Wife and I have been residents of the "Great State of Texas" for five years as of this week. This is a pretty important milestone for us in many ways.
It is the longest we have lived in any dwelling (5 years). The previous record was four years in a small house we used to rent before we bought our first home, which we lived in for about three years before we relocated to Texas.
When we got to Texas, I was given corporate housing for 60 days (one of the many perks I was given when we moved). We did not stay there that long...My wife went back to NC to finalized some documents while I stayed back to begin my new job. She she (and our son) joined me two weeks later. We stayed in the apartment about two more weeks before we were able to move into our house in August of 2001.
Those two weeks without my family were somewhat difficult. Since it was corporate housing, there was no housework (other than dishes and laundry) to do and no lawn to mow so I had a lot of free time to kill. Since the apartment had a pool I took advantage of it as much as possible. Actually the apartment had two pools, one closer to the office and one just below where I lived. The one closer to the office was bigger but had more kids/families. The one close to me was singles hang out and a bit of a meat market. I had to be careful.
The apartment had cable, so I watched some TV and since I had a laptop, I could surf/chat the web. I kept me busy and when that got boring I hit the mall that was close by. I did not have much in the way of possessions with me...I flew down with 2 bags. I mainly had clothes and my laptop. No books or PC junk to play with.
My job at that time was mostly 8-5, no major issues to deal with. My evenings and weekends were free, but I would stop in and chat with my employees who had to work the weekend shifts. They seemed to appreciate it.
My new boss was a nice guy. One weekend we drove to Fort Worth and wandered around the historic district for several hours. It was hot so we stopped into a local watering hole and had a beer and chatted in the A/C cooled establishment. He was the type of guy who liked to see people succeed and was suggesting that I accept a short term international assignment to get more exposure in the company. He had done it and had saved a lot of money (the assignments paid very well) for the future as well as enjoyed the area he worked in...Stockholm, Sweden.
When my wife and son finally arrived during the last week of July, they had stopped by Alabama to pick up a friend my wife had known for years. Since this move was blessing us financially, we offered to fly her back to Alabama whenever she was ready. We had the apartment for another month so she could stay as long as she wanted and it would only cost her some food money. She stayed a few days (she had a job that she needed to get back to) and then she flew back. It was a good visit.
My wife, our dogs, and our son stayed in the apartment for a week or so longer and then our house was ready for us to move in. I will not forget that day...someone had vandalized our A/C unit and we had to move in the house while it was 100 degrees outside. We finally (after a few failed attempts) got someone to come over and fix it but it was going to take a long time to cool down, so we headed back to the apartment to spend the night. The next day the house was nice and cool.
Our lives had changed a great deal that year. We moved 1/2 way across the country to the state my wife was born in but had not seen in almost 30 years. We were buying a home in the 'burbs instead of living in the country like we had in NC. Our 13 (soon to be 14) year old son had given up all the friends he had to make a new life in Texas. We had to make all new friends, get acclimated to new jobs and schools, find new doctors, dentists, mechanics, and a church. It was a huge undertaking that we attacked with gusto. My wife, who initially did not want to move, did and excellent job in transitioning to life in north central Texas.
Little we know that our lives would change even more in the upcoming months...much of which I will blog about later. 2001-2002 were very eventful years for me and my family.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Weekend Folly
Saturday was pretty normal in the aspect of I did my household chores as usual, there was a little disagreement that Mrs Gee and I had that we quickly resolved (it is amazing how the Devil will mess with you when you are trying to help people in crisis), and I did grill some very tasty beef tenderloin filets wrapped in bacon as a treat for my wife. No the real fun came later that night...and it started very innocently enough...with the dishwasher.
After dinner my wife was a gem and loaded and started the dishwasher. She was in the kitchen doing something with the dogs when she noticed the Golden staring past her towards the stove. My wife ignored it for a few minutes and the dog continued to stare. "Do you see aliens, too?", she said to the dog, referring to a comment we make about our other dogs habit of staring at things.
My wife turned and saw foam pouring out of the dishwasher. As any concerned wife would, she called out to me. I was in the office trying to remove paper that had become jammed in the 10 year old printer we have (and would love to get rid of at some point), so I asked her what the problem was and she said, "You need to get in here!". I went into the kitchen and saw the foam and asked my wife why she put regular soap in the dishwasher. She denied vehemently that she had done so, but there was no mistaking the evidence. I ran and got the wet/dry shop vac and emptied the debris out of it and removed the filter. I fired it up and sucked as much out as much of the foam and water I could and started the dishwasher back up. I let it run and agitate the water to build up as much suds as possible. I opened the dishwasher and repeated the process a couple more times until the water ran clear.
I had to do this for a couple of reasons. A dishwasher is not designed to remove soap suds from it when it drains and this has to be done manually. The soap will get into every jet and opening and the unit needs to be ran and vacuumed several times to get all the suds out. I know this because my ex wife used regular soap in our apartment dishwasher many years ago and we never thought we would get it all out.
Now, where did this soap come from if my wife used the proper stuff (Cascade Citrus) in it? Well after thinking things through, I finally figured out that it was a combination of two things. First, my wife will "trap" the dish sponge under the edge of a glass or bowl to allow it to get cleaned with the dishes and the last time it was used I am guessing it did not get rinsed out well (I use a little more soap than I need sometimes...yes I admit it). Second, we have a "dish wand" we use to wash small things that get dirty (cups, dog bowls, etc) in between the times we run the dishwasher. That wand was stored in the dishwasher until my wife loaded it up. She removed the wand and placed it on the counter when she started the dishwasher. My guess (due to the volume of suds) is that the wand dripped some dish soap in the dishwasher and the soap was activated when she started the unit. Presto, lots of suds.
Kids, DO NOT try this at home.
After dinner my wife was a gem and loaded and started the dishwasher. She was in the kitchen doing something with the dogs when she noticed the Golden staring past her towards the stove. My wife ignored it for a few minutes and the dog continued to stare. "Do you see aliens, too?", she said to the dog, referring to a comment we make about our other dogs habit of staring at things.
My wife turned and saw foam pouring out of the dishwasher. As any concerned wife would, she called out to me. I was in the office trying to remove paper that had become jammed in the 10 year old printer we have (and would love to get rid of at some point), so I asked her what the problem was and she said, "You need to get in here!". I went into the kitchen and saw the foam and asked my wife why she put regular soap in the dishwasher. She denied vehemently that she had done so, but there was no mistaking the evidence. I ran and got the wet/dry shop vac and emptied the debris out of it and removed the filter. I fired it up and sucked as much out as much of the foam and water I could and started the dishwasher back up. I let it run and agitate the water to build up as much suds as possible. I opened the dishwasher and repeated the process a couple more times until the water ran clear.
I had to do this for a couple of reasons. A dishwasher is not designed to remove soap suds from it when it drains and this has to be done manually. The soap will get into every jet and opening and the unit needs to be ran and vacuumed several times to get all the suds out. I know this because my ex wife used regular soap in our apartment dishwasher many years ago and we never thought we would get it all out.
Now, where did this soap come from if my wife used the proper stuff (Cascade Citrus) in it? Well after thinking things through, I finally figured out that it was a combination of two things. First, my wife will "trap" the dish sponge under the edge of a glass or bowl to allow it to get cleaned with the dishes and the last time it was used I am guessing it did not get rinsed out well (I use a little more soap than I need sometimes...yes I admit it). Second, we have a "dish wand" we use to wash small things that get dirty (cups, dog bowls, etc) in between the times we run the dishwasher. That wand was stored in the dishwasher until my wife loaded it up. She removed the wand and placed it on the counter when she started the dishwasher. My guess (due to the volume of suds) is that the wand dripped some dish soap in the dishwasher and the soap was activated when she started the unit. Presto, lots of suds.
Kids, DO NOT try this at home.
Your Life is Just Not Complete Until...
You know someone who has been on Dr. Phil (it is the episode entitled, "Pregnancy Prison"). I kid you not, I know a couple who has been on the Dr. Phil TV show.
My wife found out about this while having coffee with the wife of the couple we are ministering to. Dr. Phil is not on our viewing list
I do not know the couple (who appeared on Dr. Phil) very well. They were members of our church and he was respected as a financial planner (though he worked for a company that I will *never* do business with, AIG). I did not know them other than by sight and reputation but we knew another couple who were friends with them...actually very close friends with them. They are all tied together by a tangled web that is just too sordid to go into, but needless to say it is pretty wild. The funny thing about this is that this has *nothing* to do with why the one couple were on Dr Phil, although it could. Alas, I digress.
No, the Dr. Phil show had do with the woman "Mary" voicing her opinion that she is trapped in a marriage because she was impregnated by her husband while they were dating. It was a good trick...he fathered 2-3 more children with her.
When I read/watch things like this I am not surprised that people have such a low opinion of Christians. If this was the only exposure to Christianity I had, I doubt I would be a believer as well. I feel that some Christians portray themselves as bullet proof...that nothing bad ever happens in their life. But this is far from the truth. Because we are Christians, we will suffer here and now. Let me try to put it this way. The price we pay for sin is death and Christ came to save us from our sin and that price. He paid our price by dying for us. He took our sin upon him and the price it requires. But Jesus is God incarnate and he was not imprisoned by death. He defeated death.
The reason we suffer as Christians is that the Devil has already lost us and he will tempt and torment us in this life because he cannot do so in the next. He wanted our souls, but Jesus stopped that plan. If we are sinners and do not accept Christ as our savior, then we may have a "good" or "fun" life sinning and feel that Christians are fools. But when an unbeliever dies, the Devil gets his soul and the eternal torment begins. The fleeting joy that we received when we sinned is quickly eclipsed by the eternal suffering we have in Hell.
Christ stepped in because he did not want any to suffer. He asks us to follow him so that our souls will be at peace with him when we die. We may suffer some during our short lives, but we will have all eternity to be at peace. That is a trade I am willing to make.
My wife found out about this while having coffee with the wife of the couple we are ministering to. Dr. Phil is not on our viewing list
I do not know the couple (who appeared on Dr. Phil) very well. They were members of our church and he was respected as a financial planner (though he worked for a company that I will *never* do business with, AIG). I did not know them other than by sight and reputation but we knew another couple who were friends with them...actually very close friends with them. They are all tied together by a tangled web that is just too sordid to go into, but needless to say it is pretty wild. The funny thing about this is that this has *nothing* to do with why the one couple were on Dr Phil, although it could. Alas, I digress.
No, the Dr. Phil show had do with the woman "Mary" voicing her opinion that she is trapped in a marriage because she was impregnated by her husband while they were dating. It was a good trick...he fathered 2-3 more children with her.
When I read/watch things like this I am not surprised that people have such a low opinion of Christians. If this was the only exposure to Christianity I had, I doubt I would be a believer as well. I feel that some Christians portray themselves as bullet proof...that nothing bad ever happens in their life. But this is far from the truth. Because we are Christians, we will suffer here and now. Let me try to put it this way. The price we pay for sin is death and Christ came to save us from our sin and that price. He paid our price by dying for us. He took our sin upon him and the price it requires. But Jesus is God incarnate and he was not imprisoned by death. He defeated death.
The reason we suffer as Christians is that the Devil has already lost us and he will tempt and torment us in this life because he cannot do so in the next. He wanted our souls, but Jesus stopped that plan. If we are sinners and do not accept Christ as our savior, then we may have a "good" or "fun" life sinning and feel that Christians are fools. But when an unbeliever dies, the Devil gets his soul and the eternal torment begins. The fleeting joy that we received when we sinned is quickly eclipsed by the eternal suffering we have in Hell.
Christ stepped in because he did not want any to suffer. He asks us to follow him so that our souls will be at peace with him when we die. We may suffer some during our short lives, but we will have all eternity to be at peace. That is a trade I am willing to make.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
More Random Bits
Now this is suprising...not. Banking on DNA evidence that is not there and the word of a whore and convicted embezzler...not real smart!
Well, with Iran rattling its sabre, this is no suprise.
I also wanted to express my congrats to two members (ok, three members) on some recent good news. God bless you all!
Force10 - New job, better position, more pay, closer to home. I am jealous!
Severine / Quintenwolfe - New house. I know this is more of what you wanted.
Well, with Iran rattling its sabre, this is no suprise.
I also wanted to express my congrats to two members (ok, three members) on some recent good news. God bless you all!
Force10 - New job, better position, more pay, closer to home. I am jealous!
Severine / Quintenwolfe - New house. I know this is more of what you wanted.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Mercy Killing
This is a bit graphic. If violence offends you, please find something else to read.
I got home last night and did not have much time before I had to run out again to help finish a project that I was involved in this weekend. As I was bouncing around the house doing this and that before I left, I had to go out front to do something (shake out a towel or dump the nasty dog bowl water on our parched lawn) when I noticed a rabbit in the alley. It was not dead, it was just sitting there. I walked towards it and it began dragging itself towards the yard away from me, but it was not getting very far. I looked like it's back may have been broken low, near the back legs.
I went back in and finished what I was doing and then reached for a plastic grocery bag. My wife asked me what I was doing and I told her. "Babe, I have to do a mercy killing and I am not looking forward to this." I then told her the story.
I went out in the alley with the plastic bag and my heavy work gloves and picked up the rabbit. It was very nervous...not that I blamed it...it was about to lose its life at my hand. A friend (who traps) once told me a rabbit's neck snaps very easily, so I picked up the rabbit and gave it a quick snap, but I the rabbit was still moving. I was a bit nervous at this point...it was supposed to be easy. I then got up the nerve to twist until I heard snapping of bones and then put the rabbit in the plastic bag and put it in the trash. It was over...or so I thought.
I went in and told my wife the deed was done. She asked me where the rabbit was now and I told her. "El, The picked up the trash today. That rabbit will bake in the bin until they pick up again next week and it will smell horrible." I agreed that it needed to go someplace else...not in our bin. I went back out and retrieved the bag and that is when I noticed that the rabbit was still breathing. I felt really horrible at this point...the little beast had suffered before I attempted to put it out of its misery and now it was suffering even more. It could not move, but it was breathing. I took the rabbit and put it in our yard (in the shade so it would not be roasting) while I figured out what to do next. I did not have knife sharp enough to cleanly slit its throat, but I did have a high powered pellet gun in the garage.
I went in and removed the trigger lock, pumped it up and placed it at the base of the rabbits skull and fired. It stopped breathing. To be sure, I pumped it up again and fired one more shot into the same general area. The animal was dead. I put dead animal back in the bag and I took him to a field to be handled by nature. I guess had I thought about it I could have done that first. Does that make me a bad person?
I would be lying if I said this did not bother me. I have had to do this only a couple of times before to rabbits (and a squirrel I think) and it is never easy. My wife and have had to have 2 cats put down since we have been married and it was painful...even though I do not like cats. I am not a killer nor do I want to be one. Taking a life is very difficult for me.
Call me a wimp if you want...I really do not mind. I am secure in my identity and how God has created me. I also believe (after some prayer) that God is using this to prepare me for when I have to put little man (our 12 year old lovable mutt) down. He is in good physical shape, but he is acting very weird. Today, I found him staring at a plain off-white wall. Not growling, not scratching, not sniffing...just staring. We have found him doing this before but snaps out of it pretty quickly.
He also has mini convulsions every now and then, like a Parkinson's patient might have. He is sometimes aggressive and has nipped me (as well as others) a few times. I have no doubt we will be forced to put him down at some point. The thing that hurts is that he can be so loving a large percentage of the time. It is only a small percentage that he acts like a bad dog. The day I have to make the decision to euthanize him I will no dubt be a basket case. I love my dog. God first, then wife, then my son, then my dog. Really. Little man is my pal.
I got home last night and did not have much time before I had to run out again to help finish a project that I was involved in this weekend. As I was bouncing around the house doing this and that before I left, I had to go out front to do something (shake out a towel or dump the nasty dog bowl water on our parched lawn) when I noticed a rabbit in the alley. It was not dead, it was just sitting there. I walked towards it and it began dragging itself towards the yard away from me, but it was not getting very far. I looked like it's back may have been broken low, near the back legs.
I went back in and finished what I was doing and then reached for a plastic grocery bag. My wife asked me what I was doing and I told her. "Babe, I have to do a mercy killing and I am not looking forward to this." I then told her the story.
I went out in the alley with the plastic bag and my heavy work gloves and picked up the rabbit. It was very nervous...not that I blamed it...it was about to lose its life at my hand. A friend (who traps) once told me a rabbit's neck snaps very easily, so I picked up the rabbit and gave it a quick snap, but I the rabbit was still moving. I was a bit nervous at this point...it was supposed to be easy. I then got up the nerve to twist until I heard snapping of bones and then put the rabbit in the plastic bag and put it in the trash. It was over...or so I thought.
