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My New View

April 11, 2010 Deirdre Straughan 2 Comments

^top: The 180-degree panorama from my 9th-floor balcony. Quite a change of scene from suburban Colorado!

I returned from India (Oracle Tech Days in Hyderabad, visit to friends in Bombay) to Denver the evening of March 29th, spent a lot of that night packing, was in the Broomfield office the 30th. The 31st I loaded the car while my portion of the house had its move-out clean, had a final massage from the ever-amazing Chris Downing (who also helped me load the big, floppy cartop carrier onto the car), drove to my boss’ house for an evening of good company and good food, and stayed the night there. Hit the road at 7 the next morning to drive to my new home, a one-bedroom apartment in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco.

The friend who had planned to make the drive with me had a last-minute work emergency, so I drove those 1300 miles alone. And it wasn’t bad, even with some weather the first morning, except for the hour or so in Middle-of-Nowhere, UT, when I feared I would run out of gas. I took it in fairly easy stages, 10 hours each of the first two days, which enabled me to arrive in the city by 11 am on Saturday. Did my move-in inspection, then Jeffrey Taylor (a long-time videoblogging buddy whom I got to know while he and John were living in Paris, they now live in SF) arrived to help me unload the car.

^ Here’s a corner of the living room the first day or so, after Jeffrey and I had got all the stuff moved in but nothing was set up yet.

It was a beautiful day, and the benefits of this top-floor apartment were immediately obvious: a view, and lots and lots of light.

I didn’t own much stuff in Colorado, so little that it would have cost more to rent a truck than it would to replace the few sticks of furniture I had. I gave away the king-sized futon (which had been a gift to me in the first place), the dresser, and the small shelves, brought only what I could ship in boxes, carry in suitcases, or load in the car. This included the twin memory foam mattress and the Shaker desk, which has now become a dining table.

^ For the moment I’ve “extended” the single mattress with a folded quilt, to have an idea how a queen-sized bed will fit in here, and to show off the new razai (cotton quilt) I bought in Bombay. Again: lots of light!

^ The opposite corner of the bedroom a few days later, after Jeffrey and I had been to Ikea and I’d unpacked all my boxes. I’ll need more shelving, the plan is to fill out this wall. Note the lovely etched-glass mirror, bought during the recent weekend-long shopping expedition in Bombay with Yuti. I don’t have (or want) a lot of stuff, but every piece carries memories. Also bought a new stainless steel masala (spice) box, but I’m using it for jewelry.

Aside from not wanting to spend a lot of money, I have no desire to fill this small place with big furniture. I’ll get a simple queen-sized bed for the bedroom, then the twin mattress will become a day/guest bed in the living room. Got some folding chairs for dining/sitting, a couple of wooden chairs and a table for the balcony (very nice place to enjoy a drink of an evening). I’ll keep an eye on Craigslist for other stuff, but there’s no hurry.

This is the first time in my life I’ve had a place entirely my own – no family or roommates, so I can do exactly what I want with it. I’m going to take my time and enjoy the process.

Oh, I’ve also ordered a dozen cushions to fill the cushion covers I bought on this trip to India – going back to my hippie roots, everyone can sit on cushions on the floor.

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Deirdré, Defined

April 2, 2010 Deirdre Straughan Leave a comment

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The Twitter Diaries: 2010-03-12 – CO, SF

March 11, 2010 Deirdre Straughan Leave a comment

ben RT @IgorMinar: Only wimps use milliseconds in perf tests! Nanoseconds FTW! /via @DeirdreS #
NomdeB @DeirdreS Re Silverlight. Am using Chrome mostly these days and it opened up no problem at all. #
webmink @DeirdreS Not a whole lot, sadly. But it pays for my web hosting. #
DeirdreS @lskrocki I’m in LA this week (being trained), should be in CO next week and the week after. Would love to see you. #
DeirdreS contemplating cunning plans. #
DeirdreS for obvious reasons, this song has been running thru my head for days – & this 1971 video features Colm Wilkinson, too! #
DeirdreS It’s just that going home is such a lonely ride – YouTube – Dory Previn The Lady with the Braid #
DeirdreS @bubbva did we ever get the quorum? #
DeirdreS whoa, some of these spam tweets are actually pretty funny, considering that I barely know the people sending them #
DeirdreS Hitler’s nightly build failed (thanks, James!) #
bubbva @DeirdreS not yet. #
DeirdreS Prosecuting Google because they couldn’t go back in time to un-post the video, is crazy even for Italy. http://bit.ly/bjOPNw #
DeirdreS But it looks so far like the couples who touch more are reporting more satisfaction in the relationship, he said. http://nyti.ms/akD4cV #
DeirdreS @italylogue looks like a happy one! Buon compleanno a te! #
DeirdreS @thinguy …as long as you get your expense reports in on time and approved. If they’re late, you pay the late fees. #
DeirdreS Countries Beginning with I Learn Italian in Song: Tu Vuo Fa LAmericano #
DeirdreS @rosso wearing purple in general was considered bad luck because of its association with funerals. #
DeirdreS @rosso – a few more – Very Superstitious – Italian Folk Beliefs #
DeirdreS What British smartass decided that this file should be called rules.ok ? #
craigmorgan @DeirdreS (Solaris) Geek humour is a wonderful thing 😉 #
DeirdreS @craigmorgan yup, especially when it’s culture-specific and dated. 😉 #
DeirdreS RT @deirdresm: RT @jay_lake: Funny bcuz true: How to Put on a Sports Bra: http://bit.ly/9yhZBY [I have nothing to add. Nothing. Hear me?] #
PizzoC This is my future, if I don’t stop this damned stress-eating.McSweeney’s: How To Put On a Sports Bra (via @DeirdreS) http://bit.ly/cBqDRH #
DeirdreS @shawnferry don’t have an opinion on the virtues of JumpStart as yet, but I can see the sense of humor of whoever wrote it #
DeirdreS Right, I am just going to go have a nervous breakdown right now and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me. (Nor, apparently, wants to.) #
DeirdreS RT @ogb: Dan Roberts answering OpenSolaris questions on irc.freenode.net/#opensoalris-meeting right now. #
DeirdreS @timbray Sorry to lose you. Enjoy the break. #
DeirdreS @juliebenz I’ve got way too much stuff to do – want some of mine? #
DeirdreS @nnenna sad, but not surprising. #
DeirdreS @italylogue great book, so are Tim Parks’ other works about Italy. Haven’t read his fiction. #
DeirdreS RT @thinguy: Need Beer. Please Send. – make mine bourbon. #
DeirdreS At least getting rid of a rental car goes quickly. Headi ng back to LAX. #
DeirdreS WTF? TSA agent asking for boarding passes and ID at gate, well after security line. #
DeirdreS Arrived Denver 2nd Friday in a row. Tonight no snow and I don’t have to turn around anx leave again on Sunday. Small mercies. #
DeirdreS Tired enough I cd have slept on flight – except for relentlessly cute kid who kept singing loudly abt the Lakers. Wants to be on TV? #
DeirdreS home safe and sound, trying to unwind enough for much-needed sleep. #
DeirdreS had a complex, weird, and ultimately rather fun dream about Shah Rukh Khan. No idea why, but a lot better than recent nightmares. @iamsrk #
DeirdreS RT @sullof: I am working hard on new Passpack features. Group sharing is coming soon. Stay tuned – good, I need that soon! #
DeirdreS @creepyed network beforehand and attend together; might make the whole thing less intimidating #
creepyed @DeirdreS It’s not that it’s intimidating, more of depressing. The guys here are great, so no problem there 🙂 #
DeirdreS I notice as an ex-expat returned to US: everyone here has a cause. The awareness & fundraising barrage is constant both online and IRL. #
DeirdreS And Americans teach their kids to be salespeople very early – Girl Scout cookies, school fundraisers. What effect does this have on society? #
DeirdreS @creepyed it’s both, but some women do feel intimidated by the ratio even when the guys don’t intend to be. Strength in numbers? #
DeirdreS it isnt abt Internet liability so much as abt power of new media to challenge govts not interested in free speech.Â #
DeirdreS looking for a place to live in SF. Can anyone point me to a map of what Craiglist neighborhoods mean? They assume a certain expertise… #
DeirdreS RT @sebsto: Opening up some details of OpenSolaris under Oracle http://bit.ly/bPCGbp #opensolaris #Oracle – thanks to @ptribble for analysis #
DeirdreS @PizzoC Yanks are any Americans, if you’re British or Anzac, Yankees are anyone north of the Mason-Dixon line if you’re south #
DeirdreS @PizzoC as in overpaid, oversexed, and Over Here ? 😉 #
DeirdreS mixing metaphors: lunch is a quesadilla with scamorza affumicata and cranberry chutney – tricultural! #
DeirdreS this situation calls for a maps/listings mashup that lets me specify max walking distance from Caltrain, as well as prices, BRs, etc. #
DeirdreS Digesting a great meal, listening to university politics #
DeirdreS Heh. xkcd: Devotion to Duty http://bit.ly/bECue7 #

