We were invited to spend New Year’s Eve with some our new Expat Friends Sarah and Keith.
With our two kids you defiantly need a game plan if you think you can get them to be in any sort of good mood in order to last the duration of the evening. Run them ragged in the morning, let them sleep in the afternoon, and then let the chill out late at night. This works pretty well I have to say, as when they get tired they are REALLY grumpy and not at all fun to be around.
Armed with the works Android Phone, (strictly for testing purposes of course) I entered in the Address to the Google Navigation application. The phone is worth getting for this alone. It’s like a SatNav, but you get a satellite view, and a street view of where you are meant to be going. V Cool!
We arrive at about 7:30 and there was a party going on…just at a different house. My darling wife, Sarah was trying to find the invite on the phone to make sure we had the right address. Is it at the quiet house with no lights on or the house with all the cars parked outside?... too late, Zack had pressed the bell on the house that was quiet. The door opened and there stood our new Expat friend Sarah.
“We are all downstairs” she said. We take our coats off and continue downstairs to the cellar. As I am writing this I am probably not painting a very good picture of their house. Believe me when I say their house is beautiful. VERY Beautiful… and massive! You know those show homes you get?… Imagine that but on a grander scale. There were little Christmas trees on the path up to the front door, and where you walk into the grand entrance there was a life size Santa by the door. There were classy Christmas decorations all over the house (not the “it’s a gift” tat that you might see elsewhere). This place should be on MTV cribs!
We continued downstairs to the games room/pool room/gym/bar. This place was massive (in fact probably twice the size of our apartment).
…when I grow up I want to…
As the night went on, they had pub quizzes and games building up to the of the ball dropping. Just in case you didn’t know there is a big twinkly ball in Times Square in New York that gets raised up and drops at the stroke at midnight to bring the New Year in. This was the first time I had been with both kids (awake) to bring the New Year in.
I spent most of the time propping up the bar, but I was designated driver. :0( I suppose it was my turn. One thing I would say about USA is that because everyone drives everywhere, you need to have a designated driver most of the time. Either that or know a cab company, and expect to remortgage your house to get home.
I have to say it was one of the best New Years parties I been to in ages.
Thank You Sarah and Keith, if you are reading this.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Snow comes crashing down
What a day! Yesterday it started snowing again. It snows quite a bit compared to the UK, but every time it has snowed so far I have been at work and not been able to play in the snow with the kids. The plan was to go to Wal-Mart to buy a sledge (or sled as you need to describe it here) and a snow shovel. I love Wal-Mart it is bright and you can get everything you want at a reasonable price.
There is a park just behind the store that has some cool slopes to play on too! Result!
We all get in the car and take a gentle cruise across to the other side of the road to the park. The snow plough hasn’t been in this bit so it is a little more difficult to see the road, but there are plenty of tire tracks to let you know where to drive. At the bottom of this hill there is a bridge to the top car park. We gently trundle across it and get an idea of where we could go sledging later on.
Back down the hill we go…
At all of 8 miles an hour, I see another car crossing the bridge… I turn the wheel… the car doesn’t change direction… I apply the brakes… the car doesn’t reduce speed… I want to not slam into this car… the car doesn’t listen… BANG!
Shite!
My Car
His Car
The corner of my car has hit the corner of his. The corner of his car looks quite dented… the corner of mine has disintegrated. Everyone was OK, in both cars.
Sarah picked up the bits smashed car from the floor as not to drive over them and get a puncher too. She put these in the back of our car while waiting for the police to turn up. I have to say that I was very surprised at the speed they got there. Considering the snow and all, the officer met us just four minutes after the accident.
I was really glad that I had an Indiana driving license and vehicle registration with the insurance documentation there with me. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a UK license, International driving permit and temporary plates!
My poor car limped home with fog light dangling inched from the road. 4 weeks from new before wracking a car… now that has to be a record! At least it feels like my car now. I’m not used to having a car that is not damaged!
Once we got back to the apartment it started snowing again. I need to fix this thing as best I can, as the last thing I need is snow getting snow in the hole where the light & bumper used to be. After assessing the damage it became quickly apparent that I need duck (gaffer) tape and super glue.
Back to Wal-Mart I go/limp. I hate Wal-Mart with those glaring lights and tons of stuff you will never want… “Duck tape & super glue… HOW MUCH!... bloody rip off” I hate this place!
“Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart. Have a nice day” – oh p**s off.
I get back home and the snow is really coming down now. Using the bits of car that Sarah picked up I start putting together the 3D jigsaw of my car bumper.
Have you ever wondered “does duct tape lose its stickiness in sub-zero temperature?” Let me tell you. YES! I’m carefully pushing bits of plastic together and painstakingly putting superglue around the edges and gluing them back together. I say painstakingly, as I’m actually gluing my fingers to the car and ripping them away before it sets to quickly. It definitely is my car now. It has layers of my skin glued to it! I’m sure it would hurt if I could feel my hands. After 2 hours in the cold I come in to defrost, bringing the drivers light with me. That will be my 3D puzzle game when the kids are in bed later.
I finally did get to play with Katie in the snow. She loved it! We walked about a half mile circuit of our housing community, and when we go back to the beginning, our footprints were snowed over!
Once the kids were in bed I manage to put together the driver front light pretty well. I think it helped that I had some extra bits from the other guys car. Screw it! I have glue those on as well. The more the merrier. I now have borg-like headlights!
I have just finished getting the superglue from my fingers. I found the best way to remove it is with a razor blade.
Yet again I find myself looking in the mirror (while shaving the palms of my hands) thinking how do you get yourself in these situations?
There is a park just behind the store that has some cool slopes to play on too! Result!
We all get in the car and take a gentle cruise across to the other side of the road to the park. The snow plough hasn’t been in this bit so it is a little more difficult to see the road, but there are plenty of tire tracks to let you know where to drive. At the bottom of this hill there is a bridge to the top car park. We gently trundle across it and get an idea of where we could go sledging later on.