I went in and told my wife the deed was done. She asked me where the rabbit was now and I told her. "El, The picked up the trash today. That rabbit will bake in the bin until they pick up again next week and it will smell horrible." I agreed that it needed to go someplace else...not in our bin. I went back out and retrieved the bag and that is when I noticed that the rabbit was still breathing. I felt really horrible at this point...the little beast had suffered before I attempted to put it out of its misery and now it was suffering even more. It could not move, but it was breathing. I took the rabbit and put it in our yard (in the shade so it would not be roasting) while I figured out what to do next. I did not have knife sharp enough to cleanly slit its throat, but I did have a high powered pellet gun in the garage.
I went in and removed the trigger lock, pumped it up and placed it at the base of the rabbits skull and fired. It stopped breathing. To be sure, I pumped it up again and fired one more shot into the same general area. The animal was dead. I put dead animal back in the bag and I took him to a field to be handled by nature. I guess had I thought about it I could have done that first. Does that make me a bad person?
I would be lying if I said this did not bother me. I have had to do this only a couple of times before to rabbits (and a squirrel I think) and it is never easy. My wife and have had to have 2 cats put down since we have been married and it was painful...even though I do not like cats. I am not a killer nor do I want to be one. Taking a life is very difficult for me.
Call me a wimp if you want...I really do not mind. I am secure in my identity and how God has created me. I also believe (after some prayer) that God is using this to prepare me for when I have to put little man (our 12 year old lovable mutt) down. He is in good physical shape, but he is acting very weird. Today, I found him staring at a plain off-white wall. Not growling, not scratching, not sniffing...just staring. We have found him doing this before but snaps out of it pretty quickly.
He also has mini convulsions every now and then, like a Parkinson's patient might have. He is sometimes aggressive and has nipped me (as well as others) a few times. I have no doubt we will be forced to put him down at some point. The thing that hurts is that he can be so loving a large percentage of the time. It is only a small percentage that he acts like a bad dog. The day I have to make the decision to euthanize him I will no dubt be a basket case. I love my dog. God first, then wife, then my son, then my dog. Really. Little man is my pal.
Over My Head / I Like This
The other day we had dinner at Mimi's Cafe with a couple from church at the request of the husband of that couple. We lent the a book we had on communication in the hopes that it would help them as much as it did us. We had good intentions but it appears this book will not even begin to repair the damage. Their problems are going to require professional help. Problems of abuse from childhood and *severe* financial debt are crushing them...and the wife is ready to give up. She called my wife and spilled it all to her...then her husband walked in and made a comment that he says was not malicious, but my wife took it that way (men, we know that men and women are programmed differently, so I understand my wife's feelings on this).
He does not practice good financial common sense (drives a $40,000 truck all day at $230 a week in gas, charges things on a whim, hides receipts from his wife on purchases, etc) but claims he loves his wife more than anything. He called me twice yesterday to give me his "successes" in talking to his wife (he has very little tact, saying things in such a way they sound mean and hurtful, but he really does not mean it...he is just ignorant on how to speak cordially to people) and I was encouraging to him. This was before I found out about his spending. Not counting the house, they are over $150,000 in debt. He makes about what I do and she is a nurse. They have 2 kids together and he has 1 from a previous marriage. They have a bigger house than we do and they (by their own admission) do not donate any money to church in the form of tithes or offerings. His wife unloaded all her pain on my wife and that was tough for both of them. Sigh.
In brighter news, I was listening to 89.7 Power FM last night and heard an Evanescence-type of band and was hooked. I misheard the DJ but later realized the band was Fireflight. Very cool band I will need to track closely. If you have Flash/Shockwave installed, you can hear the first single, "You Decide". Yeah all you secular folks, this is Christian rock with a positive message, but it ROCKS.
He does not practice good financial common sense (drives a $40,000 truck all day at $230 a week in gas, charges things on a whim, hides receipts from his wife on purchases, etc) but claims he loves his wife more than anything. He called me twice yesterday to give me his "successes" in talking to his wife (he has very little tact, saying things in such a way they sound mean and hurtful, but he really does not mean it...he is just ignorant on how to speak cordially to people) and I was encouraging to him. This was before I found out about his spending. Not counting the house, they are over $150,000 in debt. He makes about what I do and she is a nurse. They have 2 kids together and he has 1 from a previous marriage. They have a bigger house than we do and they (by their own admission) do not donate any money to church in the form of tithes or offerings. His wife unloaded all her pain on my wife and that was tough for both of them. Sigh.
In brighter news, I was listening to 89.7 Power FM last night and heard an Evanescence-type of band and was hooked. I misheard the DJ but later realized the band was Fireflight. Very cool band I will need to track closely. If you have Flash/Shockwave installed, you can hear the first single, "You Decide". Yeah all you secular folks, this is Christian rock with a positive message, but it ROCKS.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Random Bits
This is silly. This is a very tame roller coaster. Roller coaster deaths are becoming a lot more common, or are they just being reported more?
My weekend seemed to last a long time. My drive into work felt odd, like I had not done it in a while. I was expecting work to be hectic, but Monday was tame (Tuesday was a completely different story, however) and I found myself bored.
Sunday I met a member of the message board that I post to. "Maverick" and his wife will be calling this area home as soon as she can get moved down here. He is already hear, securing a place to live and employment. Actually, he had a job here (that is why he moved) but he was laid off shortly after starting. He scrambled and found another one pretty quickly.
Maverick makes the 5th board member I have met. I plan on meeting more (Dakota is one I would like to meet as well as, Finn, Sunny and her soldier husband...as well as others) but time just does not allow it. Anyhooo, Maverick is a good enough guy. Not easily rattled, good head on his shoulders, and a provider.
I finally have my router configured (wireless) so I can use my laptop from the bedroom. It took a while to get it set up...it was not wanting to cooperate. I finally cloned the MAC address of my main machine and it started to work. The wireless thing also did not want to seem to work but finally I got it up and running. I have been surfing the web from the bedroom the past few nights.
I am about 1/6 of the way into season 4 of Farscape and I am not sure if I like it or not. The sex factor has dropped (thankfully) but the storyline is a little strained. I guess I will just have to watch it all and see what I think.
We had dinner with a couple from church last night. We went to Mimi's Cafe, someplace they had never been before. I have never seen anyone lament over a menu as much as they did. I bet they changed their minds 3-4 times. The food, as usual, was fantastic, but the service has really gone downhill. They messed up 2 of the orders (50% success rate!) and other than the manager, did not seem to care.
After dinner I walked the dogs and settled in with my laptop. I have been keeping up with the bills daily so I do not have a pile of them to take care of on any given day. The finances still are not where they need to be, but they are getting better.
My weekend seemed to last a long time. My drive into work felt odd, like I had not done it in a while. I was expecting work to be hectic, but Monday was tame (Tuesday was a completely different story, however) and I found myself bored.
Sunday I met a member of the message board that I post to. "Maverick" and his wife will be calling this area home as soon as she can get moved down here. He is already hear, securing a place to live and employment. Actually, he had a job here (that is why he moved) but he was laid off shortly after starting. He scrambled and found another one pretty quickly.
Maverick makes the 5th board member I have met. I plan on meeting more (Dakota is one I would like to meet as well as, Finn, Sunny and her soldier husband...as well as others) but time just does not allow it. Anyhooo, Maverick is a good enough guy. Not easily rattled, good head on his shoulders, and a provider.
I finally have my router configured (wireless) so I can use my laptop from the bedroom. It took a while to get it set up...it was not wanting to cooperate. I finally cloned the MAC address of my main machine and it started to work. The wireless thing also did not want to seem to work but finally I got it up and running. I have been surfing the web from the bedroom the past few nights.
I am about 1/6 of the way into season 4 of Farscape and I am not sure if I like it or not. The sex factor has dropped (thankfully) but the storyline is a little strained. I guess I will just have to watch it all and see what I think.
We had dinner with a couple from church last night. We went to Mimi's Cafe, someplace they had never been before. I have never seen anyone lament over a menu as much as they did. I bet they changed their minds 3-4 times. The food, as usual, was fantastic, but the service has really gone downhill. They messed up 2 of the orders (50% success rate!) and other than the manager, did not seem to care.
After dinner I walked the dogs and settled in with my laptop. I have been keeping up with the bills daily so I do not have a pile of them to take care of on any given day. The finances still are not where they need to be, but they are getting better.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Wireless Again
My replacement Linksys wireless router arrived today. The old one died and I had to send it back for a replacement. The only down side to this was I had to pay for shipping to them, but at least they FedEx'ed it back to me. I am not sure why, but I could not get it configured to Comcast until I turned on MAC cloning. I did not have to do that on the last one.
I think the last one failed because Comcast was pushing updates to cable modems and routers (they are in bed with Linksys) and the router lost power in the middle of the flash. I know that I did not try to flash it and the symptoms pointed to a fried firmware and failed flash.
I had the darnedest time getting WPA configured on my work laptop, the only wireless device in the house. However I was eventually successful. I am posting this now from our bedroom.
My day went by pretty slowly. I was expecting a knock down, drag out day, but it was tame. We have a couple of people out and the one guy who worked with me did not seem too happy to be at work.
I think the last one failed because Comcast was pushing updates to cable modems and routers (they are in bed with Linksys) and the router lost power in the middle of the flash. I know that I did not try to flash it and the symptoms pointed to a fried firmware and failed flash.
I had the darnedest time getting WPA configured on my work laptop, the only wireless device in the house. However I was eventually successful. I am posting this now from our bedroom.
My day went by pretty slowly. I was expecting a knock down, drag out day, but it was tame. We have a couple of people out and the one guy who worked with me did not seem too happy to be at work.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Whirlwind Weekend
It has been a hectic 24 hours. Maybe not in the same degree as some people, but for me, it is. I got home abut 5 PM last night from a lazy day at work, but for whatever reason, I was tired. We had plans to go to a friends house to help her celebrate her 45th birthday (she does not look like 40, let alone 45). She is the wife of my part time martial arts instructor and a sister in Christ.
We arrived about 7 PM and I was still dragging. I had a nap hangover from the 30 minute snooze I took before we left. I was also very hungry and getting the shakes (blood sugar must have been low), so we stopped by McD's before we arrived to get a burger and fries to keep me sane until we ate. They had a lot of food (but they ate late, so I am glad I got that burger) and we got to visit with her family as well as others we do not get to see very often. We had a great time.
We left at 10 or so and I still had to walk our dogs. By the time I did that and checked my e-mail, it was 11 PM...time for bed. Six AM came around much too quickly.
I slept okay, but needed more. I got up and walked the dogs as usual, had my coffee and took a shower. Birthday girl was picking me up so we could help "Darlene", an older woman from church move. Birthday girl arrived 30 minutes late (too much birthday?) and we headed out to Wylie to help move "Darlene".
It was hot but not unbearably so. There was a lot of help so it went pretty well. We stopped at 11:30 for a lunch of cold cuts, chips, and soda then we got back to work. A lot of our help had to leave, so we were cut down to just a couple of people by 3 PM when we finally left.
After a couple of errands we were able to get home and shower...we still have function to go to at 6 PM and I am meeting one of the forum members tomorrow sometime for coffee, etc. I will still have the normal church and Sunday School to deal with plus I need to call mom (I did not last week). All this and we still not washed dishes or vacuumed nor have we stripped and made the bed. This could be a long week!
We arrived about 7 PM and I was still dragging. I had a nap hangover from the 30 minute snooze I took before we left. I was also very hungry and getting the shakes (blood sugar must have been low), so we stopped by McD's before we arrived to get a burger and fries to keep me sane until we ate. They had a lot of food (but they ate late, so I am glad I got that burger) and we got to visit with her family as well as others we do not get to see very often. We had a great time.
We left at 10 or so and I still had to walk our dogs. By the time I did that and checked my e-mail, it was 11 PM...time for bed. Six AM came around much too quickly.
I slept okay, but needed more. I got up and walked the dogs as usual, had my coffee and took a shower. Birthday girl was picking me up so we could help "Darlene", an older woman from church move. Birthday girl arrived 30 minutes late (too much birthday?) and we headed out to Wylie to help move "Darlene".
It was hot but not unbearably so. There was a lot of help so it went pretty well. We stopped at 11:30 for a lunch of cold cuts, chips, and soda then we got back to work. A lot of our help had to leave, so we were cut down to just a couple of people by 3 PM when we finally left.
After a couple of errands we were able to get home and shower...we still have function to go to at 6 PM and I am meeting one of the forum members tomorrow sometime for coffee, etc. I will still have the normal church and Sunday School to deal with plus I need to call mom (I did not last week). All this and we still not washed dishes or vacuumed nor have we stripped and made the bed. This could be a long week!
Friday, July 21, 2006
At Least the Day Ended Well
After the information uncovered by the message board members yesterday, I was relieved to have had a good ending to the day.
I e-mailed my wife and asked her for a date and she agreed. She had errands to run and this would work out perfectly. We stopped at Tia's for some food (we had a $10 off coupon...cool) and we were waited on by the best server we have had in a long time. The meal gave me time to fill in my wife about Ron and the con job he pulled as well as have some quality time with her.
The meal was great and we chatted for a few minutes before she went to run her errands and I went home to cut our grass.
I got home and let the dogs out and then changed into my mowing clothes (old shorts, shirt, socks, shoes, ball cap) and began mowing...the back (east side) first since it was partially shaded. I noticed pretty quickly that the water restrictions were taking a toll on the grass. The lawn looks in July like it normally does when it dies in November. Yes, the yard is 25% brown.
I finished the lawn just as my lovely wife was pulling in her van into the garage. I helped her unload the few groceries she purchased (sandwich stuff to feed the move crew Saturday) and then I hopped in the shower. I chatted with her until 9:30 or so and then she went to bed. I prayed with her and then logged on to post last nights blog entry. It rambles a bit, but I had all these thoughts I wanted to get down into words and could not stop typing. I may clean it up some later, but then again...maybe not. I spent almost 2 hours researching and writing that entry. There is a lot of data and I have more to add, most likely in separate posts. The message board members have been putting a lot of ideas on the forum.
I e-mailed my wife and asked her for a date and she agreed. She had errands to run and this would work out perfectly. We stopped at Tia's for some food (we had a $10 off coupon...cool) and we were waited on by the best server we have had in a long time. The meal gave me time to fill in my wife about Ron and the con job he pulled as well as have some quality time with her.
The meal was great and we chatted for a few minutes before she went to run her errands and I went home to cut our grass.
I got home and let the dogs out and then changed into my mowing clothes (old shorts, shirt, socks, shoes, ball cap) and began mowing...the back (east side) first since it was partially shaded. I noticed pretty quickly that the water restrictions were taking a toll on the grass. The lawn looks in July like it normally does when it dies in November. Yes, the yard is 25% brown.
I finished the lawn just as my lovely wife was pulling in her van into the garage. I helped her unload the few groceries she purchased (sandwich stuff to feed the move crew Saturday) and then I hopped in the shower. I chatted with her until 9:30 or so and then she went to bed. I prayed with her and then logged on to post last nights blog entry. It rambles a bit, but I had all these thoughts I wanted to get down into words and could not stop typing. I may clean it up some later, but then again...maybe not. I spent almost 2 hours researching and writing that entry. There is a lot of data and I have more to add, most likely in separate posts. The message board members have been putting a lot of ideas on the forum.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Another Neighborhood Oddity
I just remembered the other oddity in my neighborhood that I wanted to share. I am sure someone is having fun with this and I applaud them for it, if that is what they are doing. It involves a pair of leather (I think) sandals.
Just a few houses up from the oil slick neighbors is a house that is well kept (from the outside) and clean. They never have the pile of old newspapers and phone books that I normally see in from of many of the homes. It is quite possibly a perfect front yard. However, there is something odd about that house that I noticed a couple of weeks ago. There is a pair of sandals that look like they could fit a smaller woman or a pre-teen male. Not knowing much about sandals, I cannot tell if they are men's or women's. They have a slightly masculine look, but are decorated with some stitching that looks like they may be women's. Nonetheless, those sandals are on the sidewalk of the home *every* day. I know this because I walk this route every morning and evening with my dogs. The positioning of them changes from day to day, but they are always there. The first day I noticed them was about 2-3 weeks ago. They were akimbo and not laying flat on the ground. The next few times I noticed them, they were side by side in various positions on the sidewalk. They have been parallel, perpendicular, leaning, etc...but always side by side.
I know...leave it to me to notice something like that. Okay, I am eccentric...sue me.
Have you ever noticed anything quirky in your neighborhood?
