Category: everyday life

My Community Work

The past several days, starting with my return from PGConf.dev, were densely filled with various community activities.

On Sunday, I went to the Chicago Code and Coffee meetup (I planned to do this for a couple of months, but ran into a conflict each time).

It was as loud and loosely organized as it could possibly be with over three hundred nerds in one not-so-large space. The Capital Cafe decided to sponsor the meetup with free drinks, and everyone took advantage of this opportunity. I thought I would not survive in this noise level, but the organizer allowed me to speak immediately after the volunteers, so I was able to advertise my events and myself :). As a result, I have several people joined our new user group, and several RSVPs to Tuesday event.

On Tuesday, I hosted a second meetup of Prairie PUG. Inspired by what I saw at DevOpsDay Chicago, I announced the Developers’ Summit and invited application developers who use Postgres to discuss their pain points and possible solutions. I planned this event for a while, but had to postpone it several times. Finally, i was able to make it a reality.

It went really well (I neglected to take pictures of the group discussions, and only took some during the final presentations, but it was a definite success). The conversations continued after we were done with the “official” part and went back to the cafe for remaining pizza.

Then on Wednesday, I went to yet another meetup! it was the 10th anniversary of AWS meetup. I was planning to start attending this meetup, but for one reason or the other, it never worked. It almost didn’t work this time as well, because there was one more event on the same evening, but I decided I can come for just an hour, and it will be better than nothing!

I came, and talked to the organizers, and also found out that several of the Postgres meetup members attended the AWS meetup as well. I talked with several people, and told them about Prairie Postgres, and distributed my flyers. I saw that two more people joined my meetup next day, so it was not completely useless!

Another event I wanted to attend on the same day was a local CAPS beat meeting. I consider these meetings of police with local residents very important; it was unfortunate that I had so many conflicts this year and could barely attend any of them. This time, I was a little bit late, but was still able to sit through most of the meeting. Out Beat representatives talked about the crime statistics, asked about the incidents we observed on our blocks, explained which apps to use to report crimes, potentially dangerous situations and problems which do not require police involvement. I picked up several flyers for future reference.

I think it was my mistake that I ignored all “other” meetups in the past, and I am glad I started to change it. Overall, I feel like slowly starting to get back to my “normal self.”

Love It Here!

I was shopping for plants outside the Charmer’s (yes, they are a flower shop in addition to being a cafe). A group of bikers exited the cafe and walked towards their bikes. I overheard them continuing their conversation:”… and look, maybe you will live here one day! It’s a nice place!” I couldn’t keep from smiling, and one of them saw my smile and asked: “Do you agree?” I said, “Yes, that’s the right place to live!” They turned to me: How long did you live here? Did you live in other Chicago neighborhoods before that? Ans I told them that that’s one of the best decisions I made, and I didn’t regret a single day!

Charmer’s

My New Floors

When I bought this apartment, I had to fix many things just to move in. I had a limited budget and limited time, so I decided that the floors could wait. Retrospectively, if I had known back then how fast I could get the floors fixed, I might have reconsidered, but it probably won’t fit my budget anyway.

Then I was busy with other things, and didn’t have mental energy to start this project, until finally I realized I can’t look at the floors with so many bald spots anymore. I call the person who did all my painting jobs for the past three years, and he connected me to a partnering business. They did an absolutely miraculous job!

We agreed that they will work during the week I will be in Montreal. They had to move the furniture twice, and let the floor dry in between. I wanted to keep the same color, but stain the floors instead of painting, and they did exactly that! The color is just like it was, but now I can see the wood structure. The whole apartment looks so new, just “out of the box.”

Also, they actually finished a day earlier, because they wanted to make sure everything is done before I arrive. The put a couple of furniture pieces in the wrong places, but when I mentioned that, tw people came the next morning and put everything back. And I can’t stop admiring my floors 🙂

pgConf.dev

I am very happy with this conference. The last time I attended this event was in 2012, and it was before it was rebranded. It was the first Postgres conference I attended, I hardly knew anybody, and didn’t understand most of the talks (and it felt like everyone was smarter than me!) Just to be clear, there were plenty of talks at this conference that I also couldn’t understand, I am just not afraid to say that

I will post more in my professional blog, but also wanted to wave my hand here – I didn’t disappear, all is good!

A Friend Who Is Shorter Than Me

Three years ago, I experienced this effect in full: for two consecutive days, I walked and talked with two friends, both shorter than I was. Something in this situation throws my spine out of balance, and my left side pains return. I didn’t have it that bad for quite a while, although I had less severe cases sometimes when I walked with my mom, and I forgot about it.

