My son has been in Kuwait for about 6 months now (he just returned from taking leave in Germany) and the longer he is gone, the more I appreciate his choice to join the Texas Army National Guard. At first, my wife and I were not very happy. He is our only son (okay he is not her son, but she raised him) and the idea of him going to the world's largest sandbox to man a base did not make us happy, not even if that base is considered "safe" by military standards. However, we let him chose his path and supported his decision. I am now at peace with that.
Kuwait is not Iraq, nor is it Afghanistan. He does not get shot at on a daily basis, however there are threats. Not very long ago, a local was caught trying to plant explosives on a military vehicle and my son has gone out to patrol areas outside Kuwait City that have not been overly pleasant.
We talk on the phone once in a while. He normally talks to my wife more than he does me...I am not really big on phone calls. Call it an occupational hazard. We do have some good conversations once in a while. Recently he thanked me for showing him how to use a "pro's and con's" list to make choices. He said it has been a big help. I think I cried. It was an honor for me to be thanked for something I showed him how to do.
It means a lot to me to see my son succeed. I never joined the military, even though I have a half brother who was in the Marines and my father was in the Army National Guard. He (my father) pushed for me to join, but I was too proud to let some crazy Drill Sargent yell at and hit me during basic training. My son took a while to get acclimated but he finally did. All the mind games they put you through made him a little upset but he figured it out by the time his "red" period was over. Once they moved into "white", he was completely comfortable with Army life.
I am proud of my son and his service. He took a lot of ribbing from some regular Army vets for joining the National Guard, but his goal was to do good things on American soil, like help out after a natural disaster or provide riot control after some civil unrest. He told me that he wished he was fully trained when Hurricane Katrina hit, because he wanted to go and help out there, but he had not gone to AIT yet, so that option was out.
I look forward to seeing our son again when he gets back to the states. He is not sure what the future will bring, but he is open to a lot of things. I hope we can have him stay with us for a little while before he moves on to his next assignment.
My son is a soldier.
Monday, April 30, 2007
You Turn Your Back For One Minute...
I am going to try to recap a bit...if any of this has been journaled before, my apologies...they say memory is the first thing to go and I cannot remember what the second is.
Friday. Quiet day overall, so I leave work at 4 PM and go home (One of my BiC's) called me twice but did not leave me a message so I did not call back. More on this later). My wife calls me on the way home and asks me to pick up a few things so I do. I grab her a steak, some milk, and some yogurt. She has my brats ready to go on the grill so I have to get her steak home so it can marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Once home, I log in my work PC (I am supposed to be available until 6 PM, but my boss likes me at work early, so to make up for leaving "early" I go home and log in and keep the mobile phone close by) and keep and eye on things while trying to get the grill ready and cook my brats. The rest of dinner is done and my wife is just waiting on me. Figures.
In the process of me trying to keep up with things at work, I burn the brats (a crime punishable by death in Wisconsin) but at least my wife's steak is done perfectly...too bad it was not the cut she wanted! She was a trooper and ate it anyway (she said the flavor was great, just too much gristle)...thank you dear!
After 6 pM rolled around, I logged off and we cleaned up the kitchen. A long walk was decided upon with the dogs and then we just hung out at the house.
Saturday I got up and walked Little Man and made coffee as usual. I got ready to participate in the church work day by putting on the oldest of my old clothes and getting some tools together. I arrived at the church and waited on the rest of the trustees and the crane to arrive so we could begin.
Once the crane arrived and was set up we began removing the old steeple from the church. I had to climb a rather long ladder (did I ever mention I am not real big on ladders) to get on top of the roof to begin the removal process. Once the boom was up over the roof, the property manager attached the straps to it and the old broken steeple was removed and put on two pickup trucks (in two parts). It really needed to be on a semi, but we did not have one, so two pickup trucks had to do.
With the old one off, it was time to put the new on one. It was in two parts, so the base was hoisted up first. It was harder than expected and a lot more dangerous than I thought so my nervousness was not completely unwarranted. We finally got it in place (I have a nice scar on my finger from a sliver of fiberglass that became embedded there) and we anchored it in place. The next piece was put it place and I climbed inside to bolt down the top. Once that was done, the property manager and the crane crew moved to the second part of the big project...moving two sea containers around to make them easier to access. I was not part of that project (except for moving several HUGE 4 x 8 pallets out of the way).
I spent the rest of the work day trimming hedges, hauling away the debris and cleaning up. I left the church at about 1 PM.
At home it was lunch, a nap, laundry duty, dog duty (no pun intended) and then...the lawn (both mine and my neighbors). Once that was done a shower and some TV and bed.
Sunday was a good day. No calls on the hot line all day (THANK YOU JESUS!). . For Sunday school the teacher asked if I would show a video from Doctor David Reagan on Psalm 2 (since she would be out of town) so I did. Our service at church was very good as well. It was a spin on "The ends justify the means" and how biblically incorrect that is. I enjoyed it. After service we had a "Salad Lunch" hosted by the women's ministry. Many different types of salad were provided for the congregation to enjoy. It was a light turn out due to the fact we had a large number of families out of town for mission trips, reunions, or health/family issues. That just meant more food to enjoy!
After leaving there, my wife went shopping for some summer clothes and I went home and let out the dogs and washed some dishes. I popped in Kutless' "Live From Portland" to jam to then I finalized some bills and receipts to get caught up. Tired, I turned off the stereo and watched a little discovery, but I was unable to fall asleep with the idea that I was going to get a phone call from work at any time so I just kinda laid there.
I got up and browsed some web sites but became bored. Then my wife came home and we chatted for a while. Once my "shift" was over (manning the phone at work, forwarded to my mobile), I called mom and then went on a long walk with my wife and the dogs. It was a good walk but we can tell Little Man is (finally) showing his 13 years. He had trouble keeping up. I think it is the first time he has ever been so far behind us. I think from now on he will only get short walks. I do not want to cause him to collapse.
It was a quite night and I slept very well, but I woke up still sore from Saturday's work, so after breakfast I took two Aleve to help the pain and swelling. I need to do this all this week to help me for our upcoming vacation. I want to be ready to enjoy the sunshine!
On my way to work, the BiC who called me Friday (twice, without messages) called me to tell me he lost his job. Surprisingly he is not upset and is actually looking forward to finding another job. We chatted about his situation until I needed to start work and he let me go.
His situation troubles me some. First, he and his wife were having money issues before he took the job. He was on a 6 month probation and before that was over with, he told his wife to quit her job, which she did. Now he is stuck without a job or any real severance (only one week plus his 4 days vacation) and his wife is not bringing any money in. I warned him about this before he told her to quit, but he said that he had it all under control. No, GOD has it under control if you trust in him. Unfortunately I am not sure my BiC can trust in God 100%. He struggles with little things that many Christians take for granted. He wants to analyze instead of trusting and having faith.
I will continually pray for him and his wife. I hope their problems do not resurface because of this setback. I pray that God will use this to show him and the church how he can take anything bad and use it for good.
Friday. Quiet day overall, so I leave work at 4 PM and go home (One of my BiC's) called me twice but did not leave me a message so I did not call back. More on this later). My wife calls me on the way home and asks me to pick up a few things so I do. I grab her a steak, some milk, and some yogurt. She has my brats ready to go on the grill so I have to get her steak home so it can marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Once home, I log in my work PC (I am supposed to be available until 6 PM, but my boss likes me at work early, so to make up for leaving "early" I go home and log in and keep the mobile phone close by) and keep and eye on things while trying to get the grill ready and cook my brats. The rest of dinner is done and my wife is just waiting on me. Figures.
In the process of me trying to keep up with things at work, I burn the brats (a crime punishable by death in Wisconsin) but at least my wife's steak is done perfectly...too bad it was not the cut she wanted! She was a trooper and ate it anyway (she said the flavor was great, just too much gristle)...thank you dear!
After 6 pM rolled around, I logged off and we cleaned up the kitchen. A long walk was decided upon with the dogs and then we just hung out at the house.
Saturday I got up and walked Little Man and made coffee as usual. I got ready to participate in the church work day by putting on the oldest of my old clothes and getting some tools together. I arrived at the church and waited on the rest of the trustees and the crane to arrive so we could begin.
Once the crane arrived and was set up we began removing the old steeple from the church. I had to climb a rather long ladder (did I ever mention I am not real big on ladders) to get on top of the roof to begin the removal process. Once the boom was up over the roof, the property manager attached the straps to it and the old broken steeple was removed and put on two pickup trucks (in two parts). It really needed to be on a semi, but we did not have one, so two pickup trucks had to do.
With the old one off, it was time to put the new on one. It was in two parts, so the base was hoisted up first. It was harder than expected and a lot more dangerous than I thought so my nervousness was not completely unwarranted. We finally got it in place (I have a nice scar on my finger from a sliver of fiberglass that became embedded there) and we anchored it in place. The next piece was put it place and I climbed inside to bolt down the top. Once that was done, the property manager and the crane crew moved to the second part of the big project...moving two sea containers around to make them easier to access. I was not part of that project (except for moving several HUGE 4 x 8 pallets out of the way).
I spent the rest of the work day trimming hedges, hauling away the debris and cleaning up. I left the church at about 1 PM.
At home it was lunch, a nap, laundry duty, dog duty (no pun intended) and then...the lawn (both mine and my neighbors). Once that was done a shower and some TV and bed.
Sunday was a good day. No calls on the hot line all day (THANK YOU JESUS!). . For Sunday school the teacher asked if I would show a video from Doctor David Reagan on Psalm 2 (since she would be out of town) so I did. Our service at church was very good as well. It was a spin on "The ends justify the means" and how biblically incorrect that is. I enjoyed it. After service we had a "Salad Lunch" hosted by the women's ministry. Many different types of salad were provided for the congregation to enjoy. It was a light turn out due to the fact we had a large number of families out of town for mission trips, reunions, or health/family issues. That just meant more food to enjoy!
After leaving there, my wife went shopping for some summer clothes and I went home and let out the dogs and washed some dishes. I popped in Kutless' "Live From Portland" to jam to then I finalized some bills and receipts to get caught up. Tired, I turned off the stereo and watched a little discovery, but I was unable to fall asleep with the idea that I was going to get a phone call from work at any time so I just kinda laid there.
I got up and browsed some web sites but became bored. Then my wife came home and we chatted for a while. Once my "shift" was over (manning the phone at work, forwarded to my mobile), I called mom and then went on a long walk with my wife and the dogs. It was a good walk but we can tell Little Man is (finally) showing his 13 years. He had trouble keeping up. I think it is the first time he has ever been so far behind us. I think from now on he will only get short walks. I do not want to cause him to collapse.
It was a quite night and I slept very well, but I woke up still sore from Saturday's work, so after breakfast I took two Aleve to help the pain and swelling. I need to do this all this week to help me for our upcoming vacation. I want to be ready to enjoy the sunshine!
On my way to work, the BiC who called me Friday (twice, without messages) called me to tell me he lost his job. Surprisingly he is not upset and is actually looking forward to finding another job. We chatted about his situation until I needed to start work and he let me go.
His situation troubles me some. First, he and his wife were having money issues before he took the job. He was on a 6 month probation and before that was over with, he told his wife to quit her job, which she did. Now he is stuck without a job or any real severance (only one week plus his 4 days vacation) and his wife is not bringing any money in. I warned him about this before he told her to quit, but he said that he had it all under control. No, GOD has it under control if you trust in him. Unfortunately I am not sure my BiC can trust in God 100%. He struggles with little things that many Christians take for granted. He wants to analyze instead of trusting and having faith.
I will continually pray for him and his wife. I hope their problems do not resurface because of this setback. I pray that God will use this to show him and the church how he can take anything bad and use it for good.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Welcome To The Jungle
Man, am I sore. I was at the church (8:00 AM) working with the crane operator for a couple of hours then I moved over to hedge trimming duties, debris removal, and clean-up. Oh, I also helped move a nice large stack of 4x8 foot plywood pallets. I came home at 1:00 PM, ate a light lunch (taco salad, water) and then read for 30 minute before taking an hour nap. After more water and helping fold, move, and hold various things, I ate a cheese burrito, had some green tea and went out to mow the jungle aka mine and my neighbors lawns. Three hours later, weary, dirty, and very sweaty, I walk Little Man. The energy reserves were draining fast, Kyptin...I wanted to get a shower and go to bed.
My wife (I LOVE THAT WOMAN!) had been working on the house while I was outside (she was only halfway done...she is much more thorough than I am) but stopped to get my the bathroom read. I all I had to do was peel off my very grungy clothes in the garage and hop in the shower. After my shower, I helped my wife shake out sheets and the comforter and make the bed. Okay, I had my second wind and was not ready for sleep yet...so I watched Cage Rage Bodog fights for a couple of hours and then hit the sack.
That brings me back to sentence one. Man am I sore. Aleve time!
My wife (I LOVE THAT WOMAN!) had been working on the house while I was outside (she was only halfway done...she is much more thorough than I am) but stopped to get my the bathroom read. I all I had to do was peel off my very grungy clothes in the garage and hop in the shower. After my shower, I helped my wife shake out sheets and the comforter and make the bed. Okay, I had my second wind and was not ready for sleep yet...so I watched Cage Rage Bodog fights for a couple of hours and then hit the sack.
That brings me back to sentence one. Man am I sore. Aleve time!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Gunter, Glieben, Glauchen, Globen
Busy day tomorrow:
* At church by 7:30 AM to help put on the new steeple
* Clean and repair areas of the church
* Vacuum house
* Mow grass
* Plant sod
Law and Order in 5 minutes.
Edit title...happy Nick? :-)
* At church by 7:30 AM to help put on the new steeple
* Clean and repair areas of the church
* Vacuum house
* Mow grass
* Plant sod
Law and Order in 5 minutes.
Edit title...happy Nick? :-)
New Strategy, R2...Let The Wookiee Win
I have a new strategy in dealing with my work hours. The past few days it has worked relatively well. I go to work the normal time (7:30 AM) and leave between 4-5:00 PM. I go home and fire up the work laptop and connect to the VPN at work (I love having broadband and a router...digital crack!) and stay logged on until 6 PM. It is not too bad and so far no one has complained. It is the best I can do for the moment.
I sent off an e-mail announcing to my contacts at work that I would be on vacation soon. I gave them the info they would need to run things while I am gone. While it most likely will not go smooth (we have guy here we call "Teflon" because nothing ever stays with him long...he deflects it to someone else) I have done my best considering the way things are. When the staffing is short, you do what you can.
Darn, the Exchange server that I connect to at work is down. Shame. Most of what I do goes through e-mail. I called the help(less) desk and asked about it and they said that it was down and would be up soon. I told them they needed to update the internal outage board and he just thanked me and wished me a nice day...off-shoring the help(less) desk has been tough on us. Well, I guess I will update this blog!
My wife and I had a "date night" last night. It was far from fancy but it was nice to be out of the house for a little bit. We had the new "steakhouse" style burgers at Wendy's and while they are overpriced, they are better than the standard ones they serve.
After Wendy's, we went to Braum's for ice cream. I know I shouldn't have, but the caramel pecan hot fudge sundae there is soooooooooooo good. Hey...I walked two miles last night and I still have grass to cut, not to mention a church work day...I think I will burn it off.
I have been writing a bit lately and posting the finished products on the BSOBlog. Eventually they will make it on the BSOB web site, but one thing at a time.
I sent off an e-mail announcing to my contacts at work that I would be on vacation soon. I gave them the info they would need to run things while I am gone. While it most likely will not go smooth (we have guy here we call "Teflon" because nothing ever stays with him long...he deflects it to someone else) I have done my best considering the way things are. When the staffing is short, you do what you can.
Darn, the Exchange server that I connect to at work is down. Shame. Most of what I do goes through e-mail. I called the help(less) desk and asked about it and they said that it was down and would be up soon. I told them they needed to update the internal outage board and he just thanked me and wished me a nice day...off-shoring the help(less) desk has been tough on us. Well, I guess I will update this blog!
My wife and I had a "date night" last night. It was far from fancy but it was nice to be out of the house for a little bit. We had the new "steakhouse" style burgers at Wendy's and while they are overpriced, they are better than the standard ones they serve.
After Wendy's, we went to Braum's for ice cream. I know I shouldn't have, but the caramel pecan hot fudge sundae there is soooooooooooo good. Hey...I walked two miles last night and I still have grass to cut, not to mention a church work day...I think I will burn it off.
I have been writing a bit lately and posting the finished products on the BSOBlog. Eventually they will make it on the BSOB web site, but one thing at a time.
Calling Doctor Love
All the Russian ladies want me. I have had 3 different women e-mail me...this is just too funny. All three of there names start with "Ta" (Tanysha, Tatyana, and Tatanya). Going through my mail has never been more fun!
Odd thing is that Gmail does not recognize them as spam...so it would appear that they are sent to just one e-mail address at a time.
Odd thing is that Gmail does not recognize them as spam...so it would appear that they are sent to just one e-mail address at a time.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
I Said, "Do You Speaka My Language?"
I am not making fun of the people who entered these, but it goes to show how misspellings as well as using the wrong word can be a little...humorous. I deal with people from all over the world and I want to say upfront that I thank you for at least trying to convey the message in English. Me trying to do the same in your language would be a disaster.