Just a few houses up from the oil slick neighbors is a house that is well kept (from the outside) and clean. They never have the pile of old newspapers and phone books that I normally see in from of many of the homes. It is quite possibly a perfect front yard. However, there is something odd about that house that I noticed a couple of weeks ago. There is a pair of sandals that look like they could fit a smaller woman or a pre-teen male. Not knowing much about sandals, I cannot tell if they are men's or women's. They have a slightly masculine look, but are decorated with some stitching that looks like they may be women's. Nonetheless, those sandals are on the sidewalk of the home *every* day. I know this because I walk this route every morning and evening with my dogs. The positioning of them changes from day to day, but they are always there. The first day I noticed them was about 2-3 weeks ago. They were akimbo and not laying flat on the ground. The next few times I noticed them, they were side by side in various positions on the sidewalk. They have been parallel, perpendicular, leaning, etc...but always side by side.
I know...leave it to me to notice something like that. Okay, I am eccentric...sue me.
Have you ever noticed anything quirky in your neighborhood?
Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?
Once in a while a dumb/annoying song gets stuck in your hear, like the Sesame Street ditty that entitles this post. It became stuck in my mind as I was walking the dogs this morning and turned down Hillcrest. A house that was for sale a few weeks ago has sold and the new owners have moved in. They have 4 cars that I can see...3 of the 4 leak oil very badly. When I mean badly, I mean a paper plate size spot every time the car is moved. They have a dually pick-up, a Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor, a Pontiac Firebird and a BMW. The Beemer is the only one that does not appear to leak. Needless to say that our middle class neighborhood will begin to look shabby if this continues. Leaky vehicles is a pet peeve of mine.
I actually saw one of the occupants one night as he was bringing things in from his truck. He nodded, but did not speak, which is becoming common nowadays. Many of us do not take the time to get to know those people who live near us. It is not only neighborly, but it also is helpful in protecting your family. You may learn something important. I am not talking about being nosy. I am not saying that you should pry into their business, just be neighborly.
Other interesting tidbits about my neighbor involve other homes that have sold. We had a family 1/2 block away (who live next to some friends of ours) just up and leave. It appears the house was foreclosed upon. When they moved, they left all kinds of things in side. The blinds were removed, but they left a desk and a computer and some furniture. A sign on the windows states that they house is up for sale by a bank. The former owners were from South America and had a Satellite TV business. They had a couple of kids who were big into soccer and skateboarding and they also had a parrot or similar jungle bird that was very noisy that they left outside a large part of the time. The sounds it made sometimes sounded like a woman screaming.
Another house has sold recently and the people are from Florida. Like the previous owners, they are not overly friendly, BUT they smoke/bbq and it smells wonderful. The smell filled the neighborhood one night and it was not hard to tell where it was coming from. Maybe I should have invited myself over :-) . They did something shortly after moving in that looks like a funny. They put up some large deck blinds on the *outside* if the windows facing west. I guess the evening sun is too bright for the former Floridians.
The house across the street is rented out again, but I have not seen any adults yet, although my wife saw a "grandmotherly" person a couple of weeks ago. The only activity I have noticed is a couple of kids playing basketball, a couple of small kids climbing the light pole, and 3-4 teens scrambling out of the house one night running towards a car that had pulled up in front just as I was finishing my walk. No one for us to say hi to yet...not really.
Well, my wife's alarm just went off and my coffee is working its magic. Time to get a shower and get ready for work...
I actually saw one of the occupants one night as he was bringing things in from his truck. He nodded, but did not speak, which is becoming common nowadays. Many of us do not take the time to get to know those people who live near us. It is not only neighborly, but it also is helpful in protecting your family. You may learn something important. I am not talking about being nosy. I am not saying that you should pry into their business, just be neighborly.
Other interesting tidbits about my neighbor involve other homes that have sold. We had a family 1/2 block away (who live next to some friends of ours) just up and leave. It appears the house was foreclosed upon. When they moved, they left all kinds of things in side. The blinds were removed, but they left a desk and a computer and some furniture. A sign on the windows states that they house is up for sale by a bank. The former owners were from South America and had a Satellite TV business. They had a couple of kids who were big into soccer and skateboarding and they also had a parrot or similar jungle bird that was very noisy that they left outside a large part of the time. The sounds it made sometimes sounded like a woman screaming.
Another house has sold recently and the people are from Florida. Like the previous owners, they are not overly friendly, BUT they smoke/bbq and it smells wonderful. The smell filled the neighborhood one night and it was not hard to tell where it was coming from. Maybe I should have invited myself over :-) . They did something shortly after moving in that looks like a funny. They put up some large deck blinds on the *outside* if the windows facing west. I guess the evening sun is too bright for the former Floridians.
The house across the street is rented out again, but I have not seen any adults yet, although my wife saw a "grandmotherly" person a couple of weeks ago. The only activity I have noticed is a couple of kids playing basketball, a couple of small kids climbing the light pole, and 3-4 teens scrambling out of the house one night running towards a car that had pulled up in front just as I was finishing my walk. No one for us to say hi to yet...not really.
Well, my wife's alarm just went off and my coffee is working its magic. Time to get a shower and get ready for work...
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
What Was I Thinking?
I got home and found my garage remote did not work...the same problem my wife had the day before...so I pull to the front of the house and came in the front door (I think it is the heat that is keeping it from working. The remote is clipped to the visor and the car is parked in the sun all day). I soon found that my wife was not back home yet from her Six Flags day with our soldier boy so I decided that I needed to...mow my neighbors grass. It had not been mowed in 3 weeks and the weeds were getting high and unsightly. I chugged a Fuze green tea and changed into my "mowing gear" (OLD shorts, tee shirt, socks, ball cap) but when I went to go get my mowing sneakers (the ones with grass stains), they were gone. Since my son's shoes were there I could only guess that he wore them to the park. No big deal..I have worn sandals before while mowing...I would just have to strap them on tight and be careful.
I got outside and unlocked the shed and grabbed the weed eater and weed eater fuel (gas/oil mix) which was running low, but I had enough to complete the two yards. I usually trim and edge first so the bagging mower can pick up as many of the clippings as possible. I fired it up and began. I had been trimming for about 30 minutes or so when I realized it was hot and I was getting tired. I then realized it was still 100+ degrees and there was no shade in sight. I had just finished when I decided I needed a break. My mobile phone rang and it was my son, who said that he and my wife were on their way back from the park. They stayed longer than expected, but there was not many people there, so they got to ride a lot. He said they would be home in about 40 minutes. That was good. That was just about the time I would need to cut 1 yard, since I was done trimming and edging.
I started mowing the back first, since that is the east side and shadiest (not that there was much..but any would help). It also was the highest (no trees to take away the water from the lawn) so it took a little longer than normal. The rest of the yard went smooth enough. When I was done, I was a sweaty, dusty mess. Since it has been so dry, dust was everywhere and that made it hard to breath properly.
My wife and son got home shortly after I finished and we all chatted for a while. My wife gave me a cold Gatorade (mmm Mango Extremo) and I began to feel better. It was still 100 degrees and I realized that I was beginning to shake from lack of food (I ate at noon and it was 7 ish), water, and exhaustion. It took about an hour, but I recovered. After soldier boy left, I jumped in the shower. No computer tonight (except to update my neighbors lawn care bill)..I am too tired. I need rest...
I got outside and unlocked the shed and grabbed the weed eater and weed eater fuel (gas/oil mix) which was running low, but I had enough to complete the two yards. I usually trim and edge first so the bagging mower can pick up as many of the clippings as possible. I fired it up and began. I had been trimming for about 30 minutes or so when I realized it was hot and I was getting tired. I then realized it was still 100+ degrees and there was no shade in sight. I had just finished when I decided I needed a break. My mobile phone rang and it was my son, who said that he and my wife were on their way back from the park. They stayed longer than expected, but there was not many people there, so they got to ride a lot. He said they would be home in about 40 minutes. That was good. That was just about the time I would need to cut 1 yard, since I was done trimming and edging.
I started mowing the back first, since that is the east side and shadiest (not that there was much..but any would help). It also was the highest (no trees to take away the water from the lawn) so it took a little longer than normal. The rest of the yard went smooth enough. When I was done, I was a sweaty, dusty mess. Since it has been so dry, dust was everywhere and that made it hard to breath properly.
My wife and son got home shortly after I finished and we all chatted for a while. My wife gave me a cold Gatorade (mmm Mango Extremo) and I began to feel better. It was still 100 degrees and I realized that I was beginning to shake from lack of food (I ate at noon and it was 7 ish), water, and exhaustion. It took about an hour, but I recovered. After soldier boy left, I jumped in the shower. No computer tonight (except to update my neighbors lawn care bill)..I am too tired. I need rest...
Farscape Season 3
I finally finished season 3 of Faerscape last night. I have mixed feelings about it, but overall it was better than season 2 and on par (or slightly less) with season one.
* Aeryn has feelings. Wow.
* The episodes were very surreal at times.
* Jool takes some getting used to.
* 2 Crichtons were hard to get used to, but at least it helped the writers finish season 3.
* D'Argo reminds me of my buddy, Rycherox.
I watched episode one of season 4 to keep me from going crazy with the cliffhanger and was a bit disappointed in it. I am sure it will get better.
Once this season is overwith, I have "The Peace Keeper Wars" to watch and season 1 and 2 of "The 4400". A former colleague told me it was good, so I will give it a try.
* Aeryn has feelings. Wow.
* The episodes were very surreal at times.
* Jool takes some getting used to.
* 2 Crichtons were hard to get used to, but at least it helped the writers finish season 3.
* D'Argo reminds me of my buddy, Rycherox.
I watched episode one of season 4 to keep me from going crazy with the cliffhanger and was a bit disappointed in it. I am sure it will get better.
Once this season is overwith, I have "The Peace Keeper Wars" to watch and season 1 and 2 of "The 4400". A former colleague told me it was good, so I will give it a try.
Some Things I Have Learned
"Every day is a new day, I am thankful for every breath I take", is the opening lines to P.O.D.'s "Alive" and it reflects my appreciation that God has granted me another day to enjoy his creation. I know a lot of people who do not share my enthusiasm. They are searching and are actually surprised to realize they are still alive.
I have been on this ball of rock for almost 41 years. God has seen fit to move me a couple of times (to NC in 1989 and Texas in 2001) after living in my home state of WV since 1965. I have been blessed to see many things, both wonderful and fascinating during that time. I have seen the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean and set in the Chihuahua Desert. I have witnessed the wild destructive power of hurricanes and the soft beauty of newly fallen snow in an undisturbed forest. The thing I have learned from this is that God is in control and our troubles are minor in the grand scheme of things. He is a grand artist and a frustrated parent. The earth is his sandbox.
I have been on this ball of rock for almost 41 years. God has seen fit to move me a couple of times (to NC in 1989 and Texas in 2001) after living in my home state of WV since 1965. I have been blessed to see many things, both wonderful and fascinating during that time. I have seen the sun rise over the Atlantic ocean and set in the Chihuahua Desert. I have witnessed the wild destructive power of hurricanes and the soft beauty of newly fallen snow in an undisturbed forest. The thing I have learned from this is that God is in control and our troubles are minor in the grand scheme of things. He is a grand artist and a frustrated parent. The earth is his sandbox.
- No matter how far we *think* we have come in our lives, you are never too far up the food chain / ladder to be knocked down a peg...or three. God is good at that.
- I have learned that bullies exist everywhere and that once you dig into their minds you will find that they are hurt little people trying to be big people. They are full of bluster and little substance.
- Standing up to a bully is the quickest and easiest way to get them to leave you alone. However, a lot can be said for just staying away from where they hang their hat.
- Some people will take *anything* you say or write and twist it to mean what they want it to mean.
- Sometimes it takes more than 2 seasons before a television show becomes good, but others struggle to reach that point.
- DVD's are the best way to catch up on entire seasons of shows you missed.
- Alone time is not utilized enough.
- Agape love has no substitute.
- I love the sound of an electric guitar.
- Sometimes strangers reach out and share things that they really do not have to, but you are glad they did. Thank you, Dakboy.
- I will never be good at carpentry or plumbing.
- I can fit in almost everywhere as long as people are willing to let their guard down and let me be 'me'.
- I am not a morning person until I have had 2 cups of coffee and taken a walk with my dogs.
- My wife and I are complete opposites and I would not have it any other way.
- Women are much more devious than men (this has nothing to do with the above).
- I have only had a female as a direct supervisor a couple of times in my life (my first job and my first corporate job).
- While people on the 'Net are entertaining, they are rarely who they seem to be.
- The Internet is a fascinating environment and I have trouble remembering my life without it.
- Texan's have more state pride than any other people (geographically speaking) than anyone I know, with the possible exception of native West Virginians.
- Once you leave, it is very hard to go back and feel "at home".
- I get more work done in an office that is 95% men but I have less 'social' interactions there.
- Coffee tastes better when it is brewed strong and served with a flavored creamer just to cut the bitter edge some.
- Ice cream will lighten my mood...when used in moderation.
- Medications are vastly over prescribed.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Another Busy Day
At least on this blog. 20 different visitors and a few repeats from the other day. BtW, hello to those who are logging and reading this from "Wild, Wonderful West Virginia", my state of birth.
Work slowed way down after lunch. True to form my boss e-mails me 7 minutes before I normally leave and asks me to get some info for him. I had it handy, so I sent it to him and then began shutting things down to go home.
I am going to have to start going on call pretty soon, at least as soon as they can get my VPN set up and working. I have been in the department since November and have not been on call yet. For the first 6 months, it would have been a wasted, since I am too green to be much help. But I guess I know enough to be on call. The bad thing is that we will all (11 of us) have to rotate on call for all the regions in the US soon, per my boss. While it means going on call very infrequently, it also means that week is gonna be murder. Some of those regions are tough on the techs.
Well, I have a leadership meeting in about 1.5 hours, but I wanted to update some stuff on my Windows box (I hardly use it...but it is the main box for my wife), and post a blog entry. Oh, maybe I should check my mail...
Work slowed way down after lunch. True to form my boss e-mails me 7 minutes before I normally leave and asks me to get some info for him. I had it handy, so I sent it to him and then began shutting things down to go home.
I am going to have to start going on call pretty soon, at least as soon as they can get my VPN set up and working. I have been in the department since November and have not been on call yet. For the first 6 months, it would have been a wasted, since I am too green to be much help. But I guess I know enough to be on call. The bad thing is that we will all (11 of us) have to rotate on call for all the regions in the US soon, per my boss. While it means going on call very infrequently, it also means that week is gonna be murder. Some of those regions are tough on the techs.
Well, I have a leadership meeting in about 1.5 hours, but I wanted to update some stuff on my Windows box (I hardly use it...but it is the main box for my wife), and post a blog entry. Oh, maybe I should check my mail...
Nice Start
After a restful nights sleep I was ready to face the day and all the challenges it would offer. After getting up and going through the normal routine, I headed off to work to see what came in to our work queue overnight.
I was alarmed to see two Sev 1 tickets in our queue with only 3 hours left on SLO. I then read them and breathed a sigh of relief...they were entered incorrectly. It was a formal request to install some monitoring software on 2 dozen servers (only 12 of those were ours, the other 12 were for Canada). The task is not a hard one, just download the software to each server and install it. There are a couple of config files that need tweaking, but all you have to do is fire up vi, add the lines, and save. The software is a little finicky, so you have to kill all the agents and do a clean start of them...then check the status to make sure they are running. We have about 6-8 of them that won't run the software completely...only about 2/3 of the agents run. I have not figured out how to fix those yet.
I was actually asked to start this yesterday, but I didn't because a large number of them are servers that have either been removed from production (but still running) or will be shortly. Once I got the correct list (which was this morning), I started installing. It took a few hours, but I got the most of it done.
I had to send the tickets back and have the agent correct them before I started working. You have to be careful not to go beyond what is required or things get ugly.
I also had a little admin stuff to do (kill accounts, add users to groups, change default shells, etc) but not much. I also had some workstation imaging to start for an R&D guy in one of the other buildings. He sends me the requests a couple at a time and I knock them out for him.
About lunch time or so the pace slowed a bit, so I poked a bit on the message board I am a member of. The "War Stories" and "Useful Info" sections are my favorites. "General Discussion" is the most popular and for the secular crowd, I can see why. It has a lot to offer in the way of humor. My only gripe is the occasional Christian bashing. While there are few Christians on that board, they do not defend the faith. They will explain it, but not defend it. I had hoped that our faith is the single biggest thing in our Christian life. I can understand not wanting to"shove it down someone's throat", but why is it okay to bash and ridicule my faith?
But, I digress.
Lunch was leftovers (Stroganoff, green peas, granola bar, Fresca, banana) but it hit the spot. I am sure I will not get hungry before dinner time. Sometimes I do not pack enough and I feel like I am going to starve by dinner time. At 190 lbs, I doubt I will starve.
This morning on Christian Talk Radio, they had part two of a discussion regarding Christians and sexual temptation. It was rather frank and in your face but it was also uplifting...even Christians can struggle with sexual issues. The speaker, Bob Reccord was very good. He and his wife told stories of people they knew...in the church, who strayed. Some were able to reconcile with family and God, while others were unable to come to grips with the sin. It reminded me of a pastor I know who went to start his own church and his wife of 25+ years had an affair. The scenario is common. A man is successful/busy and does not give the attention to his wife that she needs and deserves. Along comes a man who fills the need emotionally and in a blink of an eye, the woman has given herself over to desire. She has an affair with another man. The scary thing about this is that the man usually does not know until the wife tells him.
