Category Archives: Personal

Maggie

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This is going to be sad.

Maggie is gone.

She had been sick for the last several months with nearly every horrible thing that can happen to a Boxer dog, and finally it just became too much. We took her to the emergency vet on Sunday and she didn’t come home. She’s better off, the pain is gone, she has found peace, and so on. All the standard things people always say absolutely apply here, and as usual, none of them help very much.

Maggie knew how to press the top of her head right into my chest when I needed it. Maggie smelled like maple syrup. Maggie loved having her belly rubbed, and cheese, and her big pillow on the couch. Maggie hated thunderstorms and wanted to hide under my office desk until they were over. Maggie limped out on arthritic hips and a bum leg to hop around in the yard under the giant oak tree with me because no matter how old she got or how much it hurt, she was still a puppy on the inside and she wanted to play.

Maggie was the first dog to notice Simon in his crib as we brought him home, and I will never forget the amazing look on her face when she saw him.

For eleven years, this beautiful, soulful dog loved me and I loved her. I have a 77 pound hole in my chest, and it hurts. I hope it always does a little bit; in that way, she’s still here.

New Job: St. Jude

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I have a personal re-org announcement for you:

Yesterday was my last official day as a system administrator at The University of Memphis. I’m starting at the end of this month as a Enterprise Network Storage Architect† at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

I was at the U of M for a little over five years, and for the most part, I really enjoyed it. I worked with some good people in the IT Division and throughout the University. I did interesting technical work and had my share of successes. I developed professional and personal relationships that I truly appreciate. I started and finished a graduate degree in my spare time.

Most importantly, I met Molly.

I’m looking forward to St. Jude. It’ll be fun to work on projects where you can say “petabyte” with a straight face. I’m excited to contribute to the work the researchers are doing, and a quick walk through the halls of the main buildings makes it obvious that this work is important and often miraculous.

Most importantly, I can occasionally have lunch with Molly. And Simon.

† – Yes, this is a mouthful.

Simon

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Our son was born three weeks ago.

Simon James McMurry was born Tuesday, December 22, 2010 at 8:11am. Eight pounds, three ounces, 20 inches.  Lots of hair, dark eyes, chubby cheeks, ten fingers, ten toes.

Simon gives a meaningful stare from his hospital bassinet (2010 Dec 22)

Simon is beautiful and funny and I love him more than I ever dreamed I could.

Since he’s been home, the three of us have gotten to know each other in a hundred different ways. Molly and I are doing great with him so far, but I think that’s mostly because he’s a really great baby. “Team Simon,” we remind each other when adult fussiness is about to flare up.

Simon sees the toy giraffes in his Pack 'n Play (2011 Jan 02)

I am Simon’s full time PR agent. Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, email, etc. There are lots of family and friends to keep in the loop. It’s been fun, but there’s a limit. I’m not interested in sharing minute details of his life to the public at large, but I suspect he’ll show up here quite a bit.

Simon enjoys a peaceful lunch (2011 Jan 11)

Nite Rida Burglarized!

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Saturday night, someone(s) went on a spree down my street and apparently tried opening every unlocked car door. My neighbor has one less GPS and my fresh ride now has a hole in the dash where the stereo used to be.

A few notes for the jackass perpetrator of this heinous deed:

  1. The stereo you stole is an Aiwa CDC-MP3, from probably early 2000. It reads and displays ID3v1 tags from MP3 files on discs, but doesn’t read the far superior ID3v2 tags. HAHA THE JOKE’S ON YOU, PUNK!
  2. I had a $10 Malco gift card I won at work sitting right under the stereo. You could’ve gone to the movies for free. Be more thorough, take pride in your work.
  3. The cruelest part: That stereo contained my Failsafe Emergency CD: “Al Green – Greatest Hits.” Reverend Green may pray for your soul, but I will never forgive this. Burn.

I usually lock my doors, but it only takes once.

The Fish

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We have a small fish pond built into the patio in the backyard, with four small koi therein, mandatorily adopted when we bought the house. I have named them:

  • Spot is orange with a single white spot on his back.
  • Whitey is solid white.
  • Big Man is solid orange and bigger than Shrimp.
  • Shrimp is solid orange and smaller than Big Man.

I have determined using all available evidence (specifically, my imagination) that they’re all boys.  Give me a break: I’m already outnumbered five to one.

As you may know, it’s cold in Memphis at the moment and getting colder.  Tonight’s forecast low: 11°.  I have therefore decided to freak out about the health and safety of these small slimy wriggly fellas, all of whom have zero interest in me other than Getting Away and Hiding.

The pump is frozen, and there’s a 1″ thick sheet of ice on the top, but the water underneath is fine.  I know this because I just did some reading and decided to pour a few saucepans of hot water onto the side of the pond to melt the ice, allowing a bit of oxygen in and toxic stuff out.

No sign of fish, but hopefully they’re smarter about what they need than I am. I’ll be out there this weekend when (if) it’s above freezing to see what the deal is.  I’ll pretend that under the rock structure in the middle, they have a little fish dude party pad with a bar, leather armchairs, and a big TV.  And a heater.

Meanwhile, there will be lots of snugglepuppy indoors to keep all the warm-blooded warm.