It's Saturday afternoon and XCode is taking forever to download.

Even over FIOS, the 938 megs of XCode 2.4 takes a while to download. Next time, I’ll download it at work. Better yet, next time I’ll have my home server download it instead of my laptop. 

Not all constitutional matters are necessarily weighty ones.

I’ve just learned that part of the Maryland state constitution deals with off-street parking in Baltimore. 

Still alive and around.

I’m around, I just haven’t been written anything for a while as I’ve been very busy. However, it’s Labor Day weekend in the US so I’ve got some time now to catch everyone up with what’s going on. 
 
First off, back in the end of July, La and I adopted a little short-haired black cat (maybe a year old) that we named Josie. She’s a bit of an oddity, as she’s been declawed on all four paws, but hasn’t been spayed. Why on earth would you declaw a cat like that, but not spay her? It seems cruel. She’s also gone into heat twice since we got her, so it’s been interesting the past few weeks. Hopefully, she’ll be better once we get her spayed and she’s a very sweet and even-tempered cat whether or not she’s in heat. 
 
Secondly, La just celebrated her birthday on the 30th. I took her out to dinner last night to Clyde’s Chevy Chase. Since she’d disliked her phone for a while, her birthday present this year was a new Cingular Treo 650. 
 
We also had some problems with my Ford Focus this month, where it stranded us at the NIH Medical Center Metro Station kiss and ride two weeknights running. Both times, I’d switch off the car and wait for Lauren. When she got there, I’d try to start the car and the car would lose power immediately after starting. Both times, we called the tow trucks and both times the car started when the tow truck arrived. I wouldn’t have any problems at any other time and place, and the Ford dealership couldn’t find anything wrong with it both times when we took it in. I think I finally figured out what was wrong though: my Treo’s car charger. I don’t know exactly what the interaction is, but I had my Treo plugged into the car charger and left it plugged in after I’d switched off the car both times. Since then, I’ve had the charger unplugged and I haven’t had any more problems. Strange, but true. 
 
Overall, we’re both doing OK. Work’s work, and all that. I’m definitely enjoying this long weekend, as I’ve been getting a little too busy at work and having the time this weekend to reflect on some of the challenges I’m working on has definitely helped.