DeirdreS I would really like it if the headache I have had most of today would please go away. #
DeirdreS Someone asked for Paolo Conte: It’s wonderful, its wonderful, good luck my baby, its wonderful, I dream of you http://bit.ly/cvSy64 #
DeirdreS There are many sincere religious whom I sincerely love & respect, but it’s getting harder & harder for me to deal with their beliefs. #
DeirdreS @lskrocki prob w article: The [BRM] office provides consulting & support services for Sun’s products. – Lots of engineering, too. #
DeirdreS The fine line between ensuring that your accomplishments are seen and self-aggrandizement is particularly difficult for women to walk. #
DeirdreS @lskrocki of course my view is biased by the building and floor I sit on. #
DeirdreS @tgardner Giardia is a parasite that will make you wish to never see food again. #
DeirdreS people who identified as liberal & atheist had higher IQs. applied also to sexual exclusivity in men, not in women http://bit.ly/d7zuYC #
tgardner @DeirdreS so, conservative, christian, promiscuous males are lower on the evolutionary scale. I can completely understand that. #
DeirdreS Friendly Atheist by @hemantsblog Jesus Needs To Stop Being Everywhere http://bit.ly/9haxeB #
DeirdreS @juliebenz your appearance will force me to catch up on DH – months behind and not motivated to catch up. My Tivo feels neglected. #
DeirdreS @Annarella vorrei capire di che cosa stai parlando, ma tuo feed e’ privato e non posso #
DeirdreS @KeithBurtis How about been doing it longer than some of the ‘experts’ have been alive ? Not that I’m ageist. 😉 #
DeirdreS @trine sounds like a girl geek in the making – whatever you’re doing, keep doing it! #
DeirdreS Tin Tin lends me amazing books, I highly recommend this one: Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body http://bit.ly/cMjAXe #
DeirdreS things to buy when I go to India: Lots and lots of movies. Books. A couple of silver chains. Textiles to decorate new home. Clothing. #
DeirdreS RT @lskrocki: No good can come out of these mixed-message shoes: http://bit.ly/dyWV1T – wow. Umm. Just wow. #
DeirdreS @KeithBurtis in several jobs, yrs of online customer interaction inc newsletters http://bit.ly/ddSuaI discussion list http://bit.ly/TKUgX #
DeirdreS @KeithBurtis …from the dawn of time, Usenet presence http://bit.ly/N621e … and recently, social media production http://bit.ly/b04ngK #
DeirdreS @KeithBurtis And here’s the distillation of what I learned along the way: http://bit.ly/asKwOj #
DeirdreS as I begin packing, I realize: I may need help for my socks addiction. #
DeirdreS @tgardner if so, he’s a better woman than I am. #
DeirdreS I should probably discard an ad from someone looking to rent to Single Person or Cute Couple. #
DeirdreS RT @JustinHaggerty: People who have seen Avenue Q will get a laugh http://bit.ly/c2ee1s – safer to run it lest some1 think it’s a kids’ show #
DeirdreS had an Indian style bun omlette for lunch, which always makes me think of James Hackney, who taught me the recipe #
DeirdreS someone you don’t want to mess with in a parking lot #

