March 4th, 2008
Though I’ve spent my entire professional career, and adult life, in the computer field, there are days when it’s obvious that other things are far more important. Today was such a day: my daughter Jennifer gave birth to a healthy, beautiful baby boy at 4 PM this afternoon.
Owen Edward Coffey weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth. A little shorter and lighter than his brother Liam, who seems like a giant now, at age 5. But mother and son are doing just fine; I was delighted to be able to visit them in the hospital this evening, when Owen was only about 4 hours old.
I’ll upload some photos to Flickr albums in the next couple of days, along with a few other details for anyone who might be interested. But for now, I plan to spend the rest of the evening enjoying the amazing experience of being a grandfather of not just one, but two, amazing young grandsons born at the beginning of the 21st century.
Oh, yeah, I suppose I should check and see who won the primary campaigns in Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island tonight. But the amusing irony is that while it seems oh-so-important to everyone 18 and older, it matters not a whit to a baby who barely arrived on this planet before the polls closed for the day. And by the time Owen and his older brother do turn 18, I wonder whether they — or, for that matter, any of us adults — will be able to look back on the politics of 2008 and conclude that anything significant happened at all…
For now, it doesn’t matter. Mother and son are healthy and happy, and hopefully settling down for a well-deserved night’s rest. Father and brother are pleased as punch, and heading back to their home for a good night’s sleep of their own. And grandfather Yourdon is pretty darn proud, and pretty darn happy …
March 4th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
When the cards fell to me, I’d give the speech or do the interview, but more likely I was cruncing numbers for buses or heh coffee machines and bingo-tables.
And, as far as glory goes, MIL-SPEC tech_docs doesn’t impress … doing a rock-solid FMECA might give me bragging rights with a few, but a very small few.
My daughers have married … one is MD … the other kids are well, in career paths that they enjoy.
Is what counts, is whott.
If we can support folk who care, people of principle (Is why I admire McCain though I disagree with him on pret’near everything) then the world will be a better place.
What was it Nelson said to his sailors? Something along the lines of each being called upon to do their part. Profound Zen, that. There is no other.
congrats!