photo credit: HFN, 2002. And yes, that is a giant ice cream cone behind my head.
When I'm away from the keyboard, I gravitate towards things not immediately associated with bits. Atoms! Atoms! (there's a lifelong battle at home with Mr. Bits.) If only our kitchen were a little larger, I'd probably set up my desk and speakerphone right there. That's what wireless was made for, right?
Years ago, Anne Salemme and I were brainstorming about ways to merge good cooking with the Web, or with IT in general. The "Cookin' and Computin' " pilot for Somerville Cable Access Television never quite materialized, but it was a hoot imagining our guests and the test kitchen rap session.
Also years ago, I proposed a content module for my then employer (beware the pop-ups) called The Kitchenette, which had general references for the bare bones beginner's kitchen. Not long after I left, my former workplace was acquired. A year or so after that, the acquirer was acquired. Other than the announcement itself, the online content is gone.
Ultimately, what we were after was a friendly place for geeks who like cooking, and don't feel the need to compete with others. Anne and I did make a tooth-breaking (ouch) croquemboche, true, but it was for the fun of it.
So, have a seat at my kitchen table... between sips of espresso, café du monde or chai, we may recognize friends in snapshots, make connections and juxtapositions, get up and get a snack when the mood strikes. Maybe we talk about work, maybe we don't. It's up to us. Mr. Bits will be sitting at the other end of the table reading mail, but he's nice and likes to eat. He has also been known to make me my favorite guilty pleasure dessert on occasion - a small bowl filled with dark chocolate and natural chunky peanut butter - yet another good reason to save him a seat. Also, expect that I'll have a baby viking latched on for some warm leche, at least every two hours.
*updated 07/04*
How many pregnancy books have I read since November? More like how many haven't I read...
And why did the reading list change over from the usual mix of non-fiction? In November, as I was getting ready to travel to Japan for two weeks, I found I was pregnant. The due date was calculated as July 26, 2004; our little viking surprised us and arrived on 2 July 2004. Benjamin Frystyk Nielsen has his own web site under development, with thanks to Uncle Ted.
Cursor: One of the best resources for news considered not right-wing enough for primetime, the editors at Cursor get you the stories you need to be reading now, more than ever. The Murrow gang has been driven out of broadcast for lack of make-up and ad-generating puff pieces, but the news spirit is still at Cursor.
Mr. Bits and I were married in 2002, in two ceremonies. The first was on 25 May 2002 at Old City Hall in Boston, now the home of Maison Robert. It was a cloudless, brilliant day, breezy but warm in the sun. @@link to the text of the ceremony. Throughout the month, people had nothing but the most warm and positive wishes for us. There were surprises in Hawaii and Cambridge, and generosity like I had never experienced. It was humbling and moving to be the recipient of such kindness - everywhere! In advance of the Photo-RDF database, have a peek at some beautiful photos taken by MIT mensch, Ron Hoffmann.
@@ links to WWW2002 flower shower, W3C Dinner, rehearsal dinner, wedding photos
Then on 3 August, we had our second wedding in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the Marmorkirken. It has a photogenic dome. Hakon Lie took photos and did his best to find a photogenic dame (beware, big head shot).
Janet Daly 