DeirdreS @almightygod so glad I’m not one. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB God is good only to some people, apparently. #
DeirdreS I have a feeling this is going to be more than 1-3 inches of snow accumulation. #
DeirdreS @vdotw still not sticking on the roads/sidewalks where I live, but we haven’t got far to go #
DeirdreS RT @kbeninato: Love the USA team, but the Saints could take on any team in any sport and win. – football players on ice? scary #
DeirdreS @ben I’ll be back in Ikea scew-it-together hell soon. Plan to get a powered screwdriver this time. #
DeirdreS RT @lskrocki: @willbldrco I do! @acworkma has been talking about a CO tweetup lately, too. – hurry up before I move! #
DeirdreS RT @ben: At which point do I update my LinkedIn profile to show I’m looking for other opportunities? – as soon as you are. #
DeirdreS this great big house has a fatal design flaw: TV in the den and TV in the loft are v much within earshot of each other. Duelling volume #
DeirdreS finally starting to catch up on many months’ backlog of Dollhouse on my Tivo. Damn, this was good. #
DeirdreS @ben I keep hearing We’re hiring – checked your local istings? #
DeirdreS working on my website again, here’s one for all you chocolate lovers: Sweetness and Dark on Lake Como http://bit.ly/dcTc4p #
DeirdreS Nostalgic for Indian food? Start salivating! Indian Cooking Videos http://bit.ly/aoXRcW #
DeirdreS @vdotw October! It’s been a busy few months… I’m not much of a TV watcher, don’t get motivatd to watch even 1 show most nights. #
DeirdreS @ben Sadly, it ended. #
DeirdreS And here’s some mouth-watering Italian food Birthday Lunch at Lanterna Verde http://bit.ly/8YYbNN #
DeirdreS Countries Beginning with I Italian Food in Video: RistoExpo, Erba http://bit.ly/aDVvPS #
DeirdreS @ben funny I was just about to publish a recipe for pasta with red bell peppers aka capsicum #manversusfood #
DeirdreS and of course we can’t leave out the Indian restaurants Rajdhani Thali: Great Food, Great Price http://bit.ly/c8zau1 #
DeirdreS Friendly Atheist by @hemantsblog Italian Public School Only Accepts Students After Parents Sign Statement of Faith http://bit.ly/acJEgN #
DeirdreS dinner: pasta with broccoli, and I threw in some mozzarella for protein. Yum. #
DeirdreS RT @NomdeB: video of my old boarding school, Woodstock (Himalayas, Mussoorie, India) celebrating 150 yrs. Note FOOD! http://bit.ly/buBxno #
DeirdreS @NomdeB okay, if we’re doing nostalgia tonight, here’s me and Ross embarassing each other at the Parents Banquet 2008 http://bit.ly/b0RQe9 #
DeirdreS Aaron and I are back: FISL Interview: Using Video to Communicate About Open Source – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/d6RQi4 #
DeirdreS RT @dudulima: @DeirdreS FISL: great times… They were indeed. Filming a president was the least of the fun! #
DeirdreS Roch is back: Performance of the Hybrid Storage Pool – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/bYNtLZ #
DeirdreS trying to keep all the balls in the air. #
DeirdreS would the media stop being so f*ing self-righteous about EVERYTHING? I don’t care whether Obama smokes, I don’t care who anyone sleeps with #
DeirdreS OpenSolaris Alive and Well at Oracle Datamation.com http://bit.ly/aZ2bgT #
DeirdreS @ditucci those shoes would easily stomp a hole in ANY dress code. I’d be careful around them. #
DeirdreS Sensei Ben is back: Becoming a ZFS Ninja – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/1pqwlK #
DeirdreS Stupidly aggressive driver uselessly passed me in no passing zone- I was over limit! Of course I caught up with him at light. Idiot. #
DeirdreS @elfquest hmm, we might meet at last… #
DeirdreS RT @ogb: OpenSolaris annual meeting still on! Please join irc.freenode.net/#opensolaris-meeting if you’re a core contributor! Still need 18! #
DeirdreS RT @bloatedlesbian: This is wonderful: Rachel wrote this poem for the eulogy she and Rag did when my bf died 4 yrs ago.http://bit.ly/9S1Lsx #
DeirdreS @bklein34 how is it that parents always end up having to help so much with homework? I remember this from my daughter. Didn’t like it. #
DeirdreS RT @hemantmehta: If you’re blue and you don’t know where to go to why don’t you go where fashion sits… http://bit.ly/bNRbip (via Reddit) #
DeirdreS Countries Beginning with I Learn Italian in Song: Volare I think a dream like this can never return again: http://bit.ly/bq2xK5 #
DeirdreS While there are clearly devils in the details, it’s clear that Oracle plan to keep pushing OpenSolaris forward http://bit.ly/cAuVzx #
DeirdreS if youre short on cash but with some kind of marketable skill a Milan bed and breakfast just may be the ticket. http://bit.ly/9hqxmB #
DeirdreS Roger Ebert You can’t say it wasn’t interesting. My lifetime’s memories are what I have brought home from the trip. http://bit.ly/91tbGW #
DeirdreS @NomdeB machine translations are usually good for a laugh, anyway. #
DeirdreS @acworkma hmm. Is it red? #
DeirdreS there’s no way to replace an existing video with a new version on YouTube? That’s annoying. #
DeirdreS been sitting at my desk for 10 minutes and now my wake-up alarm goes off. Yes, I actually had intended to sleep about 2 hours longer. #
DeirdreS new video (of me!) Videoblogging Tips: Getting Optimum Sound from a Consumer Camcorder – Un Posto al Sole http://bit.ly/csHckK #
DeirdreS why does Google maps not show overlays of bus, Muni, BART, and Caltrain maps? I sure could use this in trying to figure out where to live. #
DeirdreS Fritz is bacK: Open Source Grid & Cluster Conference: Welcome and State of the Union- Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/9xARwO #
bubbva RT @DeirdreS: While there are clearly devils in the details, it’s clear that Oracle plan to keep pushing OpenSolaris forward http://bi … #
DeirdreS Java fans: RT @Radu43: Get your questions ready! – #oracletechnet live on http://bit.ly/ak8OvU #
DeirdreS Ed is back, in multiple languages: Solaris Cluster 3.2 1/09: Configuration Checker – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/bPnwXe #
DeirdreS Lori Alt is back in one of our most popular videos ever: ZFS Boot in S10U6 – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/89sbqq #
DeirdreS I’m v fortunate to have a network of friends who know useful stuff & helpful people. This is why I’m always thinking abt how I too can help #
DeirdreS now messing with a travel agent’s head, planning my return from Hyderabad/Mumbai. Just in time to pack up my car and drive cross-country. #
DeirdreS @vdotw heh. I finally got mine done last night. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB and I have an old friend to do it with, even better! #
DeirdreS 250 to clean/repair my watch and they didn’t clean the water spots from inside the dial crystal? I think NOT. #
DeirdreS 0oh, my. I get to have more fun with my job than is probably allowed. 😉 #
DeirdreS there’s a themostat not working properly somewhere, either in my office or in my body #
DeirdreS RT @creepyed: anyone have any recommendations for financial blogs aimed at a younger aud? I keep finding ones for families! @NomdeB would #
DeirdreS these days I seem to build/maintain critical connections more via Twitter and FB than email – and I’m talking about WORK connections. #
DeirdreS Oh, look, there’s me. Who else is going this year? Community Leadership Summit|17th-18th July, 2010 – Portland http://bit.ly/95G7qN #
DeirdreS @italylogue seems like I oughta. 😉 #
DeirdreS am I completely crazy to think I can find an apt in San Francisco in one weekend? #
DeirdreS packing at this stage is a matter of deciding What am I utterly unlikely to wear in the next month? #
DeirdreS a very politically-incorrect song from Italy: Learn Italian in Song: I Watussi http://bit.ly/1194h9 #
DeirdreS argh. I’m supposed to be reading about storage, instead I’m listening to Italian oldies: Tu Vuo Fa LAmericano http://bit.ly/dslziP #
DeirdreS Are all these highly technical videos worth doing? Wikipedia thinks so: ZFS – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://bit.ly/dfmEBB #
DeirdreS RT @atashijain: whats up with all these stars visiting @twitter‘s office http://bit.ly/dfrKdK – even Bollywood glamour girls like geeks! #
DeirdreS @trine I’m supposed to be awake, i had coffee at 7 pm. But I think I’m actually asleep and might as well admit it. #
DeirdreS moving fast… come to SF tomorrow so I can scout neighborhoods this weekend and, not incidentally, do some work in the Bay Area. #
DeirdreS my kid’s back in form. Beautiful pictures of horses, and Sydney’s Mardi Gras (aka gay pride). #
DeirdreS at Boulder Toyota, for whose wifi I am very thankful. No, not a recall, just a routine checkup. #
DeirdreS @jlb13 thanks! No doubt I’ll be back for visits, so hope to run into you sometime. #
DeirdreS @vdotw works for me. Where? #
DeirdreS my car feels happier after the usual tires/oil/filters stuff. So it should be ready for the drive from Colorado to San Francisco in < 1 mo #
DeirdreS carrying 2 large suitcases for a 3-day trip. Overpacking? Nope. Leaving ’em there til I move, all I need for the wkd goes in a backpack. #
DeirdreS singing very loudly in the car just now: Come mai, ma chi sarai per fare questo a me, notti intere ad aspettarti… http://bit.ly/aAi2gh #
DeirdreS an on an unrelated note: Women are sending a clear message, that to be successful, they need support for housework. http://bit.ly/arTpEc #
DeirdreS @nonstick as a matter of fact, that looks like a very logical stopping point. Will be driving with an old college friend. #
DeirdreS @nonstick LOL. Thanks for the clarification. #
DeirdreS @LusciousPear I don’t think they’re quite as cute when full grown. #
DeirdreS Skype voicemail from a dear friend I haven’t talked to in ages – so wonderful to hear his voice. I am so fortunate in my friends. #
DeirdreS RT @davewiner: One Flight Attendants Answer to the Carry-On Crunch. http://bit.ly/bgrBcJ – the guy deserves major props for good service! #
DeirdreS 7 pm coffee not working. Time to kick it into gear with raucous music. #
DeirdreS @giovanni guess I’m not a hipster, then. Missed out on that last big thing, too – what was it? #googlebuzz #
DeirdreS @leapingwoman sorry to miss it this year, but I have other places to be #
DeirdreS @fakejonathan tsk, lazy. I thought/hoped you were at least going to write your own blog. #
DeirdreS apparently I am only allowed 6 hours’ sleep, no matter what time it starts. So in future I may as well stay up late. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB and it’s a good counter to your hermit tendencies. 😉 #
DeirdreS Funny or Die’s Presidential Reunion – Video http://bit.ly/aDhPnB #
DeirdreS @leapingwoman My exp from my 1 time (last yr) was there are a lot of cool parties w long lines. Don’t bother 2 wait – plenty else going on #
DeirdreS I’m at an airport and for once I didn’t have any trouble remembering my destination #
DeirdreS Free upgrade to stretch seating means I’ll be able to edit video during the flight. You want it. You know you do. 😉 #
DeirdreS @NomdeB good luck and umm… Have fun? #
DeirdreS @wanderingitaly I mostly friend people I already have a rglationship with #
wanderingitaly @DeirdreS Yeah, but sometimes it seems that the idea of friends has been turned into an egotistical Ponzi scheme. #
DeirdreS These little girls clearly do not realize they are dealing with the Tawanda of air travel. Don’t mess. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB well, you’re not doing your bit. 😉 #
DeirdreS @NomdeB seems to be true for a lot of Parsis. Quality over quantity? #
DeirdreS Having a happy hour drink and snack. Learned I prefer Maker’s Mark neat to a manhattan. Yes, it’s early. Been a long week already. #

