We’re in the middle of a deep freeze, here in the Northeast. It’s cold, even for the Boston area. Yes, we have heat in the house. I have heat in my office. But, when the sun goes down, or before the sun comes up, the house is awfully cold. I’ve taken to wearing my green …
I was returning from Albuquerque after PSL last week. I was in the security line. Airport security lines are unpredictable. Sometimes, they move at a regular pace. Sometimes, they move at an uneven pace. This one started off slow, and then zoomed. I was caught with my shoes still on. Uh oh. I do have …
I often take a little nap on the couch before I go to bed for the night. I know, most people take naps during the day. I’m different. So was yesterday. It all started a week ago… Low on Disk Space I started seeing the dreaded, “Your computer is low on disk space message” a …
Mark saw the orthopedist last week. He got the all-clear to wean himself from crutches. He did—in 20 minutes. He walked out of the hospital on crutches and came home. He put the crutches away and that was the end of the crutches. I am happy to report he is doing well, gaining strength and …
In the past two months, Mark and I have had more than our share of problem solving and character-building. I want my boring life back. At the end of April, I sprained my right ankle. I do this often. I have vertigo. Vertigo is orthopedically challenging. I have no idea when I wrench an ankle …
My brother-in-law’s father died recently. He was clear about how he wanted his death: cremation and no shiva, the traditional Jewish mourning for the dead. Death rituals are not for the dead. They are for the living. When we eulogize someone, we remember them for the ages. We pass on their memories so other people …
I went to a memorial service for a friend last weekend. It was beautiful. His close friends spoke about how they worked and played with him, how they asked and answered questions with him. They had eaten much Chinese food, gone to many movies, shared many dinners, many bottles of wine, flown many kites, and …
This is why I never use a lectern. Look carefully. Inside the hole cut out for the Caesar’s is my face. I am standing up! I was setting my computer up for my talk at the Better Software conference, when Rachelle took this picture. I moved to the left of the lectern to present. I …
No matter what, Mark and I are moving into a smaller house. That part is clear. So we need to clear out some of what I fondly refer to as our Stuff. When I was traveling last week, Mark told me sternly that we needed to declutter. I agreed. “My name is Johanna and I …
Mark and I went house shopping this past weekend. We are looking for a new-to-us home. We were looking for a 3 bedroom condo with an attached garage, so we can have everything on one floor. I’m willing to have the extra bedroom on another floor (up or down) as long as I never have …