Well another day, another apple press conference - if there’s no iPod’s announced, then no big deal, I think I’ll still go snag a 80gb one - but then again, I may continue to wait a bit, not 100% sure, but such is my life as of late.
Had a nice chat on the phone yesterday about work, trying to nail down exactly what I am doing for the kMan, and make sure that I am not falling short of what he’s wanting but at the same time that I am not picking up more work than I should be, as there is a lot to do lately, and in the end my time as of late is very rare for free time it seems, but that in itself is a good thing.
New Billing system is going to be officially “purchased” this week, it’ll allow me to merge both billing and support into one package - I think though, I am going to keep myTT for doing 3rd party support long term, but if that isn’t really “jumping” then I am going to call that a wash and let the domain sit for a while as I think, all in all though the new billing system looks good, I want to do some more testing before I start importing folks, as well as make a universal simple theme for it aside from the built in one, something I never did with Modernbill, but the lucky billing system change is WHMCS - simple, clean, good customer access, and something I have been really wanting, customer affiliate system - I know there are add-on’s for ol MB but the move from 4.x->5.x looked to be a pain, and I just don’t want something TOO involved, while granted I am going to be doing a full audit and import folks one by one, it’s a needed thing that with any billing system I was going to need to do.
Anywhoo - writing this blog from Textmate, finally got around to playing with it’s blog feature (only owned it what 2 years now?) it’s pretty slick, granting when I hit post it posts I’ll probably post more once Apple’s press confrence is in motion or over, so we shall see what happens! Donations still welcomed!
Well after a drive last night, to take my mom out to the coast for her vacation (dad to follow soon) - I headed back home this morning, I was considering going to the Apple store in SLO, but a busy busy day, trying to unwind a little from my drive (only nearly got hit by a big rig 3 times) - but I am back, getting project goodies together, re-writing a database layout now to adjust my sign-up form for a project, and pass it off to Mr. Poon for some love in the design dept.
Well my old old old old (insert additional old’s) keyboard was having some issues, just seemed to take more and more to get the thing to type, things like oh I don’t know “spacebar” decided on occasion not to work, or the E key would simply not work either - so after thinking about it and watching CompUSA (wanted to see it first) I decided to venture down and give the new Apple keyboard a demo, the feel is actually rather nice, I saw the new iMac’s and I must say - still not impressed, Apple makes nice stuff, but at the same time its the iMac, I had hoped for some innovation in the all-in-one design, but at least it had the keyboard attached for demo.
It is very nice, still haven’t done the apple keyboard update, requires me to reboot, and I have things running for a while, so I can’t really shut down just yet, but probably tomorrow - but all in all, it is a nice feel, sleek look, and things plug in really nicely. Now I just need a Mac Pro and 2 big monitors, and I am set!
Tomorrow flags a new day, some things on the todo include - some CSS, working to make a little “Client Preview” app to replace the ol static HTML, everything will run off a txt file and let me do updates a LOT faster vs. by hand editing some HTML code, all formatting will just work, once it’s done, its easy to update and then some - also the more pressing project is to finish the first run of the sign-up app, still fiddling with AJAX to do dynamic username lookups, but I may ditch that and do a secondary screen after failure that says “Your name was taken” and have them choose another, or simply pick the username first before they re-enter passwords and such 30 times.
So! I am going to wrap it up and call it a night, as much as I’d love to stay up I want to try and keep a semi-regular sleep schedule, granted it’ll be ruined tomorrow with the eclipse, and mars, but hey such is life but tomorrow I have a lot to get done, and more fun playing with the new billing system which I think will become the new backend for billing/support on FH - and soon will do the same for TN - joy joy
Anywhoo - have a good week folks, thanks for the prayers, im’s and kind donations - who hopefully this week will go well, and who knows, in time that ol iPod may be mine again. Night!
Well since yesterday I have been in a bit of a bad mood, things “seem” to be going good, got a new gig that’s getting me $500 a month in cash, and got the kMan on board for backups, so that’s good, things all seem to be coming about slowly, yet I found myself upon getting home, in a bad mood, and I know part of the reason, but I dunno - life is odd I suppose.
Been pondering where to go from here, things seem to be going in a direction I’d hoped, but at the same time, I really in some ways don’t like the new direction, means going against things I know are easier/better ways to do somethings in the hosting biz, but at the same time, it’s a job, it “pays the bills” as it were - but I find myself longing for more projects like the one I picked up with Dan, its fun, challenging, a hint of scary, and exciting to explore new areas not only of code in some regard, but a industry itself of horses. Very cool indeed - but work is work I suppose, just wish it’d been a bit more than $500 a month, but that will probably go up, I am just watching my hours as it is casual at some regard, I don’t want to come into this and be “helpful” to the point of being stupid.