Back down the hill we go…
At all of 8 miles an hour, I see another car crossing the bridge… I turn the wheel… the car doesn’t change direction… I apply the brakes… the car doesn’t reduce speed… I want to not slam into this car… the car doesn’t listen… BANG!
Shite!
My Car
His Car
The corner of my car has hit the corner of his. The corner of his car looks quite dented… the corner of mine has disintegrated. Everyone was OK, in both cars.
Sarah picked up the bits smashed car from the floor as not to drive over them and get a puncher too. She put these in the back of our car while waiting for the police to turn up. I have to say that I was very surprised at the speed they got there. Considering the snow and all, the officer met us just four minutes after the accident.
I was really glad that I had an Indiana driving license and vehicle registration with the insurance documentation there with me. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a UK license, International driving permit and temporary plates!
My poor car limped home with fog light dangling inched from the road. 4 weeks from new before wracking a car… now that has to be a record! At least it feels like my car now. I’m not used to having a car that is not damaged!
Once we got back to the apartment it started snowing again. I need to fix this thing as best I can, as the last thing I need is snow getting snow in the hole where the light & bumper used to be. After assessing the damage it became quickly apparent that I need duck (gaffer) tape and super glue.
Back to Wal-Mart I go/limp. I hate Wal-Mart with those glaring lights and tons of stuff you will never want… “Duck tape & super glue… HOW MUCH!... bloody rip off” I hate this place!
“Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart. Have a nice day” – oh p**s off.
I get back home and the snow is really coming down now. Using the bits of car that Sarah picked up I start putting together the 3D jigsaw of my car bumper.
Have you ever wondered “does duct tape lose its stickiness in sub-zero temperature?” Let me tell you. YES! I’m carefully pushing bits of plastic together and painstakingly putting superglue around the edges and gluing them back together. I say painstakingly, as I’m actually gluing my fingers to the car and ripping them away before it sets to quickly. It definitely is my car now. It has layers of my skin glued to it! I’m sure it would hurt if I could feel my hands. After 2 hours in the cold I come in to defrost, bringing the drivers light with me. That will be my 3D puzzle game when the kids are in bed later.
I finally did get to play with Katie in the snow. She loved it! We walked about a half mile circuit of our housing community, and when we go back to the beginning, our footprints were snowed over!
Once the kids were in bed I manage to put together the driver front light pretty well. I think it helped that I had some extra bits from the other guys car. Screw it! I have glue those on as well. The more the merrier. I now have borg-like headlights!
I have just finished getting the superglue from my fingers. I found the best way to remove it is with a razor blade.
Yet again I find myself looking in the mirror (while shaving the palms of my hands) thinking how do you get yourself in these situations?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Ice Skating
As the kids had done all their jobs for the week, it was time from a treat. This week it was Ice Skating at the Pepsi Coliseum. Based at the Indiana State Fairground, the Pepsi Coliseum is a very nice art deco building that houses the ice skating rink.
The kids had never been ice skating before, so were a little wary about getting on the ice. Once Zack realized that you couldn’t actually fall through the ice he grew a little more confident, but preferred to hold on to the side. I haven’t been skating in donkey’s years but I tried to act as if I knew what I was doing to encourage the kids to keep on skating.
There were some traffic cones that children were using to hold on to keep their balance, while pushing along with their feet. Zack soon gave up and decided it would be more fun to lift his feet up on to the base of the cone and then be pushed by me. I didn’t mind, at least he was moving and enjoying it.
Unfortunately he got bored quickly and decided he would rather watch the skating rather than actually do it. Katie (my future rollercoaster buddy) on the other hand loved it. She will try anything… she’s fearless! All was going well until her feet started to hurt. That is the sign to drop everything and let her rest. Believe me it is better for, well, society in general!
She took off her skates and decided to get some ice cream dippin dots. This is very weird stuff as it is like hundreds and thousands but ice cream!
While Sarah and kids were getting changed, I thought I would have a go on my own. “Come on knees you can take it”. I take it slow and try and get away from doing the small tripping action and progress to a more “glidey” movement that lets me go faster with less effort “Leeeeefffffftttttt… rrrriiigggghhhhtttt… this was going well. I’m not holding onto anything. I’m looking pretty good… Wow this is quite easy.” Just as I am getting up confidence, a 10 year old kid skates past me… going backwards. He cuts me up giving me no option other than to slam into the side of the wall. Little bugger!
Needless to say I called it a day at the ice rink!
The kids had never been ice skating before, so were a little wary about getting on the ice. Once Zack realized that you couldn’t actually fall through the ice he grew a little more confident, but preferred to hold on to the side. I haven’t been skating in donkey’s years but I tried to act as if I knew what I was doing to encourage the kids to keep on skating.
There were some traffic cones that children were using to hold on to keep their balance, while pushing along with their feet. Zack soon gave up and decided it would be more fun to lift his feet up on to the base of the cone and then be pushed by me. I didn’t mind, at least he was moving and enjoying it.
Unfortunately he got bored quickly and decided he would rather watch the skating rather than actually do it. Katie (my future rollercoaster buddy) on the other hand loved it. She will try anything… she’s fearless! All was going well until her feet started to hurt. That is the sign to drop everything and let her rest. Believe me it is better for, well, society in general!
She took off her skates and decided to get some ice cream dippin dots. This is very weird stuff as it is like hundreds and thousands but ice cream!
While Sarah and kids were getting changed, I thought I would have a go on my own. “Come on knees you can take it”. I take it slow and try and get away from doing the small tripping action and progress to a more “glidey” movement that lets me go faster with less effort “Leeeeefffffftttttt… rrrriiigggghhhhtttt… this was going well. I’m not holding onto anything. I’m looking pretty good… Wow this is quite easy.” Just as I am getting up confidence, a 10 year old kid skates past me… going backwards. He cuts me up giving me no option other than to slam into the side of the wall. Little bugger!
Needless to say I called it a day at the ice rink!
Friday, December 25, 2009
That's a SIRIUSly good present
Happy Christmas everyone!