I would like to encourage all men, even if you are not a practicing Christian, to honor and cherish your wife. Pay attention to her and treat her well.
Wives, if you fell you are being ignored or are lonely, then let you husband know. If he does not get the hint, be more assertive. Do not become statistic.
My wife and I work very hard at this...but it is not easy. We been going to seminars, reading Christian marriage books, and listening to CD's to help strengthen our marriage. It is stronger today than it was 12 years ago when we wed.
Thank you God.
I was alarmed to see two Sev 1 tickets in our queue with only 3 hours left on SLO. I then read them and breathed a sigh of relief...they were entered incorrectly. It was a formal request to install some monitoring software on 2 dozen servers (only 12 of those were ours, the other 12 were for Canada). The task is not a hard one, just download the software to each server and install it. There are a couple of config files that need tweaking, but all you have to do is fire up vi, add the lines, and save. The software is a little finicky, so you have to kill all the agents and do a clean start of them...then check the status to make sure they are running. We have about 6-8 of them that won't run the software completely...only about 2/3 of the agents run. I have not figured out how to fix those yet.
I was actually asked to start this yesterday, but I didn't because a large number of them are servers that have either been removed from production (but still running) or will be shortly. Once I got the correct list (which was this morning), I started installing. It took a few hours, but I got the most of it done.
I had to send the tickets back and have the agent correct them before I started working. You have to be careful not to go beyond what is required or things get ugly.
I also had a little admin stuff to do (kill accounts, add users to groups, change default shells, etc) but not much. I also had some workstation imaging to start for an R&D guy in one of the other buildings. He sends me the requests a couple at a time and I knock them out for him.
About lunch time or so the pace slowed a bit, so I poked a bit on the message board I am a member of. The "War Stories" and "Useful Info" sections are my favorites. "General Discussion" is the most popular and for the secular crowd, I can see why. It has a lot to offer in the way of humor. My only gripe is the occasional Christian bashing. While there are few Christians on that board, they do not defend the faith. They will explain it, but not defend it. I had hoped that our faith is the single biggest thing in our Christian life. I can understand not wanting to"shove it down someone's throat", but why is it okay to bash and ridicule my faith?
But, I digress.
Lunch was leftovers (Stroganoff, green peas, granola bar, Fresca, banana) but it hit the spot. I am sure I will not get hungry before dinner time. Sometimes I do not pack enough and I feel like I am going to starve by dinner time. At 190 lbs, I doubt I will starve.
This morning on Christian Talk Radio, they had part two of a discussion regarding Christians and sexual temptation. It was rather frank and in your face but it was also uplifting...even Christians can struggle with sexual issues. The speaker, Bob Reccord was very good. He and his wife told stories of people they knew...in the church, who strayed. Some were able to reconcile with family and God, while others were unable to come to grips with the sin. It reminded me of a pastor I know who went to start his own church and his wife of 25+ years had an affair. The scenario is common. A man is successful/busy and does not give the attention to his wife that she needs and deserves. Along comes a man who fills the need emotionally and in a blink of an eye, the woman has given herself over to desire. She has an affair with another man. The scary thing about this is that the man usually does not know until the wife tells him.
I would like to encourage all men, even if you are not a practicing Christian, to honor and cherish your wife. Pay attention to her and treat her well.
Wives, if you fell you are being ignored or are lonely, then let you husband know. If he does not get the hint, be more assertive. Do not become statistic.
My wife and I work very hard at this...but it is not easy. We been going to seminars, reading Christian marriage books, and listening to CD's to help strengthen our marriage. It is stronger today than it was 12 years ago when we wed.
Thank you God.
See a Jump Yet
I am not sure what the price of gas is where you live, but in my neck of the woods, gas jumped 9 cents in one day. I was blessed to get it before it jumped.
The price of oil has hit new highs amid Arab-Israeli fighting, but the cost has not gone up immediately like it has in the past with other mid east issues.
I find that interesting. Normally, the cost of gas jumps immediately and takes a long time to come back down. Now it waited at week to go up 9 cents, at just under $3 a gallon.
The price of oil has hit new highs amid Arab-Israeli fighting, but the cost has not gone up immediately like it has in the past with other mid east issues.
I find that interesting. Normally, the cost of gas jumps immediately and takes a long time to come back down. Now it waited at week to go up 9 cents, at just under $3 a gallon.
Monday, July 17, 2006
I Am Honored
My blog has been a busy, popular place today. I had many visitors, two of which spent more than an hour looking back at most of my previous entries. Wow.
Of course, I have made a few posts myself.
Welcome to "Always a Dull Moment". I hope you enjoyed your visit.
Of course, I have made a few posts myself.
Welcome to "Always a Dull Moment". I hope you enjoyed your visit.
Heat / Yummy / Kroger
It has been over 100 degrees (the highest being 103...that will change today, I am sure) every day now for the past 6 days and it is forecasted to be over 100 for the next 3. The A/C runs almost all day once the sun reaches its zenith, and our electricity bill is going to be outrageous next month. My wife and I have been fighting over the thermostat (I want it at 78, she wants it at 76) and she is winning the battle, but she has said that she is willing to go to 77. When I get home, I am changing it. We have adjusted it so it does not kick on as much at night and we have turn up the speed of the ceiling fan to give the illusion of cool in our bedroom. In the rest of the house the fans are set to low.
I guess I need to clarify something. 103 is not unbearable IF there is some shade, but the area of texas wee live in has very little of that. The sun just beats down on you or your house...frying both. If there were some trees to help shade the house some, then it would not bee so bad, but the sun pounds the house from 10 AM until 8 PM without any mercy. Also, most of these homes are brick, and that absorbs heat..so the house is essentially a brick oven.
It also has not rained in 12 days, although there is a 30% chance of showers today. We have only received 1.12 inches of rain since June 1 (that is as far back as I can find at weather.com) and June was a bad month...getting only 1/20th of the rain we normally get in that month. So far we are at about 1/3 of what we normally get for July. July has been wetter than June, but also hotter.
The whole country is in bad shape regarding weather.
I think I have a brand new favorite snack food. General Mills Caribou Coffee granola bars. They are very tasty. We picked up the Chocolate Mocha flavored ones (they were on sale) and I fell in love with them at first bite.
Speaking of yummies...I am now addicted to Fuze beverages. Not only are they tasty, they are good for you...chocked full of vitamins! Kroger has them on sale 10 for $10. I think the sale runs out today.
Kroger's is really beginning to irritate me. We have a Kroger "card" which is what is used to get discounted prices on sale items, but half the time when the card scans, it does not calculate the discount, causing us to lose our rebates on gas (buy $100 worth of groceries and get 10 cents off each gallon). This has happened on several occasions. We have also have missed getting free sandwiches because of this (buy 6 get the seventh free) and I have to pay special attention to the register when I check out to make sure we get all the discounts we are entitled. Now they are very nice about refunding the amount that should have been given, but the time and trouble make me a bit frustrated. Bad Kroger.
I guess I need to clarify something. 103 is not unbearable IF there is some shade, but the area of texas wee live in has very little of that. The sun just beats down on you or your house...frying both. If there were some trees to help shade the house some, then it would not bee so bad, but the sun pounds the house from 10 AM until 8 PM without any mercy. Also, most of these homes are brick, and that absorbs heat..so the house is essentially a brick oven.
It also has not rained in 12 days, although there is a 30% chance of showers today. We have only received 1.12 inches of rain since June 1 (that is as far back as I can find at weather.com) and June was a bad month...getting only 1/20th of the rain we normally get in that month. So far we are at about 1/3 of what we normally get for July. July has been wetter than June, but also hotter.
The whole country is in bad shape regarding weather.
I think I have a brand new favorite snack food. General Mills Caribou Coffee granola bars. They are very tasty. We picked up the Chocolate Mocha flavored ones (they were on sale) and I fell in love with them at first bite.
Speaking of yummies...I am now addicted to Fuze beverages. Not only are they tasty, they are good for you...chocked full of vitamins! Kroger has them on sale 10 for $10. I think the sale runs out today.
Kroger's is really beginning to irritate me. We have a Kroger "card" which is what is used to get discounted prices on sale items, but half the time when the card scans, it does not calculate the discount, causing us to lose our rebates on gas (buy $100 worth of groceries and get 10 cents off each gallon). This has happened on several occasions. We have also have missed getting free sandwiches because of this (buy 6 get the seventh free) and I have to pay special attention to the register when I check out to make sure we get all the discounts we are entitled. Now they are very nice about refunding the amount that should have been given, but the time and trouble make me a bit frustrated. Bad Kroger.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
A Good Marriage, Part 2 / Send Them Packing
My wife and I went back to South Lake for part two of the seminar Saturday morning. Since we knew where it was, getting there was much easier. We only made one turn and I realized that I told my wife to exit too soon almost immediately. We made it there in plenty of time.
Jimmy and his wife held four sessions in three hours and the pace went well. They covered a lot of things that to many Christian's should know, but many fail to practice. To many non-Christian's the concepts may appear a bit old fashioned, but both my wife and I are determined to use them in our marriage. They do work when applied, but both parties have to do their part and do them correctly.
Every coupled received 2 free gifts for attending. One was a DVD of one of their broadcasts and the other was a marriage "vision" planner. The entire event was filmed so it is possible (although not likely) that I could be on TV at some point.
After the seminar my wife and I stopped at The Fish City Grill. The food was pretty good, although I think they needed to change the oil in the deep fryer. My fish came out soggy, but it was dark, just like my fries. I am pretty sure it was not a temperature issue, because nothing was overcooked. Generally when you get soggy deep fried food, it is because the oil temp is too low, but then the food usually does not get very brown. Mine was brown, but a bit doughy on the inside. Also, they served apple cider slaw and I do not like it as well as a creamy slaw. Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5 or a 6 out of 10. Strictly average.
We came home and took a nap but slept too long, so I woke up with a nap hangover. It took a long time to shake it, but eventually I did. We did a few loads of clothes but little else. We did manage a conversation with our son. He was given more info about where and how long he will be gone. It looks like he will be in Baghdad for 18 months. I am sure gonna miss him while he is gone.
Things that bothered me about the seminar:
1) The multiple and rather annoying attempts to solicit donations. South Lake is a very affluent area and we were urged to donate $100 or more to the ministry. The reason they chose $100 was something along the line of that is what you would spend going out to dinner or to a concert. I do not spend $100 for dinner..I have once spent that much with 3 people, but only once.
2) Many of the women did not dress properly at all. Men are visually oriented and if women do not know that, then they should. I saw sheer sun dresses, very low cut tops and very tight pants on many women...and I was not even trying to look. My wife told me of dozens of women she saw that were very much under dressed for the occasion.
Last Wednesday, My wife I went over to a SiC's house to help her pack so she can move next week. She lives in an apartment and the landlord is not renewing her lease. She has lived there 16 years and has done a lot to the place. She was adamant about removing the things she had installed like curtain rods and ceiling fans, so I took them down for her. I did not get 100% finished, but I can get it done this week.
I feel sorry that she has to move...she has a lot of stuff. Since she has been there that long I couldn't see a reason for the landlord not to renew her lease, but I think it has to do with the fact that he may want more rent or he is just tired of hearing her request that he fix up the place. I know I have helped fix several things in that apartment that he *refused* to fix, like broken locks, rotting doors, loose fixtures, painting, and even a new piece of vinyl flooring. All that work for nothing. I bet he rents it out to an illegal family. I have heard landlords joke that illegals pay on time because they do not want to do anything to get them in trouble. He also will most likely raise the rent as well. You reap what you sow.
Jimmy and his wife held four sessions in three hours and the pace went well. They covered a lot of things that to many Christian's should know, but many fail to practice. To many non-Christian's the concepts may appear a bit old fashioned, but both my wife and I are determined to use them in our marriage. They do work when applied, but both parties have to do their part and do them correctly.
Every coupled received 2 free gifts for attending. One was a DVD of one of their broadcasts and the other was a marriage "vision" planner. The entire event was filmed so it is possible (although not likely) that I could be on TV at some point.
After the seminar my wife and I stopped at The Fish City Grill. The food was pretty good, although I think they needed to change the oil in the deep fryer. My fish came out soggy, but it was dark, just like my fries. I am pretty sure it was not a temperature issue, because nothing was overcooked. Generally when you get soggy deep fried food, it is because the oil temp is too low, but then the food usually does not get very brown. Mine was brown, but a bit doughy on the inside. Also, they served apple cider slaw and I do not like it as well as a creamy slaw. Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5 or a 6 out of 10. Strictly average.
We came home and took a nap but slept too long, so I woke up with a nap hangover. It took a long time to shake it, but eventually I did. We did a few loads of clothes but little else. We did manage a conversation with our son. He was given more info about where and how long he will be gone. It looks like he will be in Baghdad for 18 months. I am sure gonna miss him while he is gone.
Things that bothered me about the seminar:
1) The multiple and rather annoying attempts to solicit donations. South Lake is a very affluent area and we were urged to donate $100 or more to the ministry. The reason they chose $100 was something along the line of that is what you would spend going out to dinner or to a concert. I do not spend $100 for dinner..I have once spent that much with 3 people, but only once.
2) Many of the women did not dress properly at all. Men are visually oriented and if women do not know that, then they should. I saw sheer sun dresses, very low cut tops and very tight pants on many women...and I was not even trying to look. My wife told me of dozens of women she saw that were very much under dressed for the occasion.
Last Wednesday, My wife I went over to a SiC's house to help her pack so she can move next week. She lives in an apartment and the landlord is not renewing her lease. She has lived there 16 years and has done a lot to the place. She was adamant about removing the things she had installed like curtain rods and ceiling fans, so I took them down for her. I did not get 100% finished, but I can get it done this week.
I feel sorry that she has to move...she has a lot of stuff. Since she has been there that long I couldn't see a reason for the landlord not to renew her lease, but I think it has to do with the fact that he may want more rent or he is just tired of hearing her request that he fix up the place. I know I have helped fix several things in that apartment that he *refused* to fix, like broken locks, rotting doors, loose fixtures, painting, and even a new piece of vinyl flooring. All that work for nothing. I bet he rents it out to an illegal family. I have heard landlords joke that illegals pay on time because they do not want to do anything to get them in trouble. He also will most likely raise the rent as well. You reap what you sow.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
A Good Marriage
Last night my wife and I went to a marriage conference entitled, "Every Great Marriage" held at Gateway Church in South Lake, TX. We missed a turn and ended up taking the long way there, during rush hour, but we made it there okay. It was very much worth the drive.
It was led by Jimmy Evans and his wife Karen who have a ministry called "Marriage Today" which is broadcast on ABC Family as well as several Christian TV stations. To my knowledge, it is the only Christian marriage program on television.
Last nights session ran about 2 hours and there is another one today. The nice thing about today is that there should be a lot less traffic to deal with and we know which turns to take... :-) .
What I like about Jimmy is that he is not teaching anything new. The ideas he teaches are simple, bible based concepts that many Christian's simply do not grasp. Things like how men and women think, what motivates us, how we should treat each other, and the roles that God has destined us to fill. Men and women today *generally* do not fill those roles well, if at all. I know that I didn't.
Sex is another thing that has been misrepresented in the world today. Our enemy has twisted the concept of sex into something that is nowhere near what God has planned for us. Christian's should not be against sex, only against sex outside of the marital boundaries. If you look at the beginning, God created man and woman as husband and wife, naked in the Garden of Eden. It was not until Adam and Eve sinned did they feel the need to cover up their nakedness.
The church historically has not done a good job of teaching this. Sex has always been a "four letter word" in the Christian church and Christian's who are attempting to live the right way have been confused. The Devil loves the fact that we have been confused. He loves to plant ideas in our head that will make us think that we are sinning when we are not. Example:
Let's say you have had a problem with a "wandering eye" when it comes to women. You have tried very hard not to linger when a pretty woman walks by. You are feeling pretty good that you have some success with this and you are thanking God for his strength in your weakness. The Devil will whisper to you that sex is bad and when you start thinking of your wife, he makes you feel guilty that you are desiring your wife. You begin to pull away from her...feeling guilty.
STOP! This is *exactly* what he wants. Instead, go to your wife. Confide in her. Tell her your problems. Let her listen to Jimmy and Karen (or any other good, modern Christian teacher), and tell her you desire her.
More later...
It was led by Jimmy Evans and his wife Karen who have a ministry called "Marriage Today" which is broadcast on ABC Family as well as several Christian TV stations. To my knowledge, it is the only Christian marriage program on television.
