Thanksgiving update

Hi weary internet travelers,

Sorry that the posting's been light, we've been keeping busy!  In line with the goal to get as many things taken care of before the baby's born, we both have been hard at work.

My job at Amgen is going great, it's certainly a change of pace from what came before, but it's all very good experience that will lay the groundwork for several steps into the future of my career.  The MBA program is proceeding apace, and with the extra electives I'm putting in, I expect to be finished by December of '09, a savings of 20% off of the regularly scheduled timeline!  Let me tell you, with tuition rates being what they are, shaving off 2 quarters of a 10 quarter program represents a significant value.  Plus, I want to be finished as directly as possible to be able to spend time with the baby and help Maggie.

Maggie's doing well.  Her job is demanding, but she's still putting in a lot of good work.  It's getting harder, because she's becoming more focused on the growing baby and the concommitant issues.  She'll get a nice maternity leave, and with any luck, my job scenario will have firmed up and we may have more options to pick from for our future plans.

I'm still involved with the local biotech startup and investment scene.  My networking is yielding results in that I'm pretty comfortable moving around in certain circles as the loops begin to close in on the themselves and connections are made.  All in all, it will pay off handsomely down the line.

All of the animals are doing well, Señor Beavis is coming up on 20 months, and is starting to mature.  His weight is a bit of a mystery, as he thought jumping on and off the scale at the veterinarian's was a great game, enhanced as three vet techs tried to 'help' him.  All Mastiffs are 'leaners'  in the sense that their typical behavioral modus operandi is to use their mass to sit on intruders until the guards arrive.  His play reflects this, and he likes to push back and lean on you, and the more you push, the more he pushes.  Anyway, we estimate him in the 150-175 lbs. range.

Princess Buttercup is the alpha dog, and takes no guff from Beavis.  One growl, and the big boy cowers and submits.  They both have good fun playing together,  and although she's getting up in years, 7 now, she still enjoys playing and getting riled up from time to time.

Little Kitty is still the Grande Dame of the house.  She's mostly just keeping on eye on things, above Beavis-level, if possible, and enjoying time in front of the heat registers.

Anyway, that's the quick update version of life in Seattle.  Wish me luck going into finals, and I'm sure I'll resurface once again as these obligations get taken care of.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and here's to looking forward to Christmas and a nice break in which to start prepping the baby room.