It took 4 hours to wrap everything from start to finish (so Santa tells me), but it took approx 12mins to unwrap everything. Next year I might let the kids have a go at unwrapping them.
Although we didn’t go out, it was a very nice day where we spoke to all of our families via skype. Obviously it is not the same as the real thing, but it is good to know that they can see and hear us at a drop of a hat… (after a fiddle of wires.. unplug it.. reboot the machine… ring technical support).
My favorite present was the Sirius (XM) radio and subscription I got. One thing I have really missed here is to wake up to commercial free radio. If you like country music, lots of talking or adverts every 3 minutes, then you are on a winner. The closest thing they have here to decent radio is i94 or radio now, but they have a play list of about 6 songs that go round and round.
I can now get BBC Radio 1, delayed by 5 hours so that when the DJs do a time check is the correct time here. It is defiantly money well spent!
It took 4 hours to wrap everything from start to finish (so Santa tells me), but it took approx 12mins to unwrap everything. Next year I might let the kids have a go at unwrapping them.
Although we didn’t go out, it was a very nice day where we spoke to all of our families via skype. Obviously it is not the same as the real thing, but it is good to know that they can see and hear us at a drop of a hat… (after a fiddle of wires.. unplug it.. reboot the machine… ring technical support).
My favorite present was the Sirius (XM) radio and subscription I got. One thing I have really missed here is to wake up to commercial free radio. If you like country music, lots of talking or adverts every 3 minutes, then you are on a winner. The closest thing they have here to decent radio is i94 or radio now, but they have a play list of about 6 songs that go round and round.
I can now get BBC Radio 1, delayed by 5 hours so that when the DJs do a time check is the correct time here. It is defiantly money well spent!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
I’m king of the Castleton
Christmas Eve and I have the day off. Sarah wanted to do shopping at the Castleton Mall, while I look after the kids. Dan told me a few weeks ago that there is a play area near there that you can go to that has bouncy castles and ball pits etc. I dropped off Sarah and then drove to the end of the car park and did a Google search for “play area Castleton”. It came back and said the play area was in the mall itself.
As it turns out, it was more of an indoor soft area where kids can run in circles, rather than ball pits etc. It didn’t really matter, as the kids loved it… that saved a few quid!
In the evening we went around to Kevan & Angela’s for a quick drink, and then followed them on to Chris & Tracey’s house for the party. We had a great time and met chatted to quite few of the different expats there. It was also good that there were so many kids there as we could leave Zack and Katie to their own devices.
Thanks everyone, if you are reading this!
As it turns out, it was more of an indoor soft area where kids can run in circles, rather than ball pits etc. It didn’t really matter, as the kids loved it… that saved a few quid!
In the evening we went around to Kevan & Angela’s for a quick drink, and then followed them on to Chris & Tracey’s house for the party. We had a great time and met chatted to quite few of the different expats there. It was also good that there were so many kids there as we could leave Zack and Katie to their own devices.
Thanks everyone, if you are reading this!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
RIP Mark Knight
Today has been a bit of a shocking day. I could talk about the snow and the fact that they cleared the roads within an hour, but instead I want to write a few lines about Mark Knight.
Mark Knight was a friend I knew growing up who passed away today. He was just a year or so older than I. I knew him mainly from the 6th Northampton Boys Brigade where he was always a key figure. He would always be up for a laugh and would make you feel welcome where ever you may meet.
As my life went on, we went our separate ways. I left Northampton and went to the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, returned to Northampton and now live in Indiana in the USA. Whenever I did bump into Mark, it would seem we would just pick up where we left off, as if no time had passes at all. In my experience, there are very few people you can do this with, as some friends look at you as if you were someone they used to know once-upon-a-time. We lost contact a little while ago and found each other on facebook again, and the banter picked right up again.
I will remember Mark as a key figure in the BB (in my day), the biggest Liverpool FC Fan and an absolute top bloke.
RIP Mark Knight. You will be greatly missed!
Mark Knight was a friend I knew growing up who passed away today. He was just a year or so older than I. I knew him mainly from the 6th Northampton Boys Brigade where he was always a key figure. He would always be up for a laugh and would make you feel welcome where ever you may meet.
As my life went on, we went our separate ways. I left Northampton and went to the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, returned to Northampton and now live in Indiana in the USA. Whenever I did bump into Mark, it would seem we would just pick up where we left off, as if no time had passes at all. In my experience, there are very few people you can do this with, as some friends look at you as if you were someone they used to know once-upon-a-time. We lost contact a little while ago and found each other on facebook again, and the banter picked right up again.
I will remember Mark as a key figure in the BB (in my day), the biggest Liverpool FC Fan and an absolute top bloke.
RIP Mark Knight. You will be greatly missed!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
ihope?
I’m trying to make the most of weekends as it seems that the weekdays are quite long and I don’t get back until quite late sometimes. Also wanting the kids to help around the house, we now have a “responsibility chart” where they have stickers for tasks they needs to carry out such as: make bed, do homework, take out the trash (yes I said “trash”).
As the kids had done their jobs all week, for a special treat, they decided that they wanted to go to ihop (International House of Pancakes)… Although as far as I am aware they only have branches in the USA… Not quite sure how that works.
We turn up to the restaurant at around 2pm. It turns out that it never shuts. I suppose it is a bit like little chef. I mean you wouldn’t go there on a date… but you would go there if you were really hungry… or... well hung-over.
Sarah and I had the pancakes & eggs while the kids decided to share a smiley face pancake for dessert and chicken with fruit salad for the savory. I think I missed the memo on fruit being savory, but as it seemed to be a fairly healthy option, I shut my mouth and went with it.
When our food came out they bought it out all at once. I found out later that this is pretty standard practice here. If you order all at once you get all the food all at once (regardless if you want it then or indeed if it actually fits on the table).