Actual Trouble Ticket Comments (remember, I work in I/T):
"More information will be available when the testes results have been analyzed." (That really sounds like TMI already)
"The connection to Chile is disturbed" (How many times have I told you not to disturb your connection to Chile when he is asleep?)
Both are from this week.
Actual Trouble Ticket Comments (remember, I work in I/T):
"More information will be available when the testes results have been analyzed." (That really sounds like TMI already)
"The connection to Chile is disturbed" (How many times have I told you not to disturb your connection to Chile when he is asleep?)
Both are from this week.
On Through The Night
The rest of my work day was mostly non-eventful. Techs working on issues were slow to provide updates which is a pain for us tracking high severity issues. The 26th also marks the start of the end of quarter close, a huge issue for our customer. The systems used to track financials will be taxed to the limit as every region pulls every report known to man. There will be failures...there always is...
Just as I planned on leaving the office to go home, one of the Swede's calls me to ask about an issue. I tell him what I know, then he tells me how the process is broken. It is a global process so I tell him he should contact his boss and the Swede tells me the most amazing thing...he tells me that he is not going to talk to his boss, "the pawn" that he wants to open a full blown escalation on the issue. He then goes on to rant over the phone for 30-40 minutes...very unusual for him. I finally get him off the line by agreeing to send the request to my DLM (dotted line mgr) to open as a formal global escalation. I just know this is not going to go well.
I drove home past the golf course that was under water 10 hours before and it appears clear. the water drained rather quickly...I guess you cannot stop golfers from their vice. I continued home and set up my laptop (I really think this is silly, but I do what I must) to make sure I do not get any more last minute e-mails from our customers. Anyone ever hear of a TELEPHONE?
I fed the dogs and finish out my "shift" while I wait for my wife so we can go to care group. We are only bringing fruit so we have little to prep...good news for us. After my wife got a shower (she had just gotten back from working out) we headed over to care group.
We arrived and made small talk for a few minutes while dinner was finishing up. The leader, Jimmy was ripping some CD's he had just purchased and I told him I had a gift for him...I let him borrow a few UFC events to watch and return. His eyes lit up and gave me a huge bear hug.
The rest of the group meeting was a little bland and to be fair I will keep the comments I have in my head to myself. I think I need to pray hard about them before I say anything.
We got home at 1o:00 PM (sure babe, we will be home by 9:00 PM....right) and let the dogs out then finally settled in to watch "Jericho"...that show is getting very intense. I cannot wait for each new episode!
After that we went straight to bed.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Just as I planned on leaving the office to go home, one of the Swede's calls me to ask about an issue. I tell him what I know, then he tells me how the process is broken. It is a global process so I tell him he should contact his boss and the Swede tells me the most amazing thing...he tells me that he is not going to talk to his boss, "the pawn" that he wants to open a full blown escalation on the issue. He then goes on to rant over the phone for 30-40 minutes...very unusual for him. I finally get him off the line by agreeing to send the request to my DLM (dotted line mgr) to open as a formal global escalation. I just know this is not going to go well.
I drove home past the golf course that was under water 10 hours before and it appears clear. the water drained rather quickly...I guess you cannot stop golfers from their vice. I continued home and set up my laptop (I really think this is silly, but I do what I must) to make sure I do not get any more last minute e-mails from our customers. Anyone ever hear of a TELEPHONE?
I fed the dogs and finish out my "shift" while I wait for my wife so we can go to care group. We are only bringing fruit so we have little to prep...good news for us. After my wife got a shower (she had just gotten back from working out) we headed over to care group.
We arrived and made small talk for a few minutes while dinner was finishing up. The leader, Jimmy was ripping some CD's he had just purchased and I told him I had a gift for him...I let him borrow a few UFC events to watch and return. His eyes lit up and gave me a huge bear hug.
The rest of the group meeting was a little bland and to be fair I will keep the comments I have in my head to myself. I think I need to pray hard about them before I say anything.
We got home at 1o:00 PM (sure babe, we will be home by 9:00 PM....right) and let the dogs out then finally settled in to watch "Jericho"...that show is getting very intense. I cannot wait for each new episode!
After that we went straight to bed.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Sky Is Crying
My day went pretty well...no emergencies (thank you, Lord) but a few issues crept up in the late afternoon. I figured it was nothing to concern myself with, but I kept an I open anyway. Since I came to work early (7:30) I decided I would leave at 4:30 or so, providing things went well. My wife was working and I knew the dogs would need to get out before she got home at 6 PM.
The afternoon was cloudy and storms were forecast for the afternoon and evening. At 3:00 PM the sky turned black and the wind picked up. Local radar showed a storm coming and I knew the dogs would be nervous. The rain started coming down HARD and did so for about 3-45 minutes, then it let up to a heavy sprinkle. At 4:15 PM, I decided to go home to take care of the dogs. I planned on logging in to work when I got there so I could make sure things were covered. I got home and let out the two dogs so they could relieve themselves. Just as the first one finished, BIG drops of rain fell...soaking me and the dogs in seconds. Once Little Man (the slow poke pottier) finished we went in the garage to dry off before we went in.
I fed the dogs and nuked some dinner while the laptop was booting up. I had been offline for an hour so I needed to check a few things during my last 60 minutes of employment slavery. Once the dogs finished I washed their bowls, put the clothes that were in the washer into the dryer, and checked on work. Nothing needed attention so I looked at a spreadsheet my wife made to try to clean it up. There was not much I could do to tweak it...I personally would not have made it the way she did, but it is her project, not mine so I left it alone. I ate dinner and waited for my wife to come home.
My time of release from the grip of corporate hell (6:00 PM) arrived so I logged off and washed my dinner dishes. My wife came home and we chatted before she ran to her Women's Ministry meeting at 7:00 PM. I called my mentor at church to see if he was available for me to help him with a problem he is having with his Epson R220 printer and Filemaker Pro 7. He told me he was available and I went over to help...or at least try to.
"Ted" My mentor turned on the PC, fires up the printer and launches Filemaker Pro. He loaded the file he has trouble with (actually any Filemaker file gives this printer problems) and attempted to print it. He got an error (a very cryptic one at that) from Filemaker saying "Sorry, unable to print (error)" or something similar.
Since it never went to the print spool, I am thinking this is a config issue, so I start looking for things...I find nothing. I search the web for 1.5 hours and still cannot find anything. I found one post from someone who has this problem but no answer to it. About ready to give up, I decide to give customer service a try. I go to the support page and find the number. The instructions state I have to give the license key to the tech before they will take my call. I ask Ted for the key and he does not have it. He states the software was purchased for him by his boss and that he believes that it was purchased on E-bay. RED ALERT! Almost every software sale I have seen on E-bay was for pirated software. Ted's boss told him that when he ordered the software it had a disclaimer that no phone support was provided. There was no key with it when he got it. My guess is that it is a bogus copy.
Ted asks me if we can call tech support anyway and plead our case. I tell him that at best, he will have to buy a full blown copy of the newest version of Filemaker before they will help. Vendors are pretty strict about pirated software.
By they way, if anyone knows how to fix that issue, let me know. Thanx.
I left Ted's house at 8:15 or so and went home to walk the dogs. I got about half way through my walk when it started raining again and by the time I got home, the dogs and I were pretty wet. I dried them off and got int dry clothes and started to watch TV...nothing but local coverage about the storm that is moving east...right for us. It had already done some damage west of us and was moving at a good clip towards my town.
My wife got home just before the storm's heavy rain and fierce winds kicked in. Water was pelting the west side of the house causing water to seep under the front door. I put an old towel there to absorb anything that came in. My wife and I chatted while I surfed the web, but I realized that I was growing sleepy, so I went to bed. One things about storms that I like...they relax me. I could (and have) slept though a hurricane. I did not wake up until about 4;30 and since I really could not get back to sleep, I laid there until the alarm went off.
I got up and got ready to walk Little Man. The walk was peaceful and stress free (no manic paper carrier hurling rolled papers at every turn like I face most mornings) but when I walked down the alley to deposit some trash, I notice the recycle bin has been overturned, spilling a good bit of its contents in the alley and the yards of a few of our neighbors. I spent several minutes picking up the wet, but clean bottles, cans, and papers and put them back into the closest can. The stuff was scattered over three yards, no including our own. While under normal circumstances this would have angered me some, I just blew it off. My sleeping during the storm calmed me.
I left the house after performing my normal ritual and drove the typical route to work. Pecan Hollow golf course is along the way (situated right next to a sewage treatment plant...lol) and this morning it was under water...it had rained that hard last night. No golf today for the fans of link action.
As I drove to work, I noticed how clean the city appears after a rainstorm. The smell of ozone is still present (until the smell of diesel and gasoline smog hide it) and the air has a crispness to it. I really enjoy feeling of post storm. The torrents of water strip away the dirt and grime of the city and for a few hours, she is clean. After her inhabitants wake and begin their day, she quickly becomes soiled with the filth of humans in motion. Our cars and tools cover the freshly scrubbed surfaces with a layer of stink that will cling to everything until the next cleansing storm rolls by.
The afternoon was cloudy and storms were forecast for the afternoon and evening. At 3:00 PM the sky turned black and the wind picked up. Local radar showed a storm coming and I knew the dogs would be nervous. The rain started coming down HARD and did so for about 3-45 minutes, then it let up to a heavy sprinkle. At 4:15 PM, I decided to go home to take care of the dogs. I planned on logging in to work when I got there so I could make sure things were covered. I got home and let out the two dogs so they could relieve themselves. Just as the first one finished, BIG drops of rain fell...soaking me and the dogs in seconds. Once Little Man (the slow poke pottier) finished we went in the garage to dry off before we went in.
I fed the dogs and nuked some dinner while the laptop was booting up. I had been offline for an hour so I needed to check a few things during my last 60 minutes of employment slavery. Once the dogs finished I washed their bowls, put the clothes that were in the washer into the dryer, and checked on work. Nothing needed attention so I looked at a spreadsheet my wife made to try to clean it up. There was not much I could do to tweak it...I personally would not have made it the way she did, but it is her project, not mine so I left it alone. I ate dinner and waited for my wife to come home.
My time of release from the grip of corporate hell (6:00 PM) arrived so I logged off and washed my dinner dishes. My wife came home and we chatted before she ran to her Women's Ministry meeting at 7:00 PM. I called my mentor at church to see if he was available for me to help him with a problem he is having with his Epson R220 printer and Filemaker Pro 7. He told me he was available and I went over to help...or at least try to.
"Ted" My mentor turned on the PC, fires up the printer and launches Filemaker Pro. He loaded the file he has trouble with (actually any Filemaker file gives this printer problems) and attempted to print it. He got an error (a very cryptic one at that) from Filemaker saying "Sorry, unable to print (error)" or something similar.
Since it never went to the print spool, I am thinking this is a config issue, so I start looking for things...I find nothing. I search the web for 1.5 hours and still cannot find anything. I found one post from someone who has this problem but no answer to it. About ready to give up, I decide to give customer service a try. I go to the support page and find the number. The instructions state I have to give the license key to the tech before they will take my call. I ask Ted for the key and he does not have it. He states the software was purchased for him by his boss and that he believes that it was purchased on E-bay. RED ALERT! Almost every software sale I have seen on E-bay was for pirated software. Ted's boss told him that when he ordered the software it had a disclaimer that no phone support was provided. There was no key with it when he got it. My guess is that it is a bogus copy.
Ted asks me if we can call tech support anyway and plead our case. I tell him that at best, he will have to buy a full blown copy of the newest version of Filemaker before they will help. Vendors are pretty strict about pirated software.
By they way, if anyone knows how to fix that issue, let me know. Thanx.
I left Ted's house at 8:15 or so and went home to walk the dogs. I got about half way through my walk when it started raining again and by the time I got home, the dogs and I were pretty wet. I dried them off and got int dry clothes and started to watch TV...nothing but local coverage about the storm that is moving east...right for us. It had already done some damage west of us and was moving at a good clip towards my town.
My wife got home just before the storm's heavy rain and fierce winds kicked in. Water was pelting the west side of the house causing water to seep under the front door. I put an old towel there to absorb anything that came in. My wife and I chatted while I surfed the web, but I realized that I was growing sleepy, so I went to bed. One things about storms that I like...they relax me. I could (and have) slept though a hurricane. I did not wake up until about 4;30 and since I really could not get back to sleep, I laid there until the alarm went off.
I got up and got ready to walk Little Man. The walk was peaceful and stress free (no manic paper carrier hurling rolled papers at every turn like I face most mornings) but when I walked down the alley to deposit some trash, I notice the recycle bin has been overturned, spilling a good bit of its contents in the alley and the yards of a few of our neighbors. I spent several minutes picking up the wet, but clean bottles, cans, and papers and put them back into the closest can. The stuff was scattered over three yards, no including our own. While under normal circumstances this would have angered me some, I just blew it off. My sleeping during the storm calmed me.
I left the house after performing my normal ritual and drove the typical route to work. Pecan Hollow golf course is along the way (situated right next to a sewage treatment plant...lol) and this morning it was under water...it had rained that hard last night. No golf today for the fans of link action.
As I drove to work, I noticed how clean the city appears after a rainstorm. The smell of ozone is still present (until the smell of diesel and gasoline smog hide it) and the air has a crispness to it. I really enjoy feeling of post storm. The torrents of water strip away the dirt and grime of the city and for a few hours, she is clean. After her inhabitants wake and begin their day, she quickly becomes soiled with the filth of humans in motion. Our cars and tools cover the freshly scrubbed surfaces with a layer of stink that will cling to everything until the next cleansing storm rolls by.
Too Fast For (Tanysha) Love
Okay, I am giggling to myself. I am giggling because SPAM, while annoying, is funny sometimes.
The other day I got an e-mail (in my generic catch all account) from "tanysha dot love at gee mail dot com". The way it was worded made me believe that it was sent to me by mistake, so I responded to the sender and told them so...nothing more, nothing less. The next day I received another e-mail in the same account with three words in the body, "Your Feet Stink". Thinking that this was a joke from the BSOB boys, I responded with, "You Hurt My Feelings". Again, nothing more, nothing less.
A few days go by and I get a long e-mail (with photos!) of "Tanysha", who lives in Russia, likes Italian food, hates Uzbeki food, and enjoys playing billiards (proven by photo). The e-mail is in "broken" English and reads like a bad Babelfish translation. In the e-mail, she tells me she wants to know more about me, my likes and my dislikes, my full name and a phone number. I realized at this point BSOB was not playing a joke on me but this was a scam. This type of scam is common but I have never gotten any like this before. Most of "date mails" are ads for adult web sites or adult dating...and I have no idea why I get them...but not to worry, the SPAM filters do their job well. I did a little research and have found that the "Russian singles" scam preys on lonely men (strike one) who are looking for love in a foreign land. Some of these scammers only take money. They usually have a man (a big strong Ruskie) waiting in the wings to help muscle money if offers of sex and attention are not enough to elicit cash. Some people have been kidnapped or even killed over this.
I had initially thought of playing along but for safety's sake, I chose not to. When I did an IP trace, it was obvious that the person was in the US, working behind a router in a home or an office. If the person was in the US, it would be too easy for them to "come a calling" and hurt my family. If I were single and had the backing of my BSOB brethren,I might have played along. I have done so with the Nigerian scammers a few times, only because they are not local and the odds of them wasting money to fly to the US to find me are slim. if the scam originates in the US (I always check IP's), I ignore it.
A point on the phone number. In the e-mail she sent me, she told me her phone was broken, but wanted my phone number to call me. With the rapidly growing use of IP telephony (Skype, etc), scammers can spoof any phone number and ANI code they want...making a trace very difficult. If you are going to "bait the scammer", PLEASE be careful.
The other day I got an e-mail (in my generic catch all account) from "tanysha dot love at gee mail dot com". The way it was worded made me believe that it was sent to me by mistake, so I responded to the sender and told them so...nothing more, nothing less. The next day I received another e-mail in the same account with three words in the body, "Your Feet Stink". Thinking that this was a joke from the BSOB boys, I responded with, "You Hurt My Feelings". Again, nothing more, nothing less.
A few days go by and I get a long e-mail (with photos!) of "Tanysha", who lives in Russia, likes Italian food, hates Uzbeki food, and enjoys playing billiards (proven by photo). The e-mail is in "broken" English and reads like a bad Babelfish translation. In the e-mail, she tells me she wants to know more about me, my likes and my dislikes, my full name and a phone number. I realized at this point BSOB was not playing a joke on me but this was a scam. This type of scam is common but I have never gotten any like this before. Most of "date mails" are ads for adult web sites or adult dating...and I have no idea why I get them...but not to worry, the SPAM filters do their job well. I did a little research and have found that the "Russian singles" scam preys on lonely men (strike one) who are looking for love in a foreign land. Some of these scammers only take money. They usually have a man (a big strong Ruskie) waiting in the wings to help muscle money if offers of sex and attention are not enough to elicit cash. Some people have been kidnapped or even killed over this.
I had initially thought of playing along but for safety's sake, I chose not to. When I did an IP trace, it was obvious that the person was in the US, working behind a router in a home or an office. If the person was in the US, it would be too easy for them to "come a calling" and hurt my family. If I were single and had the backing of my BSOB brethren,I might have played along. I have done so with the Nigerian scammers a few times, only because they are not local and the odds of them wasting money to fly to the US to find me are slim. if the scam originates in the US (I always check IP's), I ignore it.