Two weeks ago, my pains returned out of nowhere, and it took me a while to figure out that the root cause was the same – for two days, I was engaged in long walks and conversations with a friend who is shorter than me (it’s not easy to be shorter than me, that’s why it does not happen often!)

By now, I know what I need to do to fix the problem, so I asked my doctor to renew my high-dose ibuprofen prescription and went to physical therapy, but I am wondering whether I will ever be able to talk to people who are shorter than me without pain 🙂

What A Falling Glass Can Do

It was not even funny. Or it was.

Everything in this house is too high for me, including the shelves, and sometimes, when I try to put things on the shelves, something falls off. This time, it was a glass from the lower shelf. I didn’t have time to catch it, and I was expecting the burst of small glass pieces when it would hit the granite countertop. Instead, something else happened.

I didn’t hear the glass breaking, but suddenly, I saw the whole countertop covered with tea! When the glass was falling down, it hit a teapot spout on its way down, and sliced it off! I should have taken a picture, because it was a remarkably clear cut, but I didn’t, so you have to trust me!

Here is a replacement; as usual, nicer than the old one 🙂

First Signs Of Summer

It was not the first day over 70F this season, but one of the first (and also, I missed a couple when I was out of town). I didn’t have a chance to get out of the office during the day because I had no time between meetings, but the weather was so nice that I made a point to go for a walk before I boarded the train back home.

When I reached the Tapp (and found that the Tiny Cafe was not open yet, so there was no ice cream), I sat down on the granite and looked at the River. No phone, no listening to an audiobook. Instead, I was taking in the noise of the Happy Hour crowd, this unique Chicago summer buzz, and looking at the summertime over-the-river sfumato:).

Sometimes, you need a day when you do not have to hurry somewhere after work!

Two More CSO Concerts

We had a subscription for a series of three family matinees at the CSO, and due to the scheduling conflicts, we had to miss two of them. May 3 was not easier, but we all made an effort, even though Anna had to drive to the Loop and drop Nadia just in front of the Orchestra Hall, and had to leave immediately after the post-concert activities.

I was disappointed with a very low attendance, and I can’t even attribute it to anything except for general not-so-great people’s mood. it’s a pity because the concert was absolutely wonderful. Thomas WIlkings was absolutely magical – the way he spoke with the kids from the stage, how he introduced each piece, how he talked about building a community… As a CSO for Kids Ambassador, I (with the rest of the family) was invited to lunch in the Grainger Ballroom. that was a little bit overkill, because only two other families joined us, but as I said, the concert attendance was not great, so that was expected. I still think it’s a great idea to pre-order lunch for before or after the concert, and I hope that things will be better organized for the next season.

Then, there were the usual between-the-concerts activities, including “Mini Maestros” and the “instrument petting zoo,” which both Nadia and Kira thoroughly enjoyed. A new activity was creating some music with the large sticky notes:

The musicians actually played these two measures :).

***

On Sunday, I took my mom to another concert conducted by our Music Director Designate Klaus Makela (Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 and Dvorak’s 7th Symphony). That’s the second time I listen to him conducting; I didn’t hear him before his was appointed the CSO music director, so now I am just starting to get a “taste” of him. Both works are beautiful, and Brahms sounded very unusual, though in a good way.

Makela is so different from both Muti and Borenboim, the two Musical Directors I’ve experienced at the CSO that it will probably take me a while to take his style in.

Everything Is Up In The Air

I was hoping for two of my big unknowns to resolve, but none happened.

Boris went to the visa interview, but they didn’t make a decision. Instead, the officer told him that “he will receive instructions about next steps by email.” And I don’t understand what in the world it could mean, because they also told him that he does not need to come to the consulate again. I am super worried and nervous, and don’t know what to do next.

My big not-for-profit battle is not over yet. For several months, I have avoided writing about it, hoping that “it will be all over” and I will be able to give a short summary and move on. And things are still happening, and I am still unsure whether “it’s over” or not.

I know that it all cyphered, but I do not know how else to express the fact that I am still very nervious and up in the air.

A Very Cold Weekend

It didn’t become any warmer, and not only did I not plant anything; I can’t even think about hanging the flower baskets! However, this morning, I biked to the Buckingham Fountain for the first time this season. After three days of biking hills in Helsinki, it was easy 🙂

On the way back, I biked against the wind all the way, and the wind was so strong that it took me twenty minutes longer! I went to Charmers immediately after I returned home. They do not serve quiche, but I love their avocado toasts!