The kid’s hot pancake arrived with the shape of a happy face drawn on it with whipped cream. My kids take their time eating, (unlike me). As they gently ate their way through their first course, the cream started to melt on their second course. As I ate my dinner, this pancake face just sat there looking at me slowly melting. The once happy face of the pancake now had a melted so the smile turned down at the sides, looking at me as to say “you disgust me, filling you face with your high fat, low fiber incredibly sweet dessert…. Just look at yourself!.. ya fat bas**rd.” OK, maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me that this may not be the most health of places to eat.
Don’t worry though! I helped eat his face to teach him a lesson! The judgmental git!
As the kids had done their jobs all week, for a special treat, they decided that they wanted to go to ihop (International House of Pancakes)… Although as far as I am aware they only have branches in the USA… Not quite sure how that works.
We turn up to the restaurant at around 2pm. It turns out that it never shuts. I suppose it is a bit like little chef. I mean you wouldn’t go there on a date… but you would go there if you were really hungry… or... well hung-over.
Sarah and I had the pancakes & eggs while the kids decided to share a smiley face pancake for dessert and chicken with fruit salad for the savory. I think I missed the memo on fruit being savory, but as it seemed to be a fairly healthy option, I shut my mouth and went with it.
When our food came out they bought it out all at once. I found out later that this is pretty standard practice here. If you order all at once you get all the food all at once (regardless if you want it then or indeed if it actually fits on the table).
The kid’s hot pancake arrived with the shape of a happy face drawn on it with whipped cream. My kids take their time eating, (unlike me). As they gently ate their way through their first course, the cream started to melt on their second course. As I ate my dinner, this pancake face just sat there looking at me slowly melting. The once happy face of the pancake now had a melted so the smile turned down at the sides, looking at me as to say “you disgust me, filling you face with your high fat, low fiber incredibly sweet dessert…. Just look at yourself!.. ya fat bas**rd.” OK, maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me that this may not be the most health of places to eat.
Don’t worry though! I helped eat his face to teach him a lesson! The judgmental git!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Is this Paradise? Is it? Is it really?
At lunchtime today I wanted to get out and stretch my legs. I asked everyone in the office if they fancied going out to get some lunch. There is a place at the bottom of the chase building (which is the tallest building in Indianapolis) called Paradise.
You kind of slide your tray along the side and build up you meal as you go… a bit like you would at a motorway service station. When you first get into the line it has two directions, one for sweet pastries and things and another for salads and sandwiches. I think you have to line up twice if you want to have a savory and a dessert…. its bit weird really. It is quite an up market place so I was quite surprised with the response when asking for a caser salad.
Behind the glass the other side of the counter was a little Hispanic lady asking what I would like. As I looked through the glass at all the lovely things I could hear my tummy start to rumble in anticipation. I pointed at one of those posh Cesar salad photos (you know being healthy and all). Instead of putting together a nice salad with the ingredients in front of her, she picked up a bucket of pre-torn lettuce leafs. With the action a vet would use to help deliver a calf, she reaches in shoulder deep and scrapped the last few leafs from the bottom and dumped in into a plastic dish, and sprinkles a bit of parmesan cheese on top. Nice!
“Do I get any kind of dressing with it?” – I say with true disappointed way.
“Yes” – she says and reaches up across all the nice ingredients to a small pot off dressing…. but she can’t reach. I would pass it to her but there is glass there so I can’t get at it. She then squats down behind the counter and returns with some tongs, jumping and reaching like a little kid. Still not being able to reach, she then turns over the bucket where my salad came from up-side-down, and stands on it, and da daaar! She reaches it... just as her necklace dangles right in the salsa dip in front of her… and splashes back in her cleavage. Hmmm nice.
I just think to myself “That’s it… just rub it in, it’s not as if you have a whole line of people watching you”
Needles to say I won’t be going there again for a while.
You kind of slide your tray along the side and build up you meal as you go… a bit like you would at a motorway service station. When you first get into the line it has two directions, one for sweet pastries and things and another for salads and sandwiches. I think you have to line up twice if you want to have a savory and a dessert…. its bit weird really. It is quite an up market place so I was quite surprised with the response when asking for a caser salad.
Behind the glass the other side of the counter was a little Hispanic lady asking what I would like. As I looked through the glass at all the lovely things I could hear my tummy start to rumble in anticipation. I pointed at one of those posh Cesar salad photos (you know being healthy and all). Instead of putting together a nice salad with the ingredients in front of her, she picked up a bucket of pre-torn lettuce leafs. With the action a vet would use to help deliver a calf, she reaches in shoulder deep and scrapped the last few leafs from the bottom and dumped in into a plastic dish, and sprinkles a bit of parmesan cheese on top. Nice!
“Do I get any kind of dressing with it?” – I say with true disappointed way.
“Yes” – she says and reaches up across all the nice ingredients to a small pot off dressing…. but she can’t reach. I would pass it to her but there is glass there so I can’t get at it. She then squats down behind the counter and returns with some tongs, jumping and reaching like a little kid. Still not being able to reach, she then turns over the bucket where my salad came from up-side-down, and stands on it, and da daaar! She reaches it... just as her necklace dangles right in the salsa dip in front of her… and splashes back in her cleavage. Hmmm nice.
I just think to myself “That’s it… just rub it in, it’s not as if you have a whole line of people watching you”
Needles to say I won’t be going there again for a while.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Stay on or get off… what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO HOTSHOT?
This week I haven’t been car pooling as Dan is on vacation this week. (Vacation NOT holiday... there is a difference!) As I have been driving myself I thought it would be good to see if there was a quicker way to go… that and I have a great sense of adventure. Basically there are two straight forward ways to get to work. “Meridian” that has lots of big picturesque houses, trees and stuff… two lanes quite and few traffic lights and “Keystone” which is commercial heaven! McDonalds, Starbucks, Macys, Subway, Arbys, McDonalds, Starbucks, Macys, Subway, Arbys, McDonalds, Starbucks, Macys, Subway, Arbys… you get the idea, but this has lights and 3 lanes.