A point on the phone number. In the e-mail she sent me, she told me her phone was broken, but wanted my phone number to call me. With the rapidly growing use of IP telephony (Skype, etc), scammers can spoof any phone number and ANI code they want...making a trace very difficult. If you are going to "bait the scammer", PLEASE be careful.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
I Am Beginning To Dislike This
I never did figure out what the cryptic e-mail meant, but I have a clue. With that in mind I am most likely going to have to change my work hours and be off of work at 6 PM instead of 4:40 or 5:00 PM. While I am not thrilled about that, I will do what is required. With that in mind, it would be nice if the calls to me stop at 6:00 PM (unless it is a local issue). I still expect to provide seven day a week coverage, but having my evenings free would help my mental state.
Speaking of schedules, our customer contacted me via e-mail 20 minutes before my "shift" was over, asking for more info on an issue. If it was that important, why didn't they call me instead of e-mailing me? What if I was not at my desk? Why is it that customers want info at the end of the business day instead of the middle? I fully understood their issue (I had the same concerns) but why wait until after most people have gone home before you raise and issue?
Working late yesterday was a benefit for my wife who was trying to get everything done before I got home. I love my wife and wish that she did not feel that she had to do everything to please me. I don't mind if dinner is not cooked when I get home. If she has been busy doing a zillion different things and did not have time, I am okay with a sandwich...really!
I got home and ate a quick dinner (Super Nachos and tea) and walked Little Man before a storm blew in. After the dinner and walk, I helped with clothes and washed the dinner dishes. With all that done, we settled in to watch "24".
When I was done with 24, I watched UFC 70 ...which was pretty good overall. It gave me some insight on some things and even though the fights are good, the UFC President, Dana White, needs to stop the drama. It almost looks like WWE, only with real fighting. By the way, I gained a ton of respect for Machida...he really is a talented fighter.
UFC 70 was over at 11:30 PM...much later than I had expected...so I hit the sack as soon as I could get everything closed down and locked up. I was tired...more mentally than physically and I needed sleep. I knew 5 AM would come quickly so I let sleep wash over me. I do not think I woke up during the night except to move a pillow that had invaded my space.
The alarm went off and I have to admit that it confused me at first. I finally got myself together enough to walk Little Man. As I stepped outside, the humidity struck me hard...my sinuses are hurting but not bad enough for meds...yet. I needed a jacket to break up the strong winds that were blowing. They were strong enough to move trash cans around the alley behind our house.
I finished up my routine and left the house at 6:45. I know that I most likely will be here until 6 PM (unless I am blessed with a light day) but there are things that need done in the early morning I need to get to.
During my drive I opted for "quiet time" with God. I meditated on some lyrics, based on one of the Psalms ("Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere") and was kinda happy that my BiC who calls me almost every morning decided not to today. Sometimes we just need to be alone with God. Back in NC, I would take long walks in the woods behind our house with Little Man when my spirit needed communing with my God. I once took a walk in the pouring rain with that dog (I did not force him to go..he seemed to enjoy it and maybe he could sense I needed him with me) and walked for a couple of hours in the stillness of the pine forests of Durham, NC. I came back refreshed, albeit very wet and somewhat muddy. My wife did not complain. She just smiled and told me to get a hot shower and she would make some decaf coffee for us.
Yeah, I am bummed, but I am not looking for sympathy or pity. All I want is some rest from the chaos. Corporate IT is beginning to lose its appeal.
Speaking of schedules, our customer contacted me via e-mail 20 minutes before my "shift" was over, asking for more info on an issue. If it was that important, why didn't they call me instead of e-mailing me? What if I was not at my desk? Why is it that customers want info at the end of the business day instead of the middle? I fully understood their issue (I had the same concerns) but why wait until after most people have gone home before you raise and issue?
Working late yesterday was a benefit for my wife who was trying to get everything done before I got home. I love my wife and wish that she did not feel that she had to do everything to please me. I don't mind if dinner is not cooked when I get home. If she has been busy doing a zillion different things and did not have time, I am okay with a sandwich...really!
I got home and ate a quick dinner (Super Nachos and tea) and walked Little Man before a storm blew in. After the dinner and walk, I helped with clothes and washed the dinner dishes. With all that done, we settled in to watch "24".
When I was done with 24, I watched UFC 70 ...which was pretty good overall. It gave me some insight on some things and even though the fights are good, the UFC President, Dana White, needs to stop the drama. It almost looks like WWE, only with real fighting. By the way, I gained a ton of respect for Machida...he really is a talented fighter.
UFC 70 was over at 11:30 PM...much later than I had expected...so I hit the sack as soon as I could get everything closed down and locked up. I was tired...more mentally than physically and I needed sleep. I knew 5 AM would come quickly so I let sleep wash over me. I do not think I woke up during the night except to move a pillow that had invaded my space.
The alarm went off and I have to admit that it confused me at first. I finally got myself together enough to walk Little Man. As I stepped outside, the humidity struck me hard...my sinuses are hurting but not bad enough for meds...yet. I needed a jacket to break up the strong winds that were blowing. They were strong enough to move trash cans around the alley behind our house.
I finished up my routine and left the house at 6:45. I know that I most likely will be here until 6 PM (unless I am blessed with a light day) but there are things that need done in the early morning I need to get to.
During my drive I opted for "quiet time" with God. I meditated on some lyrics, based on one of the Psalms ("Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere") and was kinda happy that my BiC who calls me almost every morning decided not to today. Sometimes we just need to be alone with God. Back in NC, I would take long walks in the woods behind our house with Little Man when my spirit needed communing with my God. I once took a walk in the pouring rain with that dog (I did not force him to go..he seemed to enjoy it and maybe he could sense I needed him with me) and walked for a couple of hours in the stillness of the pine forests of Durham, NC. I came back refreshed, albeit very wet and somewhat muddy. My wife did not complain. She just smiled and told me to get a hot shower and she would make some decaf coffee for us.
Yeah, I am bummed, but I am not looking for sympathy or pity. All I want is some rest from the chaos. Corporate IT is beginning to lose its appeal.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Blue Tomorrow
...actually blue Monday...I am not motivated at all.
I chatted with my boss/old boss (not surewhich , we just re-org'd again) and we exchanged pleasantries (how was your weekend, etc). I old him mine was busy and he asked my how, so I gave him the run down. He seemed surprised that I was still doing the same old job without any relief. He said he would go talk to his boss about it. I was offered another position here (details are sketchy because nothing has been fleshed out yet) and I have accepted it under the condition that my current role disappears...I do not want to do it any more. I do not want to be on call 24 x 7 x 365. Period. My bosses boss agreed to this, but told me he needed to work on something first. I have not heard back from him with the exception of a lot of mgr talk (no disrespect meant...he does not have an answer for me yet).
My wife asked me when I am taking any days off (outside of the vacation I will be taking in few weeks) and I just chuckled. Extra bodies is not something we have right now. She can tell this is beginning to wear on me. I have been on this since Nov 1, 2006 without an official day off (the job description says Mon-Sun, 10-6), holiday, or vacation. Not whining, just commenting. At this point a 22 hour drive to the Crystal Coast will be a pleasure compared to always being on call.
I also got a very cryptic e-mail from my DLM (dotted line manager) in Europe today. It made no sense at all but rather than open a can of worms and e-mailing him about it...I just left it. It has something to do with an issue he is actively working on (I am getting the updates) but I am lost on what the e-mail was for.
Oh well. Anyone have any chocolate?
I chatted with my boss/old boss (not surewhich , we just re-org'd again) and we exchanged pleasantries (how was your weekend, etc). I old him mine was busy and he asked my how, so I gave him the run down. He seemed surprised that I was still doing the same old job without any relief. He said he would go talk to his boss about it. I was offered another position here (details are sketchy because nothing has been fleshed out yet) and I have accepted it under the condition that my current role disappears...I do not want to do it any more. I do not want to be on call 24 x 7 x 365. Period. My bosses boss agreed to this, but told me he needed to work on something first. I have not heard back from him with the exception of a lot of mgr talk (no disrespect meant...he does not have an answer for me yet).
My wife asked me when I am taking any days off (outside of the vacation I will be taking in few weeks) and I just chuckled. Extra bodies is not something we have right now. She can tell this is beginning to wear on me. I have been on this since Nov 1, 2006 without an official day off (the job description says Mon-Sun, 10-6), holiday, or vacation. Not whining, just commenting. At this point a 22 hour drive to the Crystal Coast will be a pleasure compared to always being on call.
I also got a very cryptic e-mail from my DLM (dotted line manager) in Europe today. It made no sense at all but rather than open a can of worms and e-mailing him about it...I just left it. It has something to do with an issue he is actively working on (I am getting the updates) but I am lost on what the e-mail was for.
Oh well. Anyone have any chocolate?
Dreamtime
Well, the evening was quiet. At 6 PM I logged off and then called mom to see what was up. at 7:05 I said good bye to mom so I would watch some TV and walk Little Man. I really needed a pick-me-up since the day had been lost. As I pondered about the day, I realized the reason I was most disappointed was that I missed church and lunch with my wife (ok, I sorta had lunch with her, but it was hurried) and I look forward to those things each and every week. This week, it was interrupted and the day was lost (I even missed my Sunday afternoon nap). I know I failed to give serve cheese with this whine, but it does bother me. Prayer has helped, but writing helps finalize it.
After TV and walking Little Man, I drove to the store to get me a "pick me up". I got a pint of Blue Bell, "Fudge Brownie Madness" and scarfed it down. I figured I would pay for it later, but I really needed something for me. In a matter of minutes it was gone. I was getting drowsy and decided to go to bed. My wife did not stay up but I was asleep before she even made it to bed. I was that tired.
As I was getting up my wife stated that I accidentally bashed her with my pillow as I was trying to get comfortable...right before my alarm went off. I was pretty out of it, but Little Man knew what to do so I just followed him. I guess we did okay...I am at work, clean and clothed.
There were several high severity issues on the threat board but I am not going to worry about them until I am called. Most do not affect us and the few that do are being worked on.
Tonight is "24" night and maybe I can watch UFC 70 after that. I read that it was pretty good an upset or two and a few exciting fights. MMA is getting very popular and I am glad to see that.
After TV and walking Little Man, I drove to the store to get me a "pick me up". I got a pint of Blue Bell, "Fudge Brownie Madness" and scarfed it down. I figured I would pay for it later, but I really needed something for me. In a matter of minutes it was gone. I was getting drowsy and decided to go to bed. My wife did not stay up but I was asleep before she even made it to bed. I was that tired.
As I was getting up my wife stated that I accidentally bashed her with my pillow as I was trying to get comfortable...right before my alarm went off. I was pretty out of it, but Little Man knew what to do so I just followed him. I guess we did okay...I am at work, clean and clothed.
There were several high severity issues on the threat board but I am not going to worry about them until I am called. Most do not affect us and the few that do are being worked on.
Tonight is "24" night and maybe I can watch UFC 70 after that. I read that it was pretty good an upset or two and a few exciting fights. MMA is getting very popular and I am glad to see that.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Third Time's The Charm?
Yup...I got a THIRD issue on today. To make matters worse, the second issue, which we thought was resolved, wasn't. It seems that someone made a mistake and sent LAST YEARS license to us to install...and guess what...when you install it...it fails. Go figure.
The calls came in at 9:30ish, 12:30ish, and 3:00 PM. The last one was just a request to have 2 cases elevated in severity. Of course the process was not followed and to be honest the cases were in the process of being elevated, but it still meant a phone call or three to tie up all the loose ends. I am not sure how many international calls I made today...but if my call log on my phone is correct, I made nine and received five. That is nine to five in new light.
The good news is that as long as nothing regional shows up, in 15 minutes I am out of the woods on the global stuff.
The calls came in at 9:30ish, 12:30ish, and 3:00 PM. The last one was just a request to have 2 cases elevated in severity. Of course the process was not followed and to be honest the cases were in the process of being elevated, but it still meant a phone call or three to tie up all the loose ends. I am not sure how many international calls I made today...but if my call log on my phone is correct, I made nine and received five. That is nine to five in new light.
The good news is that as long as nothing regional shows up, in 15 minutes I am out of the woods on the global stuff.
Once, Twice...
1:41 PM ... my day has been far from smooth. Christians are to take Sunday off as a day of rest and I usually manage to do that. Today however, has not been like that.
Up early to walk the dogs and enjoy coffee and muffins with my lovely wife. A quick check of my e-mail and off to the showers. After a quick shower and the washing of some dishes, I was off to Sunday school. About 1/3 of the way through class, my phone rings and it is the escalation hotline. It is not time for me to start taking international calls but I cannot tell who is calling until I pick up. A nice woman from Stockholm needs an issue looked into that is troubling one of her customers. I excuse myself and go home to work on the case. Around 11:30 all is well.
My wife calls around noon or so asking if I want to go have lunch since I missed church. I agree, but I tell her we have to stay close. I have a feeling I am going to get called again. We went to La Finca and ordered shrimp quesadillas and about halfway through our meal, the hotline rings again. At least the person was polite...they knew I had to eat sometime!
I finished as soon as I could and went home to log on the system. I got logged on and made my calls...only to wait while people investigate and get back to me. I wonder if there will be a third time today...now it cannot be one of the two previous issues...it would have to be a new one...what are the odds of that during my shift?
Oh, by the way, the reason I got the first call was because no one was able to get in contact of the guy on duty.
Nice.
Up early to walk the dogs and enjoy coffee and muffins with my lovely wife. A quick check of my e-mail and off to the showers. After a quick shower and the washing of some dishes, I was off to Sunday school. About 1/3 of the way through class, my phone rings and it is the escalation hotline. It is not time for me to start taking international calls but I cannot tell who is calling until I pick up. A nice woman from Stockholm needs an issue looked into that is troubling one of her customers. I excuse myself and go home to work on the case. Around 11:30 all is well.
My wife calls around noon or so asking if I want to go have lunch since I missed church. I agree, but I tell her we have to stay close. I have a feeling I am going to get called again. We went to La Finca and ordered shrimp quesadillas and about halfway through our meal, the hotline rings again. At least the person was polite...they knew I had to eat sometime!
I finished as soon as I could and went home to log on the system. I got logged on and made my calls...only to wait while people investigate and get back to me. I wonder if there will be a third time today...now it cannot be one of the two previous issues...it would have to be a new one...what are the odds of that during my shift?
Oh, by the way, the reason I got the first call was because no one was able to get in contact of the guy on duty.
Nice.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Nothing Runs Like A Deer, Part 1
A feisty fawn, that is! Last night I decided to do a distribution upgrade of Ubuntu 6.10 (edgy eft) to 7.04 (feisty fawn). I did not spend a lot of time on it but I will give you first impressions.
First, I had a power glitch last night and the installation was stopped (in a very painful way) half way through the download. I got the system back up and re-started the download /installation and noticed that it said it was updating to 6.10...not 7.04, but the files being downloaded were feisty fawn files, so I let it go. About an hour later the system was downloaded and the files were installed. I rebooted and logged back in. The desktop effects seemed a bit snazzier (but I cannot place how) but the overall speed was about the same (unlike my low end box at work that appears to run faster with 7.04). I ran localepurge to get rid of those language files I did not need (you can clear out a lot of space by doing that) and ran apt-get clean && apt-get autoclean to get rid of all the temp files. My install is still big (I run KDE and Gnome) but a bit leaner now. Sometime soon I need to decide if I want KDE or Gnome and get rid of the other. I am not a fan of many of the KDE apps, but I like the desktop more and more...almost on par with Gnome). I have IceWM at work and KDE on the laptop. The desktop has both Gnome and KDE while the server has Gnome.
I tested a few apps (mainly media files to see that they worked, removed automatix for 6.10 and installed the same file but only for 7.04 and installed a couple of the apps...all went well. I really was not in the mood to do much more so I went into the living room with Mrs Gee to watch some TV...I took the Mepis laptop with me to check news since what was on TV was not too my liking, but I wanted to be in the same room with my wife so she did not feel abandoned.
This is only part one since I have not completed my testing yet. More testing will come tomorrow since it is my day of rest.
First, I had a power glitch last night and the installation was stopped (in a very painful way) half way through the download. I got the system back up and re-started the download /installation and noticed that it said it was updating to 6.10...not 7.04, but the files being downloaded were feisty fawn files, so I let it go. About an hour later the system was downloaded and the files were installed. I rebooted and logged back in. The desktop effects seemed a bit snazzier (but I cannot place how) but the overall speed was about the same (unlike my low end box at work that appears to run faster with 7.04). I ran localepurge to get rid of those language files I did not need (you can clear out a lot of space by doing that) and ran apt-get clean && apt-get autoclean to get rid of all the temp files. My install is still big (I run KDE and Gnome) but a bit leaner now. Sometime soon I need to decide if I want KDE or Gnome and get rid of the other. I am not a fan of many of the KDE apps, but I like the desktop more and more...almost on par with Gnome). I have IceWM at work and KDE on the laptop. The desktop has both Gnome and KDE while the server has Gnome.
