RonMertens.com

I just finished reading “Something Happened” by Joseph Heller. It was a difficult book, but it was quite good, as well. Hopefully we can be better parents and people

So tomorrow at 9:23am, Abigail will be 2 weeks old. Time flies! So here’s a quick update for all those who care.

First of all, let me tell you about the birth - it was really exciting and a beautiful experience. And yes - it was also painful for Michal, but she was also very happy afterwards. We did what is called a ‘natural-birth’, and we totally recommend it.

Anyway after the birth we spent a few days in the hotel in the hospital (yeah, we have that thing in Israel, very comfy). Then we went back home, and we’re already starting to get a routine (mostly of eating and sleeping for little Abi).

She is really cute! So far she is also behaving quite well, and even lets us sleep (well, mostly).

During the day we enjoy viewing the Olympics together (she likes Judo, and swimming, but she didn’t enjoy fencing as much) - yeah, we have Television now (just for the games though).

Last week (friday, 9:23am) Michal gave birth to beautiful little Abigail - our first daughter! This is all very exciting

So now I’m a proud and happy father (yeah, okay, I’m dead tired too). Just wanted to tell the world!

I’ve been interviewed for an article on OLEDs, on the Digital Signage Today web site, which was nice. OLEDs are slowly getting mainstream, and hopefully OLED-Info will benefit

I’ve got me a new camera (don’t worry, I didn’t buy more junk - I’m just borrowing this one). It’s a small canon IXUS-70. It’s nice to have a small camera (my Panasonic is a bit larger, and my smaller Canon died in Switzerland).

Check out the photos we took at the beach

If you have 20 minutes to spare, check this out. A great video about the consumer way of life - and what are the implications to our planet, and society, and happiness. So Michal and I are doing at least one thing right - we do not watch TV (we do watch DVD movies and shows - but no ads, and we don’t really watch a lot).

I also try to limit the stuff I buy. For example I try not to buy a lot of presents for all my nephews - I’m sure I’m less popular because of it, but it’s for the greater good.  Actually this year my sister and I decided that instead of buying birthday presents - we’ll give a donation in each other’s behalf. Cool!

I need to stop wanting new gadgets (I really need a new camera… damn). And to stop buying stuff I don’t need (which I’m getting better at). It also saves money, which is a good thing when we’re both almost not earning anything

I just received a large parcel in my mail. It was from Microsoft (which was suspicious at best). I decided to take the risk, and open it.
It was this large cylinder, saying that “the writing is on the wall - Microsoft Software as a Service”. Inside was a spray-paint can (!) with a small leaflet telling me that’s it’s time to tell the world that I know it too (that the writing is on the wall) with my name and instructions to cut out my name and spray it.

I really got annoyed. This is a huge waste - I’m sure thousands in Israel got this junk (I never actually had anything to do with Microsoft Israel - beside buying my copy of Windows XP). Probably 90% of it was thrown right away. And it’s probably really damaging to our environment - a can of paint!

Obviously I only had one option - to phone Microsoft and tell them they are annoying, they kill our planet, and should be ashamed. The phone number on the box lead me straight to the delivery company, who was as annoyed as I was, and said he doesn’t know why everyone phones him and asks whether his is Microsoft (which he is not).

So I opened the small leaflet, and found another phone number. I phoned, pressed 3 like was told to do in th leaflet, and I got a nice many with an Indian accent explaining to me that I got to the Calcuta technical support. I love india - but this guy didn’t really help me out.

At this stage I got even more annoyed, and e-mailed YNet and NRG which I hope will publish this in the ‘eco’ sections (YNet phoned me, so I hope they will indeed do something).

I then phoned microsoft again, but didn’t press the ‘3=Calcuta’, and then I got to a hebrew speaking microsoft-lady. She was nice, and later they phoned again and listened to my complains. I hope someone got my message.

So now I have this stupid can of spray on my desk (colour royal blue, or azul real). Anyone wants it?

I had my birthday a couple of days ago…

To celebrate, Michal took me to a ‘dinner and a show’. Or actually a movie and dinner. So we went to see Indiana Jones IV (secret of the crystal skull or something like that). Anyway it was a fun movie! Recommended (if you like that sort of thing, anyway). The dinner was great too.
Happy birthday to me

So we’re back from Jacob’s ladder festival! It was really great! I really like that country and Irish folk music, and there was some good shows in there.

It’s also cool that we know so many people there! This year Rani joined (I thought she deserves a mention - she’s one of the few who read this blog…).

We had a lot of fun! Can’t wait for next year…

Too long have I written “oled-tech” kinda news in my blog. So some personal matters now…

The big news obviously is that we (Michal?) are pregnant - we’re expecting a baby girl in 3 months! This is both exciting and scary and hopefully all will be well. What can I say more?

I decided it was time now to tell the world (or the part of it that reads this blog). Obviously if you read this blog you probably know me and so you heard this one already, so no point in me blabbering.
Other than that? We’re going tomorrow to a cool folk-music (Irish/British/County) festival (Jacob’s ladder) for 2 days which will be a hoot I hope! yee-ha!