I have been wanting to try the freeway that goes around Indianapolis (I guest this is more like the Indy equivalent to the M25… but it moves). I tried doing this earlier in the week and the SatNav women kept redirecting me back to Meridian no matter how many times I tried to get off.
At the moment I am developing websites for phone applications… and for testing purposes I have a “Motorola Android Phone” that has Google maps to direct you where you are going. This will give the SatNav woman a run for her money. I say take me home and it plots a course… via the freeway! Yay! Let’s do this thing. Off I go following the phones directions. It finds me the Freeway and its telling me the right directions.
All is going well until I lose the phone signal. Where am I? This is not a question to ask when you have to pick which lane you want… especially when there are 9 of them! It is a very odd thing. In the UK if you want to get off you enter the slip road on the right. Easy! Here, your exit could be on the right or the left. Stay on? Get off? Speak to me... c’mon Andriod you stupid thing! I headed for Chicago and hoped for the best.
In the end I had to make a “legal stop” and grovel to the SatNav woman to get me home… She knew I needed her and I’m sure she won’t let me forget it.
I have been wanting to try the freeway that goes around Indianapolis (I guest this is more like the Indy equivalent to the M25… but it moves). I tried doing this earlier in the week and the SatNav women kept redirecting me back to Meridian no matter how many times I tried to get off.
At the moment I am developing websites for phone applications… and for testing purposes I have a “Motorola Android Phone” that has Google maps to direct you where you are going. This will give the SatNav woman a run for her money. I say take me home and it plots a course… via the freeway! Yay! Let’s do this thing. Off I go following the phones directions. It finds me the Freeway and its telling me the right directions.
All is going well until I lose the phone signal. Where am I? This is not a question to ask when you have to pick which lane you want… especially when there are 9 of them! It is a very odd thing. In the UK if you want to get off you enter the slip road on the right. Easy! Here, your exit could be on the right or the left. Stay on? Get off? Speak to me... c’mon Andriod you stupid thing! I headed for Chicago and hoped for the best.
In the end I had to make a “legal stop” and grovel to the SatNav woman to get me home… She knew I needed her and I’m sure she won’t let me forget it.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
It's all about the delivery
I have bought furniture many times before in the UK. I remember the last time I bought a load of stuff from "a well known swedish furniture store" that needed to be delivered I got asked “When do you want it… next Thursday or a week next Monday?” Well, I won’t be able to be there to let you in on Thursday so a week on Monday I guess. “Certainly that will be £300 delivery, plus the £150 storage fee for the week… which now costs you more than the furniture you are buying. We won’t be able to tell you what time of day, but we will be happy to post a note through your door saying we called and you were out!” – Bloody rip off.
You finally get it home and you need a good 5 hours to assemble the bloody thing!
Does any of this sound familiar?
Today we finally bought a bed, drawers, dresser, mirror, headboard, bed and bed-frame from American Freight. “When would you like it delivered?” says the sales guy (when he is not complementing me on my accent). “Erm, soon as possible” I say expecting it to be 3 weeks from next Wednesday. “How about between 5-7pm this afternoon?” he says like it’s no big deal. “Sure, that would be great” I say.
Cut to 5pm when I get a call from the driver saying her will be there in 15mins… Result! Two big (very polite) guys come and drop it all in our bedroom. “Is it difficult to assemble?” I say not knowing what to expect when opening the boxes. “All you need is a screw driver to put the handles on the front of the drawers and your all set." That’s it! No matching point A with point B.
I am looking forward to a good night’s sleep on a bed that I don’t have to keep filling up with air!
To recap, from looking at it in the store, to it being fully assembled in our bedroom 3.5 hours!
You finally get it home and you need a good 5 hours to assemble the bloody thing!
Does any of this sound familiar?
Today we finally bought a bed, drawers, dresser, mirror, headboard, bed and bed-frame from American Freight. “When would you like it delivered?” says the sales guy (when he is not complementing me on my accent). “Erm, soon as possible” I say expecting it to be 3 weeks from next Wednesday. “How about between 5-7pm this afternoon?” he says like it’s no big deal. “Sure, that would be great” I say.
Cut to 5pm when I get a call from the driver saying her will be there in 15mins… Result! Two big (very polite) guys come and drop it all in our bedroom. “Is it difficult to assemble?” I say not knowing what to expect when opening the boxes. “All you need is a screw driver to put the handles on the front of the drawers and your all set." That’s it! No matching point A with point B.
I am looking forward to a good night’s sleep on a bed that I don’t have to keep filling up with air!
To recap, from looking at it in the store, to it being fully assembled in our bedroom 3.5 hours!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Surely everyone knows what parse the Parcel is!
Surely everyone knows what parse the Parcel is!
So today it was our office party and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I have been to one or two office parties in the past ranging from one in an all expenses paid castle with an open bar (where I was close to falling asleep in a massive leather chair by the fire with a whiskey in my hand) to a casino night where a couple I and a couple of the people I was with ended up gate crashing a club and getting back home around 4:30am. (You know who you are… and it was a great night!)
This was my first American office party. It was to start at 4pm and everyone was invited. Unfortunately Zack wasn’t feeling too well and in the end Sarah and the kids didn’t join me. :0(
The food arrived in the morning and started getting dished out right from the start. There was loads of it. (So much in fact, we were eating it the next day… even after taking some home at the end of the day) We sat and stuffed our faces with and chatted. The odd thing was that because there are two offices, this was the first time that some of the people had actually met each other. Since I have been working here, there has been three new staff hired. I really felt like it was a getting to know you session. I must say this is probably the most some of us have chatted ever! Generally it is a very quiet environment where most people (myself included) focus on what they are doing and listen to their own music etc with head phones on.
Once we had all eaten, we all had a toast and moved the furniture into a big circle. Once we had cleared the way, presents of all shapes and sizes were brought into the middle of the room. I’m not kidding, there were loads. They were put there as part of the game.
