Evie Day 652

It’s Friday! I’m still on vacation! Today is 27 December 2024.

My back is still bugging me. I’m trying to stretch it out, but it’s still pinched and tight. I’ll take some ibuprofen in a bit, along with the rest of my normal morning meds.

Today is going to be a day of studying, relaxing reading, and probably some sports on TV.

Yesterday was some quality time with Evie, which I always look forward to. She’s recovering from a cough and is still a little under the weather.

Lisa and I gave each other for Christmas some “health rings”, the Oura 4. It’s interesting, and I think it’ll take a little time before it get completely dialed in to our vitals, but so far it is interesting to see it keep track of our activity and our sleep.

Today, there might be a little sushi on the schedule. Dane and I usually grab a meal out this time of year. Next Tuesday, lunch with Bonnie on her birthday, probably over at a restaurant called “bonbon” here in Lawrence.

That’s enough. I need a cup of coffee.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 651

Good morning! It’s Thursday, 26 December 2024. For my friends in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, I wish you a happy Boxing Day. For my friends in Europe, I hope you have a wonderful St. Stephen’s Day.

I pinched a nerve in my lower back. I’m taking ibuprofen and working on some stretches to try and manage it, but it’s still kind of a nagging and debilitating condition. One moment I’m fine, then just one motion in the wrong direction, and it’s shooting pain across my lower back. I’ll try to run to the doctor tomorrow, and we’ll see if we can get that nerve unpinched.

Christmas Eve and Christmas were wonderful here. We had a fantastic seafood chowder on Christmas Eve, a bit of a Scandinavian tradition, with my wife’s Danish side and my Norwegian side represented. All of the kids were over, and Evelyn was an absolute joy. When we unwrapped presents, that little 21-month-old was very helpful in distributing gifts from under the tree to the intended recipient.

On Christmas morning, we all went to Gracie’s to watch Evelyn open her gifts from Santa. We made some memories.

On the way over and way back, I was riding, not driving. It was at that point that I realized that it would not be a good idea for me to ride for about four and a half hours in a car, so I let my mom and sister know that I wasn’t in a good place to travel with my back being in a bit of a rebellious mood. Lisa stayed with me here at the house, and we had a rather quiet Christmas Day. The kids went and took a lot of pictures.

That’s about all I have for now. Coffee is made, and cinnamon rolls are calling my name.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 649

Good morning! It’s Christmas Eve! I spent part of yesterday with my granddaughter!

This is quick and short.

I hope you all have the opportunity to make some memories over this very special time. My wife, kids, and granddaughter are here, and my happiness is not in question. I am a blessed man.

Lunch will be a charcuterie board with a side of chicken wings – I am perfecting my recipe, but adding corn starch helps to make the skin crispy. Tonight, it’s more of a traditional seafood chowder, and then we’ll do a family gift exchange. Tomorrow morning, breakfast at my daughter’s place, and watch Evelyn open her gifts from Santa. After that, off to Clay Center. I feel I’ll be listening to the Chiefs/Steelers game on the radio.

OK, that’s enough. Time for another cup of coffee, then it’s time to get going on my wings.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 648

Good morning! It’s Monday, December 23, 2024… tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and in our house, we call today “Christmas Adam”. It’s something my wife and the kids started doing years ago, so we’ve stuck with it.

I am on vacation, but I still have plenty to focus on. Cert exam at the end of next week. The work can wait. For now, I’m going to enjoy the break.

I’m not one to take vacations, kind of like my dad was. I’ll take a break over the winter holidays, but I haven’t always pursued the week off on the summer. I probably should some year, when Lisa can take a week off as well.

I wrenched my back the other day. I need to find the right stretch to get it back in place.

I had a good weekend. Watched some sports, and played some D&D with the guys.

OK, I’m going to finish my leftover hash and cup of coffee and contemplate the state of the universe for a while, followed by the termination of an alien scourge on my laptop.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 645

Good morning, and a happy Friday to you all. Today is the last working Friday of 2024 for this guy, 20 December 2024.

5 Days until Christmas.

One of the things I’m doing is taking my blood pressure in the morning. Both my cardiologist and GP want regular readings, so we have a little battery-powered cuff here at the house. I ran through my checks earlier this week, and it looks like my BP is still a little elevated, so the next step is to switch up some of my medications, and I’ll be replacing my regular medication for my irregular heartbeat with another medication that addresses the heartbeat issue and helps with the blood pressure as well.

We’re going to take Lisa’s car in for service this morning, and then I’ll run her over to the University. After that, I need to pedal my big butt home to get ready for back-to-back presentations, one on preparing for a certification exam, and another on security basics.

After that, I get to take a look at some other work responsibilities before I call it a year. I’ve got plenty going on the next two weeks, so my focus will be clear.

That’s all I have for you right now. Sports this weekend, Christmas next week, and time with family.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 644

Good morning, and a very happy Thursday to you all. Today is 18 December 2024.

Christmas is in 6 days.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I attended to the things I needed to attend to. I’ll be doing more of the same today as I prepare for a couple of year-end sessions with my fellow trainers as well as internal Microsoft teammates. After that, I’ll be in vacation until January 6th, at which point I will return to my virtual classroom to teach an admin course or security course – I’m not 100% sure which, but we’ll get it all sorted out.

Lisa made some sandwiches last night for dinner, a variation on something we’ve enjoyed throughout our relationship. I remember the first time I tried to make her a cheesesteak-style sandwich (with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, not CheezWiz) and it’s been a favorite for just about 30 years now. Good sandwich!

Last night I got together with the guys. Sometimes, it is just nice to hear the gang banter, and I’ll kick back and enjoy the conversation. These guys have been playing together for decades, and I’m happy just to be in the room.

