of his days with me and Jon tomorrow or Tuesday.
I am going to get my tired butt to bed now.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Tubes in
Taylor had his ear tube surgery yesterday. Although the surgeon said it was more complicated than he expected, everything went well. Taylor was very fussy and irritated most of yesterday. Today he is his old happy self. I can't tell just yet if he hears more, but he will have another hearing exam next week. The surgeon said that his ears were "interesting". He explained that his little eardrums were sucked very tight into the wall of Eustachian tubes, and behind them was a build up of very thick gunky cerumen... The way he said it lead us to believe that this was very odd, so we feel confident that the tubes were a very good decision. We left home at 6:15am, arrived back around 9:30am. From then until sometime around 2pm Taylor fussed and screamed while his little eyelids opened and closed like they were coated in lead. Finally around 2 he quit fighting and slept soundly for a whopping 40 minutes or so. Around 6pm, Jon took this photo:
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