Sitting in a small meeting room across the street from where I work....fighting to stay awake.

Topics: *Geographic Fail over/fallback *Server software distribution and asset management *Mainframe 64-bit architecture *Notes/Domino 6 (my work area & of great interest) *Server consolidation tools

I have yet to figure out how emessaging & collaboration fits with the above technology areas. It seems we'd be on the application services fence instead of infrastructure.

My supervisor is doing the Notes/Domino 6 presentation and it's more interactive than the previous topics presented -- as Notes has been a bug-a-boo since we migrated from MS Exchange.

I forgot to bring my SK camera to capture the nodding heads and droopy eyes from the earlier sessions.

SK data signal goes in & out every few minutes and I can't get a phone signal in this room. I'm hoping that the cafe will have lunch ready by the time this is over. The cafe in this building seves more gourmet type food than in the building where I work. http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

We got a really late start for Mother's Day "lunch." My hubby *finally* decided to cut the grass and pull weeds which was w-a-y overdue on Sunday. I had *secretly* made separate reservations at the restaurant - just in case. We ended up using the reservations I had made instead...which was a good thing because when I called on the reservations that hubby had made, they were accepting walk-ins and it would be a four hour wait.

The pics are of the 110 freeway near downtown L.A. on the way home from early dinner. Karissa wanted to check out the gorgeous view near the restaraunt after we finished our dinner at Gladstone's. We had the coconut shrimp for starters, with hot from the oven sourdough bread and Boston clam chowder. Hubby had the Alaskan Halibut which he said was bland even with the cajun seasonings. I had the Seafood brochette with swordfish, salmon, shrimp and scallops -- which was tasty. The girls shared a popcorn shrimp meal. We ended up sharing dessert of humongous strawberry shortcake and took over half of it home for me to snack on later :).

We've gone to Gladstone's forth the last two Mother's Day and I think for my birthday one year. The Wall of Fame is covered with pics of entertainment and sports celebs. DramaKween kept telling us that Jessica Simpson was in the restraunt. I didn't believe her because she has a tendency to be starstruck. She then said she saw Michel Clark Duncan and Susan Sarandon. We then saw a guy walking around with a boom microphone and camera and then our waitress confirmed that Jessica was at the restaurant with her hubby and Mom.

Gladstone's was packed full of people when we arrived because the Lakers v. Spurs game was still on. I highly recommend Gladstone's for it's food and location -- on the pricey side, but we only go there once a year.

After dinner, hubby & I went to go see "Malibu's Most Wanted"...some parts were funny and some of it was like, "OK...that's not funny." I saw the preview for Matrix: Reloaded on the big screen and I got goosebumpy.

Next big events are Memorial Day, DramaKween's graduation, Father's Day and JigNeNe's birthday.

We got a really late start for Mother's Day "lunch." My hubby *finally* decided to cut the grass and pull weeds which was w-a-y overdue on Sunday. I had *secretly* made separate reservations at the restaurant - just in case. We ended up using the reservations I had made instead...which was a good thing because when I called on the reservations that hubby had made, they were accepting walk-ins and it would be a four hour wait.

The pics are of the 110 freeway near downtown L.A. on the way home from early dinner. Karissa wanted to check out the gorgeous view near the restaraunt after we finished our dinner at "Malibu's Most Wanted"...some parts were funny and some of it was like, "OK...that's not funny." I saw the preview for Matrix: Reloaded on the big screen and I got goosebumpy.

Next big events are Memorial Day, DramaKween's graduation, Father's Day and JigNeNe's birthday.

http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

After we left the orthodontist office yesterday, we went to TGIFriday's...I had the Spinach dip with a side order of onion rings. Very tasty and I took the rest home for a late night dinner. I had the strawberry shortcake which was yummy but it cost $6.

** MOTHER ** "M" is for the million things she gave me, "O" means only that she's growing old, "T" is for the tears she shed to save me, "H" is for her heart of purest gold; "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining, "R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "Mother," A word that means the world to me. Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

** Mamma, I Miss You ** Once upon a memory Someone wiped away a tear Held me close and loved me, Thank you, Mother dear.


My mom passed away 26 years ago. What I Miss Most: Talking with her about the day's ups and downs, she would always give me a hug and I never had to ask or question as to whether she loved me (even when I was giving her attitude). At the time when I was a pre-teen I thought she was being smothering.