^ I did, however, see this billboard just a few days later, from Sun’s offices on Howard St.

DeirdreS I suspect the Makers Mark people need some social media consulting. As often ax I’ve mentioned their product, ain’t seen hide nor hair of em #
DeirdreS …and one friend has even told me he recently bought a bottle in my honor #
DeirdreS I’ve got a loaded passport and I’m not afraid to use it! #
DeirdreS @llcrowe better insured and meaner than they can imagine. 😉 #
DeirdreS Waking up slowly only works well with coffee in hand. Which I do not have in this hotel. #
DeirdreS Hangin’ on the Caltrain, waiting to go to Menlo. Sleep still choppy, mood good anyway. I have lots to be happy about. #
DeirdreS @NomdeB Yup. Perhaps my byline should be I laid tracks for the Cluetrain. 😉 #
DeirdreS looking forward (?) to a weekend of apartment hunting in SF #
DeirdreS Leaving the Menlo office to go back to SF, my workday far from over. But I’m not complaining – I’m having fun #
DeirdreS Pasta at Annabelle’s 4th SF passes muster even with the Italian food snob (me). #
DeirdreS It’s a gorgeous day in SF, but I’m having a hard time shaking the blahs. Probably need a nap. And chocolate. #
DeirdreS Hmm, that might have been a lot easier than I had feared. #
DeirdreS I have a sadness shield that keeps out all the sadness. It’s big enough to cover all of us. Where the Wild Things Are #
DeirdreS You were supposed to take care of us. You were supposed to fix everything. You promised. #
DeirdreS This film is about how parents are doomed to failure. We can’t fix everything for our kids, however badly we want to. #
DeirdreS Curled up on a comfy sofa with a kitten who fetches, and has decided I’m part of the family since j spent an hour throwing for him. #
DeirdreS He wanted to be where someone loved him best of all… Ah, don’t we all. #
DeirdreS @creepyed is that big monster bed or have you picked that up yet? I’ll miss it! #
DeirdreS It’s been an emotionally intense day. And my feet still hurt. Apt hunting is over for this wkd, maybe for this year. #
DeirdreS @leapingwoman yup, about April 3rd. See you soon! #
DeirdreS @briansolis FB and Twitter are essential tools for me to be in touch eith colleagues and customers, therefore part of my productivity. #
DeirdreS I require a big breakfast today: eggs Benedict at the Daily Grill. #
DeirdreS My impression is that long-together couples have ~equal BMIs. If true, would one’s losing weight predict a breakup? Or does that come after? #
DeirdreS This will be the first time I’ve ever had a living space entirely to myself. Is that unusual in this time and place? #
DeirdreS It’s Sunday morning, there is nothing much I can or should be doing, tired, footsore. Wish I could bank extra sleep during times like these #
creepyed Haha! I’ve moved @DeirdreS ‘s futon into my guest bedroom, many thanks! Everyone should feel free to come visit me in Colorado! 🙂 #
DeirdreS @creepyed I just rented in a perfect-for-tourists location, with room for guests, so I’ll expect visitors, too! #
DeirdreS @leapingwoman thanks! Glad to be here. #
DeirdreS I’m know there are a million things I should be doing. I’m sitting in an office so I can do some of them. Just wanna sleep. #

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The Twitter Diaries: 2010-02-22 CO, SF, LA

February 22, 2010 Deirdre Straughan Leave a comment

Porgy gives me my money now – well, actually, Larry does. Or will soon. Whatever – I’ll be employed. #
call them, if you wish… emotions – Learn Italian in Song: Emozioni http://bit.ly/aB7GVi #
Had a skype video chat w the kid last night. She’s settling in to Aus and has fallen in love with a horse (in a good way) #
I’m up on the tightwire, one side’s ice and one is fire http://bit.ly/c7Kz32 …and working without a net. #
that actually went pretty well. #
Italians speak of un lavoro certosino (work of a Carthusian monk) – a numbingly detailed and finicky task. That’s what I’m doing right now #
My tweeps are so diverse that the juxtapositions can be very entertaining. #
Only problem with a public transport commute is that I can’t sing. At least not out loud. #
@nonstick or might make me new friends #
if i could only have you near to breathe a sigh or two, I would be happy just to hold the hands I love on this winter night with you. #
(this morning’s playlist features Gordon Lightfoot, who might be a distant relative; there’s a Lightfoot somewhere in my family tree) #
@nonstick trust me, I have to work at it #
my plan of not working this weekend looks as if it will not work. #

^ why was there a bagpiper walking through Denver International Airport? No idea, but I liked it.