I tested a few apps (mainly media files to see that they worked, removed automatix for 6.10 and installed the same file but only for 7.04 and installed a couple of the apps...all went well. I really was not in the mood to do much more so I went into the living room with Mrs Gee to watch some TV...I took the Mepis laptop with me to check news since what was on TV was not too my liking, but I wanted to be in the same room with my wife so she did not feel abandoned.
This is only part one since I have not completed my testing yet. More testing will come tomorrow since it is my day of rest.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Maximus Overdrive, Part 2
I was able to get home and eat a quick dinner (chips, salsa, and 2 cheese burritos, plus a Monster Low Carb Energy Drink) and get the two lawns (ours and our neighbors) cut just as darkness fell. I walked Little Man and a quick shower soon followed. With all the mandatory chores complete, it was time to see how the OS install (Debian Linux) on Maximus turned out.
I rebooted the PC after upgrading the BIOS (which was pre-Y2k) and was greeted with the proper log on screen. I logged on and everything appeared to be working. I was connected to the net and was able to view various web sites. Setting up the machine for FTP, ssh, and other things would come later since I was tired and still had some bills to enter in the other PC. With that in mind, I shut down Maximus and fired up the other PC and entered my bills. When I was done entering bills, I had a little time so I figured that I would tweak Maximus a bit until I went to bed. I fired him and once GDM loaded the log on screen, I knew there was a problem. The resolution was and 800 x 600 instead of the 1280 x 1020 that I am used to. I ran "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" as root to reset the config file, using the auto detect and the defaults...all worked well. I restarted GDM and my desktop was back.
I also noticed that my FAT32 drive was not mounted (I had mounted it before with the Gnome tool) so I mounted it again. I rebooted to check and it again was working as normal.
I read that Automatix now works on Debian, so I got the .deb file from the site. I jumped to a command prompt, changed to root and ran dpkg -i $automatix_file_name.deb and installed the app. All was well. I did not have much that I wanted from Automatix (at this point, anyway) but it does have a few neat things I could use later.
One of the few things it has I was wanting to try was the Azureus bit torrent client. It took a little tweaking but I finally managed to get it installed and configured. I had to run it as root to get the update to take, but that was not a big deal. I tested it and it downloaded a test iso image, which I deleted since I did not need it. Now at least I have a workign BT client.
I would have preferred to use the original BitTorrent client, but the site was not allowing me to download it so I opted for Azureus. I cannot see what the big deal is about that client. It seems a bit bloated just to seed or download files.
I then configured SSH/SSH server so now I can connect to it remotely. That is one of the few things that went seamlessly...not that the others were difficult...they just did not run "out of the box". I actually do not mind jumping to a command line to edit my sources.list or any other config file.
By this time I was getting tired (actually I was falling asleep at the keyboard) so I decided to hit the hay.
I can say that I am impressed with Debian 4, aka "Etch" so far as a desktop. I am not quite a "noob" but I am far an admin. Everything I did was pretty easy to do, albeit some of it was from the command line...something new Linux users tend to avoid.
The one odd thing (I noticed this on my Mepis install as well) is that the networkmanager icon shows the the network is not available, but I can communicate between machines and get out on the web without problems. This started after the second reboot.
Most likely there will be more to come on this topic.
I rebooted the PC after upgrading the BIOS (which was pre-Y2k) and was greeted with the proper log on screen. I logged on and everything appeared to be working. I was connected to the net and was able to view various web sites. Setting up the machine for FTP, ssh, and other things would come later since I was tired and still had some bills to enter in the other PC. With that in mind, I shut down Maximus and fired up the other PC and entered my bills. When I was done entering bills, I had a little time so I figured that I would tweak Maximus a bit until I went to bed. I fired him and once GDM loaded the log on screen, I knew there was a problem. The resolution was and 800 x 600 instead of the 1280 x 1020 that I am used to. I ran "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" as root to reset the config file, using the auto detect and the defaults...all worked well. I restarted GDM and my desktop was back.
I also noticed that my FAT32 drive was not mounted (I had mounted it before with the Gnome tool) so I mounted it again. I rebooted to check and it again was working as normal.
I read that Automatix now works on Debian, so I got the .deb file from the site. I jumped to a command prompt, changed to root and ran dpkg -i $automatix_file_name.deb and installed the app. All was well. I did not have much that I wanted from Automatix (at this point, anyway) but it does have a few neat things I could use later.
One of the few things it has I was wanting to try was the Azureus bit torrent client. It took a little tweaking but I finally managed to get it installed and configured. I had to run it as root to get the update to take, but that was not a big deal. I tested it and it downloaded a test iso image, which I deleted since I did not need it. Now at least I have a workign BT client.
I would have preferred to use the original BitTorrent client, but the site was not allowing me to download it so I opted for Azureus. I cannot see what the big deal is about that client. It seems a bit bloated just to seed or download files.
I then configured SSH/SSH server so now I can connect to it remotely. That is one of the few things that went seamlessly...not that the others were difficult...they just did not run "out of the box". I actually do not mind jumping to a command line to edit my sources.list or any other config file.
By this time I was getting tired (actually I was falling asleep at the keyboard) so I decided to hit the hay.
I can say that I am impressed with Debian 4, aka "Etch" so far as a desktop. I am not quite a "noob" but I am far an admin. Everything I did was pretty easy to do, albeit some of it was from the command line...something new Linux users tend to avoid.
The one odd thing (I noticed this on my Mepis install as well) is that the networkmanager icon shows the the network is not available, but I can communicate between machines and get out on the web without problems. This started after the second reboot.
Most likely there will be more to come on this topic.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Maximus Overdrive, Part 1
A few days ago I started thinking about changing the OS on my server, Maximus (which because of the loudness of the PSU and exhaust fan is seldom used) from Ubuntu to something else. The R&D branch of my customer uses Red Hat and SuSE so I thought I would give one of the open source (Fedora and OpenSuSE) versions a try. Never a fan of Red Hat, I thought I would give the German engineered SuSE a try.
I do not have a DVD burner (I really have not had the need yet) so the DVD installation option was out. Using CD's would require 5 of them (and that just appeared to be a waste, IMHO) so that option was out. I then saw that they offered a "net install" option. I have a solid broadband connection (Road Runner has been pretty good SO far) so I opted to try a "net install".
I booted to the CD and was greeted with the install screen. I noticed some defaults were already populated (all within the acceptable ranges) so I pressed enter. After a few moments I was greeted with a blank and a monitor message saying, "Out of Range". Hugh? I have an new 19 in Viewsonic flat panel monitor and the video card is an ATI 9200 (IIRC) so it should not be "out of range". I tried several more times and the same thing happened. I searched the web and found that this is/has been a problem since the last version and it still has not been fixed.
Strike One.
I change the screen settings to 1024 x 768 and try again. The detection phase begins. It runs through the normal detection and tries to set up DHCP, and it fails (no other distro has failed to set up DHCP on an install before)...forcing me to enter the values manually. No worries...I have them memorized. Now I have to put in an IP address so I can connect to (I did not have to do this with a Debian install I did a week before on the laptop) a repository someplace. The ones listed on the OpenSuSE page for the US are pretty slim and most of them fail trying to get the index files.
Strike Two.
I Google for other FTP/HTTP sites to download from. I find one close enough (Utah) and begin to download. Wow, the files are flying! In no time the config screen comes up and I give my obligatory answers to begin the download of 2 gigs of files. The process goes on for 5-10 minutes and then I get an error that it cannot download a specific file. I get the option to skip, so I do and the process stops. I start all over again but get the same results. I try another server (one that is much slower) and I get the same message on the same file.
Strike Three. I am not installing OpenSuSE today.
I go through my CD's of Linux distros and find Mandriva 2007. I realize it is based on Red Hat (not my favorite) but I am told over and over again how superior Mandriva is. I decide to give it a shot. I pop in the CD and reboot.
The install (which is actually a live CD initially) goes very quickly and smooth (I am wondering if it would have worked on the laptop with the ACX100 chip for wireless) and in just a few minutes I am greeted with a bright yellow-orange screen (what is it with yellow and orange in these distributions? I really prefer the blue shades in Mepis) and I begin to poke around. I find that it has mounted my FAT32 HDD and written it in fstab properly, which is a good thing. I poke and prod and decide to try to update the files (something that Debian distros do very well) and find the update utility. I update the OS and play around but realize that I really am a Debian "ho" :-) so I look for something else. I remember that I have a Debian 4 "Etch" net install CD that I burned a few days ago so I pop it in. If you have never installed Debian before (not Ubuntu or Mepis, but regular Debian) then you need to get a cup of coffee because it takes a while. Also you need to check on it periodically because it will ask you questions during the install that you need to answer before it will continue. I think the install took about 2 hours on a 1 ghz, 256 megs RAM machine with a fast connection.
In part two I will go into what happened after I rebooted the machine.
I do not have a DVD burner (I really have not had the need yet) so the DVD installation option was out. Using CD's would require 5 of them (and that just appeared to be a waste, IMHO) so that option was out. I then saw that they offered a "net install" option. I have a solid broadband connection (Road Runner has been pretty good SO far) so I opted to try a "net install".
I booted to the CD and was greeted with the install screen. I noticed some defaults were already populated (all within the acceptable ranges) so I pressed enter. After a few moments I was greeted with a blank and a monitor message saying, "Out of Range". Hugh? I have an new 19 in Viewsonic flat panel monitor and the video card is an ATI 9200 (IIRC) so it should not be "out of range". I tried several more times and the same thing happened. I searched the web and found that this is/has been a problem since the last version and it still has not been fixed.
Strike One.
I change the screen settings to 1024 x 768 and try again. The detection phase begins. It runs through the normal detection and tries to set up DHCP, and it fails (no other distro has failed to set up DHCP on an install before)...forcing me to enter the values manually. No worries...I have them memorized. Now I have to put in an IP address so I can connect to (I did not have to do this with a Debian install I did a week before on the laptop) a repository someplace. The ones listed on the OpenSuSE page for the US are pretty slim and most of them fail trying to get the index files.
Strike Two.
I Google for other FTP/HTTP sites to download from. I find one close enough (Utah) and begin to download. Wow, the files are flying! In no time the config screen comes up and I give my obligatory answers to begin the download of 2 gigs of files. The process goes on for 5-10 minutes and then I get an error that it cannot download a specific file. I get the option to skip, so I do and the process stops. I start all over again but get the same results. I try another server (one that is much slower) and I get the same message on the same file.
Strike Three. I am not installing OpenSuSE today.
I go through my CD's of Linux distros and find Mandriva 2007. I realize it is based on Red Hat (not my favorite) but I am told over and over again how superior Mandriva is. I decide to give it a shot. I pop in the CD and reboot.
The install (which is actually a live CD initially) goes very quickly and smooth (I am wondering if it would have worked on the laptop with the ACX100 chip for wireless) and in just a few minutes I am greeted with a bright yellow-orange screen (what is it with yellow and orange in these distributions? I really prefer the blue shades in Mepis) and I begin to poke around. I find that it has mounted my FAT32 HDD and written it in fstab properly, which is a good thing. I poke and prod and decide to try to update the files (something that Debian distros do very well) and find the update utility. I update the OS and play around but realize that I really am a Debian "ho" :-) so I look for something else. I remember that I have a Debian 4 "Etch" net install CD that I burned a few days ago so I pop it in. If you have never installed Debian before (not Ubuntu or Mepis, but regular Debian) then you need to get a cup of coffee because it takes a while. Also you need to check on it periodically because it will ask you questions during the install that you need to answer before it will continue. I think the install took about 2 hours on a 1 ghz, 256 megs RAM machine with a fast connection.
In part two I will go into what happened after I rebooted the machine.
Slave To The Grind
This is just a quick update...hopefully more will come later as time permits.
I got home at 9:00 pm last night after starting my day at 7:30 AM at the office. In the later morning/early afternoon an issue came up in Latin America that Regional Manager wanted driven "my way". While the issue is not solved, we are going to have to enlist the experts from global on this. Our 3 techs in the America's are stumped. I start today with an 8 AM ConfCall (of course many others will have been working on this for a few hours by then). I came home hungry (I had not eaten since noon) and tired, but I was not cranky. Thank you, Jesus.
I received my new glasses last night. I can see a lot better now. Things are sharper and crisper. Thank you, Doctor Coronado.
I missed care group last night but the leader mailed me the scriptures (Psalm 18) to meditate on. Thank you Master Kennedy.
My wife took care of the dogs for me since I was running late and was tire. She is a trooper walking both of them. Thank you, Mrs Gee.
My e-mail box has loaded with good friendly e-mails the past 2 days...almost all from friends offering words of encouragement and congrats to me and the missus. Thank you dear friends.
Wow...I really do have a lot to be thankful for.
I got home at 9:00 pm last night after starting my day at 7:30 AM at the office. In the later morning/early afternoon an issue came up in Latin America that Regional Manager wanted driven "my way". While the issue is not solved, we are going to have to enlist the experts from global on this. Our 3 techs in the America's are stumped. I start today with an 8 AM ConfCall (of course many others will have been working on this for a few hours by then). I came home hungry (I had not eaten since noon) and tired, but I was not cranky. Thank you, Jesus.
I received my new glasses last night. I can see a lot better now. Things are sharper and crisper. Thank you, Doctor Coronado.
I missed care group last night but the leader mailed me the scriptures (Psalm 18) to meditate on. Thank you Master Kennedy.
My wife took care of the dogs for me since I was running late and was tire. She is a trooper walking both of them. Thank you, Mrs Gee.
My e-mail box has loaded with good friendly e-mails the past 2 days...almost all from friends offering words of encouragement and congrats to me and the missus. Thank you dear friends.
Wow...I really do have a lot to be thankful for.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hard Mistress
Linux for me has become a bit of an obsession. I collect old hardware (people throw away "usable" stuff that I learn on) and since Microsoft makes you pay for their OS (even the out dated ones...) I load Linux on the things I acquire. I have a soft spot for Debian Linux (Ubuntu specifically) but lately I have been trying out other flavors as well. I guess I could start with the hardware list:
Geekbox - A dual boot "main" computer (P4 3 ghz, 512 RAM, Nvidia 5600 video card) that I built myself.
Maximus - A recently acquired Compaq Presario 7998 (1 ghz AMD, 256 RAM, ATI 9200 video card)
Mephis-laptop - An HP Omnibook 4150b (650 mhz, 256 RAM, Network Anywhere PCM/CIA wireless based on the ACX100 chipset from TI)
Geekbox most likely will always run Ubuntu unless something very interesting happens. It prolly needs completely reloaded (both Windows and Linux) but that will require some time that I do not care to invest. Both partitions run, both function, but both are kinda sloppy.
Maximus is my most recent acquisition. It replaces a smaller, less robust box and is literally twice the machine the older one was. The older one was a mini-atx and 500 mhz, this is a full (the case is HUGE) atx at 1 ghz. The power supply and exhaust fan are LOUD and need replaced with quieter units...time and money are my enemies. This acts as a file and print server when it runs and is used so I can test remote connectivity from work or when I travel. The function that this box serves has almost always been served up by Ubuntu, except for a short span when it was NT4 and Win2k. It most recently had Ubuntu 6.10 on it. Last night that changed.
Mepis-laptop I have had for about 6 months or so. Getting it to work wirelessly (thanx to that God awful PCM/CIA card with the TI chipset) has been a chore at times. The Mepis 6.0 did not have a problem with it and neither did Ubuntu 6.10 (initially) but when I updated to Mepis 6.5 (complete reload) I could not get it to work. After fighting with it for a couple of days, I decided to put Ubuntu 6.10 back on it. That worked and I after playing for a while I thought I would try the upgrade path to 7.04 that the forums suggested and it seemed to work. I rebooted and had no problems. The next day when I turned it on, no wireless (I later found out that NetworkManger had some issues and that was the cause of my problems). I fought with it but gave up since I could not get the darned acx100 chipset to work. BTW that chipset is the bane of almost every Linux fan who has it. Avoid at all costs.
I let the thing sit idle for a day or two until I decided to put Mepis 6.4 back on it (I am beginning to like the way it is designed...while I am still not a huge KDE fan, it is growing on me) and try to get the wireless to work. I stumbled on the problem quite by accident and once I turned off NetworkManager and did everything manually, I had wireless. One problem was now fixed and a new one had emerged.
Mepis 6.0 had no problem displaying my battery meter accurately in the taskbar but 6.5 was a different story. I tried removing kpowersave and installing klaptop, but the battery meter would not appear (in my opinion, a laptop without wireless and a batter meter is not very helpful). I searched the web and could not find my answer but I was given another clue by the way my laptop was shutting down. When I would gracefully shut it down, it would hang at the very end and I had to yank the battery to complete the process. This led me to an issue with power mgmt. I did some research and BINGO, I found my answer:
BIOS upgrade
Remove kpowersave
Install apmd and klaptopdaemon
Tweak /boot/grub/menu.lst with:
cpi=off
pnpbios=off
apm=on
Now it appears that I have everything running properly under Mepis 6.5 on my Omnibook. I now need to see if a fix for NetworkManager is coming. I prefer using it when possible.
My next post will be based on my adventures with Maximus and putting something other than Ubuntu on it.
Stay Tuned.
Geekbox - A dual boot "main" computer (P4 3 ghz, 512 RAM, Nvidia 5600 video card) that I built myself.