I have still not moved folks to the friends server, it’s still sitting there, looking at me, asking me “Why haven’t you moved me?!” and also I need to still move one client out of servers in bako, so some work to do, but seeing as it is midnight nearly now, I am going to maybe do it Sunday night or Monday - just need to get my head on straight first.
Anywhoo - thats my ramble, I think I am going to go back to bed, safer there lol. Night folks.
Well instead of running out a buying an iPod, or a headset, what did I do? You guessed it, I ran out and got a server. There was a promotion on bandwidth that came across my desk, and I couldn’t pass it up, so I put in an order, and now I am just waiting to get the thing online, which means some folks who are on “friend” style accounts will be moved to a new server, also has room for backups, which is nice, and will actually make backups quicker and easier to get to - so very excited, in offering backups to other clients I cover a good chunk of the monthly bill, but there is more to cover, about $150 a month, which ain’t bad for server and connection.
Going to go pickup a headset tomorrow, as much as I’d like to get the Plantronics 665, the issue is not only cost, but sadly I can’t find a steady flow of positive reviews, granted some I read reference they are using the headset with a Bluetooth 1.2 phone which could accommodate for the static/drops they were having, and the Dash is a Bluetooth 2.0 - but I want to get something sooner than later, and as much as I’d love to wait for Newegg, I think I am going to go snag the same headset again, it is comfy, and about the same price range as the on sale ones around town.
I finished up the Photography client, she’s busy uploading photos to her gallery, going to experiment and make her some drafts of a logo, this way she’ll have something hi-res for print/clothing should she need it, and it’ll make her site look even better (already looks good as is) - but I may have another job doing some design, which is nice, granted not my usual type of work, but it’ll be cool to do, really customizing a template, but some other things as we roll into August will help bring in some more money monthly, plus I want to focus on getting the TN page revived, and possibly another hosting venue, making Thrust Network the mama homepage with core service offerings and such, and a Hosting Front to offer basic hosting for things not just “A website” so offer “Blog Hosting” or “Gallery Hosting” type of setups.
Sysadmin day is coming up on the 27th, and while some know about it, they have asked me what I want lol - and I feel like a kid at Christmas, never really thought about it, and I appreciate the thought - at this point really, donations for an iPod, WoW Gift Card, A Book, or a DVD, I suppose I could freshen up the Amazon/ThinkGeek wishlists, but honestly - I am just happy that folks thought of me, some I of course hinted at it (aka the chatroom) and others knew about it, and asked me beforehand so very cool - but if ya want to send some love, PayPal tips are welcome, gift cards to food, whatever really - but the ultimate would be a iPod 80gb (no pressure)
Anywhoo - thats things in a nutshell, a few other things I may get to discuss in the coming weeks, some deals I am trying to work out, also need to snag a post office box too, as the office building I use as a maildrop is getting completely re-modeled, which means 3 months without it, but the plans look good for afterwards and the owner made me an office - very fancy indeed… wonder if I get wood floors, always wanted wood floors…. ah good times. Thanks for stopping by folks, more later this week I’m sure.
Well its 2:30am, I am awake. Not all that uncommon a few months ago, but lately, not so much. So whats up with me? Well since I am awake, and have a bad habit of being long winded, why not lay it out.
Work (makin a livin)
Servers lately have been good, did a round of updates last night which seemed to go smoothly, test box never had any issues, so happy there - but the company my servers sit at has been doing some “re-pricing” now granted my current servers are all price protected, however - the expansion I have had brewing is not. Several “Specials” have come and gone to get things online with the next server I wanted, and a new ultra robust backup server was halted very quickly when they increase pricing for size.
So where does that leave me? Well for now it leaves me investigating 2 options, one after talking to a nice gent on live-chat named Ruben, I am optimistic about, another option talking with Will - so-so, but his operation is closer to me, so easier to get to the servers at the end of the day, not relying on 3rd party hands to get me going - but this week is some number chrunching, we will see what happens, but I think my plan is to drum up some funds offer 20 customers who have been with me over 2 years a offer on some features they may not find anywhere else, and for a price, well that may be a little hefty at first glance, but will allow them to shape the services to come.