There is a shaker with 4 dice in it. If you get a double number then you get to pick up a gift. If you open the gift then it can be snatched. If the next person rolls a double number then they can either pick a gift from the middle or snatch yours from you. You keep going until there are no gifts left. If there is anybody who hasn’t rolled a double, the people with 3 or more gifts have to put the ones they like least in the middle again. If there is not enough, people with 2 gifts have to put there’s in the middle. Once everyone has a gift, there is one last shake of the dice each where you can swap one of yours with someone else’s. Tactically, I think the best thing is if you are last, as that way you will always pick something you want. I did pretty well out of it, but felt it would be right to swap my back massager, with Steve, as he was in a car accident a few days ago and seem to be in quite a bit of pain still.
I really enjoyed it, but it seemed to come to end quite quickly. I know it started at 4pm, but by 8:30ish people were making a move to go home. I imagine this is because the average commute to work is around 50 minutes… and you can’t get too drunk. It was Dan’s turn to drive to work so I took advantage and had a few beers. (Thanks Dan if you are reading this).
When I first got here I was told that when you are invited out to… wherever, it is quite norm to have a start and finish time. Back in the UK, (from my experience) it was more a case of a start time and a “struggling to keep conscious, so better make a move” time.
It probably is a good thing, but I do enjoy the long haul drinking sessions, where you can take it easy and chill, rather race then burn out… not that I was… you understand.
So today it was our office party and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I have been to one or two office parties in the past ranging from one in an all expenses paid castle with an open bar (where I was close to falling asleep in a massive leather chair by the fire with a whiskey in my hand) to a casino night where a couple I and a couple of the people I was with ended up gate crashing a club and getting back home around 4:30am. (You know who you are… and it was a great night!)
This was my first American office party. It was to start at 4pm and everyone was invited. Unfortunately Zack wasn’t feeling too well and in the end Sarah and the kids didn’t join me. :0(
The food arrived in the morning and started getting dished out right from the start. There was loads of it. (So much in fact, we were eating it the next day… even after taking some home at the end of the day) We sat and stuffed our faces with and chatted. The odd thing was that because there are two offices, this was the first time that some of the people had actually met each other. Since I have been working here, there has been three new staff hired. I really felt like it was a getting to know you session. I must say this is probably the most some of us have chatted ever! Generally it is a very quiet environment where most people (myself included) focus on what they are doing and listen to their own music etc with head phones on.
Once we had all eaten, we all had a toast and moved the furniture into a big circle. Once we had cleared the way, presents of all shapes and sizes were brought into the middle of the room. I’m not kidding, there were loads. They were put there as part of the game.
There is a shaker with 4 dice in it. If you get a double number then you get to pick up a gift. If you open the gift then it can be snatched. If the next person rolls a double number then they can either pick a gift from the middle or snatch yours from you. You keep going until there are no gifts left. If there is anybody who hasn’t rolled a double, the people with 3 or more gifts have to put the ones they like least in the middle again. If there is not enough, people with 2 gifts have to put there’s in the middle. Once everyone has a gift, there is one last shake of the dice each where you can swap one of yours with someone else’s. Tactically, I think the best thing is if you are last, as that way you will always pick something you want. I did pretty well out of it, but felt it would be right to swap my back massager, with Steve, as he was in a car accident a few days ago and seem to be in quite a bit of pain still.
I really enjoyed it, but it seemed to come to end quite quickly. I know it started at 4pm, but by 8:30ish people were making a move to go home. I imagine this is because the average commute to work is around 50 minutes… and you can’t get too drunk. It was Dan’s turn to drive to work so I took advantage and had a few beers. (Thanks Dan if you are reading this).
When I first got here I was told that when you are invited out to… wherever, it is quite norm to have a start and finish time. Back in the UK, (from my experience) it was more a case of a start time and a “struggling to keep conscious, so better make a move” time.
It probably is a good thing, but I do enjoy the long haul drinking sessions, where you can take it easy and chill, rather race then burn out… not that I was… you understand.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
DHS > i766 > DSS >SSN > NUMI > BMV > WTF! its BS
My god its cold! -7°C The day before yesterday we work up to snow, and today it has started again but with a really strong wind. Bear that in mind when I tell you about today.
Yesterday I got my new Credit Card. So what right? Getting a credit card here is a big deal. If you don’t have credit you get charged over the odds regardless if what to get a loan or mortgage. Even getting a mobile phone contract you have to put money down long before you are allowed to use the service. AT&T for example wanted to charge me $400 per line (one for me and one for Sarah) due to a poor credit rating. And with this you don’t even get the handset… bloody ridiculous!
Last Saturday Sarah was told (by the bureau of Motor Vehicles “BMV”) that she couldn’t sit her driving test as her Social Security Number “SSN” Card had her maiden name on it. Although you can’t get reissued a SSN you can get a bit of paper called an NUMI that proves that you name has been changed on the system without getting a new card.
Today I went for a walk in a gale force winds and snow blowing in my face with a wind chill factor of -7°C to the federal building about 8 blocks from when I work. I know the routine, since I have been here several times before. I said hello to the armed guards, go through the metal detector, get frisked, got in the elevator, walked in to the Social Security Dept (SSD), took a ticket and sat with all the other muggles. 45 minutes later my number gets called. I have my speech and documents already:
“Hi, I am looking to get a NUMI for my wife. She has a social security card from when she lived here before fifteen years ago. She has this as back then you needed a SSN to open a bank account. She is here with me on a H4 spouse Visa when means she can’t work. Please could you change her name on the record and provide me with a NUMI, so she can sit her driving test” I say in a very organized way.
“In order to do than she needs to fill in this form” said with eyelids half closed and a get out of that one Sherlock expression on her face.
“You mean like this” as I present it to her
“signed?”
“yep”
“have you got proof that you are married”
“Yep, here my passport, my SSL & our marriage certificate” boom boom boom, we are 3 for 3.
“Do you and your wife have the I94 document?”
“yep! Here you go” boom boom, there is nothing that this woman can ask me that I don’t have an official and original document for.
She then goes on to type details in the computer… Than it happens… One big “Computer says no” moment.
