27
Sep
Just like the old times - a work week from hell. Unreliable vendor, spotty testing, can’t-miss regulatory deadlines, all-hands-on-deck firefight - many of you would easily recognize a basic run-of-the-mill software release… As a result, I have been coming home after 9pm every day this week. Mind you, I am not actually doing anything to correct the issues. I mostly do what bosses normally do, which is butt in unnecessarily with regular update demands… Well, ok, I also add some levity to the proceedings by showcasing my superior sense of humor…
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22
Sep
Exactly one year ago, I wrote my very first post in this space. In certain sense, I am amazed that I lasted this long. But I did, and it is time to raise a pint to being a seasoned writer. Or, at least, to being stubborn and dedicated, even if the end result is of questionable value…
So, do I have any deep thoughts on the first anniversary of my blog?
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21
Sep
Some bloke knocked on our door a couple of days ago and offered Natasha to wash our car. And wash he did, inside and out, stopping just short of waxing. The car is disgustingly clean. The job cost quite a lot compared to what we’d pay at a car-wash in the US, £13, but the premium for convenience and quality is likely worth it.
He promised to come back again in a month - now, that may be overdoing it. I probably never washed my car more than a couple times a year in New Jersey…
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19
Sep
I have long planned to write an entry on the cost of living comparison between London and New York/New Jersey area. Such an endeavor, being of questionable value from the start, is certainly hard to make compelling. Or exhaustive. At long last, I decided to still do it, but in a limited form…
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17
Sep
Here is a quick useless Internet toy for you (with a tip of the hat to Jason Bennion):
The funny thing is not the fact that this supposedly U.S. Census Bureau-backed database does not know that I exist (one could make an argument that at this particular moment, the one and only Ilya Burlak is not in the US). It is the fact that it told me that there was not a single other person with my last name on record, missing out on my dad, mom, brother, sister-in-law, niece, uncle, aunt and cousins. And, honestly, there must be another Burlak somewhere in the States; I remember seeing an unrelated one in the Brooklyn Yellow Pages in mid-nineties.
So, if you’ve got nothing to do, try your own name (sorry, relatives, I already spoiled it for you). And if you think that your name is truly unique and you get at least one hit - meaning yourself - let me know, so that I’ll think better of this silly thingie.
16
Sep
On Wednesday I thought, I don’t feel like posting right after 9/11, I’ll write something Thursday. On Thursday, I went out for drinks with co-workers, and after a few beers, whatever little desire for blogging I might have had was encompassed by the strong desire for bed…
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11
Sep
Today is the first anniversary of the September 11th tragedy on which I have my own personal podium. I would like to use it to say something poignant or momentous in commemoration of the day that changed so many of us. Alas, nothing comes to mind. Whatever little eloquence I might possess, it utterly deserts me at the first whiff of such somber occasion.
So, instead, I refer you to my friend Brian, his first anniversary essay, fourth anniversary thoughts, and this year’s reflections.
I am a convinced atheist, but there is no other phrase that is more appropriate today than this:
God Bless America!
09
Sep
On our first weekend back together, we couldn’t just stay home, could we? Suppressed for the last couple of months, the urge to resume our explorations dominated our thoughts and ultimately led to a couple of excursions.
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06
Sep
My last entry has reminded me of a topic that I wanted to dedicate a separate post to, along the lines of Things You Tend To Not Spend Time Thinking Seriously About When In The Process Of Relocating Abroad. The previous article in this series discussed finer points of relocating with kids. This entry is about passport renewals.
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05
Sep
Ah! Bliss! The family is back home. The shirts are ironed, the fridge is full, the dinner is delectable, the TV is constantly turned on to Hanna Montana and Zoey 101…
It’s on to resuming morning school runs starting tomorrow…
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02
Sep
A cousin of mine plays clarinet with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. And what do you know - they were coming to play Proms at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday and Sunday. Just like that, I was going to my second classical music performance in less than a week.
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