ZPG!

This day has worn me out, and I don't have much going on mentally at this point. I think my brain gave up on the day after the first HOUR I spent on the phone with AT&T trying to figure out why Dej hasn't had Internet service for the last several months. I hate calls like this and have tried this call several times in the past, only to give up in frustration after a couple of hours being bounced around or accidentally disconnected. It only took two hours today, and perhaps, just maybe they will get it right this time and install her service at the correct house. That is a hell of a way to start the night after a long work day.
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That was the post I started last night, and then Dej showed up. I never made it back to finish the post. Today's a new day, so I'm moving on with a new post.

I have had a glorious two days of work this week, and tomorrow should be more of the same. It's been a rare week--no meetings, no analysis, no documentation--just coding. I can lose hours, even days, lost in my zone. I already know that next week won't be so wonderful. It's back to a more normal week. While I do enjoy many aspects of my job, I most enjoy my 'head down' coding time. I'm looking forward to getting back to it tomorrow. The only aspect of my career that I hate is when I have to give estimates and talk about money and budgets. It's necessary, but I LOATHE it and will go to great lengths to avoid it, delegate it, or procrastinate it.

The rough thing about my uber geeky job, is that I can't really share my victories, defeats, joys and pain with other people, because they just have no clue what I'm talking about. I've tried many times to share things with M, and I see the always familiar lost, bored, and fully checked out glaze in his eyes. Sometimes I would really like to share a particularly funny/difficult/exciting incident when I get home from work, but it's hopeless. Only other geeky IT people get it.

My vet called to tell me that Baxter's ashes are ready for pickup. :( I'm still missing Baxter horribly! I think of him so many times every single day! I've noticed a pretty big change in Oliver since Baxter's death. He's gotten increasingly needy with me. It's been noticeably different, and has been consistent since the death. I'm very curious about it. Ollie and Bax were close, but Ollie gets along really well with all of the animals and humans in the house. He's mr. chill and very sweet and playful. It's not like Baxter was his only friend, so I'm surprised by the magnitude of the change. It makes me wonder if the change is due to his really missing Baxter or if it's because he is picking up my sadness from missing him so much.

The girls both enjoy dressing Ivan up in embarassing and girly ways. He and the girls have a very strange sibling-type relationship. They are truly more like brother and sisters than like two girls and a cat. I do realize how strange that sounds. Those of you who have seen them together know what I mean though. They pick on each other, they taunt, they fight, they tattle, but they absolutely adore each other. He does not just meekly tolerate things he doesn't like, so I have never worried about him being at a disadvantage. He is not shy about laying them open if they cross his line. Anyway, they take great pleasure in putting strange things on him. In this picture, they were using L's socks to form a heart around his face. I happened to have my camera within reach and got some cute shots. Don't feel too bad for Ivan. He will pay the girls back for this!