Heading back to SF after a tough workday/week. Cautiously hopeful the next will be easier. Wd help to rest this wkd, may not get much. #
@lewellyn notUnless they let me in for free. #
@lewellyn thanks, let me see what tomw looks like. Will you be there? #
@jeffreytaylor I will slap them if you won’t. That’s never good behavior, and wildly unacceptable now. #
Waking up slowly. Wish I had someone to bring me coffee in bed. Guess that wd be room service. #
@trine @jeffreytaylor maybe the correct response is yes, thank the Lord. When is He bringing lunch? #
@c_bright you can comevisit in CO fog our next snowstorm. Actually, you /should/ come while I’m still there. #
@c_bright don’t even know! Guessing I’ll move after my intl trip mid march to early April. #
Quiche and coffee on Mkt st. Might be nicer with company, but it’s pretty damn good alone. #
Just passed John Cleese walking around Union Sq. I was cool. #
@NomdeB no, I played it yes I know who you are but I’m so cool I’ll leave you alone #
Time to dress a bit more formally for work. Burning up the Amex @bananarepublic #
@nonstick I was guessing. #
@Schlomo where are you geographically? I’m in SF til next Friday evening. #
Not usually an enthusiastic shopper, but that was fun, and pretty good value for money. Woulda bought red if I’d found it, got pink instead. #
RT @c_bright: RT @TheSquare M.C. Escher… in Lego: http://bit.ly/bTqg0D – one thing I will need for my new home: big pile o’ Legos! #
@italylogue I was a frustrated Lego lover as a kid, now that I’m a grownup I can have as many Legos as I damn well please! #
time to go find a book to read and something to eat. And maybe shoes. #
Dim sum for lunch. Have i mentioned I love this city? #
Afternoon of wine and talk with @jeffreytaylor – we both needed it #
in an amazingly good mood. Half (or more) a bottle of NZ Pinot Noir – but, more, good friendships – will do that for me. #
@JohnCleese that /was/ you I saw in SF’s Union Square today, wasn’t it? #
waiting for my Valentine. #
@lskrocki highly non-specific use of language, IMHO. A French kiss is just one way of making out. #
the problem with fancy business clothing is that it needs to be ironed. Did enough of that in one year of attending a private girls’ school. #
@webmink yum! Please share that recipe. #
@bubbva are you sure it was the cat? #
@lskrocki kids these days! You can’t teach ’em anything. #
I should be out enjoying the city or at my desk working. What I may actually do is go back to sleep. Or read a book. #
@jeffreytaylor do NOT feel guilty. You cannot take care of anyone if you’re falling apart yourself. That Is the first rule of caregiving #
@almightygod but Jesus was a Capricorn #wwjd #
Barbies Next Career? Computer Engineer – Bits Blog – NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/bMkql2 #
Learn Italian in song: My skin, white and perfumed, Needs caresses stillNeeds caresses now http://bit.ly/1194h9 #
Learn Italian in Song: Parole Parole If you didnt exist, someone would have to invent you http://bit.ly/9QLuuw #
@feliciaday the shortest Darth Vader ever #
learn an Italian song for Valentine’s Day: Gli Ostacoli del Cuore http://bit.ly/dc6XWT #
here’s a long-lost (by me, anyway) treat for my geek Valentines: Bryan Cantrill talks Dtrace at Google http://bit.ly/a4TmMs #
does anyone know how to turn off the 2-finger resize on Mac touchpads? Annoys the crap out of me in OpenOffice. #
yes, I am doing work. No, I will not be doing this all day. #
seems like parents worry way too much about the influence of cartoon role models on their girls. But, then, my daughter had Buffy. #
@webmink one of my favorite things to do when traveling: buy local groceries #
I have been so girly this weekend: bought clothes, shoes, and makeup. #
Slow train to my first day on campus as an Oracle employee. Suspect it will differ from analogous day at Sun, April 1 2008. #
@GeorgeTrujillo isn’t it Day One all over again for you? 😉 #
Cultural adjustment is always tiring, even when it’s also exciting. #
@cwarticki #
@italylogue actually, this is about corporate cultural adjustment, but the principle is the same. #travel #
RT @oracletechnet: Remember to land at otn.oracle.com tomorrow at 10am PT for my live chat with Mark Reinhold. We want your questions! #
hmm. Not all of my usual communications channels work from here. #
Productive day. Hope to regain a few braincells with food. #
Remains of breakfast scone (in bag) found upon purse excavation. Yay! Now I can hold out til a decent hour for dinner. #
Btw, Oracle has very good coffee. I approve. #
Does Stallman drive a ‘Stang? Could swear I just saw him in one in SF #
Return to Denver late Friday, fly to LA Sunday. Who do I know there? #
Hangin out to observe how the pros doVideo/webcast. Already concluded i can’t afford these production values #
RT @ocp_advisor: Watching Oracle Technology Network Live @livestream http://bit.ly/ak8OvU #
RT @dboyll: RT @oracletechnet: It’s Oracle TechCast Live! Ask Mark Reinhold your questions: http://ow.ly/17VLj #oracletechnet #oracle #java #
This is impressive, takes ~10 people to do besides the ones you see on camera. #
Gotta get some of my folks on here. Maybe all four of the Bs at once. No, studio would combust… #
Brendan’s back: Little Shop of Performance Horrors – Sun Video http://bit.ly/3r89dH (told you I’d get my videos back online…) #
@bsousapt we’re here to help. Especially when the ideas you’re taking to management involve Sun+Oracle goods. 😉 #
Richard’s back and downloadable (slowly) ZFS Workshop at LISA 08 – http://bit.ly/7KDLHS – gonna have to BitTorrent this stuff… #
@bsousapt Nice. I always enjoy direct contact with the customers. #
@NomdeB I’ll hopefully need house stuff soon. 😉 #
@NomdeB looking for easy commute, hence near Caltrain. Don’t know when. (Wd be nice if I had control over ANY aspect of my life rt now!) #
a cheerful little song for the day Learn Italia in Song: La Pulce dAcqua http://bit.ly/biHpjv #
and here’s a silly one: Learn Italian in Song: Eri Piccola Cosi http://bit.ly/brndN9 #
okay, would anybody else in the entire universe like to come hit me in the head with a baseball bat? Take a number. #
