March 2010
Family Photos
Wed, 2010-03-17 12:58 | by Erin
The other day we had a little time and I tried to sit the kids and me down for some family photos. It was too much work. Anna is so fast now and if she sees something that looks like it might have a light or make a sound she is grabbing it and disrupting the shot. Eric was fine with the whole thing and wanted to make a bunch of funny faces which we did, but we could not seem to get one photo where we are all looking at the camera and paying attention.
Oh well that was just the jeans and tshirt version. We will try again later maybe with some nicer clothes on too.
E./
Work Party
Mon, 2010-03-15 16:00 | by ErinWork Party 
1. To replace a our old dead massage chair.
2. To have a pizza party.
I was happy we were going to replace the massage chair. I previously had spent a good amount of time trying to replace some of the parts for the old one, only to run into a stone wall of Japanese Corporate stupidity. Panasonic/National the company that made the old massage chair would not send me 4 belts to fix the chair, instead the insisted on sending a technician at the cost of $300.00 just to walk in the door.
We got the massage chair and I did not read the email about the pizza party till the day
of the party when I realized it would be held in the office. I was happy with that, I do not smoke so going some place you can smoke was not a big deal to me, actually it was a plus. Also I noted that most parties we have, everyone kinda migles within their own work group, and food is served too us. This time was allot diffrent. With out servers people had to get up and get thier own food and mingle a bit with others. I think that worked out well.
of the party when I realized it would be held in the office. I was happy with that, I do not smoke so going some place you can smoke was not a big deal to me, actually it was a plus. Also I noted that most parties we have, everyone kinda migles within their own work group, and food is served too us. This time was allot diffrent. With out servers people had to get up and get thier own food and mingle a bit with others. I think that worked out well. At the end of the night there was still about 5-10 of us going strong 
telling jokes and playing drinking games. One of the developers streamed the event live from his webcam. All around it was the most fun I've had at work in a long long time. The night ended for me around 10 when the wife called wondering where I was? I am not surprised I did not even realize it was so late. I left and stopped along the way home for another beer and a awesome cheese stake sub at 2 Papas in Kichijoji.
telling jokes and playing drinking games. One of the developers streamed the event live from his webcam. All around it was the most fun I've had at work in a long long time. The night ended for me around 10 when the wife called wondering where I was? I am not surprised I did not even realize it was so late. I left and stopped along the way home for another beer and a awesome cheese stake sub at 2 Papas in Kichijoji. Not a complete failure
Mon, 2010-03-15 12:34 | by Erin
Not a complete failure.
At the end of 2009 I set out to take and pass a few certification exams. I took the RHCE exam and did not do as well as I would have hoped. As a kind of warm up to that Comptia was offering a Project Manager 2009 Beta exam. I HATE computer based examinations, certifications and tests in general, but I wanted to get the cobwebs out on something that would be nice to pass, and would be nice to have as a certification. The comptia exam was free, and it offered a chance to clear out said cobwebs.
I am happy to report I received the examination report, and that I passed. Now on and up, lets get that RHCE, and maybe a some networking credentials.
Erin Hughes, CompTia 2009 Project+ (2009 Edition) Certified
Eric's Soccer
Thu, 2010-03-11 18:03 | by Erin
Eric's Soccer
Erics soccer clubs send me more mail than anyone I know and most of the time it is anoying silly stuff. I would ignore them but if you do not reply they call the house and ask "Why haven't you replied to our mails?" To which I say "I was busy."
Here is a sample of 1 weeks worth of mails.
Erics soccer clubs send me more mail than anyone I know and most of the time it is anoying silly stuff. I would ignore them but if you do not reply they call the house and ask "Why haven't you replied to our mails?" To which I say "I was busy."
Here is a sample of 1 weeks worth of mails.
Man of the Match
Thu, 2010-03-11 13:00 | by Erin
Man of the Match
So the Tokyo Gaijin rugby football club, my team played the All France team.
We went onto the field with a very lazy attitude and it showed in the literal ass whooping we received.
We had not been beaten by All France ever since I had been on the team and I was pissed as I watched it happen in front of my eyes.
So the Tokyo Gaijin rugby football club, my team played the All France team.
We went onto the field with a very lazy attitude and it showed in the literal ass whooping we received.
We had not been beaten by All France ever since I had been on the team and I was pissed as I watched it happen in front of my eyes.
We did play most of our 2nd and 3rd string players and allot of them are use to having other players on the field that they can count on to show them the way. It was weird for me to be on the field with so many guys who had either never played for the team or never played. That may have been the other reason for our down fall.
The first half was over way to quick and at 1/2 time some one told me that I needed to come off the field. I was a little shocked cause, there were a lot more fatter guys who were sucking wind and not pulling their load. On the sideline I took off my head gear and jersey and prepared to help with water duty.
Some forwards went down with injuries and need to be replaced. I went back on with out my head gear, but more fired up then I had been in recent weeks. I got in and got it on. I jumped in line outs and contested winning every ball back for us except one. I tackled and rucked with ferocity that I had not had in a long time, and generally was in the right place at the right time, most of the game.
At one point I knocked some one out of bounds but was having trouble getting myself back up to my feet. Eric ran over with my head gear and handed it to me in a all excited voice like a 8 year old kid gets "Here Dad put this on it is good!" He helped me get it back on my head and helped me to me feet. I ran back out there and smashed on.
I came up just short of a try two times and was the first to the ball carrier on most kickoffs. I was on fire but the rest of my time the team was lack luster. Which is sad.
I love playing rugby but wont be able to play for a couple of months. It was good to go out with such a good game.
At the end of it all I was awarded Man Of The Match by our team captain. I made a little beratying but true speach and said "It is a sad day when I am the Tokyo Gaijin Man of the Match. You are all better than the preformance we put out today."
At least that is what I meant to say.
Link to the TGRFC match review. Yuzawaya Closing
Thu, 2010-03-11 12:49 | by Erin
Yuzawaya Closing 
We went to Yuzawaya the other day to pick up some model glue for Eric and I to do some projects with.
I was wondering why it was so jam packed and where most of the stuff was... whole sections of merchandise had seemed to disappeared and been replaced with close out 
tables filled with purses and wallets.
tables filled with purses and wallets. I liked Yuzawaya and will miss how convenient it was for getting hobby type stuff, but the building that houses Yuzawaya is pretty old so it would be a good idea to tear it down and put up another.