Maximus - A recently acquired Compaq Presario 7998 (1 ghz AMD, 256 RAM, ATI 9200 video card)
Mephis-laptop - An HP Omnibook 4150b (650 mhz, 256 RAM, Network Anywhere PCM/CIA wireless based on the ACX100 chipset from TI)
Geekbox most likely will always run Ubuntu unless something very interesting happens. It prolly needs completely reloaded (both Windows and Linux) but that will require some time that I do not care to invest. Both partitions run, both function, but both are kinda sloppy.
Maximus is my most recent acquisition. It replaces a smaller, less robust box and is literally twice the machine the older one was. The older one was a mini-atx and 500 mhz, this is a full (the case is HUGE) atx at 1 ghz. The power supply and exhaust fan are LOUD and need replaced with quieter units...time and money are my enemies. This acts as a file and print server when it runs and is used so I can test remote connectivity from work or when I travel. The function that this box serves has almost always been served up by Ubuntu, except for a short span when it was NT4 and Win2k. It most recently had Ubuntu 6.10 on it. Last night that changed.
Mepis-laptop I have had for about 6 months or so. Getting it to work wirelessly (thanx to that God awful PCM/CIA card with the TI chipset) has been a chore at times. The Mepis 6.0 did not have a problem with it and neither did Ubuntu 6.10 (initially) but when I updated to Mepis 6.5 (complete reload) I could not get it to work. After fighting with it for a couple of days, I decided to put Ubuntu 6.10 back on it. That worked and I after playing for a while I thought I would try the upgrade path to 7.04 that the forums suggested and it seemed to work. I rebooted and had no problems. The next day when I turned it on, no wireless (I later found out that NetworkManger had some issues and that was the cause of my problems). I fought with it but gave up since I could not get the darned acx100 chipset to work. BTW that chipset is the bane of almost every Linux fan who has it. Avoid at all costs.
I let the thing sit idle for a day or two until I decided to put Mepis 6.4 back on it (I am beginning to like the way it is designed...while I am still not a huge KDE fan, it is growing on me) and try to get the wireless to work. I stumbled on the problem quite by accident and once I turned off NetworkManager and did everything manually, I had wireless. One problem was now fixed and a new one had emerged.
Mepis 6.0 had no problem displaying my battery meter accurately in the taskbar but 6.5 was a different story. I tried removing kpowersave and installing klaptop, but the battery meter would not appear (in my opinion, a laptop without wireless and a batter meter is not very helpful). I searched the web and could not find my answer but I was given another clue by the way my laptop was shutting down. When I would gracefully shut it down, it would hang at the very end and I had to yank the battery to complete the process. This led me to an issue with power mgmt. I did some research and BINGO, I found my answer:
BIOS upgrade
Remove kpowersave
Install apmd and klaptopdaemon
Tweak /boot/grub/menu.lst with:
cpi=off
pnpbios=off
apm=on
Now it appears that I have everything running properly under Mepis 6.5 on my Omnibook. I now need to see if a fix for NetworkManager is coming. I prefer using it when possible.
My next post will be based on my adventures with Maximus and putting something other than Ubuntu on it.
Stay Tuned.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Somebody Save Me
I forgot my PDA at home today...and I did not have withdrawal, either. Surprise!
Rain was in the forecast all day, increasing until in strength until midnight or so. All day the rain was a light mist that gave everything a light sheen. That is the type of rain that we need more of.
I ate lunch at my desk to help make up time that I took off from work yesterday to go present shopping. I upgraded my Linux box to the latest release of Ubuntu (it officially does not release until tomorrow, but anything that is changed will be minor) and it went smoothly except for one thing...my KVM switch now shows the Linux screen off center and when I center it and switch to the Windows box, it is off center the other direction. Strange.
Quitting time came (nothing too important occupied me) and I drove home. It was still misting out when I got there and the dogs needed to go outside to do their thing. I was amazed how wet they got just walking out into the yard and walking back. They soaked a dog towel (an older bath towel) completely.
Shortly after that my wife got home and we had our leftover salmon from the night before. It was very tasty. The ginger-teryaki marinade she used, ROCKS. After putting the dishes in the dishwasher, my wife went to her women's bible study. That left me alone to work on project that I hope I will have done before I go to bed.
I had noticed that it was time for "Law and Order" (two epi's on Tuesday) so I stopped what I was doing to go watch...repeats. Darn! Well, back to my project...more on that (and more) later.
Rain was in the forecast all day, increasing until in strength until midnight or so. All day the rain was a light mist that gave everything a light sheen. That is the type of rain that we need more of.
I ate lunch at my desk to help make up time that I took off from work yesterday to go present shopping. I upgraded my Linux box to the latest release of Ubuntu (it officially does not release until tomorrow, but anything that is changed will be minor) and it went smoothly except for one thing...my KVM switch now shows the Linux screen off center and when I center it and switch to the Windows box, it is off center the other direction. Strange.
Quitting time came (nothing too important occupied me) and I drove home. It was still misting out when I got there and the dogs needed to go outside to do their thing. I was amazed how wet they got just walking out into the yard and walking back. They soaked a dog towel (an older bath towel) completely.
Shortly after that my wife got home and we had our leftover salmon from the night before. It was very tasty. The ginger-teryaki marinade she used, ROCKS. After putting the dishes in the dishwasher, my wife went to her women's bible study. That left me alone to work on project that I hope I will have done before I go to bed.
I had noticed that it was time for "Law and Order" (two epi's on Tuesday) so I stopped what I was doing to go watch...repeats. Darn! Well, back to my project...more on that (and more) later.
13
My wife and I celebrate 13 years of marriage today. It has not been easy (mostly on her)...there have been a lot of ups and downs. The good news is that we have made it work despite all of our differences. God can do that.
I shopped last minute for her for a couple of reasons. The first was I had no idea what to get her. She has forbidden me to spend a great deal of money (we are trying to dig ourselves out of some debt) so I have to be creative. It is hard to buy music, videos, and clothes since she has very specific tastes and they can change on a whim.
The second was a matter of timing. Yesterday was slow at work so I left half an hour early to find her some things at Family Christian Bookstore. I was blessed in that they were having a sale on lots of things I was looking at. Only the main gift was not on sale.
After I made my purchases I headed home. My wife had not made it back from running errands yet, so I put the gifts in my office closet and started to feed the dogs. Before I could even get their food out, she was home. She asked me to do a small laundry list of things while she prepped dinner. When we were both done, we enjoyed broiled salmon and sides (noodles and lima beans). Once that was done and the dogs were fed, I went in to my office to type the small stack of receipts into AceMoney and set up a couple of bill pays. While I was in the office, my wife came in with a bag and a card.
"Open it!"
"Honey, I have not even wrapped yours yet or signed the card..."
"Okay,I will give you a few minutes." Then she left the room, shutting the door behind her.
I sign the card and realize I have nothing to wrap the gifts in. I let her know and she gives me that look that lets me know the wrapping is not important. She is just happy that I remembered.
She opens her gifts, making faces as she does so. "You don't like them, do you?" I ask.
"Oh, no, I am very happy with them. Thank you! Now, open yours."
I open my card and it is very touching. I ponder it a moment and stand it up on my desk. I look in to the gift bag and laugh. She has given me the same t-shirt I gave her, only in a different color. That is why she made the funny face.
I then see that there are two CD's in the bag, both from Kutless. One is "Strong Tower", a praise and worship CD and the other is a CD/DVD of the band live. Cool. I then realize that I got her a CD as well, Mat Kearney. Again with the funny look on her face. Okay, one t-shirt each, I get her one CD, she gets me two. However, I get her a Willow Tree figurine to add to her collection. She almost cried. I did good.
After a quick walk with Little Man, we watched "24" and then surf the web from bed until we both were too tired to stay awake any longer. I know it sounds boring, but we have vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and I we will enjoy ourselves then...we need it!
I shopped last minute for her for a couple of reasons. The first was I had no idea what to get her. She has forbidden me to spend a great deal of money (we are trying to dig ourselves out of some debt) so I have to be creative. It is hard to buy music, videos, and clothes since she has very specific tastes and they can change on a whim.
The second was a matter of timing. Yesterday was slow at work so I left half an hour early to find her some things at Family Christian Bookstore. I was blessed in that they were having a sale on lots of things I was looking at. Only the main gift was not on sale.
After I made my purchases I headed home. My wife had not made it back from running errands yet, so I put the gifts in my office closet and started to feed the dogs. Before I could even get their food out, she was home. She asked me to do a small laundry list of things while she prepped dinner. When we were both done, we enjoyed broiled salmon and sides (noodles and lima beans). Once that was done and the dogs were fed, I went in to my office to type the small stack of receipts into AceMoney and set up a couple of bill pays. While I was in the office, my wife came in with a bag and a card.
"Open it!"
"Honey, I have not even wrapped yours yet or signed the card..."
"Okay,I will give you a few minutes." Then she left the room, shutting the door behind her.
I sign the card and realize I have nothing to wrap the gifts in. I let her know and she gives me that look that lets me know the wrapping is not important. She is just happy that I remembered.
She opens her gifts, making faces as she does so. "You don't like them, do you?" I ask.
"Oh, no, I am very happy with them. Thank you! Now, open yours."
I open my card and it is very touching. I ponder it a moment and stand it up on my desk. I look in to the gift bag and laugh. She has given me the same t-shirt I gave her, only in a different color. That is why she made the funny face.
I then see that there are two CD's in the bag, both from Kutless. One is "Strong Tower", a praise and worship CD and the other is a CD/DVD of the band live. Cool. I then realize that I got her a CD as well, Mat Kearney. Again with the funny look on her face. Okay, one t-shirt each, I get her one CD, she gets me two. However, I get her a Willow Tree figurine to add to her collection. She almost cried. I did good.
After a quick walk with Little Man, we watched "24" and then surf the web from bed until we both were too tired to stay awake any longer. I know it sounds boring, but we have vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and I we will enjoy ourselves then...we need it!
Monday, April 16, 2007
They Never Claimed To Be Angels...
...just innocent of the crimes they were accused of. The Duke men's lacrosse team will be in the news for a long time as the media digs up more dirt on them after the charges against them were dropped. It makes sense, really. There are a lot of people who are not happy with this and there are even more who are down right embarrassed for making such a stink about this in the first place.
No these boys/men are not angels. The were acting like so many other college kids do when the dookies got accused of rape and a small list of other charges. MSNBC has the story of "what really went on" that night. It is interesting and if you are a parent with college age kids, it may be an eye opener.
Yes, the boys/men are white, go to a very prestigious school, and are affluent...but they acted no differently than any number of "college boys" would in similar circumstances. This was purely a racially charged issue, from the comments made by the attendees at the party, ("We asked for whites, not n-----s."), to the response from one of the strippers ("That's a racial slur, a hate crime..."). Also in the mix was a white prosecutor up for reelection in a city that is 40% black...no he wasn't playing the race card, was he?
The press did a good job of keeping the flow of evidence public, but some of the press seemed to take delight in using the circumstances of the "victim" (single mother and college student, working as a stripper to make ends meet). It seemed to be a ploy to gain sympathy, but more and more things kept coming out, like the lack of DNA evidence link the team to the crime, but implicating up 3 other (yet unidentified) men. Another interesting fact was that the defendant made a similar allegation 10 years ago...3 white males raping and assaulting her. She changed her story many times, a clear clue that either she was raped or that she is a liar. We may have found our answer.
All that aside...what good can come of a situation with naked women, alcohol, and college boys? I realize I am far from innocent, but these two women were not thinking clearly by going to a "frat house" atmosphere to try to make some money. Could they not see that this was an open door to disaster...or was it their plan all along?
No these boys/men are not angels. The were acting like so many other college kids do when the dookies got accused of rape and a small list of other charges. MSNBC has the story of "what really went on" that night. It is interesting and if you are a parent with college age kids, it may be an eye opener.
Yes, the boys/men are white, go to a very prestigious school, and are affluent...but they acted no differently than any number of "college boys" would in similar circumstances. This was purely a racially charged issue, from the comments made by the attendees at the party, ("We asked for whites, not n-----s."), to the response from one of the strippers ("That's a racial slur, a hate crime..."). Also in the mix was a white prosecutor up for reelection in a city that is 40% black...no he wasn't playing the race card, was he?
The press did a good job of keeping the flow of evidence public, but some of the press seemed to take delight in using the circumstances of the "victim" (single mother and college student, working as a stripper to make ends meet). It seemed to be a ploy to gain sympathy, but more and more things kept coming out, like the lack of DNA evidence link the team to the crime, but implicating up 3 other (yet unidentified) men. Another interesting fact was that the defendant made a similar allegation 10 years ago...3 white males raping and assaulting her. She changed her story many times, a clear clue that either she was raped or that she is a liar. We may have found our answer.
All that aside...what good can come of a situation with naked women, alcohol, and college boys? I realize I am far from innocent, but these two women were not thinking clearly by going to a "frat house" atmosphere to try to make some money. Could they not see that this was an open door to disaster...or was it their plan all along?
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Walkin' In Mepis
Well, thanx to the grace of God, Mepis is wireless. Two things appeared to be working against me:
1) Outdated BIOS. I downloaded the newest one from HP and installed it. I thought I had an Omnibook 4150, but I found out I have a 4150b.
2) Network Manager does not seem to work at all with my wireless card. When I activate it, I lose my connection. Reboot, rinse, repeat and I get the same result. Turn off Network Manager (meaning I have to manually start and stop the network if I go from wireless to wired and vice versa) and all is well...so far. I have not tried to use the wired connection. I am kinda afraid that if I do, I will lose my wireless :) and wireless is more important to me.
Our Elder at church was taken to the hospital Thursday or Friday after collapsing at home. He is in normally good health so he passing out was a surprise. They took him to the ER and they eventually found out that he had an ulcer, which they are now treating him for. He was at church today but he looked very weak. I prayed with him for a little while during service. That man means a lot to me.
1) Outdated BIOS. I downloaded the newest one from HP and installed it. I thought I had an Omnibook 4150, but I found out I have a 4150b.
2) Network Manager does not seem to work at all with my wireless card. When I activate it, I lose my connection. Reboot, rinse, repeat and I get the same result. Turn off Network Manager (meaning I have to manually start and stop the network if I go from wireless to wired and vice versa) and all is well...so far. I have not tried to use the wired connection. I am kinda afraid that if I do, I will lose my wireless :) and wireless is more important to me.
Our Elder at church was taken to the hospital Thursday or Friday after collapsing at home. He is in normally good health so he passing out was a surprise. They took him to the ER and they eventually found out that he had an ulcer, which they are now treating him for. He was at church today but he looked very weak. I prayed with him for a little while during service. That man means a lot to me.
Well, I Tried.
My experiment with Debian Etch was a partial success. I was able to do a web install and I followed all the instructions I found on making my ACX100 chipset based wireless card work, but it still gives errors trying to load the firmware (using old and new firmware). I gave up at 1:00 AM and went to bed. It was the first time I ever saw "Ice Weasel"...a Firefox clone.
For all you people who think you are god, I think I have found your job:
Universe Designer
Okay, at least I thought it was funny.
Back to the laptop, I may give Mepis 6.5 another shot or try a clean install of Ubuntu (it is reported as working so if I wait until the final product is out maybe I will have better luck). Whichever I try, I want to put something else on the server...I really want to give OpenSuSE a shot at some point.
Oh, I almost forgot. "Always a Dull Moment" had a lot of traffic yesterday...(well for this site at least). 27 out of the 30 hits yesterday were for our good friend, Jawa. The hits were bookmarked as well as searches (utilizing the term "con man" in some of them) on his name and his nickname. The hits were from the usual states, Texas and California (I recognize those), however one of them came from the University of SoCal...a first IIRC.
Oh well, I have some reading to do before church. More later.
For all you people who think you are god, I think I have found your job:
Universe Designer
Okay, at least I thought it was funny.
Back to the laptop, I may give Mepis 6.5 another shot or try a clean install of Ubuntu (it is reported as working so if I wait until the final product is out maybe I will have better luck). Whichever I try, I want to put something else on the server...I really want to give OpenSuSE a shot at some point.
Oh, I almost forgot. "Always a Dull Moment" had a lot of traffic yesterday...(well for this site at least). 27 out of the 30 hits yesterday were for our good friend, Jawa. The hits were bookmarked as well as searches (utilizing the term "con man" in some of them) on his name and his nickname. The hits were from the usual states, Texas and California (I recognize those), however one of them came from the University of SoCal...a first IIRC.
Oh well, I have some reading to do before church. More later.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
It Works, Then It Doesn't -- TWICE
The old Omnibook 4150 (P-III, 650 mhz 256 RAM) had a copy of SimplyMEPIS 6.0 on it and 6.5 was out. There was not a clear upgrade path, so a wipe and reinstall was in order. I downloaded and burned the iso file and booted the trusty old girl up with the new CD. in about 20 minutes I had a pretty KDE desktop...but my wireless card (based on the TI ACX100 chipset) was not working...it did in 6.0, but not in 6.5. I searched and searched and found lots of ideas but none of them worked. Sign. I read that Ubuntu has support for this card "right out of the box" so I installed Ubuntu (normally my favorite distro) 6.10 on her. The wireless card worked perfectly. I play a while and I am happy.