My mother-in-law passed away a few years ago and my kids unfortunately won't have the same experiences that I had with my own Grandma many years ago...playing in the backyard with my cousins and the chickens, homecooked meals (before the microwave era), building a clubhouse on top of the backhouse's roof, eating peacans, peaches, walnuts off the trees, and watching my uncle burn barbecue on the grill with his "beer- based" sauce concoctions, and going to the corner grocery store to fetch Grandma a carton of buttermilk and Diet Rite and using the change to buy Lemon Heads, Boston Baked Beans, Now N' Laters, Abba Zabba, etc.

I wish you an affectionate and undistracted Mother's Day

http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

Goldie & Alan..You’re Gone 04/01/03 to 05/06/03

Goldie and Alan were "fun fair" fishes that the grils won at school a few weeks ago. They brought a lot of excitement into our home as we set up the aquarium tank for our three fishes, Spongebob, Alan and of course, Goldie. The girls looked forward to feeding the fishes in the morning and greeting them in the evening when getting home from school.

Sadly, Dad found Goldie floating at the top of the aquarium. Alan passed away a week earlier. I broke the news to the girls and they were saddened. They want some time to pass before replacing Goldie and Alan. Spongebob is the sole survivor.

** Gone, but not forgotten **

An online pet memorial will be posted in about a week at (just search for "BustAGroove" for last name) Pet Loss: Online Memorial

Read My HipLog

Coworkers in my group went to (Lotus Notes) Admin 2003 conference @ Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. They came back with a lot more goodies than when I went to conference last November. I gave a few of the trinkets to DramaKween & JigNeNe. Coworkers came back with some stuff that will come in handy as we migrate from Notes 5 to 6.

It's been a while since I snapped a pic of my work commute. I saw three accidents in the span of 18 miles on the way to pick of DramaKween. DramaKween said I need to help her put together her valedictorian(sp?) speech by the end of this month. The BIG DAY is on June 12th...then it's off to high school.

http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

I got a birthday (5/2) floral arrangement from my hubby courtesy of www.proflowers.com. He's been ordering all of my flowers, Valentine's Day, anniversary, et al. from proflowers for about 2 years. I took for granted that the flowers would still be "lively" when I got back to work today. There's less than 1/3 water left. I won't leave them over the weekend again.

Had b-day pie with my coworkers today. I'm not "into" it when my own b- day arrives but really get a kick when it's DramaKween & JigNeNe's b- days. I also **really* enjoy Mother's Day -- which is next Sunday, May 11th -- for all you SONS & DAUGHTERS :) My mom's birthday is May 8th and she passed away 26 years ago....so Mother's Day is bittersweet...swwet that I have my lovely daughter's that bring home Mother's Day cards, breakfast in bed, and lunch or dinner at a really nice restaurant (with their Dad paying the tab, of course).

http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

Friday, May 1st was the National Day of Prayer. DramaKween's school invited some representatives of the military to be honored on behalf of their counterparts overseas. The colorguard from one of local Christian high schools had the honor of raising/saluting the flag. The little kids in front were cheery as they sang "I'm Proud To Be An American" while the upper grade kids either barely moved their mouths as they sang or they looked miserable. I asked DramaKween did someone make her classmates mad or something...she kinda skirted around by saying that since the flag was highlighted instead of the choir, they were not as enthused...and she was not happy that the military was standing in a position where some of the choir couldn't be seen.

Of course, I think she's missing the point, that it's not about the choir/students this time around. It's about the families that have lost loved ones and have been away from their spouses for several months and welcoming those people home and thanking them. But, as I recall being a teenager ... the world revolves around "me..me..me" (said with an echo). I'm not mad or upset with DramaKween, just that she's too young to see the "big picture".

We then moved on to her class for the "Open House" portion. The "kids" had various poster boards displayed with blurbs about the countries they researched. DramaKween had written two social study reports: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Maya Angelou. She got an "A+" for Angelou and an "A" for King. The teacher wasn't very visible in the classrom. She was outside mingling at the food tables with the other parents. There were several references to the Lakers game that was being played that night so people were a little distracted, I guess. DramaKween & friend were bugging me to get the Laker standings for the game. It took a while but I finally found a few sites that had the latest score.

http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

Hey negrito....your family will like the food. The waffles have a rich, buttery, creamy taste. Don't eat too many or you might get a tummy ache. Their side portions are kinda on the small side. I had my wedding rehearsal dinner @ their Pasadena location on Lake Street 9 yrs ago.

Aunt Kizzie's Back Porch and M&M Soulfood also is very yummy. http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/

Don't forget its free scoop nite @ Baskin-Robbins. I think Ben & Jerry's freescoop was last nite. This is the line we're waiting in. Its kinda chilly outside. http://www.hiplog.com/hiplog/read/4/102/