Unemployed

I was their greatest supporter; their morale officer almost; and I also programmed sometimes too.

For real, I lost my job at the commission just over a week ago. Its a terribly scary thing over here to loose your job. Back in Scotland you were fine - you just stood in the line to sign on for unemployment - it was a long line. Your health care was provided no matter what anyway. No worry for medical bills. No worry for your pregnant wife or children who are currently undergoing medical treatment.

But now Im buring mega-calories freaking out about those things. Even if I get a job it will be at least 3 months before health insurance becomes an option. It drives me crazy. The thing was, we had already maxed out our deductible - and have about half of our out of pocket to pay. It was almost going to be free health care.

So as far as loosing the job goes - Im still confused as to why. Ive been given such fuzzy information - there is what is printed on paper - and there is what happened in real life. They dont match up. How can I get a wage rise one week only to be let go - sacked - whatever - 3 weeks later? Its messed up.

If you happen to be a prospectful employer reading this (they do internet checks these days) please feel free to ask me about it - but you will only end up more confused.

Either way - looking to the future - well it seems that the Rodent Emporium gig is maybe not going to happen. Ive got less than a week to organise it. I wish I could get some answers from Marv...

Weather Education

Its been an unbelievable month for weather so far. Ive never spent so much time in my basement.

Gone are the days when the most I had to complain about was constant rain. Sure - the Scottish weather is not something to be desired if you plan on outdoor activities - although somehow we managed to make them fit in. But having the sea within 60+ miles to the east and west of you keeps the weather pretty consistent and placid.

So to be experiencing the tremendous forces of nature that have recently run through this part of Nebraska has forced me to rethink what I count as "bad weather". The sky is usually so clear and blue out here, then all of a sudden a storm appears. And at least 2 times in the last couple weeks, I thank God that we have only experienced these storms, and not what was at at their centers -

Im glad I wasn't in that car!


I can't help but think this photographer might have been in trouble

As if a the tornado wasn't causing enough damage...

Moved in

Sorry, this is a bit late in coming...

We moved into into our new house in Arnold Heights on the 26th of April. It was a fairly sunny day thankfully, and 9 people showed up to help us.

It was the easiest move of my life - only a few damages and minimum injuries. So many thanks to all those who helped us - and especially Jeff, who braved the roads for us with the 25 foot truck we hired - what a man!

Here is a pick of Jeff showing us how strong he is. There was actually a table, 4 chairs and three small children on top of what he is holding - unfortunately the picture cropped them out....

Kick

Turtle is getting big and very active. I saw my first kick tonight - though I missed the flurry of kicks that followed it. I was so take by the first one, I ended up looking at Niecey with joy....

None the less, Im sure it will be the first of many.... :)

Its amazing what a nights sleep can do

Ive had this problem with my code for about a week and a bit. To spare you the details, I was having real problems displaying search results for a query. Ive had numerous attempts, always never quite hitting the mark - always a bug in there hiding from me.

Well last night, I had a dream about the project I was working on. I dreamed that I got the search results to work.

I came in this morning and made the changes to the code I dreamed and kapow! IT WORKED!!!!

New Microsoft Initiative

The Microsoft feedback agent just got better. Gosh it could be fun...

Fossil Evidence

The evolution community are psyched up over the latest fossil discovery - a snake that appears to have legs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7339508.stm

To put this in perspective, Darwin himself said (paraphrased of course) that in time, the fossil record would back up his theory of natural selection. To date (126 years after Darwin's death), the definitive fossil is still being sought - and to some I'm sure, this latest find is their jewel in the crown. Despite the apparent evidence this shows of evolution at work, as always, it would appear to have caused more debate rather than resolution - now they have to decide how to fit it into their tree of related developments. Nothing is ever simple for them.


But wait a minute - Genesis 3:14. I don't want to say the obvious, and indeed - I do not declare this to necessarily be evidence of that verse - thats another whole debate. However, if I was an evolutionist set on convincing others to believe in natural selection, I wouldn't wave this information around too much.