I then read that the newest version of Ubuntu (7.04) is in beta and is scheduled to be released in a few days, so I did the "safe" upgrade from Edgy to Feisty (sudo update-manager -c -d) and about an hour later I have the newest version of Ubuntu. Wireless works perfectly. I shut the PC down and go to bed. I get up and turn on the laptop and check my mail (wirelessly) with no issues. I start cleaning house. I stop to check my e-mail, and the card is not recognized. WHAT? I reboot, thinking something went crazy on boot (this card is notorious for acting flaky) and it still did not work. Grrr. I go back to cleaning my office constantly reminded that my laptop is useless without wireless (money is tight...I can't get another card right now). After lunch I give it another shot and got it to work by using this. When I was done, it worked. Yay!
I surfed the web for a few minutes and was very happy when I noticed there were updates. I took the updates and BAM, my wireless card stopped working. Well, I went back to the drawing board and tried the build and install from this page, but no dice. It would not connect to the router at all. It detected the card, but that was about all.
Right now I am installing a fresh Debian install (I should give Mepis one more try) to see what happens. I know I am going to have to do a lot of work, but it would be nice to see it work when I am done!
I then read that the newest version of Ubuntu (7.04) is in beta and is scheduled to be released in a few days, so I did the "safe" upgrade from Edgy to Feisty (sudo update-manager -c -d) and about an hour later I have the newest version of Ubuntu. Wireless works perfectly. I shut the PC down and go to bed. I get up and turn on the laptop and check my mail (wirelessly) with no issues. I start cleaning house. I stop to check my e-mail, and the card is not recognized. WHAT? I reboot, thinking something went crazy on boot (this card is notorious for acting flaky) and it still did not work. Grrr. I go back to cleaning my office constantly reminded that my laptop is useless without wireless (money is tight...I can't get another card right now). After lunch I give it another shot and got it to work by using this. When I was done, it worked. Yay!
I surfed the web for a few minutes and was very happy when I noticed there were updates. I took the updates and BAM, my wireless card stopped working. Well, I went back to the drawing board and tried the build and install from this page, but no dice. It would not connect to the router at all. It detected the card, but that was about all.
Right now I am installing a fresh Debian install (I should give Mepis one more try) to see what happens. I know I am going to have to do a lot of work, but it would be nice to see it work when I am done!
Friday, April 13, 2007
The Answer Is Blowin' In The Wind
You may have heard that there was severe weather in Texas (amongst other places) tonight. No less than 3 twisters set down in the Metroplex in less than an hour and hail (some as large as a baseball) peppered the rest. We escaped with minimal damage (so far...more storms are coming...) and for that I am thankful.
Work was slow today and only got interesting right towards the end of the day when an AC unit at a customer site in Virginia failed, causing the data closet to become hotter than a $2 pistol. Remote shutdown of all the servers performed and our support team in Malaysia was notified that they would use the ILO interface to bring them back up. I guess we will see. So far they have not been uber reliable.
Yesterday I was called by an HR drone asking me if I was still in the market for a job. I told her I was employed, but I was always on the lookout for a great opportunity. She told me that $Appliance/Electronics retailer was hiring sales and customer service managers and my resume looked good to them. They set up an interview and went. The entire time I drove there I had the feeling that it was a waste of time. I pulled into the parking lot (which was in an industrial area) and was even more so. I walked in and was told to fill out an application. I have not filled out an app before giving a resume in a long time...another sign this was a waste of time. The interviewer was 25 minutes late and when she finally got to me, she asked me the usual battery of questions that I answered honestly to. I felt the interview losing ground so I interjected and stated that I was under the impression I was interviewing for a customer service managers position, and she gave me a very surprised look. "We never hire managers. We only promote from within.", she stated in a matter of fact tone. She asked me how I got that impression and I told her that I was told that by the phone drone (I used other verbiage)...they were hiring sales and customer service managers. At that point I thanked her and left. I was glad it was only about 6 miles from my office. Had it been much further, I would have been a tad upset.
Work was slow today and only got interesting right towards the end of the day when an AC unit at a customer site in Virginia failed, causing the data closet to become hotter than a $2 pistol. Remote shutdown of all the servers performed and our support team in Malaysia was notified that they would use the ILO interface to bring them back up. I guess we will see. So far they have not been uber reliable.
Yesterday I was called by an HR drone asking me if I was still in the market for a job. I told her I was employed, but I was always on the lookout for a great opportunity. She told me that $Appliance/Electronics retailer was hiring sales and customer service managers and my resume looked good to them. They set up an interview and went. The entire time I drove there I had the feeling that it was a waste of time. I pulled into the parking lot (which was in an industrial area) and was even more so. I walked in and was told to fill out an application. I have not filled out an app before giving a resume in a long time...another sign this was a waste of time. The interviewer was 25 minutes late and when she finally got to me, she asked me the usual battery of questions that I answered honestly to. I felt the interview losing ground so I interjected and stated that I was under the impression I was interviewing for a customer service managers position, and she gave me a very surprised look. "We never hire managers. We only promote from within.", she stated in a matter of fact tone. She asked me how I got that impression and I told her that I was told that by the phone drone (I used other verbiage)...they were hiring sales and customer service managers. At that point I thanked her and left. I was glad it was only about 6 miles from my office. Had it been much further, I would have been a tad upset.
Bang!
Don Imus has been fired.
Now I agree with this. While things could get ugly, I doubt they will.
So, when will all the hardcore rap songs stop getting played on the radio? Never.
As stated in the article, it is not what he said, it is who said it. It is possible that a black DJ could call the Duke Lacrosse team a bunch of rich crackers and not get away with it...but I doubt it.
JMHO / YMMV.
Now I agree with this. While things could get ugly, I doubt they will.
So, when will all the hardcore rap songs stop getting played on the radio? Never.
As stated in the article, it is not what he said, it is who said it. It is possible that a black DJ could call the Duke Lacrosse team a bunch of rich crackers and not get away with it...but I doubt it.
JMHO / YMMV.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Insania, 2007
I sometimes wonder if I am in a mid life crisis. I had often heard the term but I always associated it with balding men and little red sports cars. While I am loosing my hair, I have no desire to own a sports car, although a "sporty" car would be okay if it did not break the bank.
I looked up Male Mid Life Crisis on Wikipedia, just to see if I understood the issue. The article had some basics (which is really all I wanted/needed at the moment) but it was far from clinical (come on, it is Wikipedia dontcha know).
According to Wikipedia, "During middle age, many changing factors can affect personality development. "
These factors include:
# work/career
# marriage/spousal relationships
# adult children
# aging parents/death of parents
# physical changes associated with aging
I guess if these factors can lead to a "mid life crisis", then they certainly apply to some degree to me in some, but not all of the examples.
I think the biggest one for me is work. I have not been "happy" with my job in almost 5 years. I do not have deep skill set (it is wide but not very deep) and that has weighed heavy on my mind. I am on call 24x7 and at times I feel I have regressed rather that progressed in my work life. I could probably go on for a long time about this, but I am not sure if any of you have and cheese to go with my whine.
In regards to family, my relationship with my wife is the best it has ever been. Yes, we are empty nesters, but we are not really hurting there. While we miss our soldier son (He is currently in Kuwait), he writes and calls frequently. I worry a tad about my mother, who is a widow (dad died in the Spring of 2002). I have asked her to live with us but she always makes an excuse on why she cannot.
My health has bugged me a bit. I had back surgery in January 2006 to relieve pressure on my sciatic nerve and the surgeon commented that I had the back of a 50+ year old man. I was 40 when he said that. It can be quite depressing to have a bad back, not being able to play "hardcore" volleyball or football anymore, but I am adjusting.
Also according to Wikipedia, Certain characteristics displayed by individuals experiencing a mid-life crisis often include but are not limited to:
* search of an undefined dream or goal
* desire to achieve a feeling of youthfulness
* acquiring of unusual or expensive items such as clothing, muscle cars, jewellery, gadgets, etc.
* paying extra special attention to physical appearance
* need to spend more time alone or with certain peers
* a deep sense of remorse for goals not accomplished
* an underlying desire to initiate new sexual partnerships
Most of these do not apply to me, but I do quite a bit of pondering, "what if..." scenarios. I wonder what would have happened had I stuck with baseball when I was a kid, or what would have happened had I stayed in WV or NC instead of moving.
While I am pleased to that God has provided for me and my family (my wife only has to work part time, 15 hours a week and we hope that she can quit next year), I sometimes feel that I should be more than I am. I realize those are worldly thoughts and Christians should not fret that they are not "keeping up with the Joneses", but most men want to be able to give their wives things. I would like to be able to afford to get something really nice for my wife without charging it (and in effect, causing more issues because of the increased debt) or be able to travel without being tied to a pager and/or mobile phone.
My wife and I have toyed with the idea of starting our own business, but fear sets in and we back off the idea. I have told her that if I were to get laid off (quite the possibility considering I have missed the axe 5 times now) that I would give it a shot. I am sure I could make it work but the big question is could I make enough money to pay all the overhead from the business (there would be a lot less than with most...I have most of what I need now) and a salary enough to pay the normal household bills.
I am 85% sure I could make it work since most everyone that I discuss this with responds favorably. Most feel that my wide albeit shallow skill set would get me off the ground and experience would do the rest. I am inclined to agree with them for the most part.
So, am I in a mid life crisis? I have no desire to chase skirts or relive my youth, nor am I in the market for a sports car or being a thrill seeker. I know my limits and I am able to stay within them 95% of the time. I am however in a funk with regards to my job. I am not happy (even though I work for a decent company) with what I do and haven't been in quite some time. I sometimes wonder if a change of job would change things in a positive way.
Time to do some thinking...
I looked up Male Mid Life Crisis on Wikipedia, just to see if I understood the issue. The article had some basics (which is really all I wanted/needed at the moment) but it was far from clinical (come on, it is Wikipedia dontcha know).
According to Wikipedia, "During middle age, many changing factors can affect personality development. "
These factors include:
# work/career
# marriage/spousal relationships
# adult children
# aging parents/death of parents
# physical changes associated with aging
I guess if these factors can lead to a "mid life crisis", then they certainly apply to some degree to me in some, but not all of the examples.
I think the biggest one for me is work. I have not been "happy" with my job in almost 5 years. I do not have deep skill set (it is wide but not very deep) and that has weighed heavy on my mind. I am on call 24x7 and at times I feel I have regressed rather that progressed in my work life. I could probably go on for a long time about this, but I am not sure if any of you have and cheese to go with my whine.
In regards to family, my relationship with my wife is the best it has ever been. Yes, we are empty nesters, but we are not really hurting there. While we miss our soldier son (He is currently in Kuwait), he writes and calls frequently. I worry a tad about my mother, who is a widow (dad died in the Spring of 2002). I have asked her to live with us but she always makes an excuse on why she cannot.
My health has bugged me a bit. I had back surgery in January 2006 to relieve pressure on my sciatic nerve and the surgeon commented that I had the back of a 50+ year old man. I was 40 when he said that. It can be quite depressing to have a bad back, not being able to play "hardcore" volleyball or football anymore, but I am adjusting.
Also according to Wikipedia, Certain characteristics displayed by individuals experiencing a mid-life crisis often include but are not limited to:
* search of an undefined dream or goal
* desire to achieve a feeling of youthfulness
* acquiring of unusual or expensive items such as clothing, muscle cars, jewellery, gadgets, etc.
* paying extra special attention to physical appearance
* need to spend more time alone or with certain peers
* a deep sense of remorse for goals not accomplished
* an underlying desire to initiate new sexual partnerships
Most of these do not apply to me, but I do quite a bit of pondering, "what if..." scenarios. I wonder what would have happened had I stuck with baseball when I was a kid, or what would have happened had I stayed in WV or NC instead of moving.
While I am pleased to that God has provided for me and my family (my wife only has to work part time, 15 hours a week and we hope that she can quit next year), I sometimes feel that I should be more than I am. I realize those are worldly thoughts and Christians should not fret that they are not "keeping up with the Joneses", but most men want to be able to give their wives things. I would like to be able to afford to get something really nice for my wife without charging it (and in effect, causing more issues because of the increased debt) or be able to travel without being tied to a pager and/or mobile phone.
My wife and I have toyed with the idea of starting our own business, but fear sets in and we back off the idea. I have told her that if I were to get laid off (quite the possibility considering I have missed the axe 5 times now) that I would give it a shot. I am sure I could make it work but the big question is could I make enough money to pay all the overhead from the business (there would be a lot less than with most...I have most of what I need now) and a salary enough to pay the normal household bills.
I am 85% sure I could make it work since most everyone that I discuss this with responds favorably. Most feel that my wide albeit shallow skill set would get me off the ground and experience would do the rest. I am inclined to agree with them for the most part.
So, am I in a mid life crisis? I have no desire to chase skirts or relive my youth, nor am I in the market for a sports car or being a thrill seeker. I know my limits and I am able to stay within them 95% of the time. I am however in a funk with regards to my job. I am not happy (even though I work for a decent company) with what I do and haven't been in quite some time. I sometimes wonder if a change of job would change things in a positive way.
Time to do some thinking...
Colors
On my drive home last night I listened to talk radio, something I have not done in several weeks. The host Scott Wilder, was taking calls and discussing the flap over radio host Don Imus' controversial (and rather ignorant) comments of the Rutgers women's basketball team. As usual, Mr Wilder brought up something that I tend to forget. Why are so many people in the black community asking for him to resign when they are willing to PAY MONEY to listen to "one of their own" say the same thing? I am speaking of course about hardcore rappers. Anyone who has heard just few verses of any hardcore rap song can attest to the level of degradation towards women present in the lyrics. Oddly enough, women as well as men seem to enjoy this music even though the content is highly offensive.
One caller who identified herself as a African-American woman stated that the beats were good and she did not care what the lyrics said and even if she did, a black man was saying it so it was okay. She likened it to calling yourself "stupid" when you do something wrong. It is okay for you to say it to yourself, but don't let someone else say it.
I say, "hogwash". If a white man records something and it calls all women who live in a trailer park "whores", I as a Christian first and then a white man, am offended. Why is it that rappers can call women "b@tches" and "ho's" and it is perceived as okay by the black community?
What Don Imus said about the Rutgers women's basketball team was wrong. No man (black or white) has any right calling any women a "ho"...it does not matter if it is during a radio broadcast or a song played on the radio, it is wrong. The rules should be the same.
Let me say something else. I do not believe that Don Imus should be fired or "suspended". I do not support his choice (his very poor choice I might add) of words, but to my knowledge, he did not break any laws. If the black community is in an uproar over what he said and demands his resignation, then should white people demand that all rap songs with offensive lyrics be pulled? No. That should only happen if a law has been broken or the rules of the FCC violated.
"But when a brother says it, it is okay...that is just street talk. Besides, it is on black radio...most whites don't listen to rap. If they don't like it, turn to a white station."
Well, Don Imus said it on "white" radio and most blacks do not listen to that. If what he said offends you, turn the station. Fair argument? No.
Don Imus did (as much as it pains me to say this) break any laws, as far as I know. If he did, then he needs to be punished for it. Rappers who say the same things are in the same situation. It may not be illegal to say things like that, but if it were, both Don Imus and the hardcore rappers need to be treated in the same manner.
JMHO / YMMV.
One caller who identified herself as a African-American woman stated that the beats were good and she did not care what the lyrics said and even if she did, a black man was saying it so it was okay. She likened it to calling yourself "stupid" when you do something wrong. It is okay for you to say it to yourself, but don't let someone else say it.
I say, "hogwash". If a white man records something and it calls all women who live in a trailer park "whores", I as a Christian first and then a white man, am offended. Why is it that rappers can call women "b@tches" and "ho's" and it is perceived as okay by the black community?
What Don Imus said about the Rutgers women's basketball team was wrong. No man (black or white) has any right calling any women a "ho"...it does not matter if it is during a radio broadcast or a song played on the radio, it is wrong. The rules should be the same.
Let me say something else. I do not believe that Don Imus should be fired or "suspended". I do not support his choice (his very poor choice I might add) of words, but to my knowledge, he did not break any laws. If the black community is in an uproar over what he said and demands his resignation, then should white people demand that all rap songs with offensive lyrics be pulled? No. That should only happen if a law has been broken or the rules of the FCC violated.
"But when a brother says it, it is okay...that is just street talk. Besides, it is on black radio...most whites don't listen to rap. If they don't like it, turn to a white station."
Well, Don Imus said it on "white" radio and most blacks do not listen to that. If what he said offends you, turn the station. Fair argument? No.
Don Imus did (as much as it pains me to say this) break any laws, as far as I know. If he did, then he needs to be punished for it. Rappers who say the same things are in the same situation. It may not be illegal to say things like that, but if it were, both Don Imus and the hardcore rappers need to be treated in the same manner.
JMHO / YMMV.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
I Am Not That Smart
Really. I prefer to say that I have lived an eventful life. I do not feel I am smarter than anyone else, but I do feel that because I learn from my experiences and my mistakes, I have plethora of knowledge wedged in my skull. Not all of it is useful, but it is there.
My wife likes to tell people that I am intelligent. She is my wife and she is biased, but I do appreciate her kind words. I am not, however, "smart'. Yes, I have scored slightly higher on IQ tests than the "average" person (I scored in the 120's and average human intelligence is 90-110) but I do not think that qualifies me as smart. Let's just say that I have been around long enough that I have learned a thing or two.