Last nights session ran about 2 hours and there is another one today. The nice thing about today is that there should be a lot less traffic to deal with and we know which turns to take... :-) .
What I like about Jimmy is that he is not teaching anything new. The ideas he teaches are simple, bible based concepts that many Christian's simply do not grasp. Things like how men and women think, what motivates us, how we should treat each other, and the roles that God has destined us to fill. Men and women today *generally* do not fill those roles well, if at all. I know that I didn't.
Sex is another thing that has been misrepresented in the world today. Our enemy has twisted the concept of sex into something that is nowhere near what God has planned for us. Christian's should not be against sex, only against sex outside of the marital boundaries. If you look at the beginning, God created man and woman as husband and wife, naked in the Garden of Eden. It was not until Adam and Eve sinned did they feel the need to cover up their nakedness.
The church historically has not done a good job of teaching this. Sex has always been a "four letter word" in the Christian church and Christian's who are attempting to live the right way have been confused. The Devil loves the fact that we have been confused. He loves to plant ideas in our head that will make us think that we are sinning when we are not. Example:
Let's say you have had a problem with a "wandering eye" when it comes to women. You have tried very hard not to linger when a pretty woman walks by. You are feeling pretty good that you have some success with this and you are thanking God for his strength in your weakness. The Devil will whisper to you that sex is bad and when you start thinking of your wife, he makes you feel guilty that you are desiring your wife. You begin to pull away from her...feeling guilty.
STOP! This is *exactly* what he wants. Instead, go to your wife. Confide in her. Tell her your problems. Let her listen to Jimmy and Karen (or any other good, modern Christian teacher), and tell her you desire her.
More later...
Friday, July 14, 2006
A Hot Time in North Central Texas
Literally. We are expected to have 100 degree days for the next week or so. Yesterday the heat index was 112 degrees. It has been a bit warm for the past week...with no rain. There is a slim chance of rain this weekend. I will pray we get it. We need it.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Bad Feeling
The news about Middle Eastern conflict is very troubling. Whether you are a devout Christian or not, you should be worried.
Israel has attacked (with a great deal of force, I might add) sites in Lebanon, including the airport in Beirut and the Gaza strip. Many think Israel used too much force, others think that the force was justified. My first impression is that the force was excessive, but I am sure we do not have the full story. Linkage from Yahoo, Breitbart, and Reuters.
The mid east has a long history of warfare. Those who say the US is a more warlike country are mistaken. Ours are just bigger. The Arabs and Israelis have been at war forever. Here is a great link for a brief overview of the conflicts and here is a good link with more detail.
Historically, God has always favored Israel. If the end times are near, expect to see Israel miraculously defend herself against Russia and the other invaders. You do not have to take my word for it...check out the prophecy mentioned in the book of Daniel and Revelations.
No matter what happens, things are going to get a bit hinky here. Oil will skyrocket and that will trickle into inflation problems. The stock market is going to get a huge hit and many people are going to lose a lot of money.
Well, at least I know my son will not be bored now. Please keep him in your prayers. he could ship out at any time.
Israel has attacked (with a great deal of force, I might add) sites in Lebanon, including the airport in Beirut and the Gaza strip. Many think Israel used too much force, others think that the force was justified. My first impression is that the force was excessive, but I am sure we do not have the full story. Linkage from Yahoo, Breitbart, and Reuters.
The mid east has a long history of warfare. Those who say the US is a more warlike country are mistaken. Ours are just bigger. The Arabs and Israelis have been at war forever. Here is a great link for a brief overview of the conflicts and here is a good link with more detail.
Historically, God has always favored Israel. If the end times are near, expect to see Israel miraculously defend herself against Russia and the other invaders. You do not have to take my word for it...check out the prophecy mentioned in the book of Daniel and Revelations.
No matter what happens, things are going to get a bit hinky here. Oil will skyrocket and that will trickle into inflation problems. The stock market is going to get a huge hit and many people are going to lose a lot of money.
Well, at least I know my son will not be bored now. Please keep him in your prayers. he could ship out at any time.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
When Your Son Becomes a Man
Mrs El Gee just called me a little while ago. She said that our son is going to be shipped to Iraq. He will be there 14 months.
Son of El Gee's MOS is 88M, a driver, who just completed AIT a few weeks ago. He is 18 and like most 18 years old, he is very independent. He wanted to do something as active duty (he is Army National Guard) and there were two options: Border Patrol in Texas or as a driver (his MOS). He was wanting the border patrol duty at first, but it is 2 years long and he would be working with civilians. He was not overly keen on going to Iraq, but he wants to serve...he feels that God is calling him to do so.
I am a worrier by nature. I will not sleep very well once he ships out. I know that I will be in prayer for him every day. I also know that he will never be that goofy little kid that I rescued from his troubled bio-mom. Speaking of which, when she finds out she will be very upset. She was not pleased to hear that he joined in the first place nor was she pleased when she found out that I signed the papers that let him enlist. If I did not allow him to join at 17, he would have just joined when he turned 18. I would have only postponed the inevitable by 6-12 months. He does not regret his choice and neither do I.
Son of El Gee is very resourceful. He likes the Army. He told me that after enlisting, he does not handle civilian life very well. Gosh, that sounds like Jawa.
Son of El Gee's MOS is 88M, a driver, who just completed AIT a few weeks ago. He is 18 and like most 18 years old, he is very independent. He wanted to do something as active duty (he is Army National Guard) and there were two options: Border Patrol in Texas or as a driver (his MOS). He was wanting the border patrol duty at first, but it is 2 years long and he would be working with civilians. He was not overly keen on going to Iraq, but he wants to serve...he feels that God is calling him to do so.
I am a worrier by nature. I will not sleep very well once he ships out. I know that I will be in prayer for him every day. I also know that he will never be that goofy little kid that I rescued from his troubled bio-mom. Speaking of which, when she finds out she will be very upset. She was not pleased to hear that he joined in the first place nor was she pleased when she found out that I signed the papers that let him enlist. If I did not allow him to join at 17, he would have just joined when he turned 18. I would have only postponed the inevitable by 6-12 months. He does not regret his choice and neither do I.
Son of El Gee is very resourceful. He likes the Army. He told me that after enlisting, he does not handle civilian life very well. Gosh, that sounds like Jawa.
Crisis and Irony
I did some thinking about North Korea yesterday. North Korea is one of the few Communist countries left on Earth and it is ran by a man named Kim Jong Il. He is a second generation dictator who rules with an iron fist and has been known to be hostile to Christians. Rick Warren, author of the wildly popular book, "The Purpose Driven Life" will be visiting North Korea to meet with officials of that country in hopes to be able to help spread The Message to North Koreans.
It is not widely know but North Koreans are routinely tortured if they profess to be followers of Christ. Now while it may be true that there are Christian churches who have members who are not persecuted, those are state-run (government) churches. Think of it this way. If you think the US government is too involved with religion, North Korea is far worse exponentially. The government there *controls* the church.
That is the crisis. The irony is that until 1950 or so, Pyongyang was known as, "The Jerusalem of Asia", meaning the holiest Christian city in that country. Now it is not so. It has become a deathtrap to any who practice outside the state run churches. There is no freedom of religion..at all.
It is not widely know but North Koreans are routinely tortured if they profess to be followers of Christ. Now while it may be true that there are Christian churches who have members who are not persecuted, those are state-run (government) churches. Think of it this way. If you think the US government is too involved with religion, North Korea is far worse exponentially. The government there *controls* the church.
That is the crisis. The irony is that until 1950 or so, Pyongyang was known as, "The Jerusalem of Asia", meaning the holiest Christian city in that country. Now it is not so. It has become a deathtrap to any who practice outside the state run churches. There is no freedom of religion..at all.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
No, You don't REALLY Know Me
Maintaining a blog is fun, but it does have a downfall or two. Words by themselves do not convey emotion unless the writer is talented,which obviously I am not. I am not offended by this. While I can communicate very well in written and verbal form, my meaning can be lost due to subtle nuances in the way I write and others perceive.
I have had people leave responses on my blog that I have removed because they are attempting to analyze who I am. Point to consider. If you really want to know who I am, ASK...do not assume to know me. Walk a mile in my moccasins before you judge or assume.
My wife came in the other day when I was updating my blog and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was making a blog entry and she just said, "OK". I was rather engrossed in the post I was creating and did not know she was behind me. I typed something, then deleted. She spoke up, "I was wondering if you were really going to post that."
I was not overly pleased. While the finished product is for public consumption, the process to creative is not. Quirky, I know, but that is who I am.
One thing that has crossed my mind is whether or not people use blogged info to "stalk" people. I guess it is possible, and in some cases likely, but I wonder how common it is? I know my ex-wife had accused me once of "stalking" her simply because I found info she left that a drunken half-orc could follow. Search engines are your friends.
I have had people leave responses on my blog that I have removed because they are attempting to analyze who I am. Point to consider. If you really want to know who I am, ASK...do not assume to know me. Walk a mile in my moccasins before you judge or assume.
My wife came in the other day when I was updating my blog and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was making a blog entry and she just said, "OK". I was rather engrossed in the post I was creating and did not know she was behind me. I typed something, then deleted. She spoke up, "I was wondering if you were really going to post that."
I was not overly pleased. While the finished product is for public consumption, the process to creative is not. Quirky, I know, but that is who I am.
One thing that has crossed my mind is whether or not people use blogged info to "stalk" people. I guess it is possible, and in some cases likely, but I wonder how common it is? I know my ex-wife had accused me once of "stalking" her simply because I found info she left that a drunken half-orc could follow. Search engines are your friends.
What If....
I was driving without the radio on today (The subject on talk radio was obese children...I do not have a child living at home and the one I have is not obese) and was thinking about what would life be like if we chose "A" over "B", "Left" over "Right", "No" instead of "Yes", etc. We make choices every day and we do not give many of them much thought...we just react.
I am not saying I am unhappy with my life...on the contrary, I love my life. I was however, wondering what would be different in my life if I had made different choices when I was younger. Would I still marry the person I am with today? Would I be in the same career? Would I live in the same state? Drive the same car? Like the same things? Interesting to ponder.
Try it sometime. Go back as far as you can in your memory to a choice you made and mentally make the other choice. Now follow the chain of events, knowing what you know about life and the choice that you made. Let me give you an example:
When I was a pre-teen, I tried out for little league baseball. We were poor people, so my mitt was a hand-me-down and I wore sneakers instead of cleats. We lined up on the field and started toss the ball back and forth to practice throwing and catching. I guess I caught the coaches eye because he put me on the mound and had me throw a few to him. "Give it some heat, Honda (calling me by the letters printed on my shirt). Fire it at me."
I did what was asked of me and he gave me a funny look. "Do it again, harder this time."
I obliged. He smiled. He said to the assistant coach, "I think we have a found a natural pitcher here with Honda."
The next few weeks, I was groomed as a pitcher. I was clocked with radar (my pitches were), and I was tossing the ball pretty fast...something like 75 mph, but I had a control problem. The coach told me that we would work on it but if I improved, I could start the first game. I was elated. I was going to pitch in my very first sanctioned baseball game.
The day of the game arrived and I warmed up, feeling pretty good. My control was still off, but I was sure I could make it work. When the time came to throw my fist pitch, fear grabbed me and I began to doubt my ability to throw a fast pitch with any control. I hurled a few rockets that were over 75 mph but they had no control at all. Coach told me to dial it back and I did. Much more control, but a lot slower. I cannot remember much about my pitching, but I know I lasted an inning or two before my arm was a little tired. I could have warmed the bench but I was put in right field for the remainder of the game.
A short pop went over the first baseman's head but not far enough to reach me and I had to scramble to get it. I started to throw the ball and I heard two sets of instructions...one from each of my coaches, each telling me to do something different. I was confused and not knowing what to do, I threw it someplace different...too far. The third baseman jumped, but he was kinda short so the throw was quite a bit over his head. The other team scored and it was my fault.
At the end of the inning both coaches tore into me. I deserved it, because I did not listen.
The next day that we had practice, I made one of my important choices. I did not go back. I had an inferiority complex as a child and could not face the team. The next 2 days, the coaches called and asked me to come back. They wanted me back and told my mom and dad that I had a natural gift for pitching. However, I refused to go back. After 3 missed practices, you were cut from the team. I did not pick up a baseball mitt again until my freshman year of high school and by then, my skills had degraded so much that I was horrible at any aspect of the game.
Now, had I made the choice to go back to little league and learn how to play properly what would my life be like today? Would I be a pro baseball player or in the minors? Would I have played in college? Would have I even gone to college?
I would like to think that having natural talent at such a young age and having proper guidance would have groomed me to play high school and college baseball. That would have opened the door for the possibility to play in the minors or maybe even the major league.
While all that is very appealing, I know that I am happy with the choices I have made. While the opportunity for fame and fortune is appealing...I am sure that it is not me.
The possibilities are endless.
I am not saying I am unhappy with my life...on the contrary, I love my life. I was however, wondering what would be different in my life if I had made different choices when I was younger. Would I still marry the person I am with today? Would I be in the same career? Would I live in the same state? Drive the same car? Like the same things? Interesting to ponder.
Try it sometime. Go back as far as you can in your memory to a choice you made and mentally make the other choice. Now follow the chain of events, knowing what you know about life and the choice that you made. Let me give you an example:
When I was a pre-teen, I tried out for little league baseball. We were poor people, so my mitt was a hand-me-down and I wore sneakers instead of cleats. We lined up on the field and started toss the ball back and forth to practice throwing and catching. I guess I caught the coaches eye because he put me on the mound and had me throw a few to him. "Give it some heat, Honda (calling me by the letters printed on my shirt). Fire it at me."
I did what was asked of me and he gave me a funny look. "Do it again, harder this time."
I obliged. He smiled. He said to the assistant coach, "I think we have a found a natural pitcher here with Honda."
The next few weeks, I was groomed as a pitcher. I was clocked with radar (my pitches were), and I was tossing the ball pretty fast...something like 75 mph, but I had a control problem. The coach told me that we would work on it but if I improved, I could start the first game. I was elated. I was going to pitch in my very first sanctioned baseball game.
The day of the game arrived and I warmed up, feeling pretty good. My control was still off, but I was sure I could make it work. When the time came to throw my fist pitch, fear grabbed me and I began to doubt my ability to throw a fast pitch with any control. I hurled a few rockets that were over 75 mph but they had no control at all. Coach told me to dial it back and I did. Much more control, but a lot slower. I cannot remember much about my pitching, but I know I lasted an inning or two before my arm was a little tired. I could have warmed the bench but I was put in right field for the remainder of the game.
A short pop went over the first baseman's head but not far enough to reach me and I had to scramble to get it. I started to throw the ball and I heard two sets of instructions...one from each of my coaches, each telling me to do something different. I was confused and not knowing what to do, I threw it someplace different...too far. The third baseman jumped, but he was kinda short so the throw was quite a bit over his head. The other team scored and it was my fault.
At the end of the inning both coaches tore into me. I deserved it, because I did not listen.
The next day that we had practice, I made one of my important choices. I did not go back. I had an inferiority complex as a child and could not face the team. The next 2 days, the coaches called and asked me to come back. They wanted me back and told my mom and dad that I had a natural gift for pitching. However, I refused to go back. After 3 missed practices, you were cut from the team. I did not pick up a baseball mitt again until my freshman year of high school and by then, my skills had degraded so much that I was horrible at any aspect of the game.
Now, had I made the choice to go back to little league and learn how to play properly what would my life be like today? Would I be a pro baseball player or in the minors? Would I have played in college? Would have I even gone to college?
I would like to think that having natural talent at such a young age and having proper guidance would have groomed me to play high school and college baseball. That would have opened the door for the possibility to play in the minors or maybe even the major league.
While all that is very appealing, I know that I am happy with the choices I have made. While the opportunity for fame and fortune is appealing...I am sure that it is not me.
The possibilities are endless.
Big Bad Moon
I got up this morning at 5 AM to walk the dogs and noticed a fantastic full moon hanging in the southwestern sky. It was HUGE. The light was so bright, I was yearning to see it without the harsh glare of city/suburban lights. It made me wish I was back in WV or NC mountains.
It was gorgeous!
Why 5 AM you ask? That is when I start my day. Dogs, coffee, 'net news, e-mail, shower, breakfast, work. I have my priorities.
BtW, I saw UFC 61 the other night. Too much talk, not enough action. Plus commercials...PPV with commercials? I get the feeling UFC is taking a page out of WWE's book with the loudmouth bravado and machismo. One huge reason why I never liked "professional" wresting. UFC was the real deal. Now it is the real deal with too many commercials and bad acting. At least the fights are still real...although some of them get pretty boring (I though Frank Mir was a fighter?).
It was gorgeous!
Why 5 AM you ask? That is when I start my day. Dogs, coffee, 'net news, e-mail, shower, breakfast, work. I have my priorities.