Health
I don’t get sick too often, but when I do, it tends to be a doosy, I of course count real sickness, not me running for 4 days straight and being completely exhausted physically and just giving into the light at the end of the tunnel - my weight is once again dripping off this summer, slower than past years, could be due to the fact I am not sweating it off in my car as I have in the past, but it also means I am not wet on my way to a meeting
I am trying to eat more fresh meals instead of fast food, which isn’t cheap, and not always “fast” but it does help me to slow down in the hustle and bustle of my day and eat, and when I MUST eat out, trying to eat a meal that is filling, not just “tasty” I just really wish Jack in the Box would bring back the Chicken Ceaser, it was simple, easy, tasty - and not horrible for ya either
Finances
Budget is leveling out, a lot of the checks I have been waiting on have come in, and of course it’s mid year, so folks who are on semi-annual hosting are paying up, but this month so far no unexpected bills, however I do have 3 new accounts @ WAMU, apparently the system only needed 1 authorization on my checking account to activate all 3 accounts, so I have 2 personal accounts 2 savings, and 1 business checking, lol - to be sorted this afternoon.
Monthly is up a bit, still no-where near what I’d like it to be, but I am working on it, I had a fellow mentioned I should get hired on @ his work, but not sure how that would pan out really, but if it did, and some ground rules were set (similar industry as what I do now), I wouldn’t mind, but I just want to setup something that I get paid fairly for my time & projects.
But it seems more and more old jobs keep cropping up, one fellow even asked me in passing this past week if I was still working for one of my old clients - not at the moment, a few old clients though have looked me up, apparently they have learned the bargain that is me even though for most of my older clients my new pricing is higher than before, many have decided I am well worth it, so hopefully if this trend keeps up, I can get my budget where I am hoping.
Photography
I wish I had some time behind the camera, part of me wants to escape, but I know there is a lot to be done, but my thought is within 2 weeks make it to the coast, spend a weekend at my brother’s combing the beach, maybe do some hiking in the hills to get some good nature shots, I really need a better more compact GPS, my current I got from a client as a gift for some work, is bulky, it is meant for your car, I want one that works in the car, but works in my pocket/camera bag, so I can geotag photos better.
I do have a wedding coming up, I need to follow up with the happy couple and see what they are looking for, I may need to buy a lens of they want various shots, but I think in the end, I am going to ask them for $125 and suggest they hire a photographer, as I don’t want to mess up their happy day by my inexperience in live photography at this sort of an event.
Friends & Family
I get out now and again still, as my previous posts of recent movies I have hit, but I do want to plan a gathering for friends to get together one last time before the Fosters move away but hopefully even more so before that get together with folks, hang out, shoot the breeze, catch up, eat a pizza.
Family is good, went to dinner with Beth, Michael, Mom & Dad on Friday for Dad’s birthday, and if all goes as planned, I’ll see Ron, Harm, and Charity in a few weeks - I still do want to make it up to Washington to see my grandparents, just like with many things, budget, budget, budget, so hopefully if all goes as planned I can make it up that way in the fall, and avoid getting snowed in (though snow would be nice), so would a real road trip with just me and the road for a few days.
Anywhooo
Going to go try to get my pillow to tell me nice things, have a good Monday folks. Think happy thoughts, thanks for stopping by!
Who knows what the heck is going on in my life anymore lol - not even I do! One day it’s major up up up - then the next it’s mellow, then it’s low - for a while there it was a nice middle of the road patch ah how I miss those days
I have started to re-think my AUP/TOS when it comes to sites getting hacked, some clients are awesome, they understand that their site is offline, they didn’t keep the software up, so it’s their fault - I love those clients. Then you have the other batch, who feel their hacked version of phpBB 0.1alpha was my bad, I should of somehow provided protection for that - I had one customer recently get on me a little upset because their software was broke after a hack, and they wanted the database, well for me to re-install the DB meant I needed to go over it a bit, search for rouge usernames in their forum, check access - basically security test a database. Not my job - I have been hired to do it, but this is just general support I have done it on, for some customers I am happy to do it, heck one even said thank you and kicked me down $25 via PayPal - now that client is my buddy
I dunno, just one of those days today I guess, things started out good, then just some of the same ol bunk waiting on my doorstep, but, here it is coming up on a new day, a fresh start, and hopefully a nice warm shower here shortly to take the layer of the day and wash it down the drain - of course since its still a little warm/humid, I’ll finish off the shower in freezing cold water to drop my core temp a bit
Lot’s to do, but I can’t seem to get ahead on it at all, design job looks like it fell thru, trying to salvage the hosting bit, few projects are wrapped up now, and working on a project off and on, just deployed it’s flash highlight widget which will scroll thru highlighted articles, pretty nice, some more CSS/Image work needed to spruce up the look and make a stand-alone article page so things can start rolling soon - and the usual billing backlog, server upgrades, and new server hardware, anyone want to come work for a hosting company for free?
Anywhoo - that’s my bit, 2m till Thursday - have a good one folks. Take Care.
I’ll probably post more once Apple’s press confrence is in motion or over, so we shall see what happens! Donations still welcomed!
More later.
but hopefully even more so before that get together with folks, hang out, shoot the breeze, catch up, eat a pizza.
