Diary of a Senior Geek Gary Fisher

In this episode, Gary Fisher shares his experiences of early parenthood after the birth of his daughter, Amanda. Gary starts by noting the surreal feeling of time distortion when they first brought Amanda home, particularly regarding the wait for her umbilical cord stump to fall off. This period seemed to stretch endlessly despite only being a few weeks.
Gary mentions that his wife, Debbie, handled most of the baby care since she was a stay-at-home mom while he returned to work after a short paternity leave. Their overprotectiveness, stemming from the long struggle to have Amanda, meant they rarely left her alone, even keeping her in a bassinet by Debbie's side at night for easy feeding.
During the day, Amanda often stayed in a bouncy baby holder on the kitchen table as the family ate or chatted. Debbie's father Walt frequently joined them for meals, and Amanda's presence became a central part of their daily routine. However, Debbie's exhaustion from breastfeeding and Amanda's poor sleeping habits made nights challenging. They discovered that singing helped soothe Amanda, although getting her to sleep could take up to an hour and a half.
Gary reflects on the strain this placed on their relationship. He initially responded to Debbie's exhaustion with practical advice, not realizing she just needed to vent. This misunderstanding led to tension, but they eventually communicated better, with Gary offering more emotional support.
To give Debbie breaks, Gary would take Amanda for long walks in the stroller around their neighborhood. Amanda enjoyed these walks, often falling asleep, which provided Debbie with much-needed rest. The family also had pets: Sam, a dog, and two cats, Sutty and Pippi. Sam was very tolerant of Amanda, who would sit on him and dress him up. The cats, although generally indifferent to each other, would team up against intruding neighborhood cats.
As Amanda grew older, particularly around three years old, she started to become more challenging, constantly negotiating everything, which drove Debbie to frustration. Despite this, Amanda eventually settled down, and the family adjusted to their new dynamics.
During this period, Gary was working at Hughes Aircraft Company as a Unix system administrator after earning his degree in computer science. He also provided PC and Mac support, which involved manually setting IP addresses, a tedious task at the time. One memorable event during his tenure was watching the construction of the Blue Line extension through his office window.
Gary recounts a significant moment when, after the death of their previous dog, Sam, Debbie and Amanda brought home a new puppy they named Rainey. This marked a new chapter for their family, blending their growing bond with Amanda and adapting to their roles as parents.
In conclusion, Gary shares that early parenthood was a mix of joy, exhaustion, and learning to navigate new responsibilities and emotions. Despite the challenges, the experience brought them closer and shaped their family life. He ends the episode by teasing future stories about their new dog, Rainey.
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ChatGPT Summary:
On August 8, 1988 at about 1:00 AM, Debbie went into labor, and we headed to the hospital. Amanda was positioned with her back to Debbie's spine, causing significant pain. Debbie's labor lasted 13 hours with slow dilation, leading to an epidural for pain relief and to speed up dilation.
The attending OBGYN we had chosen was delayed due to his daughter's wedding, and a substitute doctor arrived but was replaced last minute by their original doctor. Amanda was delivered after Debbie received an episiotomy, despite the doctor's usual avoidance of the procedure.
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Debbie had been given Demerol, making her loopy and thinking she was hallucinating when Amanda turned over into the correct birthing position. After the epidural things moved very quickly. I was the first to see Amanda was a girl. I cut the cord, and Amanda was placed skin-to-skin with Debbie for bonding.
After a long labor, we felt strange seeing Amanda in a bassinet. At long last we had a little human to take care of.
Debbie stayed overnight at the hospital while tI brought her a Big Mac and then went home to sleep. The next day, we picked up Amanda, with some confusion over the baby seat requirements for leaving the hospital, and started our life as parents.
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Music Credit:
"City Sunshine" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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A disclaimer about last week’s episode, then the story of our adventures with infertility and pregnancy. And I completely fail to pronounce "spontaneity" correctly after several tries and finally give up!
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Here's a couple of links to the journal Dad used to record his life: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Yourself-Autobiography-Questions/dp/1401303099 https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Do-Yourself-Autobiography/dp/0316534498 (Newer edition)
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This episode is from about three and a half years ago. The Quote of the Week segment on the Beatitudes from the New Testament seems apt given recent events.
Backing up a bit to fill in the timeline. Our life in Torrance. I talk about a couple of issues that will come up in later episodes. 
If you like the show, please give it a 5 star rating on whatever app or site you use to listen to it.  
Thanks! 
Here's a couple of links to the journal Dad used to record his life: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Yourself-Autobiography-Questions/dp/1401303099 https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Do-Yourself-Autobiography/dp/0316534498 (Newer edition) 
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ChatGPT Summary:
In this episode of "Diary of a Senior Geek," Gary Fisher reminisces about his early married life in Torrance. After moving into a friend's house with his wife, Debbie, they inherited a dog named Sam. Despite initial reluctance due to his upbringing without dogs, Gary quickly grew fond of Sam's playful nature. The couple also rented out a room to a friend, leading to some social clashes over hot tub nudity. Gary navigates the tensions with humor, reflecting on the dynamics of relationships and boundaries in shared living spaces.
Thank you for reading Diary of a Senior Geek. This post is public so feel free to share it.