BtW, I saw UFC 61 the other night. Too much talk, not enough action. Plus commercials...PPV with commercials? I get the feeling UFC is taking a page out of WWE's book with the loudmouth bravado and machismo. One huge reason why I never liked "professional" wresting. UFC was the real deal. Now it is the real deal with too many commercials and bad acting. At least the fights are still real...although some of them get pretty boring (I though Frank Mir was a fighter?).
Monday, July 10, 2006
How Did I Get Where I Am Today?
As I was driving to work this morning, I turned on the radio as normal, but quickly decided that the topic of the day, "Obesity in Children" was not something I wanted/needed to hear. I also did not feel in a musical mood, so I opted not to listen to 89.7 Power FM, which normally is my standby (I love good rock, especially Christian Rock). Instead, I let my mind wander and soon I began pondering my current position in life and how I got to where I am.
At a high and very core level, I know that God has blessed me to allow me to be where I am. He gives and he takes away (Job 1:20-22) and he will bless us if we honor him and do what is right in his eyes. Do not get me wrong, we all fall short, but we can repent. God likes it when we say we are sorry and we mean it.
While I could go on at that level, I was thinking more along the lines of "then and now" and for me that is about a 20 year span. For those younger than myself, you may not understand, but read on and see. I have come a long way and many others have as well. Much can change in 20 years.
Then
*****
Living at home with Mom and Dad (lower middle class neighborhood)
Driving a 1978 Pontiac Phoenix
Single
Working at McDonalds at minimum wage (blue collar)
A few close friends
Interests were music, computers, fantasy war gaming, reading
Not a Christian
Now
****
Own our own home (middle class neighborhood)
Driving 1999 Dodge Dakota
Married
Working at $Large IT Company for much more than minimum wage (white collar)
A few close friends, many casual friends
Interests are computers, religions, music, reading
Devout Christian
If you look at the list, there are some differences (owning a home, faith, wages) but some things are similar (driving a 7-8 year old vehicle, few close friends, music and computers). The path to where I am now is a long one. How did I get to where I am today?
If we take the points one by one you can see how I have grown/progressed. My place of residence has been interesting. Unlike many 21 year olds, I was able to get a loan for a small (900 sq ft) fixer-upper and live in it for a couple of years before I moved. I then rented for about 10 years before I bought another home. Then that home was sold and another was purchased in Texas where I am now. While my choice of residences did not improve with each move, their were benefits in almost every relocation.
I currently drive a 7 year old truck (my wife drives a 3 year old minivan) and 20 years ago, I drove an 8 year old ca r. Not much difference in age but a world of difference in condition. My 1978 Pontiac Phoenix had a value of $1600. Today the Dakota has a value of about $4000. My truck is clean, safe, and dependable. I could not say that about the 1978 Pontiac. I have not owned a lot of cars since my first one, but most of them have been less than stellar. After my 1978 Pontiac, I purchased a 1981 Ford Escort and when it died, I bought my fathers 1977 Buick Skylark. When the Buick was beginning to show signs of dying, I then purchased a 1984 Pontiac 6000. That car was mostly driven by my ex-wife. Out of all the "well used" I had, that one was my favorite.
That poor car was driven until it was badly damaged in an accident near Duke University's west campus. It was drivable, but in very poor shape. Shortly after the accident I knew I needed to get something that was reliable. I had no money, but I figured I could wait for a deal on some compact car that was easy on gas. I went to a local Pontiac dealer (seeing a theme yet?) an was going to buy a LeMans (the little import from Korea), but I was talked into a Sunbird (in the long run, this was a blessing). It was about $20 more a month than I could afford (I was only making about $7/hour and had rent to pay...money was tight) but I finally got it. I drove that car for 8 years. I would have driven it longer, but I was rammed 1/4 mile from my house by an A/C repair truck in late 1999. At the time of the accident, it had new tires, a new battery, and used no oil. It had about 150,000 miles on it. It was the most dependable car I had ever seen at that time. I got the 1999 Dakota in November of 1999, used. It had 8000 miles on it and was in fantastic shape. I got a great deal on it as well. The truck cost almost twice what the Sunbird did, but it too has been a very reliable vehicle.
20 years ago I was unmarried, but engaged. I was soon to wed my high school sweetheart and was very happy. I was still very immature and my married life showed that immaturity. Our marriage lasted 5 years, although we were only together about 3.5 years of that time. We separated 3 times before we divorced.
After I divorced, I date rarely. I did not mature much during that time but one relationship stands out as a turning point in my way of thinking. When I was 26, I was introduced to a very pretty 19 year old college student. We hit it off and became very close. She lived about an hour way from where I did and I would only be able to see her 1-2 times a week. I usually drove down on Friday night and had dinner out. I would spend the night on her couch (she shared an apartment with a friend) and drive back the next morning. During the 4 months or so we dated, we never became intimate...a new concept for me. I began to thing that this was a good thing.
We broke off the relationship once her father found out I was divorced (actually, I was separated...I had not seen my ex-wife in over a year. Papers had been filed, but nothing had been finalized). He did not want his little girl being tarnished by a "married" man, so we dropped it. It really was for the best. This was near Christmas about 14 years ago.
Shortly after that, I started community college, wanting to better myself some. I met many interesting people and eventually met my current wife, the love of my life. Before met Mrs. El Gee, I was a bit taken with yet another 19 year old girl. She was funny and smart, but she had a bit of wild side and that scared me. I can remember telling her that I was seeing someone (Mrs El Gee) and her response was, "I did not even know you were available! I could tell you were shy and I was trying to work up the nerve to ask you out, but never did."
Her lose was my gain. I could see that relationship failing a mile away. It would have been purely physical and that would have been a very bad thing. Remember, I was not a Christian yet and even though I had one good relationship, I needed more to help form a positive image of dating.
I met Mrs El Gee while we both were in community college. We dated 9 months before we got engaged and were engaged 9 months before we were married. It has not always been easy, but we both have what we need and what God wanted for each of us. We have been married 12 years.
My employment path has been fairly erratic as well, at least early on. 20 years ago I was working for McDonalds as a Crew Trainer. The pay was lousy and the job was not very rewarding at times, but it paid the bills. I lost that job due to some very poor choices on my part and have learned from those choices. Over next 2-4 years, I had a variety of food service jobs, none paying anything greater than minimum wage. When I moved to North Carolina, things began to look up some. I started working for Circuit City and received regular raises. Along with the OT I worked, I did all right, but far from great. It helped me get the new Sunbird and taught me a lot about the real world outside West Virginia where I was born and spent the first 24 years of my life.
Circuit City also gave me a foot in the door to my next job, GTE Mobilnet. While working customer service at CC, I would routinely speak with he Customer Service people at GTE. I was intrigued and at one point was brave enough to ask if they were hiring. I realize that what I did was a bit unprofessional, but I was running out of time at CC and needed to move on.
I was hired at GTE for $3 more an hour than I was making at CC. While I would have more expenses (I was required to wear a shirt and tie each day) and have to drive further, it seemed like a great opportunity. It turned out to be an excellent opportunity on many fronts. I realized my love of IT while I was there, I learned a lot about telecoms, I got free cellular service as an employee and I was in a Mon-Fri job with normal hours.
While GTE was a great opportunity, it opened doors for other opportunities as well. A former GTE employee who had left for greener pastures gave me a call and asked me for my resume. I had to put one together and I sent it to him and a few weeks later, I was offered a job at $3 more an hour than I was making at GTE. I could not believe it. I was being blessed and I was not even a Christian, though my new wife (Mrs El Gee) was. Things were looking up.
The new job was hard, but it was still Mon-Fri. Not long after I was hired, they "benchmarked" our pay and found that I was being paid too little for the market, so I was given a $2.50/hour raise. I could not believe it. I was 30 years old and was making a little more than $30,000 a year. 10 years before that, I was making $7,000 a year. I was very happy and things would only get better.
I had not been in my new job for much longer than a year before I changed departments and began working on the Help Desk. It was a lateral move, but I could not stand working in the department I was in and saw the future of IT. I knew it would pay off and it has. It has been my career ever since.
I was in the HD job about six months or so when our manager and our team lead took other jobs. That left rather large holes in the organization. I was asked to act as team lead until a more permanent solution could be found. Six months later a manger was hired. He was a former UNC football player and I immediately liked him. He asked me what I saw that needed changing. I told him that either put me back as a HD agent or officially promote me to TL and let me do that job. The choice was his. Two weeks later, he called me into his office and told me I was being promoted. He told me a raise approved and would be retroactive to a certain date. He gave me a piece of paper with my new salary...it was a $10,000 raise. I would be making over 40K a year at age 32...with minimal college. I could not believe it. I called my wife and she was ecstatic. We began immediately looking at houses. It was time to buy a home!
The next 3 years were good years with raises and perks. I was eligible for OT (and on call pay) until we moved to Texas in 1991, so the money was good. I was gaining more and more knowledge and my responsibilities grew. I was able to train and mentor, as well as run my HD the way I wanted. My managers were pleased and the customer's were happy. Then IT started to crumble.
A few months before I was transferred to Texas, we were told of many changes being made to save money. One of them was consolidating IT and basing it our of Texas. My HD staff was given notice and 30 days later, the HD was shut down. I was kept on to finish two projects and was transferred to TX. My relocation was paid 100% by Ericsson. Again, we were blessed.
A couple of years later Ericsson outsourced their IT to $Major IT Service Company, and I was transferred to the new outsourced company. I have been here for about 3 years. The company has treated me well and I again feel blessed. My salary is 9 times what it was 20 years ago. Wow.
I have never had a large bas e of friends. I never felt I could handle it. I have chosen to keep a small circle of close friends most of my life. Some of those whom I call friends I have known for more than 20 years. While we do not speak often, I still consider them friends. I visit them when I can but that is sadly not very often.
Most of my friends are Christians. I have not segregated myself from secular people, but we never seem to click most of the time. There are exceptions to this. Jim, Jeff, and Keith are not Christians but they are good guys nonetheless. I have known them for many many years.
When I was younger, I was very much into music. I was a big fan of heavy metal, especially in the 80's. Today I am still into music, but it does not rule my life. I still listen to hard rock / heavy metal, but now it from Christian bands. I find the messages of secular rock overpowers the music.
I have always been interested in computers, ever since I bought my first one...a Commodore 64. I loved that thing, but had to sell it when times got tough early on. I did not own another computer until after Mrs El Gee and I were married and she graduated college. I think that was back in 1996 when I bought a Pentium 120 for about $3000.00 You can get a lot of machine for that price now.
20 years ago I was a big Dungeons and Dragons fan. I played time I got the chance. Then I got burned out and gave it up. I still have all the old book...I cannot bring myself to part with them, but I have not played in 15 years or so.
I have always been an avid reader since I was 6-7 years old. As a young reader, I was consistently above the reading level for children my age. When I reached high school, I was placed in "Honors" English, which focused entirely on literature. While I have dropped of some lately, I still can tear through a Tom Clancy novel in a week.
I read a lot of sc-fi and fantasy (The Dragonlance series being my favorite) 20 years ago. However over the past couple of years, I have been reading Christian fiction and have really enjoyed it.
20 years ago I couldn't care less about Christianity or any other religion. It made no sense to me and I was not willing to investigate it. Today I find religions fascinating and read about any that cross my path. It pays to know what is going on in the world around you...physically and spiritually.
As you can tell from this rather long entry, I am taking my faith rather seriously. While 20 years ago I did not care about what happened to me when I died, today it comforts me that death in a cold grave is not the end for followers of Christ. It is actually only the beginning of a brand new life.
How did I get here? Sometimes it feels like a switch has been thrown and I became someone else instantaneously. But in reality, it was a slow process. I had to stumble and fall a few times in many areas to see what was waiting for me. I do not believe in luck, so you cannot tell me (and have be believe you) that luck and chance got me here. You cannot tell me that my dedication and hard work paid off (although that contributed to it). The times in my life I was given fantastic opportunities I was BLESSED and I have not forgotten it. God saw fit to bless me so I could be a better provider for my family. He gave me trials to temper me, like a piece of iron in a hot fire. The Christian journey is often like the process to make a sword. The sword is not a sword when it is just a lump of iron/steel. It has to be heated and beaten and thrust back into the fire to harden and temper it. This process of heating, pounding, and folding is repeated over and over until the finished product is ready. God does that sometimes. He will see great potential in someone but that person will not be ready. God makes that person ready with the events in their life.
I started this at 8 AM this morning and have been working on it in between task for 5 hours. I really felt called to write this. I hope the person who needs this find it.
God Bless.
*** This post could end up being quite long, so I just wanted to warn you ahead of time. ***
At a high and very core level, I know that God has blessed me to allow me to be where I am. He gives and he takes away (Job 1:20-22) and he will bless us if we honor him and do what is right in his eyes. Do not get me wrong, we all fall short, but we can repent. God likes it when we say we are sorry and we mean it.
While I could go on at that level, I was thinking more along the lines of "then and now" and for me that is about a 20 year span. For those younger than myself, you may not understand, but read on and see. I have come a long way and many others have as well. Much can change in 20 years.
Then
*****
Living at home with Mom and Dad (lower middle class neighborhood)
Driving a 1978 Pontiac Phoenix
Single
Working at McDonalds at minimum wage (blue collar)
A few close friends
Interests were music, computers, fantasy war gaming, reading
Not a Christian
Now
****
Own our own home (middle class neighborhood)
Driving 1999 Dodge Dakota
Married
Working at $Large IT Company for much more than minimum wage (white collar)
A few close friends, many casual friends
Interests are computers, religions, music, reading
Devout Christian
If you look at the list, there are some differences (owning a home, faith, wages) but some things are similar (driving a 7-8 year old vehicle, few close friends, music and computers). The path to where I am now is a long one. How did I get to where I am today?
If we take the points one by one you can see how I have grown/progressed. My place of residence has been interesting. Unlike many 21 year olds, I was able to get a loan for a small (900 sq ft) fixer-upper and live in it for a couple of years before I moved. I then rented for about 10 years before I bought another home. Then that home was sold and another was purchased in Texas where I am now. While my choice of residences did not improve with each move, their were benefits in almost every relocation.
I currently drive a 7 year old truck (my wife drives a 3 year old minivan) and 20 years ago, I drove an 8 year old ca r. Not much difference in age but a world of difference in condition. My 1978 Pontiac Phoenix had a value of $1600. Today the Dakota has a value of about $4000. My truck is clean, safe, and dependable. I could not say that about the 1978 Pontiac. I have not owned a lot of cars since my first one, but most of them have been less than stellar. After my 1978 Pontiac, I purchased a 1981 Ford Escort and when it died, I bought my fathers 1977 Buick Skylark. When the Buick was beginning to show signs of dying, I then purchased a 1984 Pontiac 6000. That car was mostly driven by my ex-wife. Out of all the "well used" I had, that one was my favorite.
That poor car was driven until it was badly damaged in an accident near Duke University's west campus. It was drivable, but in very poor shape. Shortly after the accident I knew I needed to get something that was reliable. I had no money, but I figured I could wait for a deal on some compact car that was easy on gas. I went to a local Pontiac dealer (seeing a theme yet?) an was going to buy a LeMans (the little import from Korea), but I was talked into a Sunbird (in the long run, this was a blessing). It was about $20 more a month than I could afford (I was only making about $7/hour and had rent to pay...money was tight) but I finally got it. I drove that car for 8 years. I would have driven it longer, but I was rammed 1/4 mile from my house by an A/C repair truck in late 1999. At the time of the accident, it had new tires, a new battery, and used no oil. It had about 150,000 miles on it. It was the most dependable car I had ever seen at that time. I got the 1999 Dakota in November of 1999, used. It had 8000 miles on it and was in fantastic shape. I got a great deal on it as well. The truck cost almost twice what the Sunbird did, but it too has been a very reliable vehicle.
20 years ago I was unmarried, but engaged. I was soon to wed my high school sweetheart and was very happy. I was still very immature and my married life showed that immaturity. Our marriage lasted 5 years, although we were only together about 3.5 years of that time. We separated 3 times before we divorced.
After I divorced, I date rarely. I did not mature much during that time but one relationship stands out as a turning point in my way of thinking. When I was 26, I was introduced to a very pretty 19 year old college student. We hit it off and became very close. She lived about an hour way from where I did and I would only be able to see her 1-2 times a week. I usually drove down on Friday night and had dinner out. I would spend the night on her couch (she shared an apartment with a friend) and drive back the next morning. During the 4 months or so we dated, we never became intimate...a new concept for me. I began to thing that this was a good thing.
We broke off the relationship once her father found out I was divorced (actually, I was separated...I had not seen my ex-wife in over a year. Papers had been filed, but nothing had been finalized). He did not want his little girl being tarnished by a "married" man, so we dropped it. It really was for the best. This was near Christmas about 14 years ago.