…and a melancholy one Learn Italian in Song: Questo Piccolo Grande Amore http://bit.ly/dmvMJ3 #
can’t win for losing today. Hotel offers wine in the evenings, but only til 6:30, it turns out. I got there at 6:40. #
Grabbed wrong bits of paper out of ticket machine so I’m on caltrain w/out a ticket. Conductor nice, so it’s not a 250 mistake… #
RT @danilop: OpenOffice.org and Solaris 10 in eWEEK’s Top 25 Technologies Of The Decade – http://shar.es/m19EZ #
RT @creepyed: Super excited for the Colorado Front Range Girl Geek Dinner at 6pm at CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery in Broomfield!! #
@acworkma we were advised to change even if not expiring. Thanks for the reminder – haven’t done it yet #
@MYSTICASALLY trust me, c’e’ molto che non va in Shreveport. #
Don’t forget that when. you. get. to. Heaven you’ll be blessed, yes, it’s All For The Best http://bit.ly/dBDh12 #
the Bill ‘n’ Jeff show is back: Kernel Conference Australia 2009: Jeff Bonwick and Bill Moore keynote – Sun Video http://bit.ly/onzN3 #
RT @guercheLE: If Men Wrote Womens Magazines | Cool Material http://ping.fm/audlQ #
RT @wanderingitaly: Let the barfing begin! On Tuscans EatingCat | Wandering Italy Blog–> http://bit.ly/coU4WD #
Talk about Republicans shutting down the American policymaking process, and ignoring the will of the voters. http://bit.ly/b503nu #
@mschoenu say no. #
today’s video talent is late, perhaps because of the small plane crash in Palo Alto. I need a do-over on most of this week. #
Graham’s back: ZFS Discovery Day: Total Cost of Ownership – Sun Video http://bit.ly/desSTO #
Bryan’s back: Visualizing DTrace: Sun Storage 7000 Analytics – Sun Video http://bit.ly/8ZmpEG #
Sriram is back: Using DTrace to Analyze Your Webstack – Sun Video http://bit.ly/ds1L3c #
@bubbva were you able to get in to MPK? Waiting to film somebody and he ain’t showing, wondering if he’s having trouble getting here. #
@jimpick y’all just never get tired of Cantrill, do you? 😉 #
Now archiving stuff I didn’t know I would need to archive… #
Now archiving stuff I didn’t know I would need to archive… #
@mschoenu confront him/her? Sounds like they’re deliberately taking advantage. Or say sorry, I have to spend my time on paying work. #
When they leave me alone to get on with what I’m good at, well, the results are good. Really pleased with today’s video shoot. #
I see red, people – YouTube – deirdresun’s Channel http://bit.ly/c5dW1v #
Nick is once more highly available – A Conversation with Jack Adams – Sun Video http://bit.ly/aGj0Y5 #
George is back: Jack Adams Interviews George Wilson on ZFS – Sun Video http://bit.ly/GUTvf #
…and Valerie is once more secure: OpenSolaris Security – Sun Video http://bit.ly/KvwoH #
RT @akumar: The Case For An Older Woman OkTrends http://j.mp/bTWZya [incidentally, *much* better graphs then last time] #
RT @bklein34: These silly naysayers getting in the way… they’ve yet to learn resistance is futile. – Heh. You and I should work together. #
dear lazyweb: what’s the best/easiest way to make my videos available via BitTorrent? #
@macsun needs more expertise than I have to set it up, tho I did sign up a while ago. #
@creepyed wish I was there! Tell the gals I said hello. #
Perhaps my job title should be talent manager for alpha geeks. #
@Padmasree been wondering whether the US infatuation with novelty is genetic. Most of our ancestors had to be risk-takers. #rustechdel #
@creepyed glad to hear it! Sounds like a success. #
@IgorMinar yay! #beatCancer #
@AdamBusch not if he recently had oral surgery #
At the end of a highly varied day, can’t decide whether to take a hot bath or just go to sleep. #
had a coupon from my Banana Republic shopping spree, used it at the Gap to buy new jeans. Surprise: fit into a yet smaller size! #
didn’t I just do this drinking from the firehose thing 3 years ago? Good thing I have lifelong skills in cultural adaptation. #
@thinguy I already like the hold music better. And now I know who’s behind the scenes at BTV. #
@ptribble link? #
ummm… dance music changed to Mozart. Interesting. #
http://twitpic.com/13zun7 Hermione is a chav? #
I enjoy@iamsrk ‘s tweets. He seems like a very nice guy, especially considering he’s a global megastar. Americans: look up Shah Rukh Khan #
not shown – ouch! #
@thinguy me, too. So we should be able to breeze through these, right? #
is anyone able to download the preso from the link they gave us? #
@bsousapt internal thing #
http://bit.ly/dtUTPN – Configuring Sun Cluster Software With Oracle RAC/CRS and Sun Storage 7000 Unified Storage Systems #
going to need to get well away from a desk after this. #
argh! It’s the answerbot! #
well, yes, of course I’m traveling in this interim period. And every other month of the year. #
hrm. I don’t think blip.tv’s ftp upload option is working. Tried it twice, no new files showing up anywhere. #
Somehow my brain just totally shuts out words from the answerbot. #
RT @TEDchris: I was criticized last yr for reading ?s for Bill Gates from my Mac. So this year… http://bit.ly/cQjHT0 – thx for LOL! #
Strange mood. So much was good this week, so much was horribly stressful. Can I declare this Friday night already? Need a weekend. #
besides, I’m having weird attacks of numbness in my right hand which probably mean I should lay off the keyboarding… #
We’d be so grand at the game, so carefree together that it does seem a shame… http://bit.ly/cZCdOZ #
@comay very strange week. What was up with the fire alarm in MPK today? (I wasn’t there, but we had a meeting interrupted.) #
agh! complicit in their own oppression! they deserved their punishment & it would help stem sex outside marriage. http://bit.ly/abnyfI #
RT @Radu43: @empoprises we are having a great time. – did that need a /sarcasm tag? #
RT @NomdeB: Mindtime Maps http://bit.ly/b6gbYJ says I refuse to acknowledge or be bound by others’ rules. 😉 – u needed to be told that? #
could use about a week of sleep. Ain’t gonna get it. #
Tucker is back: SETI For The People: Addressing the Challenge of Massive Data Sharing – Oracle Solaris Video http://bit.ly/ddTkZ1 #
