Austin Update
Hello Friends!
Sorry I have been uncharacteristically absent from blogging in recent times. As you can imagine, the move to Austin and related events have been fairly all-consuming over the past two weeks. My thanks to those of you who've reached out to stay in touch with me, and for everyone's patience as I have been out of touch.
Ian's Job
Ian's new job is going well in the first week! He's making friends quickly, and kdutton will be tickled, I have no doubt, to know that one of Ian's first friends at work is LDS -- so we're paving the way making connections for you here when you move to Austin. ;)
Ian's working on BioWare's upcoming MMO, Star Wars-based "Knights of the Old Republic." He has the most thoroughly amusing job a low geek on the totem pole could possible have. Ian has been assigned to painting sand and rocks in the deserts of Tattooine! Specifically, he spent yesterday working very hard to make a specific piece of geography as visually uninteresting as possible since it will decorate the edge of the game world, a place where there should be nothing to attract player visits.
"I used to work here, ya know."
"You're gonna die here, ya know."
Well, okay, surprisingly, painting sand and rocks in the deserts of Tattooine is actually pretty interesting. Ian is finding new challenges and he's learnin' stuff, and he's having fun. The situation just makes for good jokes!
My Job
Those privy to a Friends Only post the other day received first the bad news that I won't be able to keep my current job working from home in Austin after all. My boss tried to push this through during the week I was absent, and the company just couldn't make it work for various reasons. This dropped on me like a ton of bricks, and was hugely disappointing after the brilliant cheer of possibility that it would work. I spent most of Monday and Tuesday really moping about it. Then again, I am not good with change. This is a ridiculous understatement. Now that the shock has worn off, my brain has engaged and has started working through new plans. I'm scouring the ads for jobs every day -- slim pickins, but at least I have my current job through April and possibly as long as through the end of June. Monday was a panic when I could not find any jobs that were much more than half my salary. Through the week, I've managed to find 2-4 ads for jobs genuinely in my league, however, so I feel better knowing just that there are possibilities.
The House
You'll get pictures within a few weeks. I might wait until we hang pictures on the walls and get more moved in, or I might not. You just don't know what I'll do! We love the house. The living room is plum, the kitchen is brick red, the dining room is... a parchment effect with way too bright a yellow. The master bedroom is Kermit-the-Frog green. What we're calling, "Higgins' Room" in honor a Guildhall friend whom we hope will come visit, and the master bath are both sky blue. Our office was white, but that wouldn't do! We painted it "Ottertail," the same color of a Wendy's chocolate Frosty that we had in our Roswell and Post Lindbergh apartments.
Got a refrigerator. Stainless steel does not, in fact, hold magnets on the doors. Ian is upset enough by this surprise that he seriously discussed taking advantage of the Sears' 30-day no questions asked policy on refrigerator returns. We debated this with much seriousness, and resolved to keep this shiny monstrosity as-is.
The freezer in the side-by-side is indeed a little "small." Now, by that, I mean that I shop at Sam's Club and do ka-razy bulk shopping. (My local Sam's sells Ore-Ida tater tots in 5-lb. bags!) When we have kids, I think I will indeed later wish to acquire an additional freezer unit. For now, although a little stuffed, this is certainly bigger than what we had in apartments, and it will work just fine.
Sidenote for Hobbits: Was extremely pleased that I managed to get through two Sam's Club runs - one for refrigerated goods, one not, each for a little over $100, and the grocery store for extra for $65. I was certain these initial shopping trips stocking up on goods we don't often buy (like every kind of sauce in the world, for example) would be ultra expensive. Instead, the pantry is now fully armed and operational for several weeks for $265. My inner hobbit* is mighty pleased.
* "Inner?" Who are we kidding?
One last note on Sam's -- I found a sneaky back way to get there that does not involve highways or any major roads. It is the equivalent of 1 exit up the highway from us, very close.
The neighborhood is more suburban than any in which I've ever lived. Everyone here has families, mostly small kids, they're mostly in their 30s or 40s. Everyone walks and runs, and stands in the yards talking to each other. This neighborhood is teeming with life and social activity... and birds, singing, talking birds. The hills* are alive with the sound of birds from sun-up to sunset.
* Please note: This is Texas, there are actually no hills. All reports that [all of] Austin is "hill country" are over-exaggerated.
Other
We're gonna get a kitty! Ian says we can get the cat when we're "fully" unpacked. I have proposed the quantification that we should build the second of two Ikea bookshelves we bought (Marie -- we bought in the "Markor" line, just like your TV armoire), finish unpacking the office, and then we can get the kitty. Ian wants to hang stuff on the walls first. I maintain that we do not need the kitten to hold the hammer for us, and this wait is excessive. BIZARRO TRACE NO LIKE WAIT FOR KITTEH.
Okay, I'm out of ideas on what else needs an update, so I'm off for some lunchtime yoga & shower. Yay!