Everything I experience lends to my "intelligence". I read as much as I can every day (even if it is only a couple of chapters from the Bible) and surf the web and watch TV for knowledge rather than for entertainment. I grew up poor, have lived in three states, been married twice (which has allowed me to experience both good and bad in relationships), and have a child. All of these have given me a unique perspective and can give the illusion that I am intelligent.
I know some smart people. I also know a lot of people who claim that they are smart and I can safely say I am not like either group. Smart people usually need to be challenged all the time. I like things easy, to a point. People who claim that they are smart usually go out of their way to prove it. Not me. I prefer out of the spotlight helping things along when I am needed.
I am not sure why that has been on my mind, but it has. Now that I have that off my chest, can someone PLEASE help me get rid of my sinus issues? This change in weather is killing me.
My wife likes to tell people that I am intelligent. She is my wife and she is biased, but I do appreciate her kind words. I am not, however, "smart'. Yes, I have scored slightly higher on IQ tests than the "average" person (I scored in the 120's and average human intelligence is 90-110) but I do not think that qualifies me as smart. Let's just say that I have been around long enough that I have learned a thing or two.
Everything I experience lends to my "intelligence". I read as much as I can every day (even if it is only a couple of chapters from the Bible) and surf the web and watch TV for knowledge rather than for entertainment. I grew up poor, have lived in three states, been married twice (which has allowed me to experience both good and bad in relationships), and have a child. All of these have given me a unique perspective and can give the illusion that I am intelligent.
I know some smart people. I also know a lot of people who claim that they are smart and I can safely say I am not like either group. Smart people usually need to be challenged all the time. I like things easy, to a point. People who claim that they are smart usually go out of their way to prove it. Not me. I prefer out of the spotlight helping things along when I am needed.
I am not sure why that has been on my mind, but it has. Now that I have that off my chest, can someone PLEASE help me get rid of my sinus issues? This change in weather is killing me.
Thirteen Months Later
The charges will be dropped. About frickin' time. The wheels of justice turn very slow. While I am no Dook fan, I hate to see injustice, especially on the grounds of race.
Now the big question...will charges be filed on the accuser? If a white woman were to falsely accuse 3 black men, the NAACP, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, et all would be all over it.
Now the big question...will charges be filed on the accuser? If a white woman were to falsely accuse 3 black men, the NAACP, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, et all would be all over it.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
What?
Computer World has the "Top 10 Firefox Extensions To Avoid". Funny, I use at least 3 of them. One every Machine. Religiously.
Fasterfox *
Noscript
Adblock / Adblock Plus *
PDF Download
Video Downloader
Greasemonkey
Scribefire
TrackMeNot
Tabbrowser Preferences *
Tabbrowser Extension
*ones I use.
Some of their reasoning is sound, but it you know what you are doing...go for it!
Fasterfox *
Noscript
Adblock / Adblock Plus *
PDF Download
Video Downloader
Greasemonkey
Scribefire
TrackMeNot
Tabbrowser Preferences *
Tabbrowser Extension
*ones I use.
Some of their reasoning is sound, but it you know what you are doing...go for it!
Warmer, With A Chance Of Sinus Problems...
This roller coaster weather (hot, cold, dry, wet) is taking its toll on my sinuses again. While it is not as painful as it usually is, it is still uncomfortable. It is also killing others as we. The guy across the hall is really suffering and it is quite obvious by the sneezing and hacking he is doing.
Weather toay...it is warmer (70ish) and rainy today...perfect for the grass to grow out of control. I know what I will be doing this weekend if I am not camping.
Yesterday was not bad at all...nothing came up that lingered over to today, although there are things in Europe that may have my name on them later on. Yesterday was mostly quiet, today it is mostly chaotic (not for me, but for incident folks).
I received an e-mail from a lady that I used to work with. She left and went to a major bank to to software testing. She is in a situation that is similar to mine...bored with the work. Do not get wrong. There is a difference between busy and enjoying the job. There have been days that I have been busy but not content. She is the same way. I feel that if I am satisfied with the work I am doing, I will be happy overall. I am not in both category's.
My boss returned to work yesterday after being on vacation in Cabos San Lucas, Mexico. He came back tan and happy. I am glad someone is. I really am itching to get away from work and enjoy a vacation...so far no one seems to care. If I was heartless, I would dumb my work on who my boss suggests and be done with it, but I cannot. These two guys have more than enough work to do without me adding to the load. My boss does not seem to see it that way. He does not see that I am a 24x7 on call that does not have the luxury of trading off with anyone. Sigh.
We had the church trustee meeting last night and I was home early. I actually beat my wife home from her meeting which is unusual. Our meeting was pretty standard...no major issues for us.
I watched "24" then I went to bed. Nothing was on TV and I was not ready to stay up for hours doing nothing.
Well it is almost time for my Wednesday meeting. Better run.
Weather toay...it is warmer (70ish) and rainy today...perfect for the grass to grow out of control. I know what I will be doing this weekend if I am not camping.
Yesterday was not bad at all...nothing came up that lingered over to today, although there are things in Europe that may have my name on them later on. Yesterday was mostly quiet, today it is mostly chaotic (not for me, but for incident folks).
I received an e-mail from a lady that I used to work with. She left and went to a major bank to to software testing. She is in a situation that is similar to mine...bored with the work. Do not get wrong. There is a difference between busy and enjoying the job. There have been days that I have been busy but not content. She is the same way. I feel that if I am satisfied with the work I am doing, I will be happy overall. I am not in both category's.
My boss returned to work yesterday after being on vacation in Cabos San Lucas, Mexico. He came back tan and happy. I am glad someone is. I really am itching to get away from work and enjoy a vacation...so far no one seems to care. If I was heartless, I would dumb my work on who my boss suggests and be done with it, but I cannot. These two guys have more than enough work to do without me adding to the load. My boss does not seem to see it that way. He does not see that I am a 24x7 on call that does not have the luxury of trading off with anyone. Sigh.
We had the church trustee meeting last night and I was home early. I actually beat my wife home from her meeting which is unusual. Our meeting was pretty standard...no major issues for us.
I watched "24" then I went to bed. Nothing was on TV and I was not ready to stay up for hours doing nothing.
Well it is almost time for my Wednesday meeting. Better run.
Monday, April 09, 2007
They Cannot Make Up Their Mind Which Card To Play...
...so they will play them all. Headlines like this bring out the BHL's* en masse. The media makes me so mad sometimes.
Focus on the crime, not the color. Focus on the life lost, not the "lifestyle". Focus on the imagery, not the impairment.
If she is guilty, then the accused deserves NO LESS THAN life without parole.
*Bleeding Heart Liberals
Focus on the crime, not the color. Focus on the life lost, not the "lifestyle". Focus on the imagery, not the impairment.
If she is guilty, then the accused deserves NO LESS THAN life without parole.
*Bleeding Heart Liberals
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Action! Not Words
The rest of Saturday went pretty well. No major issues and we did all that we wanted to do (vacuum, laundry, bedding, etc) and were able to make it to our dinner with friends 30 miles north of us.
Dinner went well. Not much went on (Mickey and Mary are not "entertainers" so to speak) although the bigscreen was on showing a variety of movies (13 Going on 30, Friday Night Lights, and Full Metal Jacket). Only Friday Night Lights was somewhat entertaining to me (I guess living in Texas made it that way) but it still was not a great movie...only tolerable.
We had brats, steak, green beans, and a variety of salads for dinner and HOMEMADE carrot cake (Thank you Paula Dean!!) for dessert. Beer, water, and sodas were available for drinks (I think there was wine as well, but it never was cracked open, IIRC). The men gathered in the TV room while the women ate in the kitchen. It seemed a bit old fashioned but that was the way things ended up.
We left at 9 PM after finishing watching Friday Night Lights. The other couple (Bob and Chrissy) had to leave early due to Chrissy's so far undiagnosed illness. Bob thinks that it is allergies but she is not so sure. A battery of tests have been ran on her but none have offered any answers yet. They are high on my prayer list. I cannot imagine living like that.
We got home and I walked the dogs before we headed to bed.
Sunday was nice and laid back. It started with church and a quick lunch at a local Chinese restaurant and ended as it normally does with a call to mom and some TV. Easter service was a mock news cast and featured...ME and a few others...OKAY...my part was small but it was done really well!
Seriously, it was pretty good. Ben and Kara were the news anchors, our pastor was the reporter, and there were three of us that video recorded parts with the pastor a week ago. They were designed to look like live shots and looked pretty good. My wife laughed at my performance and at first I was hurt, but she said that it was because I was acting and not like my normal self...she is used to seeing me funny and I was playing a straight faced Sec of Information...not my normal role. I like acting and would not mind doing more...the church gives me a safe outlet for that.
Dinner went well. Not much went on (Mickey and Mary are not "entertainers" so to speak) although the bigscreen was on showing a variety of movies (13 Going on 30, Friday Night Lights, and Full Metal Jacket). Only Friday Night Lights was somewhat entertaining to me (I guess living in Texas made it that way) but it still was not a great movie...only tolerable.
We had brats, steak, green beans, and a variety of salads for dinner and HOMEMADE carrot cake (Thank you Paula Dean!!) for dessert. Beer, water, and sodas were available for drinks (I think there was wine as well, but it never was cracked open, IIRC). The men gathered in the TV room while the women ate in the kitchen. It seemed a bit old fashioned but that was the way things ended up.
We left at 9 PM after finishing watching Friday Night Lights. The other couple (Bob and Chrissy) had to leave early due to Chrissy's so far undiagnosed illness. Bob thinks that it is allergies but she is not so sure. A battery of tests have been ran on her but none have offered any answers yet. They are high on my prayer list. I cannot imagine living like that.
We got home and I walked the dogs before we headed to bed.
Sunday was nice and laid back. It started with church and a quick lunch at a local Chinese restaurant and ended as it normally does with a call to mom and some TV. Easter service was a mock news cast and featured...ME and a few others...OKAY...my part was small but it was done really well!
Seriously, it was pretty good. Ben and Kara were the news anchors, our pastor was the reporter, and there were three of us that video recorded parts with the pastor a week ago. They were designed to look like live shots and looked pretty good. My wife laughed at my performance and at first I was hurt, but she said that it was because I was acting and not like my normal self...she is used to seeing me funny and I was playing a straight faced Sec of Information...not my normal role. I like acting and would not mind doing more...the church gives me a safe outlet for that.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Silent Night
I had absolutely no complaints about my day yesterday. "Work" was not much more than watching a ticket queue that did not move, check a mailbox that was empty, and waiting for a phone to ring that remained silent (except for Geoff calling three bloody times). I washed dishes, dried and folded clothes, let out the dogs, and put away groceries, not to mention watch Law and Order and UFC Fight Night on Spike (Joe "Daddy" Stevenson ROCKED Melvin "The Young ASSassin" Guillard early in round one).
At 5 PM I turned off my work PC and went in to see what my wife was up to. She told me that she wanted a good messy hamburger so I showered and we got ready to head over to Scotty P's for some grilled bovine goodness.
After spending an hour or so eating and chatting with my lovely wife, we headed back to the house. My wife watched the Law and Order we taped and I chatted with Knightmare Duck for a little while about the new BSOB project. We still have a lot to go over before we can go into "alpha" stage, but if Holmes puts in 25% of his creative juices, it will be a neat product, especially since KD's writing is improving. I do not know what direction this is heading, but I made it clear that I am not reliving my past. I want to commemorate it and build from it.
After I chatted with KD for a while, I walked Little Man and then watched Law and Order (the original one) that airs on Friday night. I was pretty tired/sleepy so I did not stay up except to check on the weather. Our normal 70 degree temps will be replaced with 40's this weekend with the possibility of...SNOW. Wow.
In bed early (10:30 PM or so) and up early (6:00 AM). A morning walk (much cooler than we are used to) with my wife and the dogs, then coffee and e-mail/news/blog time. I have a haircut (man, do I need it...) today at 10:00 AM and dinner at Micky and Mary's at 5:00-ish, plus I should try to vacuum the house. My wife did not get the living room and the bedroom cleaned like she had hoped, but I am far from disappointed. She has been busy with lots of other things.
Oh, I failed to mention that we are going to try a new vet...my wife met with a Christian vet and really liked her, so we may be going to her...my wife will be praying about it and if she feels that it is God's will, then we will have a new vet.
At 5 PM I turned off my work PC and went in to see what my wife was up to. She told me that she wanted a good messy hamburger so I showered and we got ready to head over to Scotty P's for some grilled bovine goodness.
After spending an hour or so eating and chatting with my lovely wife, we headed back to the house. My wife watched the Law and Order we taped and I chatted with Knightmare Duck for a little while about the new BSOB project. We still have a lot to go over before we can go into "alpha" stage, but if Holmes puts in 25% of his creative juices, it will be a neat product, especially since KD's writing is improving. I do not know what direction this is heading, but I made it clear that I am not reliving my past. I want to commemorate it and build from it.
After I chatted with KD for a while, I walked Little Man and then watched Law and Order (the original one) that airs on Friday night. I was pretty tired/sleepy so I did not stay up except to check on the weather. Our normal 70 degree temps will be replaced with 40's this weekend with the possibility of...SNOW. Wow.
In bed early (10:30 PM or so) and up early (6:00 AM). A morning walk (much cooler than we are used to) with my wife and the dogs, then coffee and e-mail/news/blog time. I have a haircut (man, do I need it...) today at 10:00 AM and dinner at Micky and Mary's at 5:00-ish, plus I should try to vacuum the house. My wife did not get the living room and the bedroom cleaned like she had hoped, but I am far from disappointed. She has been busy with lots of other things.
Oh, I failed to mention that we are going to try a new vet...my wife met with a Christian vet and really liked her, so we may be going to her...my wife will be praying about it and if she feels that it is God's will, then we will have a new vet.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Absotively Posalutely
Well, I have been in contact with the global inc mgmt team and I have verified that they are working from home as well and that most of the world is off today, except Asia. I find this very ironic that my company is working today but most of our customers are not. Sounds a bit biased when we take holidays off that our customer does not and since this is one of the major Christian holidays, why does my company not have it as a company wide holiday? We are "diverse" company. The company "celebrates" diversity in the workplace (READ: Gay, Lesbian, Transsexuals, etc) but not religion (at least in the name of Christianity). While I am sure this is not the case, it would appear as such. We have diversity training focusing on "alternative" lifestyles but we cannot have Good Friday off as a holiday? Even the non-Christian customers we support let the employees have today off as a "Spring Holiday".
At least I can work from home. I may even shut down my work PC since I am on call 24 x 7 and treat this is a partial day off...working only as I get called. That may work...
At least I can work from home. I may even shut down my work PC since I am on call 24 x 7 and treat this is a partial day off...working only as I get called. That may work...
Eyes Without A Face
The rest of my afternoon went well at work. Then open issues were in the process of being resolved and I was able to leave at 4:00 PM to run home and let the dogs out (and put away my laptop...I do not want that stolen) before I went to my optometrist. We decided to go back to the first doc that we had when arrived in Texas. We liked him but his staff was arrogant, so we stopped going. After a few years of going to another doc (who was ok, but I think he was slipping a bit) we decided to go back to the first one. My exam went well and $121.20 later, I have some very nice properly adjusted glasses coming in about 10 days.
After the appointment, I went to Wendy's and grabbed some unhealthy food, scarfed it down and headed to the city council meeting. It was one of the best yet...lots of the residents showed up to voice concern about the adding of sewer services to the city (small town of 5,000). They are small and want to keep it that way. I cannot say I blame them, but I cannot see the town growing at all or even keeping their head above water without modern sewers (however, I am far from an expert on the subject...I could very well be wrong). The rest of the meeting revolved around that and after 3 hours I went home. The meeting was 95% over with anyway...all that was left was the agenda for next month.
I got home and watched Law and Order - SVU that was on Tuesday. I did not see it since I was very tired and last night was the first time I had a chance to watch it. After that, the wife and I went to bed.
I was able to sleep in this morning since most of the employees of my customer account are on holiday. I am "working" from home and I have to be available 10:00 am - 6:00 pm via phone but other than that there will be little that needs to be done, as fas as I can tell. I will be able to walk the dogs, wash some dishes, etc while I am working. Good Friday should be a slower day...at least I pray that it will.
My wife is trying out her new battery on her laptop. It says the two together should give her 4 hours but I will be happy with 2, since my wife runs wirelessly 100% of the time.
After the appointment, I went to Wendy's and grabbed some unhealthy food, scarfed it down and headed to the city council meeting. It was one of the best yet...lots of the residents showed up to voice concern about the adding of sewer services to the city (small town of 5,000). They are small and want to keep it that way. I cannot say I blame them, but I cannot see the town growing at all or even keeping their head above water without modern sewers (however, I am far from an expert on the subject...I could very well be wrong). The rest of the meeting revolved around that and after 3 hours I went home. The meeting was 95% over with anyway...all that was left was the agenda for next month.
I got home and watched Law and Order - SVU that was on Tuesday. I did not see it since I was very tired and last night was the first time I had a chance to watch it. After that, the wife and I went to bed.