is email weirdly quiet today, or is it just me? #
@kbeninato equestrian events are also unisex, but sadly lacking in winter Olympics #
Free ride on muni because the machine is broken. I owe you a buck, Jeffrey! #
@nonstick yeah, who knew that having >1 gb of storage was extravagant? I have 5.5 tb of video material #
Been a lovely 10 days in SF. Back to Denver (to drive home in the snow?), wash clothes, and repack for LA. Gnah. #
Fri night traffic far less than predicted, butgives me time for a tempura dinner at sfo. #
Sfo STILL doesn’t have free wifi? Lame. #
Nice to be somebody on sn airline agAin. Frontier Ascent status netted me 2 free checked bags and a seat upgrade tonight #
Whoever Brendan Hickey is, they’ve been paging him for an hour at sfo #
Looks like a couple inches of snow. Drive home gonna be fun #
Get me my damn bags before I fall asleep! #
ah, yes, home is where the TV is ALWAYS ON. Gah! Can’t wait to NOT share living space. #
got home at 1:45 am after a tense drive in the snow, slept til 9, leapt out of bed to do laundry, expense report, repack… #
it’s days like this when I need a house spouse #
My no news is good news kid: if she calls me, it’s a crisis. If she doesn’t, she’s probably fine. Wd be nice to hear 1st-hand she’s happy. #
Roger Ebert’s Journal It is more erotic to wonder if you’re about to be kissed than it is to be kissed. http://bit.ly/bCm9uB #
kid was talking to everyone else in the world, on my AT&T bill. Guess who no longer has a working iPhone? AT&T cust serv rocks, I must say. #
@LusciousPear laying eggs appeals to you? #
my generation survived our youth without being constantly in touch with distant friends and family. Seems to be a lost art. #
last day to use old expense reporting system is Monday. So of course it’s down for maintenance today. #
the way were celebrating and getting drunk on it is far more depraved than anything hes done. http://bit.ly/9dQbWV http://bit.ly/dqXgSL #
In Italy, Mussolini makes comeback – Italy for the past 15 years has cultivated a gradual revisionism of Fascism http://bit.ly/dq0z6Y #
a profound statement of traditional Italian vacation habits: the same sea, the same beach, practically the same ombrellone (beach umbrella #
Im a woman, Im not a saint; Dont tempt me, Im not a saint http://bit.ly/1194h9 #
Learn Italian in Song: Sentimento, Pentimento when there is feeling There is never regret. http://bit.ly/cfffq3 #
an Italian Malaysian pirate: Learn Italian in Song: Sandokan http://bit.ly/9VCEsq #
Cultural divides within families are hard. #
Better learn to go it alone, recognize you’re out on your own http://bit.ly/bIafmk (don’t be distracted by the very 80s video…) #
Realizing I failed to manage cultural expectations within my own family. Failed to be an Italian wife or mamma. Never wanted to be either. #
got a lot done today but haven’t packed yet. What’s the weather going to be like in El Lay? #
@svaroschi I failed with my family because they expected me to be those things. It was a wrong expectation, though. #
Wth is going on at DIA? Never saw it so crowded #
Wifi at DIA is AWOL. So much for getting that expense report done here. Flights leaving gates early to de-ice. Hmm. #
Nodules of ice and grit looked like a skin disease on my car. Grossed me out; had to scrape it all off with my shoe. Ok, I’m a little OCD. #
Wd have preferred To be doing this training in SF. #
Waiting to get a rental car at LAX. Good thing I’ve got over my driving phobia #
Haven’t been to LA in 10 years or more. If Disneyland even counts. #
Apologies to my kid: she ran up the bill b4 understanding she’d pay roaming even on skype calls w iPhone in Aus. #
Last wk was All About Oracle. This wk is Solaris sysadmin training pt 2 (don’t laugh). My head may explode. #
Avis, when you’ve got a long line of people waiting to rent is not the time for employees to go on break. #
This is why I avoid renting cars whenever possible: process too slow. #
last time ever wrestling with our old and very sucky expense reporting system. Tells me there’s an error when there isn’t one. #
@vdotw my understanding was deadline tomorrow, receipts tomorrow. Sure hope so, else I have wasted a few more unrecoverable hours onthis POS #
Don’t have a dinner engagement tonight after all. Just as well – tired, with another intense week ahead of me. #
@bubbva they’re going to let you entertain us? #
Tintarella (a little color) is a cutesy word for suntan.This was one of the first big hits for the fabulous Mina. http://bit.ly/1194h9 #
for an urb that relies so much on the car LA has a disproportionate share of idiotic drivers. Nearly got hit twice – in a parking lot! #
kid lamenting the drawbacks of parents on FB. She should be glad she was born too soon for me to be a mommy blogger. 😉 #
@nonstick don’t worry about it. No matter what you do, your kids will someday blame you for everything. #
@NomdeB damn, sorry I missed it. Is there a reply somewhere? What music did they use? #
Countries Beginning with I Learn Italian in Song: Ti Voglio Bene http://bit.ly/9u5mGB #
RT @lewellyn: In the Linux vs. Solaris Debate, Watch out for Scalability FUD http://shar.es/mm0nX – (damn, do I know /everyone/?) #
His entire expression and posture are eloquently Italian, a cross between a shrug and Che ci vuoi fare? http://bit.ly/bwRZds #
@svaroschi I was. For that matter, I probably don’t fit the American wife/mother norms, either. #
@lewellyn I think I’ve filmed practically everyone who is anyone in my corner of this industry… #
Waking up is hard to do. #
@vdotw when he’s a teenager you’ll have the opposite problem. #
Not feeling well at all. I may have finally reached break point. Which is going to make sysadmin training all kinds of fun. #
@jlb13 thanks, I dimly recall we covered SMF in part 1 of the training, so I may be safe. #
@NomdeB requires Silverlight, one thing too many to deal with today #
@PizzoC: here’s a Papa Ratzi antidote: Papa Fan: A Satirist for the Modern Papacy http://bit.ly/axKCH1 #
RT @IgorMinar: Only wimps use milliseconds in perf tests! Nanoseconds FTW! #