T$
Sorry I have been uncharacteristically absent from blogging in recent times. As you can imagine, the move to Austin and related events have been fairly all-consuming over the past two weeks. My thanks to those of you who've reached out to stay in touch with me, and for everyone's patience as I have been out of touch.
Ian's Job
Ian's new job is going well in the first week! He's making friends quickly, and kdutton will be tickled, I have no doubt, to know that one of Ian's first friends at work is LDS -- so we're paving the way making connections for you here when you move to Austin. ;)
Ian's working on BioWare's upcoming MMO, Star Wars-based "Knights of the Old Republic." He has the most thoroughly amusing job a low geek on the totem pole could possible have. Ian has been assigned to painting sand and rocks in the deserts of Tattooine! Specifically, he spent yesterday working very hard to make a specific piece of geography as visually uninteresting as possible since it will decorate the edge of the game world, a place where there should be nothing to attract player visits.
"I used to work here, ya know."
"You're gonna die here, ya know."
Well, okay, surprisingly, painting sand and rocks in the deserts of Tattooine is actually pretty interesting. Ian is finding new challenges and he's learnin' stuff, and he's having fun. The situation just makes for good jokes!
My Job
Those privy to a Friends Only post the other day received first the bad news that I won't be able to keep my current job working from home in Austin after all. My boss tried to push this through during the week I was absent, and the company just couldn't make it work for various reasons. This dropped on me like a ton of bricks, and was hugely disappointing after the brilliant cheer of possibility that it would work. I spent most of Monday and Tuesday really moping about it. Then again, I am not good with change. This is a ridiculous understatement. Now that the shock has worn off, my brain has engaged and has started working through new plans. I'm scouring the ads for jobs every day -- slim pickins, but at least I have my current job through April and possibly as long as through the end of June. Monday was a panic when I could not find any jobs that were much more than half my salary. Through the week, I've managed to find 2-4 ads for jobs genuinely in my league, however, so I feel better knowing just that there are possibilities.
The House
You'll get pictures within a few weeks. I might wait until we hang pictures on the walls and get more moved in, or I might not. You just don't know what I'll do! We love the house. The living room is plum, the kitchen is brick red, the dining room is... a parchment effect with way too bright a yellow. The master bedroom is Kermit-the-Frog green. What we're calling, "Higgins' Room" in honor a Guildhall friend whom we hope will come visit, and the master bath are both sky blue. Our office was white, but that wouldn't do! We painted it "Ottertail," the same color of a Wendy's chocolate Frosty that we had in our Roswell and Post Lindbergh apartments.
Got a refrigerator. Stainless steel does not, in fact, hold magnets on the doors. Ian is upset enough by this surprise that he seriously discussed taking advantage of the Sears' 30-day no questions asked policy on refrigerator returns. We debated this with much seriousness, and resolved to keep this shiny monstrosity as-is.
The freezer in the side-by-side is indeed a little "small." Now, by that, I mean that I shop at Sam's Club and do ka-razy bulk shopping. (My local Sam's sells Ore-Ida tater tots in 5-lb. bags!) When we have kids, I think I will indeed later wish to acquire an additional freezer unit. For now, although a little stuffed, this is certainly bigger than what we had in apartments, and it will work just fine.
Sidenote for Hobbits: Was extremely pleased that I managed to get through two Sam's Club runs - one for refrigerated goods, one not, each for a little over $100, and the grocery store for extra for $65. I was certain these initial shopping trips stocking up on goods we don't often buy (like every kind of sauce in the world, for example) would be ultra expensive. Instead, the pantry is now fully armed and operational for several weeks for $265. My inner hobbit* is mighty pleased.
* "Inner?" Who are we kidding?
One last note on Sam's -- I found a sneaky back way to get there that does not involve highways or any major roads. It is the equivalent of 1 exit up the highway from us, very close.
The neighborhood is more suburban than any in which I've ever lived. Everyone here has families, mostly small kids, they're mostly in their 30s or 40s. Everyone walks and runs, and stands in the yards talking to each other. This neighborhood is teeming with life and social activity... and birds, singing, talking birds. The hills* are alive with the sound of birds from sun-up to sunset.
* Please note: This is Texas, there are actually no hills. All reports that [all of] Austin is "hill country" are over-exaggerated.
Other
We're gonna get a kitty! Ian says we can get the cat when we're "fully" unpacked. I have proposed the quantification that we should build the second of two Ikea bookshelves we bought (Marie -- we bought in the "Markor" line, just like your TV armoire), finish unpacking the office, and then we can get the kitty. Ian wants to hang stuff on the walls first. I maintain that we do not need the kitten to hold the hammer for us, and this wait is excessive. BIZARRO TRACE NO LIKE WAIT FOR KITTEH.
Okay, I'm out of ideas on what else needs an update, so I'm off for some lunchtime yoga & shower. Yay!
T$