July 29 , 2006

The biggest news these days is that I've resigned from Oracle, effective August 9. On August 28 I start a job at Intuit, managing the User Experience Design group in the healthcare financial product line. It's a relatively new group, growing, working on an exciting new product. There were many reasons for this change; it's mostly about needing to work in a culture that values employees more. While I have no regrets about spending 12 1/2 years at Oracle, learning about new technologies and working on interesting projects with smart people, it just started to not be enough to overcome by issues with the organization as a whole. There are a lot of people and other things I'll miss, but I'm excited about the new venture.

We continue to make progress on the house. We got new furniture - a new couch for the family room, two new living room chairs, and new covers for the dining room chairs. We're now about to start the drywall work in the family room, and to get some new lights installed in the family room and living room. We're shopping for tile for around the fireplace and in the front entry, and for carpeting. Exciting stuff!

Kate got glasses on March 28. Seems to be a family tradition...

We've been doing a lot of traveling in the last few months. I went to Bangalore, India on a business trip for a week in April, then Val was gone for two weeks on business/recreation, to Capetown, South Africa and London. Val and I went to Carmel Valley for a long weekend for our 5-year anniversary, then Val went for a week in Hong Kong on business, then I went to Berlin for 6 days on vacation. Whew!

Other interesting things we've done over the last few months;

• On March 19, I went to my friend Stacy's birthday celebration, which was a traditional Japanese tea ceremony at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga.
• We all visited Nelee on April 1, and then Val and I had dinner with her on May 28th.
• We all went to Susan and Joel's for Passover the weekend of April 14.
• I attended the Professional Businesswomen of California (PBWC) conference on May 2.
• Michelle and her twins Ariella and Miriam came over for dinner and a visit on May 12.
• Deborah came over for a visit on May 14.
• Michelle and I went to see a women's comedy show at the Herbst Theater on May 20.
• I attended a brunch and bris for my colleague Richard's new son Max on May 21st.
• Glynis and Susan came over for a bbq and to share pictures from our trips (theirs to Hawaii) on May 27th.
• My friend Lea visited me from Texas on May 31st.
• We celebrated Judy and Donna's birthdays on June 3rd. This was only a few days after Donna's, but it was over a month after Judy's... with all the traveling we'd all been doing there was no time we could all get together! We had a great brunch (with cake) then hung out and played cards.
• Kathie, Joanie, Glynis, Susan, and I took the kids to the Spring Valley carnival on June 4th.
• Glynis & Susan & I took the kids to the Dyke March on June 24th. Earlier in the day Kate made a sign to take: "Dykes Rock".
• Once again we rode on motorcycles at the Pride Parade in San Francisco, on June 25th.
• Aunt Joanie came for a visit over July 4th weekend.
• We continued our yearly tradition of bbq and fireworks at Glynis & Susan's for Independence Day. Earlier in the day we went to a Frontierland Park in Pacifica, where Cady was entered into several dog contests and ended up winning the Craziest award. Kate made a sign to cheer her on.
• I took the girls to see the Lippizzaner Stallions at the HP Pavillion in San Jose on July 8th.
• I organized an outing for a bunch of my friends to see Menopause the Musical at Pier 39 in San Francisco on July 9th. What a hoot!

Val's stepsisters Jenny and Debra lost their dad to cancer in June, and we attended his memorial celebration on June 11th.

It's been a busy, hectic, crazy, and fun few months.