“The computer is asking me for her i766 work permit” – she says
“She doesn’t have one, nor will be able to get one, as she is not allowed to work here on her visa” I say with mind panic.
“I need the i766 to complete the change of details form on the computer” she says
“Well I can’t get it, but you could still change her name just so she can do her driving test, right!”
“Sir, I cannot process you application with the documents you have given me, Do you understand what I am telling you” she says in a stern voice with the two armed guard poking their heads up out of their security booth like mere cats.
Crestcom training then kicks in – you will love this one Keith.
“I can see you are getting frustrated with me. If I were in your position I would have had those guards chuck me out by now. I come pushing all these foreign looking documents that look like monopoly money under your nose asking you to do something that the system won’t let you do. Thank you for putting up with me. Can you think of anything that could help me?” I say in my calm voice, fluttering my eyelids (not that doing that flittering eyelids helps.. she probably though I was having a seizure.
“Well, I can get you a letter to the BWV saying that your wife does not need a SSN… What’s your address?” she says with a little smile
“144 cool creek…”
“Coal creek?
“No, cool creek”
“Cold creek”
“Cool creek… like, You dude, cool!!”
God, not this again!
She also gave me the address of the Department of Homeland Security “DHS” to see if I could get Sarah a work permit (but I think this futile.)
To summarize, for Sarah to get a driving license she needs to go to the DHS for a i766, return to DSS so the SSN is OK, to print a NUMI so the BMV can let her do the test to get her license… I think it is time to add an acronym myself. This is BS.
Yesterday I got my new Credit Card. So what right? Getting a credit card here is a big deal. If you don’t have credit you get charged over the odds regardless if what to get a loan or mortgage. Even getting a mobile phone contract you have to put money down long before you are allowed to use the service. AT&T for example wanted to charge me $400 per line (one for me and one for Sarah) due to a poor credit rating. And with this you don’t even get the handset… bloody ridiculous!
Last Saturday Sarah was told (by the bureau of Motor Vehicles “BMV”) that she couldn’t sit her driving test as her Social Security Number “SSN” Card had her maiden name on it. Although you can’t get reissued a SSN you can get a bit of paper called an NUMI that proves that you name has been changed on the system without getting a new card.
Today I went for a walk in a gale force winds and snow blowing in my face with a wind chill factor of -7°C to the federal building about 8 blocks from when I work. I know the routine, since I have been here several times before. I said hello to the armed guards, go through the metal detector, get frisked, got in the elevator, walked in to the Social Security Dept (SSD), took a ticket and sat with all the other muggles. 45 minutes later my number gets called. I have my speech and documents already:
“Hi, I am looking to get a NUMI for my wife. She has a social security card from when she lived here before fifteen years ago. She has this as back then you needed a SSN to open a bank account. She is here with me on a H4 spouse Visa when means she can’t work. Please could you change her name on the record and provide me with a NUMI, so she can sit her driving test” I say in a very organized way.
“In order to do than she needs to fill in this form” said with eyelids half closed and a get out of that one Sherlock expression on her face.
“You mean like this” as I present it to her
“signed?”
“yep”
“have you got proof that you are married”
“Yep, here my passport, my SSL & our marriage certificate” boom boom boom, we are 3 for 3.
“Do you and your wife have the I94 document?”
“yep! Here you go” boom boom, there is nothing that this woman can ask me that I don’t have an official and original document for.
She then goes on to type details in the computer… Than it happens… One big “Computer says no” moment.
“The computer is asking me for her i766 work permit” – she says
“She doesn’t have one, nor will be able to get one, as she is not allowed to work here on her visa” I say with mind panic.
“I need the i766 to complete the change of details form on the computer” she says
“Well I can’t get it, but you could still change her name just so she can do her driving test, right!”
“Sir, I cannot process you application with the documents you have given me, Do you understand what I am telling you” she says in a stern voice with the two armed guard poking their heads up out of their security booth like mere cats.
Crestcom training then kicks in – you will love this one Keith.
“I can see you are getting frustrated with me. If I were in your position I would have had those guards chuck me out by now. I come pushing all these foreign looking documents that look like monopoly money under your nose asking you to do something that the system won’t let you do. Thank you for putting up with me. Can you think of anything that could help me?” I say in my calm voice, fluttering my eyelids (not that doing that flittering eyelids helps.. she probably though I was having a seizure.
“Well, I can get you a letter to the BWV saying that your wife does not need a SSN… What’s your address?” she says with a little smile
“144 cool creek…”
“Coal creek?
“No, cool creek”
“Cold creek”
“Cool creek… like, You dude, cool!!”
God, not this again!
She also gave me the address of the Department of Homeland Security “DHS” to see if I could get Sarah a work permit (but I think this futile.)
To summarize, for Sarah to get a driving license she needs to go to the DHS for a i766, return to DSS so the SSN is OK, to print a NUMI so the BMV can let her do the test to get her license… I think it is time to add an acronym myself. This is BS.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Ring Ring
I am working on my first ever mobile website and have spent most of this week putting mockups of how it will look on an iPhone or the Android type phones. I won’t say who the company is, but you would have heard of them. My cryptic clue is their logo is an Orange Straw.
Today I have given a handful of brand new phones to play with… I mean, are essential for testing purposes. How cool is that!
Today I have given a handful of brand new phones to play with… I mean, are essential for testing purposes. How cool is that!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Test of Driving and Patience
I was up at the crack of sparrow fart this morning as we all had a busy day in front of us. I have my driving test and Sarah was due to have her written test this morning. After getting back from weight watchers, Sarah came back in the car ready for me to drive the BMV (Bureau of Motor vehicles). I thought I better do some last minute maneuvers in the car before doing my test as I realized that I hadn’t actually done any of the 3 maneuvers in our new car (the golden hornet) that I have done in the UK driving test all those years ago. You may wonder how is it possible that you have never done a parallel park in the USA yet? Well the truth is you don’t need to (for the most part). It is all car parks with lines on the ground that fit two of our sized cars within them. So there I am outside our house trying to pretend that there is a car there while gently reversing back in to a space. I didn’t hit the curb…. the reason being they don’t have those either! The edge of the road near use is a kind of gutter that directs rainfall into storm drains rather than Curbs. Bo**cks to it. That will do and let’s just hope it is the other two maneuvers (turn in a road and reverse around a corner).
