Open mouth, insert foot

Well I feel like a complete tool. I've had some outstanding issues at work and I've been waiting for another team to take care of their part before I could do mine. However, the issues were directly affecting stuff that I was responsible for and I was completely at the mercy of the other team's action before I could proceed. The issue had been open since November of last year and I'd sent repeated requests for updates and ETA for completion. The only answer I ever got was "it was pending". Anyway, long story short, there was one guy, Julius, who was the owner of the issue on the other team. The last update I got from him was just before Christmas. I sent several other emails since the first of the year and got no reply. Now this is an offshore team, so we usually have to stay on top of them to get anything done, so its not exactly a new situation, but I was starting to get a little upset. So today, I fired off yet another email and made sure to copy all the account management that would step in a light fires if needed, hoping to get some results. Open mouth......

A little later, one of the other U.S. L3 guys I work with on that team called me back and said, "Hey, did you hear about Julius?". I was like, "Uh, no. I haven't heard anything about him". And he said, "Oh, well he passed away on Christmas. I guess there was no formal announcement or anything but I assumed everyone on the account team had heard." Insert foot.....

Well we worked together and got the issue fixed, but I just felt bad. Its not like I said anything mean or hurtful in my email, but I was frustrated in my heart at the dude and assumed he was just being lazy or something. Anyway, I just feel guilty for jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst about someone. I didn't know the dude well, but we talked a couple times and he seemed like a good guy. My prayers go out to his family.

On a less somber note, the diet is going well. We had our weekly weigh-in today and I lost another 3 pounds. Sarah and I have started doing the Tae Bo videos too. That Billy Blanks...man he's crazy, but his stuff is legit. Its definately a work out. I'm not much of a jazzercise/exercise video guy though so we're still looking at getting the gym membership. Hopefully we'll be able to go down this week and get some details.

My wife and I have a new game we're passionate about. Its called Carcassonne and its some kind of card/strategy game like Settler's of Catan, or Ticket to Ride. I downloaded it on the Xbox a while ago but we just recently started playing. Its addicting and fun, and we have some pretty epic battles like we always do when we play together. Its just our competitive natures. I tried playing online, but I got my butt handed to me. There are some crazy dudes out there playing that game.

This week is full of more activities so we're busy busy busy. Not much time for relaxing though, but all the hustle and bustle keeps us out of trouble I guess. The weekend is going to be super crazy. We've got dinner on Friday at our friends' house. Saturday we have a special drama workshop/practice from 9-5, then we're having some good friends over for dinner that night. Sunday we have church, then the JBQ pizza and ice cream party, then going over to some other friends' house for Superbowl. Oh and Sarah has to clean the gym with Jess that night too. Whew! I'm tired just writing that out.

Well gotta run, but I hope you all have a fantastic week and remember:

Don't look like a fool with your pants on the ground!
(haha, love that old dude)

Later!