Cookies!

Today started out with the usual donuts and bagels that we get every Monday at the studio until around 9:00 when we were really spoiled!

9:00

The awesome technical writers in my studio made trays of cookies, brownies, chocolate covered pretzels and several other treats to help get us into the holiday spirit as they do every year around this time. How cool is that! The photo does not do them justice, well and I felt weird opening them all just to get a nice photo so I left them covered up for sanity reasons. There were trays on the engineering side (my side of the world) as well as more trays over on the south side of the studio for the art department to munch on. Awesome and Yum all in one!

Normally I would try to avoid the goody table because even with moderate snacking and tons of self control the holiday pounds can build up quick on the old waistline once you start digging into the plethora of holiday goodies every day.

Today was different; I was suckered in big-time and mainly because there were brownies, man do I like brownies, well as long as they dont have nuts! I mean really, who in the hell ruins a good brownie with nuts? They have their place and are an awesome snack, just keep 'em outta my brownies and no one will get hurt.

Ok back to grabbing some brownies and no, before you ask there was nothing "special" about them, they were just friggin' good which was "special" and reason enough for me! I was good and only took 2, one to compliment my morning coffee and one to save for my afternoon snack. A great plan if I say so myself,

GOOD vs. Air Watch

So anyone that has a company sponsored device as I do (iPad and iPhone previously, currently just the iPad and my personal iPhone) found out that we will be getting rid of our current enterprise mail and related mobile application which goes by the name of GOOD For Enterprise, or GOOD App as well call it and will be replaced with something new called Air Watch.

All I can say based on the research that I have done and people I have talked to around the company is that I am glad I have my own personal iPhone that will not have to have the Air Watch application installed, I can remain on the GOOD App, well for now. My company sponsored iPad, not my personal iPads will have to have the Air Watch installed, basically limiting it from doing anything other than checking mail, calendars and so on. They plan to expand the service and it will get more robust and friendly as the infrastructure is built up, but its going to be a long road.

The Air Watch application essentially takes over your device and you are only allowed to see and do what your company deems appropriate and business related. That is all well and good and I agree business hardware should be used for just that, business but its a fine line and a slippery slope from what I have experienced in the past, so this roll-out will be very interesting. I think as a company its smart, but its going to make some enemies along the way, mostly us, then end users.

Sarma (pronounced sar-ra-ma) while rolling the "r"

Received a message from my pops today in Words With Friends that he is going to have dinner over at his house as we traditionally do on Christmas Eve, sweet! This means one thing, not only do I get to hang out with everyone for the evening just like Thanksgiving but my dad is making Croatian cabbage rolls (Sarma) as he always does for our traditional Christmas Eve meal and I love 'em. It's the kind of meal where you need to unbutton after dinner, both from being full and from being gassy from all the meat and cabbage - ha ha!

There are many ways to make cabbage rolls but I think the recipe my pops goes off of that has been passed down from generation to generation is the best. Cabbage rolls take a long time to prepare and to cook but are well worth it, especially since I don't have to do any of the preparing part. Although I really should go over and "assist" one year just so I know how its done.

I have yet to give it a try on my own, and honestly I am a little scared I will fuck up a family tradition! A quick Google search will return some recipes, I am not at liberty to give out the family one, sorry, although I think its much better than 95% of the recipes out there that I have both seen and tried. Maybe I will snap a picture of it at dinner. It does not look like much in the bowl or pots (yes pots - plural - you have to make a LOT remember) but the entire house and all your clothes smell like sarma for days which makes you hungry for more!

Orehnjaca (pronounced or-nah-cha)

Orehnjaca is this awesome Croatian dessert that I get to have once in a great while. Unfortunately, like sarma, it's one of those things that require you to make a lot of and it takes all day. I don't think he will make that this year and that is ok, having the cabbage rolls is more than enough in my book and taking home leftovers is like the Christmas gift that keeps on giving! Once again; quick Google search will return some recipes, I am not at liberty to give out the family one, sorry.

Ouch!

As mentioned tomorrow is my EMG appointment that I am not looking forward to in the least. I mean really, whats worse than getting needles and electricity shot through your legs, muscles and nerves on a Tuesday? Ok fine, getting it done on a Saturday would suck a little more! I may try and write down a little regarding the experience tomorrow evening. I am not sure how I will feel though. Some have said they feel pretty dam shxtty after, while others simply say they never want to go through it again for as long as they live but are only a little sore. I guess I will find out first hand tomorrow. Tomorrow evening it will all be in the past, and I will be a happy camper!

Doviđenja (pronounced do‧vi‧đe‧nja) - goodbye in Croatian

For today I think that is about all I have of any interest. Oh I did get my PC back and its running pretty darn good. The new terabyte drive is slow when booting, ok slow like molasses but its stable and that is what I am after at this point. I will be getting one more terabyte drive put in later this week as well so that is something cool too look forward too!

Until next time, keep your baileys coffee hot and brownies close by - it's the holidays!

Photo: Trays of cookies from our tech writers at 9:00.

Photo: Trays of cookies about 45 minutes later, 9:45...Guess everyone liked them.