We get to the BMV just in the nick of time. After me going there twice last week to sort out the number plate for my car, this will make it 11th time in total. My god! I check in at the welcome desk and wait for my turn. “Kevin will be with you after this lady” says the lady at the counter. I look at this very serious looking bloke with a goatee beard walked across the waiting room with an air of “I could make or ruin you day in one easy word.
After 35 minutes he came back with the first girl who seemed to be explaining to her waiting mother how she failed her driving test. This guy is obviously not a pushover.
He called me to the desk and asked me a load of questions about my health, previous driving convictions, inside leg measurement and if I dress to left to the left or right. We walked to my car and he said he needed to check the all the lights and the indicators were working. I won’t lie to you, this was the scariest part of the test as I thought it may fail. He asked which car was mine and I said, “If I am feeling posh I would say it is champagne but I’m common so it is tan”. He gave me a grin that kind of broke the ice. Once we were out of the car park it was very relaxed and to be honest it was more like giving a mate a lift, but they know the directions to wherever they are going. We were just chatting the whole time, but I did the mandatory over exaggerating of the looking at mirrors and making sure that the hands were at 10 to 2.
I PASSED! YAY!
I filled in paperwork and watched the lady on the desk type really quickly in the computer. I was expecting her to say “computer says no… cough”. FOURTY-FIVE MINUTES later… She gave me a photocopied A4 bit of paper. “This is your temporary license. Your one should be the post and with you in the next 15 – 60 days, after it has been checked with the department of homeland security. This one is valid for 15 days, so if you don’t get one on the post, then come on back in” she says. Great! That will be 12 times at the BMV in 2 months. It’s all good fun, in a kind on gouge my eye out with a rusty spoon type way.
It turns out that Sarah couldn’t do her test as her Social Security Card (SSC) has her maiden name on it. Even though she had taken our marriage certificate with her, she still needs the correct name on her SSC. We then head off into the VERY cold Indianapolis to the Federal building. Been there, done that. It was closed so we head off via the kids museum to entertain them for the rest of the day.
In the evening we head off to a place called Columbus, Indiana. Every year they have the festival of lights parade. This is really cool and reminded me a little Disney world… but not quite. It was really good and the kids loved the different lights and cars that took part in the electric lights parade. One moment you would have a group of smart cars covered in Christmas lights, quickly followed by a huge truck with strobes and the horn blasting as loud as it would go. The kids loved it and enjoyed watching the fireworks from the back of the car.
A lie in tomorrow I hope!
We get to the BMV just in the nick of time. After me going there twice last week to sort out the number plate for my car, this will make it 11th time in total. My god! I check in at the welcome desk and wait for my turn. “Kevin will be with you after this lady” says the lady at the counter. I look at this very serious looking bloke with a goatee beard walked across the waiting room with an air of “I could make or ruin you day in one easy word.
After 35 minutes he came back with the first girl who seemed to be explaining to her waiting mother how she failed her driving test. This guy is obviously not a pushover.
He called me to the desk and asked me a load of questions about my health, previous driving convictions, inside leg measurement and if I dress to left to the left or right. We walked to my car and he said he needed to check the all the lights and the indicators were working. I won’t lie to you, this was the scariest part of the test as I thought it may fail. He asked which car was mine and I said, “If I am feeling posh I would say it is champagne but I’m common so it is tan”. He gave me a grin that kind of broke the ice. Once we were out of the car park it was very relaxed and to be honest it was more like giving a mate a lift, but they know the directions to wherever they are going. We were just chatting the whole time, but I did the mandatory over exaggerating of the looking at mirrors and making sure that the hands were at 10 to 2.
I PASSED! YAY!
I filled in paperwork and watched the lady on the desk type really quickly in the computer. I was expecting her to say “computer says no… cough”. FOURTY-FIVE MINUTES later… She gave me a photocopied A4 bit of paper. “This is your temporary license. Your one should be the post and with you in the next 15 – 60 days, after it has been checked with the department of homeland security. This one is valid for 15 days, so if you don’t get one on the post, then come on back in” she says. Great! That will be 12 times at the BMV in 2 months. It’s all good fun, in a kind on gouge my eye out with a rusty spoon type way.
It turns out that Sarah couldn’t do her test as her Social Security Card (SSC) has her maiden name on it. Even though she had taken our marriage certificate with her, she still needs the correct name on her SSC. We then head off into the VERY cold Indianapolis to the Federal building. Been there, done that. It was closed so we head off via the kids museum to entertain them for the rest of the day.
In the evening we head off to a place called Columbus, Indiana. Every year they have the festival of lights parade. This is really cool and reminded me a little Disney world… but not quite. It was really good and the kids loved the different lights and cars that took part in the electric lights parade. One moment you would have a group of smart cars covered in Christmas lights, quickly followed by a huge truck with strobes and the horn blasting as loud as it would go. The kids loved it and enjoyed watching the fireworks from the back of the car.
A lie in tomorrow I hope!
Friday, December 4, 2009
skills that are truly mobile
I have been quite busy this week working on the re-launch of lionel.com. I spent quite a bit of time testing and making sure it works across all the platforms this week. Yesterday I have been given the Tropicana.com mobile website project to work on. I finally get to work on a mobile web app. Watch this space! :0)
As I write this it is -6oC outside with a chance of snow. I am due to have my Indiana State Driving test tomorrow morning. I am crapping myself as the last thing I want to do is swerve all over the place, wel, no more than I would anyway.
As I write this it is -6oC outside with a chance of snow. I am due to have my Indiana State Driving test tomorrow morning. I am crapping myself as the last thing I want to do is swerve all over the place, wel, no more than I would anyway.
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