Z's camp this week is judo at the Alliance Française.  He can only tolerate camp in French if it is somehow sports related.  He already did judo camp a couple of years ago with the same coach.  Judo is his third martial art, after taekwondo and karate.  Yes, I would love for him to do Filipino martial arts at some point ( Read more... )

Faithful readers will recall that I do love living in Washington DC but on hot and humid summer days that love is severely tested.  I have been attending a training in Anacostia and I am always surprised (though I shouldn't be) at how close it is.  Door to door was 30 minutes by walking and Metro.  It's nice to see development East of the River ( ( Read more... )

I've continued my July 4th tradition of getting really, really sick.  It wasn't as bad as last year's double ear infection + strep throat, but I was still knocked out with a real cold for a whole week.  I actually went into work and my boss asked me to leave the office at noon because I sounded so awful ( Read more... )

Z is a binge-viewer - we have  watched several series like Avatar and Korra, Kick It, Raven's Home - and he seems to have a particular fondness for series featuring tween and teen heroines.  Right now we are getting through Stuck in the Middle which is about the middle child in a family of 7 kids.  I think Z enjoys seeing life in a big family since ( Read more... )

Every year I look at the list of summer activities (yes, I do have a list) and am torn between returning to old favorites and discovering new ones.  One new activity that will stay on our list:  AwesomeCon.  I haven't been to a con in literally decades (Star Trek) and this was my first time to a multi-fandom con.  It was a lot of fun even though ( Read more... )

I finally went to see the orthopedist and he easily diagnosed tendonitis and told me to wear a boot.  Unfortunately this was not the type of condition where I could just get a cortisone shot.  So I have to wear the thing for three weeks and take anti-inflammatories.  Thank goodness for work from home ( Read more... )

My foot has been hurting for the past week.  I don't know why as I haven't done anything extreme, like switch from running to tennis.  The heel/Achilles tendon hurts.  A lot.  I thought I could see my previous specialist, but he is a knee guy, and doesn't see foot problems.  So now I have to see a foot guy.  The earliest appointment isn't for ( Read more... )

Our office arrangement is to spend at least two days per pay period (of two weeks) physically on-site.  For most people that works out to one day a week.  My chosen day is Wednesday.  But not today as I'm going tomorrow for a couple of meetings and a going-away party.  So my schedule is already off ( Read more... )

Probably the most memorable Easter I spent was when MB and I lived in Burkina Faso.   We had heard about this monastery with a fantastic choir so we took off at 4am or so for the drive out with a Canadian friend ( Read more... )

I needed to pick my up my security badge and trade in my laptop so I physically ventured to the office on Monday.  Luckily over the weekend we had done a recon trip and a trial run on the bus so at least I was OK transport and location wise.  I had forgotten how much work it was to get to work.  Like...getting dressed in "real" clothes, packing my ( Read more... )