http://cafechatnoir.net No fate but the fate you make for yourself. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:00:35 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en My grandmother passed away yesterday morning.  After a a Monday, "This may very well be it" phone call.  Followed by a Tuesday morning "Yeah, about that, she's having breakfast" phone call.  At which point we just figured it was a new baseline/plateau.  Then I got the Wednesday phone call saying ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2012/04/12/end-of-an-era/ That's a nice amount of zeros. Taking the cash option, then taxes, then splitting it with my brother, I'd be sitting on 80 million dollars.  Of course I bought a few tickets. Knock off a couple of million for a beach house and some remodeling to this house.  Maybe upgrade the car.  ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2012/03/30/640000000/ If the reports are correct, Beyonce Knowles gave birth to her baby girl this evening, which is wonderful cause babies are awesome.  (Especially when they're not mine.  Cause I don't think it's a spectacular idea to have my DNA scattered about.  One of me is quite enough.) What bothers me a ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2012/01/08/well-im-not-sure-what-to-even-think-of-this/ Still nice and shiny and I've done well to not poke it too much lest it get smudged.  I'm counting today as the real New Year's Day since there is outdoor hockey being played. Can't say I'm sitting here thinking, "Gosh, 2011 was so great, I wish it could have been ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2012/01/02/welcome-2012/ And this one has actually has nothing to do with me and my grandmother! Every other year we've been in PHX for Christmas, we leave on the 30th in the morning, and as such, we miss the influx of bowl game fans coming to whatever bowl game is being held at ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/12/31/culture-clash/ Really, there are days I do wonder if someone whispered that curse over my crib in the nursery. Over the past couple days, I've discovered that I am once again jumping every time the phone rings.  Then I remind myself I don't even know who is calling and I should take ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/12/13/may-you-live-in-interesting-times/ Cause I'm not keen on playing God. My grandmother has pneumonia.  It does not surprise me that this happened, I have actually been expecting it. I did not expect that the care center would put her on antibiotics for it.  They say it is pallative, but in an 88 year old woman ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/12/09/id-make-a-lousy-doctor/ New laptop!  Probably a good 3x as fast as my old one, at half the price.  Mind you, this wasn't on my list of things to do today. My timing is just so impeccable.  The old laptop died today.  2 papers and an exam to write in the next two weeks ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/12/02/wheeee-3/ Honestly, I think just one instance of a pepper spray wielding customer should be enough for stores to say, "You know what, let's not do this 10PM or midnight opening crap and actually let our employees have the WHOLE day off for Thanksgiving."  Because guess what?  People will still shop ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/11/25/maybe-its-time-to-scale-back-black-friday-a-little/ We're staying put for Christmas. I'll go out there for a couple days afterwards.  I can do Christmas or her birthday, but not both anymore.  (Lord knows I didn't manage it with any grace or dignity up until now anyway.)  The stress isn't even remotely worth it, and she's to a ... http://cafechatnoir.net/2011/11/23/a-decision-made-in-my-best-interests-for-a-change/