I was able to sleep in this morning since most of the employees of my customer account are on holiday. I am "working" from home and I have to be available 10:00 am - 6:00 pm via phone but other than that there will be little that needs to be done, as fas as I can tell. I will be able to walk the dogs, wash some dishes, etc while I am working. Good Friday should be a slower day...at least I pray that it will.
My wife is trying out her new battery on her laptop. It says the two together should give her 4 hours but I will be happy with 2, since my wife runs wirelessly 100% of the time.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Stand Or Fall
By lunchtime yesterday, things appeared stable. The issues were being worked on and nothing appeared to be spinning out of control. Since things were looking up, I decided to take lunch.
The weather has been cooler after the storms marched through North Texas. My sinuses are giving me a bit of problems, but not too many. Since it was not hot outside, I took part of my lunch out of my office, reading a bit while reclining in my truck. I was about 15 minutes into a new chapter when my mobile rings. It appeared to be a US number, but not local. As usual, I answered it. It turns out it was our customer's esc mgmt asking to have an issued elevated. I was curious on why I was called, instead of the customer calling the help desk and having them raise it. The customer told me he was having trouble getting the issue raised. He asked me if I would look into it and I told him I would. Of course I was at lunch and informed him of this and he told me, "please finish your meal...while this is important, I know that breaks are not common for you. If you can look into this within the hour it would help." He told me not to call him back unless there was an issue with raising the case.
I got back to the office a bit later and contacted the global inc mgmt. They informed me they were aware of the issue but had not updated the threat board yet because they too, were very busy. The technician had been notified and that was the most important thing. Since the issue was being looked into, I continued on with my day.
Issues continued to rise and fall all day long and by the time I left for the day, we had four open issues that I could be called upon to react to. I prayed for the best and went home.
When I got home I found the slimline battery that I had ordered for my wife's old Toshiba Tecra 9000 had come in so I popped it in the laptop and began the charging process. My wife had asked me that morning if I would install the Palm Desktop software and sync her PDA to the laptop instead of the desktop we used to share. I told her that I would when I had time. Now looked like as good as time as any so I began. When she got home from working out, I snagged her PDA and did the initial sync. All went well (all except one event that was a typo...I quickly corrected that) and I kept her PDA on the cradle to charge. I tested it and it looked good, so I powered down. I told her not to use the laptop until the slim battery had fully charged, indicated by the orange light going out. She agreed and we let the unit charge while we were at care group.
Our Care Group was not meeting because of conflicting schedules, so we went to another nearby (there are two within 5 miles of our house). We brought a salad, which is something my wife could eat every day. We used good greens (no Iceberg lettuce for us) and it was a big hit with everyone.
The fellowship was good, We discussed three verses of Scripture, James 1:19-21, which talks about listening more and talking less. I know there were a lot of people besides me that needed to hear that message. There were three of us who commented that talking a lot gets them in trouble (Can I get an AMEN?) and we prayed for the Holy Spirit to move us to listen more. It really was quite powerful.
After Care Group was over we went home and let the dogs out. I got back first (Little Man did not seem to into the walk), turning around after he did his thing. I started washing the few dishes that were there and then when my wife returned, we watched Jericho which we had taped (no, we still do not have PVR...monthly costs just cannot be justified yet) earlier. After that, it was off to bed. I was exhausted.
I woke up at 4:30 thinking it was much earlier. I was really tired and wanted to sleep, but could not. 5:00 AM, my normal wake up time, took much longer to arrive than time would account for. Once I got up and started my routine, I still had troubles...I was and still am very tired. I still have a long day (eye doctor appt and city council meeting) but I think that my Friday is mostly clear. Saturday is scheduled to be cold and rainy but we are supposed to meet with Mickey and Mary for dinner that day anyway and I have a haircut appt in the morning. Sunday is of course "Easter" (we call it Resurrection Sunday since "Easter" is mostly a secular term nowadays) and other than service and dinner out, I we have nothing else planned. Maybe I can catch up on some sleep.
So far the day looks okay. There are issues but I am not sure how they will affect me. We keep getting global issues popping up and while most have been solved we still have two that are open. One is a few days old and the other is new. I am so weary of this. God, give me strength.
The weather has been cooler after the storms marched through North Texas. My sinuses are giving me a bit of problems, but not too many. Since it was not hot outside, I took part of my lunch out of my office, reading a bit while reclining in my truck. I was about 15 minutes into a new chapter when my mobile rings. It appeared to be a US number, but not local. As usual, I answered it. It turns out it was our customer's esc mgmt asking to have an issued elevated. I was curious on why I was called, instead of the customer calling the help desk and having them raise it. The customer told me he was having trouble getting the issue raised. He asked me if I would look into it and I told him I would. Of course I was at lunch and informed him of this and he told me, "please finish your meal...while this is important, I know that breaks are not common for you. If you can look into this within the hour it would help." He told me not to call him back unless there was an issue with raising the case.
I got back to the office a bit later and contacted the global inc mgmt. They informed me they were aware of the issue but had not updated the threat board yet because they too, were very busy. The technician had been notified and that was the most important thing. Since the issue was being looked into, I continued on with my day.
Issues continued to rise and fall all day long and by the time I left for the day, we had four open issues that I could be called upon to react to. I prayed for the best and went home.
When I got home I found the slimline battery that I had ordered for my wife's old Toshiba Tecra 9000 had come in so I popped it in the laptop and began the charging process. My wife had asked me that morning if I would install the Palm Desktop software and sync her PDA to the laptop instead of the desktop we used to share. I told her that I would when I had time. Now looked like as good as time as any so I began. When she got home from working out, I snagged her PDA and did the initial sync. All went well (all except one event that was a typo...I quickly corrected that) and I kept her PDA on the cradle to charge. I tested it and it looked good, so I powered down. I told her not to use the laptop until the slim battery had fully charged, indicated by the orange light going out. She agreed and we let the unit charge while we were at care group.
Our Care Group was not meeting because of conflicting schedules, so we went to another nearby (there are two within 5 miles of our house). We brought a salad, which is something my wife could eat every day. We used good greens (no Iceberg lettuce for us) and it was a big hit with everyone.
The fellowship was good, We discussed three verses of Scripture, James 1:19-21, which talks about listening more and talking less. I know there were a lot of people besides me that needed to hear that message. There were three of us who commented that talking a lot gets them in trouble (Can I get an AMEN?) and we prayed for the Holy Spirit to move us to listen more. It really was quite powerful.
After Care Group was over we went home and let the dogs out. I got back first (Little Man did not seem to into the walk), turning around after he did his thing. I started washing the few dishes that were there and then when my wife returned, we watched Jericho which we had taped (no, we still do not have PVR...monthly costs just cannot be justified yet) earlier. After that, it was off to bed. I was exhausted.
I woke up at 4:30 thinking it was much earlier. I was really tired and wanted to sleep, but could not. 5:00 AM, my normal wake up time, took much longer to arrive than time would account for. Once I got up and started my routine, I still had troubles...I was and still am very tired. I still have a long day (eye doctor appt and city council meeting) but I think that my Friday is mostly clear. Saturday is scheduled to be cold and rainy but we are supposed to meet with Mickey and Mary for dinner that day anyway and I have a haircut appt in the morning. Sunday is of course "Easter" (we call it Resurrection Sunday since "Easter" is mostly a secular term nowadays) and other than service and dinner out, I we have nothing else planned. Maybe I can catch up on some sleep.
So far the day looks okay. There are issues but I am not sure how they will affect me. We keep getting global issues popping up and while most have been solved we still have two that are open. One is a few days old and the other is new. I am so weary of this. God, give me strength.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Burst
Tuesday, 3:18 PM. I am chatting with one of the Swede's in his office and my phone rings. It shows "anonymous" which usually means a call from Europe, most likely one of our customers. I answer, but the person hangs up. Knowing that the call handling system that we use calls each number and lets it ring three times and goes to voice mail after the last number is dialed, I walk back to my desk and use the handy dandy web interface to check the voice mail. As suspected, a call can from Europe, but it was from our incident mgmt group. Since they are always on line, I fire up the internal Jabber chat and ask them what is up. They tell me about a major issue that has been brewing and they want escalated. I look at the issue and call the contact to get more info. After hearing his spin on the issue, I call my peer in Malaysia to see what he wants to do about it since it will affect him more than anyone. I wake him up (it was either 4 or 5 in the morning there) and give him the information. He listens and I ask him a total of three times what he wants me to do. All three times he states that he will handle it. I acknowledge him verbally and follow up with an e-mail to him, the inc mgmt group in Europe, and the contact I spoke with earlier. Once all this was done, I finished up locally and drove home.
6:00 PM roles around and I am home, have fed the dogs, let them out, and eaten. I have collected the mail, filled the dogs water bowl and washed a few dishes. A storm was brewing so I took both dogs out to their thing before it hits. Neither want to and are more interested in the other pet owners who are out doing the same thing. After short and unproductive walk, I go back home. I was watching discovery when my mobile rings. It is from Malaysia...it is my peer in KL. He begins telling me that the issue is "global" in nature and asks me who is covering the global role since out mgr is out on holiday. I have no idea...he did not tell me anything before he left. My KL contact, Chong, says he will call the previous global esc mgr and see what she says. I got a very bad feeling about this, but told him to call me back if he needed me. The night goes on and Chong does not call me back. I wondered if this was good or bad.
The storm began to hit pretty hard. There was a little hail and the rain drops were huge. The sky looked yellow and there were tornado warnings all over. Then, as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. The yellow was gone and the dark gray of nightfall was descending.
I switched the TV over to NBC to watch Law and Order. I was beginning to have some sinus issues but I did not want to take anything. I was concerned that Wednesday would be a bad day with repercussions regarding the handling of the incident. I know that my job is more political than critical and the way it is handled is key. I am not big into politics. I am pretty "no nonsense" most of the time. This issue, while it was being actively worked on, was potentially a time bomb.
Off and on during Law and Order, the local weather man kept breaking in and giving an update which was a little overkill as far as I could tell. Since I was not worried at this point, I decided to go to bed. My wife came home from her women's ministry event shortly after that but I was too zonked out to greet her properly. I slept soundly until 2 or 3 AM, but tossed and turned after that, still worried about Wednesday.
The alarm finally went off and I grabbed the dogs and took them outside. I let the Golden use the bathroom and I let her in. I then took Little Man for his morning walk. The storms had brought in very cool and very windy weather...enough that I needed sweats instead of shorts. After a quick 20 minute walk, I came back and fixed my coffee and completed my normal routine.
I got to work early (I left 10 minutes early) since I had a training session at 8 AM and I wanted to get in and do my reports as well as check to see what collateral damage was sustained because of the issue the night before. When I got to work, I was very surprised to see that I only had one e-mail regarding the issue (now I am really worried!) and it was an FYI issue. It appears that the team working on the seemingly impossible issue (a 10 year old server that is not under warranty or supported with no spare server to replace it, running a critical app) had about 75% of the issue working via a workaround. The other 25% was going to take a bit of finagling, but it appeared that it was under control. With that seemingly good news in hand, I logged on to my training class (which would have been very good had the trainer spoken clearer English, not to mention that someone did not have their line muted and there was a lot of background noise).
After the class I went to let our incident mgmt know about the issues in China. While he had his own issues to worry about, he thanked me for keeping him in the loop.
The stress level of this situation has decreased some. I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but maybe things will be calm.
6:00 PM roles around and I am home, have fed the dogs, let them out, and eaten. I have collected the mail, filled the dogs water bowl and washed a few dishes. A storm was brewing so I took both dogs out to their thing before it hits. Neither want to and are more interested in the other pet owners who are out doing the same thing. After short and unproductive walk, I go back home. I was watching discovery when my mobile rings. It is from Malaysia...it is my peer in KL. He begins telling me that the issue is "global" in nature and asks me who is covering the global role since out mgr is out on holiday. I have no idea...he did not tell me anything before he left. My KL contact, Chong, says he will call the previous global esc mgr and see what she says. I got a very bad feeling about this, but told him to call me back if he needed me. The night goes on and Chong does not call me back. I wondered if this was good or bad.
The storm began to hit pretty hard. There was a little hail and the rain drops were huge. The sky looked yellow and there were tornado warnings all over. Then, as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. The yellow was gone and the dark gray of nightfall was descending.
I switched the TV over to NBC to watch Law and Order. I was beginning to have some sinus issues but I did not want to take anything. I was concerned that Wednesday would be a bad day with repercussions regarding the handling of the incident. I know that my job is more political than critical and the way it is handled is key. I am not big into politics. I am pretty "no nonsense" most of the time. This issue, while it was being actively worked on, was potentially a time bomb.
Off and on during Law and Order, the local weather man kept breaking in and giving an update which was a little overkill as far as I could tell. Since I was not worried at this point, I decided to go to bed. My wife came home from her women's ministry event shortly after that but I was too zonked out to greet her properly. I slept soundly until 2 or 3 AM, but tossed and turned after that, still worried about Wednesday.
The alarm finally went off and I grabbed the dogs and took them outside. I let the Golden use the bathroom and I let her in. I then took Little Man for his morning walk. The storms had brought in very cool and very windy weather...enough that I needed sweats instead of shorts. After a quick 20 minute walk, I came back and fixed my coffee and completed my normal routine.
I got to work early (I left 10 minutes early) since I had a training session at 8 AM and I wanted to get in and do my reports as well as check to see what collateral damage was sustained because of the issue the night before. When I got to work, I was very surprised to see that I only had one e-mail regarding the issue (now I am really worried!) and it was an FYI issue. It appears that the team working on the seemingly impossible issue (a 10 year old server that is not under warranty or supported with no spare server to replace it, running a critical app) had about 75% of the issue working via a workaround. The other 25% was going to take a bit of finagling, but it appeared that it was under control. With that seemingly good news in hand, I logged on to my training class (which would have been very good had the trainer spoken clearer English, not to mention that someone did not have their line muted and there was a lot of background noise).
After the class I went to let our incident mgmt know about the issues in China. While he had his own issues to worry about, he thanked me for keeping him in the loop.
The stress level of this situation has decreased some. I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but maybe things will be calm.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Schism
The day started a little weird for me. Little Man did not want to get up and go for his morning walk. Instead, we was laying in the middle of a darkened room...not on his dog bed like he usually is. Since he did not jump at the chance to go for a walk, I decided to switch up my schedule and my my coffee first. By the time it was done brewing, both dogs were up. I let The Golden out to do her thing and after she was done, I grabbed my cup 'o' Joe and Little Man and started my walk.
I left a bit early (15 minutes or so) to allow me time to get to work and get settled before my online class at 8:00 AM. The class was okay, but you can tell when someone who is not a trainer tries to teach a class like this. it was fact based, but it had no character. I almost fell asleep.
After that class I had an hour before the next thing on my list, the change mgmt meeting. Thankfully that ended on time (30 minutes) and I was able to get on with my next task, my online ergonomics class. It was better than I expected but I am beginning to hate Flash. It is way overused.
The ergonomics CBT was short (I had completed half of it yesterday) so with that done I checked the threat board. Europe has been hopping today. There have been at least half a dozen issues (three that affect me) so far and it is still early. One has been resolved and at least on is looking ugly. The last one is new enough that there are not any notes in the work log yet. Time will tell. I guess after four days of no stress, we were due for at least a little tension.
Schedule this week:
Tonight: Nothing (TV night), wife has a church function
Wednesday: Care group
Thursday: City Council meeting
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Dinner with Mickey and Mary
Sunday: Church
I left a bit early (15 minutes or so) to allow me time to get to work and get settled before my online class at 8:00 AM. The class was okay, but you can tell when someone who is not a trainer tries to teach a class like this. it was fact based, but it had no character. I almost fell asleep.
After that class I had an hour before the next thing on my list, the change mgmt meeting. Thankfully that ended on time (30 minutes) and I was able to get on with my next task, my online ergonomics class. It was better than I expected but I am beginning to hate Flash. It is way overused.
The ergonomics CBT was short (I had completed half of it yesterday) so with that done I checked the threat board. Europe has been hopping today. There have been at least half a dozen issues (three that affect me) so far and it is still early. One has been resolved and at least on is looking ugly. The last one is new enough that there are not any notes in the work log yet. Time will tell. I guess after four days of no stress, we were due for at least a little tension.
Schedule this week:
Tonight: Nothing (TV night), wife has a church function
Wednesday: Care group
Thursday: City Council meeting
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Dinner with Mickey and Mary
Sunday: Church
Monday, April 02, 2007
Until I(t) Sleeps
The rest of my work day went well. No issues, just the run of the mill stuff I normally deal with. When I got home, I grabbed a quick bite to eat since I had two yards to mow (it is supposed to rain tomorrow and I have a full week...today was my only chance). I got done just in time to watch "24" with Mrs Gee and after that I walked Little Man. But wait, there is more! When I got done with the walk, I had dishes to wash! Mrs Gee cooked, so I was obligated to wash dishes. She had stuff to do for the womens ministry so I did not mind. Once all that was done, I went online to pay a few bills and to write up the bill for my neighbor for the fertilizing, the weeding, and the mowing. I may as well get it in now...when summer hits, I will not be mowing once a week!
I am really bushed. Time to brush my teeth and get some sleep.
I am really bushed. Time to brush my teeth and get some sleep.
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