Shortly after that, I started community college, wanting to better myself some. I met many interesting people and eventually met my current wife, the love of my life. Before met Mrs. El Gee, I was a bit taken with yet another 19 year old girl. She was funny and smart, but she had a bit of wild side and that scared me. I can remember telling her that I was seeing someone (Mrs El Gee) and her response was, "I did not even know you were available! I could tell you were shy and I was trying to work up the nerve to ask you out, but never did."
Her lose was my gain. I could see that relationship failing a mile away. It would have been purely physical and that would have been a very bad thing. Remember, I was not a Christian yet and even though I had one good relationship, I needed more to help form a positive image of dating.
I met Mrs El Gee while we both were in community college. We dated 9 months before we got engaged and were engaged 9 months before we were married. It has not always been easy, but we both have what we need and what God wanted for each of us. We have been married 12 years.
My employment path has been fairly erratic as well, at least early on. 20 years ago I was working for McDonalds as a Crew Trainer. The pay was lousy and the job was not very rewarding at times, but it paid the bills. I lost that job due to some very poor choices on my part and have learned from those choices. Over next 2-4 years, I had a variety of food service jobs, none paying anything greater than minimum wage. When I moved to North Carolina, things began to look up some. I started working for Circuit City and received regular raises. Along with the OT I worked, I did all right, but far from great. It helped me get the new Sunbird and taught me a lot about the real world outside West Virginia where I was born and spent the first 24 years of my life.
Circuit City also gave me a foot in the door to my next job, GTE Mobilnet. While working customer service at CC, I would routinely speak with he Customer Service people at GTE. I was intrigued and at one point was brave enough to ask if they were hiring. I realize that what I did was a bit unprofessional, but I was running out of time at CC and needed to move on.
I was hired at GTE for $3 more an hour than I was making at CC. While I would have more expenses (I was required to wear a shirt and tie each day) and have to drive further, it seemed like a great opportunity. It turned out to be an excellent opportunity on many fronts. I realized my love of IT while I was there, I learned a lot about telecoms, I got free cellular service as an employee and I was in a Mon-Fri job with normal hours.
While GTE was a great opportunity, it opened doors for other opportunities as well. A former GTE employee who had left for greener pastures gave me a call and asked me for my resume. I had to put one together and I sent it to him and a few weeks later, I was offered a job at $3 more an hour than I was making at GTE. I could not believe it. I was being blessed and I was not even a Christian, though my new wife (Mrs El Gee) was. Things were looking up.
The new job was hard, but it was still Mon-Fri. Not long after I was hired, they "benchmarked" our pay and found that I was being paid too little for the market, so I was given a $2.50/hour raise. I could not believe it. I was 30 years old and was making a little more than $30,000 a year. 10 years before that, I was making $7,000 a year. I was very happy and things would only get better.
I had not been in my new job for much longer than a year before I changed departments and began working on the Help Desk. It was a lateral move, but I could not stand working in the department I was in and saw the future of IT. I knew it would pay off and it has. It has been my career ever since.
I was in the HD job about six months or so when our manager and our team lead took other jobs. That left rather large holes in the organization. I was asked to act as team lead until a more permanent solution could be found. Six months later a manger was hired. He was a former UNC football player and I immediately liked him. He asked me what I saw that needed changing. I told him that either put me back as a HD agent or officially promote me to TL and let me do that job. The choice was his. Two weeks later, he called me into his office and told me I was being promoted. He told me a raise approved and would be retroactive to a certain date. He gave me a piece of paper with my new salary...it was a $10,000 raise. I would be making over 40K a year at age 32...with minimal college. I could not believe it. I called my wife and she was ecstatic. We began immediately looking at houses. It was time to buy a home!
The next 3 years were good years with raises and perks. I was eligible for OT (and on call pay) until we moved to Texas in 1991, so the money was good. I was gaining more and more knowledge and my responsibilities grew. I was able to train and mentor, as well as run my HD the way I wanted. My managers were pleased and the customer's were happy. Then IT started to crumble.
A few months before I was transferred to Texas, we were told of many changes being made to save money. One of them was consolidating IT and basing it our of Texas. My HD staff was given notice and 30 days later, the HD was shut down. I was kept on to finish two projects and was transferred to TX. My relocation was paid 100% by Ericsson. Again, we were blessed.
A couple of years later Ericsson outsourced their IT to $Major IT Service Company, and I was transferred to the new outsourced company. I have been here for about 3 years. The company has treated me well and I again feel blessed. My salary is 9 times what it was 20 years ago. Wow.
I have never had a large bas e of friends. I never felt I could handle it. I have chosen to keep a small circle of close friends most of my life. Some of those whom I call friends I have known for more than 20 years. While we do not speak often, I still consider them friends. I visit them when I can but that is sadly not very often.
Most of my friends are Christians. I have not segregated myself from secular people, but we never seem to click most of the time. There are exceptions to this. Jim, Jeff, and Keith are not Christians but they are good guys nonetheless. I have known them for many many years.
When I was younger, I was very much into music. I was a big fan of heavy metal, especially in the 80's. Today I am still into music, but it does not rule my life. I still listen to hard rock / heavy metal, but now it from Christian bands. I find the messages of secular rock overpowers the music.
I have always been interested in computers, ever since I bought my first one...a Commodore 64. I loved that thing, but had to sell it when times got tough early on. I did not own another computer until after Mrs El Gee and I were married and she graduated college. I think that was back in 1996 when I bought a Pentium 120 for about $3000.00 You can get a lot of machine for that price now.
20 years ago I was a big Dungeons and Dragons fan. I played time I got the chance. Then I got burned out and gave it up. I still have all the old book...I cannot bring myself to part with them, but I have not played in 15 years or so.
I have always been an avid reader since I was 6-7 years old. As a young reader, I was consistently above the reading level for children my age. When I reached high school, I was placed in "Honors" English, which focused entirely on literature. While I have dropped of some lately, I still can tear through a Tom Clancy novel in a week.
I read a lot of sc-fi and fantasy (The Dragonlance series being my favorite) 20 years ago. However over the past couple of years, I have been reading Christian fiction and have really enjoyed it.
20 years ago I couldn't care less about Christianity or any other religion. It made no sense to me and I was not willing to investigate it. Today I find religions fascinating and read about any that cross my path. It pays to know what is going on in the world around you...physically and spiritually.
As you can tell from this rather long entry, I am taking my faith rather seriously. While 20 years ago I did not care about what happened to me when I died, today it comforts me that death in a cold grave is not the end for followers of Christ. It is actually only the beginning of a brand new life.
How did I get here? Sometimes it feels like a switch has been thrown and I became someone else instantaneously. But in reality, it was a slow process. I had to stumble and fall a few times in many areas to see what was waiting for me. I do not believe in luck, so you cannot tell me (and have be believe you) that luck and chance got me here. You cannot tell me that my dedication and hard work paid off (although that contributed to it). The times in my life I was given fantastic opportunities I was BLESSED and I have not forgotten it. God saw fit to bless me so I could be a better provider for my family. He gave me trials to temper me, like a piece of iron in a hot fire. The Christian journey is often like the process to make a sword. The sword is not a sword when it is just a lump of iron/steel. It has to be heated and beaten and thrust back into the fire to harden and temper it. This process of heating, pounding, and folding is repeated over and over until the finished product is ready. God does that sometimes. He will see great potential in someone but that person will not be ready. God makes that person ready with the events in their life.
I started this at 8 AM this morning and have been working on it in between task for 5 hours. I really felt called to write this. I hope the person who needs this find it.
God Bless.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Not Exactly Routine
I had a pretty enjoyable weekend for the most part. I did not work much around the house (yes, I know that will haunt me later...) except for the obligatory vacuuming, laundry, bed making, and dish washing. We had plans to meet some friends for dinner at 5 Pm so we tried not to get too involved with the minutiae of the day.
The place we ate at was Mama Mia's in Anna , TX. It does not look like much. From the road (a side road none the less) it looks pretty tiny (but it is bigger than it looks) and it is Christian owned and operated. While it was not cheap, it clearly was one of the best pizzas I had ever had.
There were four of us and we ordered an extra large meat lovers, an appetizer of pizza rolls, and 4 Cokes. It was about $30...pricey, but it was not fast food pizza. We left a hefty tip since we were so pleased and went back to "Mickey" and "Mary's" house to hang out.
We ended up watching "Doc Hollywood, which is a pretty good movie, overall. I could have done without the nudity/language, but it was by far not the worst movie we had ever seen. We stayed until about 9:30 and left for home, since we had dogs to walk.
Sunday meant church and for me, teaching Sunday school. I was filling in for another BiC of mine and I had different people than I am used to, but I had a good time. After church we took a missionary from Nigeria out to lunch. We took him to Ghengis Grill and he was very entertained as well as appreciative. He did not try much/any of the spicy food, but he did get his fill. I was so full I could not even begin to think about food until 8-8:30 PM, and that was just left overs from a couple of nights ago.
Is spent some time playing around with the new and improved megaserver. It still is not running well, but I guess well enough to play on. Downloading torrents is painful. The clients are memory hogs and not very efficient. I am not sure what the future holds for it, but we shall see. I will not hold my breath...
The place we ate at was Mama Mia's in Anna , TX. It does not look like much. From the road (a side road none the less) it looks pretty tiny (but it is bigger than it looks) and it is Christian owned and operated. While it was not cheap, it clearly was one of the best pizzas I had ever had.
There were four of us and we ordered an extra large meat lovers, an appetizer of pizza rolls, and 4 Cokes. It was about $30...pricey, but it was not fast food pizza. We left a hefty tip since we were so pleased and went back to "Mickey" and "Mary's" house to hang out.
We ended up watching "Doc Hollywood, which is a pretty good movie, overall. I could have done without the nudity/language, but it was by far not the worst movie we had ever seen. We stayed until about 9:30 and left for home, since we had dogs to walk.
Sunday meant church and for me, teaching Sunday school. I was filling in for another BiC of mine and I had different people than I am used to, but I had a good time. After church we took a missionary from Nigeria out to lunch. We took him to Ghengis Grill and he was very entertained as well as appreciative. He did not try much/any of the spicy food, but he did get his fill. I was so full I could not even begin to think about food until 8-8:30 PM, and that was just left overs from a couple of nights ago.
Is spent some time playing around with the new and improved megaserver. It still is not running well, but I guess well enough to play on. Downloading torrents is painful. The clients are memory hogs and not very efficient. I am not sure what the future holds for it, but we shall see. I will not hold my breath...
Friday, July 07, 2006
Call It What You Want
Karma, luck, fate , chance...I call it God's will and/or His blessing. I am talking about the people that we are in contact with on a daily or weekly basis. Specifically, I am talking about my BiC's and SiC's.
Our church is a small church with about 300 members. Like most churches, about 1/2 of you membership shows up for service any given Sunday. Most, if not all my friends in Texas are Christians, many of them from our church. When I think about the backgrounds of all of my friends, it staggers me how we came together. We come from all walks of life and from many different states, yet we all ended up in a small country church in North Central Texas located in a town of about 5000 people.
Several of my friends are ex-military. Most of my friends were not born in Texas. I have friends who were born in Switzerland and Mexico and others from almost every state in the Union. One of my friends was a lawyer in NYC (a public defender) and a few were born in Harlem. We have people in medical, engineering, IT, finance, some who are self-employed, construction, sales...the list goes on. They have all been put together into one church. Scripture tells us that we (as Christians) are like parts of the body. All are needed and none can work on their own.
Since our church is small and relatively poor, we need all the talents and skills we can gather. We do not recruit people to join our church (Hey this guy owns a garage and we do not have any mechanics in the congregation...let's get him!). The Spirit of God does that for us.
Being on a campus of aging buildings, we are always in need of people who are good carpenters and handymen. It so happens we have 2 very talented men in our church who perform/lead 90% of those activities. When our praise and worship (the music ministry) team was struggling, 2 talented singers joined our church to give a boost.
We had several elderly people who had PC's, but needed updating or replacement and tutoring. Thanks to the God given talent in our church, a few of us were able to help them out. I offer my help (within reason) to many of our members. Most of them have been seniors, but a few are my age. All of them have been very gracious and usually fix or offer to buy me lunch/dinner.
I really could go on and on how we (the church body) have helped each other on many occasions to move, plan weddings, do home repair, work on computer equipment, watch kids and/or pets, home sit, pick up mail/newspapers when on vacation, or just opened the doors of our home to friends to share a meal and good conversation.
Why do we do this? Jesus told us of the two great commandments: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your, mind, and your soul and 2) Love your neighbor as you love yourself. When I think of things that would be nice for people to help us with, I immediately think of what I can do to bless them.
I realize a large number of you are not overly religious and may not even be Christians, but I would like you to think about something. What if there was a global *law* that you had to treat people in a manner in which you would like to be treated. Imagine how much nicer life would be.
I am not asking you to get deep and argue that some people just are unhappy and expect to be treated poorly. That is a conversation for another time. I am just asking you too look at your own life and see if you are treating those around you the way *you* would like to be treated, not the way *they* are treating you. You may be surprised.
A couple of examples from my life...take them as you see fit:
1) I mow my neighbors grass for $25. I could cut it more often than I do and I could charge her more because the price of gas and lawn bags has gone up, but I don't because I would not want someone to do that to me and my neighbor has already had to face that with a lawn service.
2) When I do PC repair, my rate is $25 an hour. I do not charge a minimum nor do I charge for partial hours. I tend to give away a chunk of time free on many occasions. I do this because I would not want someone taking advantage of me, so I will not take advantage of others. Now do not get me wrong. I am not a door mat to be walked all over. If I am taken advantage of from a client, I stop supporting them. I just refuse to do the work. I know I lose some money, but I stand on my values.
These are business choices, but I could have easily picked other areas as well. I just exercise some common sense and treat people like I would like to be treated. That is not mean I am perfect. I do make mistakes, but I do not purposely do things to be unfair.
Our church is a small church with about 300 members. Like most churches, about 1/2 of you membership shows up for service any given Sunday. Most, if not all my friends in Texas are Christians, many of them from our church. When I think about the backgrounds of all of my friends, it staggers me how we came together. We come from all walks of life and from many different states, yet we all ended up in a small country church in North Central Texas located in a town of about 5000 people.
Several of my friends are ex-military. Most of my friends were not born in Texas. I have friends who were born in Switzerland and Mexico and others from almost every state in the Union. One of my friends was a lawyer in NYC (a public defender) and a few were born in Harlem. We have people in medical, engineering, IT, finance, some who are self-employed, construction, sales...the list goes on. They have all been put together into one church. Scripture tells us that we (as Christians) are like parts of the body. All are needed and none can work on their own.
Since our church is small and relatively poor, we need all the talents and skills we can gather. We do not recruit people to join our church (Hey this guy owns a garage and we do not have any mechanics in the congregation...let's get him!). The Spirit of God does that for us.
Being on a campus of aging buildings, we are always in need of people who are good carpenters and handymen. It so happens we have 2 very talented men in our church who perform/lead 90% of those activities. When our praise and worship (the music ministry) team was struggling, 2 talented singers joined our church to give a boost.
We had several elderly people who had PC's, but needed updating or replacement and tutoring. Thanks to the God given talent in our church, a few of us were able to help them out. I offer my help (within reason) to many of our members. Most of them have been seniors, but a few are my age. All of them have been very gracious and usually fix or offer to buy me lunch/dinner.
I really could go on and on how we (the church body) have helped each other on many occasions to move, plan weddings, do home repair, work on computer equipment, watch kids and/or pets, home sit, pick up mail/newspapers when on vacation, or just opened the doors of our home to friends to share a meal and good conversation.
Why do we do this? Jesus told us of the two great commandments: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your, mind, and your soul and 2) Love your neighbor as you love yourself. When I think of things that would be nice for people to help us with, I immediately think of what I can do to bless them.
I realize a large number of you are not overly religious and may not even be Christians, but I would like you to think about something. What if there was a global *law* that you had to treat people in a manner in which you would like to be treated. Imagine how much nicer life would be.
I am not asking you to get deep and argue that some people just are unhappy and expect to be treated poorly. That is a conversation for another time. I am just asking you too look at your own life and see if you are treating those around you the way *you* would like to be treated, not the way *they* are treating you. You may be surprised.
A couple of examples from my life...take them as you see fit:
1) I mow my neighbors grass for $25. I could cut it more often than I do and I could charge her more because the price of gas and lawn bags has gone up, but I don't because I would not want someone to do that to me and my neighbor has already had to face that with a lawn service.
2) When I do PC repair, my rate is $25 an hour. I do not charge a minimum nor do I charge for partial hours. I tend to give away a chunk of time free on many occasions. I do this because I would not want someone taking advantage of me, so I will not take advantage of others. Now do not get me wrong. I am not a door mat to be walked all over. If I am taken advantage of from a client, I stop supporting them. I just refuse to do the work. I know I lose some money, but I stand on my values.