bio

Balancing Career and Family – Over Years

January 31, 2010 Deirdre Straughan 1 Comment

I hear a lot in the US about work-life balance. The concept is increasingly at the forefront of consciousness as we all think hard about the roles we want to play in the world and in our own families. Most large corporations at least pay lip service to the notion that work-life balance is desirable for their employees, and many back up their fine words with benefits that are very much to the point.

It’s a topic that I have opinions on only in hindsight. I never planned my career, nor my home life. It all just seemed to happen, I made choices as they came along, and I haven’t reached the end of the story yet to know how it will all work out.

I think perhaps I’ve achieved work-life balance, or at least I’m on my way to achieving it, though not in the day-to-day fashion that most people imagine. My work and life are balancing over months and years.

If I had had to choose a time to have a child, there might never have been a “right” time. It would have meant an interruption to whatever I was doing professionally at the time, because I always knew that I would want to take care of my baby myself. I don’t claim that this is the right choice for everyone (for many mothers, it’s simply not a financial option), but I knew without thinking that it was right for me. If it had not been possible, I might have chosen not to have children at all.

I have come to the conclusion (many years after the fact) that I got pregnant at age 25 as a way to end conflict between myself and my then-fiance, Enrico, about my work. He was worried about my traveling, partly out of concerns for my safety in exotic countries (I did two consulting jobs in Africa), partly because he preferred to have me near him, and did not see how all my gallivanting was going to fit into “normal” married life. He’s also 6.5 years older than I am, and he was ready to be a father when we met. But I was excited about the work I was doing, and not about to give it up on his say-so. Irresistible force meets immovable object. Much conflict ensued.

So I “accidentally” got pregnant, then gave up my job and moved to New Haven to be with Enrico. I worked temp jobs (desktop publishing) until about two weeks before giving birth, when I was simply too enormous and uncomfortable to sit in an office chair all day. After Ross was born, the boss I’d been working for at Yale would have been delighted to have me back on any terms, including having the baby in the office with me all day, but we tried that and concluded it just would not work: a very young baby requires constant attention.

I was mostly at home with Ross until we moved to Italy, where she began full-time day care in early 1991, at about 18 months old. The job I eventually found started out as a regular office job, doing technical writing for a high-tech startup in Milan. Then the boss set up a US branch for his company and moved all the engineers to Silicon Valley. I had to work with them, so in early 1994 I began flying to California four times a year, for stretches of two to three weeks. In the summers, Enrico and Ross would join me and enjoy a month’s vacation in California while I worked.

Enrico was also spending at least a month out of each year in the US, collaborating on mathematical research with colleagues at various universities. During several such trips Ross and I joined him. I worked from wherever I could get an internet connection and put Ross in daycare, which had the added benefits of improving her English and giving her more exposure to American culture. Later, when she was in elementary school, we restricted our long family stays in the US to the summers; Ross and Enrico would vacation in California while I was working.

I quit my US-based job in 2001 (when Ross was 12) and began working entirely from our home in Milan. It turned out to be a boon that I was much more present during her adolescence than I had been earlier. Ross’ teenage years weren’t entirely smooth (whose are?), but the troubles she had were mostly with school. In every other arena she was level-headed and generally trustworthy. Perhaps having her mother close, both physically and emotionally, contributed to that.

Very unusually for an Italian, Ross left home at 18 to go to boarding school in India, which meant that I could leave home as well. Which, after years of being underemployed, underpaid, overcommuted, and exploited in the lousy Italian job market, I was ready to do. So now I’m back to concentrating on my career. We’ll see how the next 20 years go.

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Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, the world, and now Australia