As Gary shares snippets from his father's journal, listeners get a glimpse into family history and the changing norms of swimwear. A heartwarming anecdote about receiving swim trunks as a gift highlights the generational shifts in fashion and societal norms. Reflecting on biblical teachings, Gary discusses the Beatitudes, emphasizing themes of compassion and peace. As an avowed "old hippie," Gary's interpretation of Christianity leans towards love and forgiveness, contrasting it with the perceived harshness of the Old Testament. Through personal anecdotes and philosophical musings, Gary offers listeners a blend of nostalgia, humor, and introspection.
Music Credit:
"Evening" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Looped to fit length of episode.
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CatGPT Summary:
In this episode of "Adventures in Social Anxiety," Gary Fisher shares his experiences transitioning from Hughes Aircraft to Lantronix, highlighting the challenges of job hunting and unexpected changes in job roles. As Gary navigates through interviews and job uncertainties, he reflects on the support from his former boss, Al Lang, and the surprising shift in responsibilities at Lantronix, which led him to excel in technical support despite initial expectations of a different role.
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Amidst Gary's professional journey, the narrative takes a personal turn as he recounts his wife Debbie's distressing encounter with antidepressant medication. Debbie's experience with Xanax, which initially provided relief but later triggered severe panic attacks upon discontinuation, sheds light on the complexities and uncertainties surrounding mental health treatment. Gary's candid reflection on this episode offers a glimpse into the challenges faced not only in the professional realm but also within the realm of mental health management.
Thank you for reading Diary of a Senior Geek. This post is public so feel free to share it.

As Gary grapples with the uncertainties of his career and the unexpected challenges within his personal life, "Adventures in Social Anxiety" delves into the interconnectedness of professional and personal struggles. Through Gary's narrative, listeners gain insight into the complexities of navigating job transitions, unexpected responsibilities, and the often tumultuous journey of mental health management.
Music Credit:Favorite
Looped several times to extend it to the length of the episode.
By Alexander Nakarada
by Alexander Nakarada |
https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
The video is royalty-free musicRelease date: 23 December 2016 [Minimal Melodic Techno] → Favorite (Free Download) By Alexander Nakarada - Royalty Free Music is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Visuals made using
https://musicvid.org
and by creators:caseif - Particles & vis.js
https://caseif.net/
Incept - Particles & vis.js 
https://incept.online/
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I skipped episodes 16, 17, 18 and 19 because they were a re-published episode (S1E8) of Kathy Hopkins’ “AnxieTea Party” split into four parts. If you’re interested you can listen to those four episodes, or listen to Kathy’s original post at the links above.
Music Credits:
"Vibing Over Venus" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
“Wakka Wakka”
Written by Bryan Teoh. It's Yakity; it's saxity; It is everything you ever needed for a chase scene. This music is available for commercial and non-commercial purposeshttps://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/CC0
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