These are business choices, but I could have easily picked other areas as well. I just exercise some common sense and treat people like I would like to be treated. That is not mean I am perfect. I do make mistakes, but I do not purposely do things to be unfair.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Ok, then GO!
Cindy Sheehan, who is on a hunger strike to protest the war, said she would rather live under the rule of Hugo Chavez (Cheif thug of Venezuela) than Geroge W. Bush. Ok, I understand that...if you do not like where you are..THEN LEAVE. Where can I send my check to get rid of you?
Hunger strike? How long will this last? Saddam's did not last but 24 hours..sorry that is a fast, not a strike. If you plan on camping out at Crawford in the hot Texas sun and you do not plan on taking in anything but water, you will perish very quickly and it will not be pretty.
Hunger strike? How long will this last? Saddam's did not last but 24 hours..sorry that is a fast, not a strike. If you plan on camping out at Crawford in the hot Texas sun and you do not plan on taking in anything but water, you will perish very quickly and it will not be pretty.
Not Exactly 'Monster Garage', But...
Last night I went to a BiC's house to watch/help work on a 1972 Chevy El Camino owned by the son of another BiC. The BiC who owns the garage has a wide assortment of tools, much to my amazement. I did not even know he was interested in cars. He has a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500, a Lancia, and a couple of Fiat Bertone's ... all in various stages of repair. It was amazing.
"Pete", the BiC who owns the garage, was removing the seats from the ElC as I arrived. He then began scribing guide lines to assist him as he was cutting out the old rusty floor pan. To do this, he used a plasma cutter. I was completely amazed at that tool. It was burning through the floor of that old truck like a hot knife through butter. Pretty freaking cool.
After the floor was cut on one side, the metal had to be cleaned with an abrasive pad. That was time consuming, but it needed to be done. After the cleaning, "Pete" began MIG welding the sheet metal floor plan to the frame. The sheet metal was thin enough that he had to take it slow or he would burn through the pan. Not much we could do at that point but clean up some and put on a mask to watch the process. If you have never welded before, the spark from a MIG welder is BRIGHT and you must wear protective gear.
We left about 10 PM, after being there 5 hours or so. I had not eaten in 11 hours or so and my blood sugar was in the basement. I was beginning to feel ill and needed food. I held out until I got home and ate some fruit, graham crackers, a salad, and some milk. It was light and I needed more, but at least I could sleep. Needless to say, I woke up hungry.
"Pete", the BiC who owns the garage, was removing the seats from the ElC as I arrived. He then began scribing guide lines to assist him as he was cutting out the old rusty floor pan. To do this, he used a plasma cutter. I was completely amazed at that tool. It was burning through the floor of that old truck like a hot knife through butter. Pretty freaking cool.
After the floor was cut on one side, the metal had to be cleaned with an abrasive pad. That was time consuming, but it needed to be done. After the cleaning, "Pete" began MIG welding the sheet metal floor plan to the frame. The sheet metal was thin enough that he had to take it slow or he would burn through the pan. Not much we could do at that point but clean up some and put on a mask to watch the process. If you have never welded before, the spark from a MIG welder is BRIGHT and you must wear protective gear.
We left about 10 PM, after being there 5 hours or so. I had not eaten in 11 hours or so and my blood sugar was in the basement. I was beginning to feel ill and needed food. I held out until I got home and ate some fruit, graham crackers, a salad, and some milk. It was light and I needed more, but at least I could sleep. Needless to say, I woke up hungry.
Finally!
We have some rain...
The Weather Channel has recorded .14 inches on July 4 and I know we have more yesterday, but the page has not been update yet.
Laugh all you want, but this is something for us. it has been about 2 months since we have had anything that is measureable and the land in north central Texas needed this. There is no rain in the immediate forecast (which is normal...we usually only get rain once a month in the summer here) but at least we are past the immediate crisis. We are still in stage 3 water restrictions, but I think we will be ok if we can get another one of these slow rains in about 2-3 weeks.
The Weather Channel has recorded .14 inches on July 4 and I know we have more yesterday, but the page has not been update yet.
Laugh all you want, but this is something for us. it has been about 2 months since we have had anything that is measureable and the land in north central Texas needed this. There is no rain in the immediate forecast (which is normal...we usually only get rain once a month in the summer here) but at least we are past the immediate crisis. We are still in stage 3 water restrictions, but I think we will be ok if we can get another one of these slow rains in about 2-3 weeks.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Monday, via Wednesday
After having two days off, I was greeted at work by a stack of tickets and a several call backs that needed to be handled as soon as I could get organized. That is what it is like every time I take a day off or get a company holiday. Someone always puts in tickets that need worked on, even though the business is closed.
If it is an emergency, we have on call support. However, most of the time it is just something that is an inconvenience for our customers. I am glad we have Service Level Agreements that allow us to refuse non-critical items entered as emergencies.
The halls are rather empty today. Only one of the Windows guys is in the office, compared to 4 of us Unix guys. To be fair, the one Unix guy only does project work and another only monitors and configures the back-up system we have, as well as performs restores from that system. That leaves 2 of us to handle Texas, 1 to handle Colorado and California, and one to cover North Carolina and Virginia. I normally do all the account administration for all sites except Colorado, where they have a local setup and it is very non-standard. I guess I could do them, but the potential for error is greater.
My boss is here, but my TL is on vacation. Before he left on Friday, he asked me to some tickets and to see if anyone who would be on vacation this week had any tickets that needed reassigning. I did not mind that too much. Yes, it was busy this morning until about an hour ago, but I had time to update my timesheet and do all the other things I needed to get done.
It is just like Monday, only it is Wednesday. Like Monday, there were things that *had* to be done ASAP when I came in. In reality, they could have waited. They were not that important.
Only two more days and then the weekend will be here. Is that sad or what?
If it is an emergency, we have on call support. However, most of the time it is just something that is an inconvenience for our customers. I am glad we have Service Level Agreements that allow us to refuse non-critical items entered as emergencies.
The halls are rather empty today. Only one of the Windows guys is in the office, compared to 4 of us Unix guys. To be fair, the one Unix guy only does project work and another only monitors and configures the back-up system we have, as well as performs restores from that system. That leaves 2 of us to handle Texas, 1 to handle Colorado and California, and one to cover North Carolina and Virginia. I normally do all the account administration for all sites except Colorado, where they have a local setup and it is very non-standard. I guess I could do them, but the potential for error is greater.
My boss is here, but my TL is on vacation. Before he left on Friday, he asked me to some tickets and to see if anyone who would be on vacation this week had any tickets that needed reassigning. I did not mind that too much. Yes, it was busy this morning until about an hour ago, but I had time to update my timesheet and do all the other things I needed to get done.
It is just like Monday, only it is Wednesday. Like Monday, there were things that *had* to be done ASAP when I came in. In reality, they could have waited. They were not that important.
Only two more days and then the weekend will be here. Is that sad or what?
OK, That Makes Sense.
The other day I had posted that I found a replacement for the noisy and beat-up Linux server I run, megaserver. I had cannibalized parts from megaserver to put into a Compaq Presario (AMD 500 mhz processor) since the Compaq was smaller, quieter, and in better physical shape than my old faithful, megaserver. At first, I was disappointed in the performance of the box. It appeared sluggish, even though it was 100 mhz faster, it seemed to run slower than the 400 mhz celeron. After toying with it, I figured out why. The integrated video card was only an 8 meg card and it shared memory with the system. Once I put in the Matrox Millenia 2 (16 megs RAM) from the old megaserver, the machine ran much better. Makes sense to me. Now the box is humming along quite nicely, taking up a little less space and running quiter. While I do not see any performance improvements (it has only three slots for RAM, so I am down to 384 Megs now instead of 512. No big worries.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Funny Fourth
We received a call late yesterday morning inviting us to come over for a bar-b-que at James and Collette's house. It was nice since we had no plans and were just going to BBQ some chicken we had in the fridge that I had already rubbed down. My wife was touching up some painting and I was geeking out, trying to get geekbox back to normal (which I did...more later).
It was clouding up and I knew a storm was on the way, but we did not let that "dampen" our spirits. It was Independence Day in the US, and we were ready to celebrate 230 years of God given freedom. We arrived just as the rain was beginning to fall and I quickly put the chick we brought on the grill. James had already cooked some chicken and had a brisket in the oven slow cooking. All he needed to do was sauce it up and toss it on the grill to carmelize.
When my chicken and the brisket was done, we all went back in and blessed the food and dug in. It was definitely a carnivore's table with hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken (two kinds) and brisket. There was a tossed salad and potato salad as well as some fruit and non-alcoholic beverages (one of the guests is a recovering alcoholic...we needed to respect that), but meat was the theme.
We sat and ate and cracked jokes for a couple of hours and Collette's daughter Sandra decided to make us dessert...strawberry shortcake. I am not sure what she used, but they turned out like softer scones and were just mildly sweet. However, with berries and cream on top, they were great.
The event was full of laughter...much more than I had seen at many events. The mix of people was good. In small groups where I know *most* everyone, I tend to cut up (cleanly, of course) and my wife usually has to tell me to cut it out. Last night, we laughed so hard, we had tears running out of our eyes.
The highlight of the evening was game of "chubby bunny". If you have not played this (with adults), you are missing a hilarious time. I realize it can be a tad dangerous, but we were careful. No one got beyond 6 marshmallows.
We left before 9 pm (we arrived at 4 pm) so the hosts could have the rest of the evening to be alone. After I got home, I walked little man and was able to see many wonderful fireworks displays. The rain helped keep the ground from being a tinderbox. I have no idea how much rain we got, but it prolly was not much over.
Still, it helped.
It was clouding up and I knew a storm was on the way, but we did not let that "dampen" our spirits. It was Independence Day in the US, and we were ready to celebrate 230 years of God given freedom. We arrived just as the rain was beginning to fall and I quickly put the chick we brought on the grill. James had already cooked some chicken and had a brisket in the oven slow cooking. All he needed to do was sauce it up and toss it on the grill to carmelize.
When my chicken and the brisket was done, we all went back in and blessed the food and dug in. It was definitely a carnivore's table with hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken (two kinds) and brisket. There was a tossed salad and potato salad as well as some fruit and non-alcoholic beverages (one of the guests is a recovering alcoholic...we needed to respect that), but meat was the theme.
We sat and ate and cracked jokes for a couple of hours and Collette's daughter Sandra decided to make us dessert...strawberry shortcake. I am not sure what she used, but they turned out like softer scones and were just mildly sweet. However, with berries and cream on top, they were great.
The event was full of laughter...much more than I had seen at many events. The mix of people was good. In small groups where I know *most* everyone, I tend to cut up (cleanly, of course) and my wife usually has to tell me to cut it out. Last night, we laughed so hard, we had tears running out of our eyes.
The highlight of the evening was game of "chubby bunny". If you have not played this (with adults), you are missing a hilarious time. I realize it can be a tad dangerous, but we were careful. No one got beyond 6 marshmallows.
We left before 9 pm (we arrived at 4 pm) so the hosts could have the rest of the evening to be alone. After I got home, I walked little man and was able to see many wonderful fireworks displays. The rain helped keep the ground from being a tinderbox. I have no idea how much rain we got, but it prolly was not much over.
Still, it helped.
Odd Comcast Problem
Yesterday in bewteen tasks, I noticed the connection to Comcast was down. I powered off the router, powered off the cable modem and then restarted the modem (letting it get fully online) and powered up the router. No internet connection. I (on a whim) disconnected the router and had connectivity, so I reset the router, then I noticed the "flashing lights of doom" on the router. I Googled and found that this most likely is a firmware flash that has gone bad..but I did not even try to flash the firmware, even though a new one was available.
Ok , then my 6 month old router toast, so I pull out my spare. I hook it up and I get similar responses. I could not even log on to the router to set it up. I powered everything down and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. Then I started the boot-up process again. It still failed. I rebooted the PC into the Linux partition, and it had connectivity via the old router. I rebooted into Windows and it failed to connect. I powered it all down and waited 30 more minutes.
After a 20-30 minute wait, I powered everying thing up in the proper order (like I had been doing) and booted into Windows. Success. Now to see if I could get the Linksys WRT54G router running. No dice...just flashing lights. I cannot even telnet to it to try a flash recovery. Back to Fry's I go to see if I can get a warranty replacement.
While I was Googling I noticed many people with the same issues. Some say that Comcast , who is in bed with Linksys, is trying to keep you from running you own home network. Who knows? All I know is that my router dying and a Comcast upgrade all came at the same time. Not likely Comcast will admit this has cause my problem...
Ok , then my 6 month old router toast, so I pull out my spare. I hook it up and I get similar responses. I could not even log on to the router to set it up. I powered everything down and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. Then I started the boot-up process again. It still failed. I rebooted the PC into the Linux partition, and it had connectivity via the old router. I rebooted into Windows and it failed to connect. I powered it all down and waited 30 more minutes.
After a 20-30 minute wait, I powered everying thing up in the proper order (like I had been doing) and booted into Windows. Success. Now to see if I could get the Linksys WRT54G router running. No dice...just flashing lights. I cannot even telnet to it to try a flash recovery. Back to Fry's I go to see if I can get a warranty replacement.
While I was Googling I noticed many people with the same issues. Some say that Comcast , who is in bed with Linksys, is trying to keep you from running you own home network. Who knows? All I know is that my router dying and a Comcast upgrade all came at the same time. Not likely Comcast will admit this has cause my problem...
Arghhh..Lemme Try This Again.
I hate when I multi-task and lose track of things. I had a nice post that I had not saved as a draft yet and closed Firefox. It asked me if I wanted to close the window and I said "yes", losing my post. Sigh. I will try to recap...
Multi-tasking: I was trying to fold clothes, research stuff on the web, post stuff to the rEcyler board, and make this post. 3 out of 4 ain't too bad...
I was given a huge mound of computer stuff Monday. I sorted through the 4 totes and misc boxes and kept about 1/10 of it or so. The rest I am putting up on the local rEcycler page for our area. One of the printers is already taken, pending pick-up. I am also getting rid of 2 ATX PC cases, a mobo, and a power supply. There are other things as well, but I do not feel like sorting them all out.I feel sort of like Fred Sanford. You should have seen the look on my wife's face when I brought all this stuff home and had it laid out all over the office floor. I know she is glad I am getting rid of most of it. She hates when I collect junk :)
I got a few things that were needed: Replacements for things I had broken or given away, a Compaq Presario (500 mhz AMD processor) that had a non-bootable CD-RW, practically no RAM, no NIC, and a bad HD. I used parts from megaserver to build it up. It is quieter than the old megasever but it does not seem as peppy. I also got 2 printers, a small pc subwoofer system, a couple CR-RW's and a DVD-RW (+R). I also decided to keep a nice joystick and game pad. WHile I am no gamer, I thought they may be used at some point.
I got all this stuff from my BiC (Brother in Christ) "Mickey". He hates to recycle unless someone else does it for him. We recycle cardboard and electronics for him and he gives his alumimum cans to a SiC (Sister in Christ) who gets money for them. She gives the money to her grandson, who has birth defects. I do not remember the name, but they keep him from being as active as other children his age. He also cannot speak clearly.
I still have more junk than I need, but I am such a pack rat...I hate to part with all of it.
Multi-tasking: I was trying to fold clothes, research stuff on the web, post stuff to the rEcyler board, and make this post. 3 out of 4 ain't too bad...
I was given a huge mound of computer stuff Monday. I sorted through the 4 totes and misc boxes and kept about 1/10 of it or so. The rest I am putting up on the local rEcycler page for our area. One of the printers is already taken, pending pick-up. I am also getting rid of 2 ATX PC cases, a mobo, and a power supply. There are other things as well, but I do not feel like sorting them all out.I feel sort of like Fred Sanford. You should have seen the look on my wife's face when I brought all this stuff home and had it laid out all over the office floor. I know she is glad I am getting rid of most of it. She hates when I collect junk :)
I got a few things that were needed: Replacements for things I had broken or given away, a Compaq Presario (500 mhz AMD processor) that had a non-bootable CD-RW, practically no RAM, no NIC, and a bad HD. I used parts from megaserver to build it up. It is quieter than the old megasever but it does not seem as peppy. I also got 2 printers, a small pc subwoofer system, a couple CR-RW's and a DVD-RW (+R). I also decided to keep a nice joystick and game pad. WHile I am no gamer, I thought they may be used at some point.
I got all this stuff from my BiC (Brother in Christ) "Mickey". He hates to recycle unless someone else does it for him. We recycle cardboard and electronics for him and he gives his alumimum cans to a SiC (Sister in Christ) who gets money for them. She gives the money to her grandson, who has birth defects. I do not remember the name, but they keep him from being as active as other children his age. He also cannot speak clearly.
I still have more junk than I need, but I am such a pack rat...I hate to part with all of it.
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