Relaxing, focusing on my breathing to calm myself before I check my blood pressure for my doctors – the GP and the cardiologist. They want to keep an eye on my blood pressure now that I’m taking a new medication.

That’s about all for now.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 643

Good morning, folks! It is Wednesday morning, the 18th day of December, and I’m in a good spot.

At least I think I am – but I have been wrong before.

I’ve been looking for a project at work that I can sink my teeth into, and I may have found it. It incorporates our existing classes and AI to bring a little more newer technology into the virtual training space. I’ve got work to do.

Last night was pretty casual. We had our tacos, chips, salsa, and … whoops… I just realized that I have an order of flan in the fridge that I forgot to eat last night. Win for me. I think we had a couple of soft beef tacos left over from last night as well, so lunch today could be a notch better than ramen.

I have a meeting later this morning, but for the most part, I have some freedom today. Time to buckle myself into some training. I also have a couple of receipts I need to turn in – the company I work for has a nice program where they’ll pickup the tab (to a limit) on personal well-being expenses. I signed up for some online training through Pluralsight, and I also picked up a couple of things on the mental health side of the house.

Tonight, I’ll gather with the guys online to make Faerun safe for fellow humanoids.

That’s about all I have… oh… 7 days until Christmas.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 642

Good morning, and a happy Taco Tuesday to you all. Today is 17 December 2024.

8 days until Christmas.

I better get started on my Christmas shopping.

Just kidding. I think I’m in pretty good shape to be honest with you. Lisa and I are good, the whole family gift is good. Dane is set, Gracie ought to be fine… Bonnie can be the biggest challenge because we roll through Christmas right into her birthday on New Year’s Eve, but I think we’re set for both of those. Of course, our granddaughter Evelyn has a very impressive pile under the tree (not under the tree yet, but on a storage rack adjacent, just off off the floor), and I look forward to watching her open presents.

Yesterday was a day filled with meetings, but some offered some insight into “what comes next” for us. I’ve been invited to join another team that is focused on incorporating artificial intelligence prompts into the classroom environment. I have a couple of opinions, and I’ll express them at the appropriate time. I may have to step up a little bit for the AI group, as it looks like there might be a need for some organization and direction.

Last week I went for a couple of tacos, and then grabbed an order of fajitas for Lisa and Dane. Tonight be something else along those lines, maybe with some taquitos or something else that comes in smaller portions. I’m trying to cut back the volume of my meals, and improve the quality (and if my cardiologist reads this, yes, I am trying to watch my salt intake).

I’ll be ] in my virtual classroom today discussing AI – more of a productivity opportunity than an integration into one of my existing classes. These sessions are fun and allow me to show people some other pathways to explore. I hope folks have… I know I generally do in these classes.

Just remembered – I have a bit of recording to do this morning. I better focus on that right after I get coffee going.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 641

Good morning, and happy Monday to you all. Today is 16 December 2024.

My granddaughter is 3 months away from turning two years old.

Saturday morning was the recognition of the fall graduates, so Lisa had to head to the university early, full regalia in tow. I received a phone call shortly after 7:30 in the morning with an offer of breakfast with my youngest daughter and my granddaughter, and it was an offer I could not refuse. I spent a wonderful meal with great company, crunchy breakfast tacos, and a deftly colored piece of artwork created by a 21-month-old little girl. We had a good time. First Watch doesn’t skimp on breakfast, and I brought home my spare breakfast taco for Dane.

Kansas rebounded from two straight losses on the basketball court to beat NC State by fifteen. The Chiefs started a very rough sequence of games (3 games in 11 days) with a win against Cleveland, 21-7, but Patrick Mahomes went down with an ankle injury late in the game. I hope he’s ok, but with pending games against the Houston Texans on Saturday and a Christmas Day game against the Steelers, I do have concerns about the quarterback’s well-being. He’s not getting as much help from the offensive tackles as his fans would like to see.

After the game, I enjoyed a few hours with the guys online, making Faerun safe for good-natured humanoids.

This week is a study and work week. I have one day in the virtual classroom delivering a course on Artificial Intelligence, and the rest of the time is devoted to new classes and certification preparation.

I better do a review of my Christmas gifts and make sure I have all of the bases covered.

In the meantime, I’ll get some coffee going and forage for some of breakfast leftovers.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.

Evie Day 638

Good morning! It is the last day of the Western work week! Welcome to Friday! It is 13 December 2024.

Oooh. Today is Friday the 13th.

I don’t have to worry about any black cats out here at my place. We’re more concerned with small canine beasts that warn of all possible deliveries from UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.

I wrapped up my four-day class yesterday afternoon. The last learner I had working on labs is from Estonia. I don’t think I’ve had anyone from Estonia in my classes before. When a person teaches online to an open-enrollment audience, there will be a few surprises. This week, Estonia, as well as others from Tunisia, Paris, and the strange and exotic land of Philadelphia.

Later today I have a couple of talks to focus on. I’ll be talking about a teammate’s project to trainers and other interested parties at 9, and then I’ll be working on a couple of other talks, one for Monday and another for next Friday. Next week I only have one full day in the classroom, so I’ll have a chance to get caught up on some other responsibilities.

Lisa and I decided to gift each other health reporting rings for Christmas this year. We have been properly sized, and the rings are wrapped up by the Christmas tree already. It will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Oh, one follow up note – while we were not impressed with the burgers from What-a-Burger on Wednesday, I had also ordered a salad to have yesterday for lunch. It was a grilled chicken salad with apples, grapes, and a balsamic vinaigrette, and it was pretty good.

OK, time for me to think about getting all of the trash out to the corner, make a pot of coffee, and contemplate a couple of eggs with cheese and leftover chili from last night’s dinner.

I hope the world is treating you better than you deserve.

Peace y’all.