Soooo it’s the weekend. A nice weekend thus far, a quiet evening tonight, watching p.s. I love you - it’s not too shabby - one of those story lines which have a mixed tempo, from fast to really really really slow, but so far the story line is moving again and who knows it may keep pace for a while longer (one can hope).
I have been researching batteries for the laptop, as its getting odd lately, and not holding a charge as well as it used to, and coming out like at 80% at the first start up in the morning - it’s one of the things I am considering picking up as it starts $99 for a higher capacity than the apple default, so pretty jazzed.
Still looking around for a good slim digital camera, something that will fit into my pocket vs. a massive camera bag that goes along with the dSLR - the main reason is I haven’t had a good photo day in months (silly job) but I want something that’s easy to tote around and also quickly use, so I have been looking around at various options but nothing is 100% what I’d like -OR- the other side of it, no reviews what so ever, which is one thing I like to read before going crazy and dropping 1-200 bucks… but I will keep looking as I am not in a major hurry as I am wanting to set some cash aside and continue to rebuild savings and have a good pad on my bank account for the coming months.
Anywhoo - currently at 20% battery life, trying to run it down and see if I can’t get myself re-calibrated properly but time will tell, and who knows maybe I can hold off on a $100 battery purchase in the near future… but I am going to hit post now so I don’t loose this to the oblivion of battery death. Have a great Sunday folks.
Posted on 10 May '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
Soooo what a week thus far, 1 more day to go, but it’s been quite a ride. Apparently the cat is out of the bag finally, with the co-owner of the company coming in for a week, and an investor showing up, folks got the hint that the company may be up for sale - though from what I am gathering from long-timers, this has been attempted once before, and nothing happened, so time will tell - maybe they’ll give me an IT budget 
but hopefully tomorrow I can work out something for my hope of a firewall and 15 computers.
I have been considering my DVD renting practices, as it stands I am doing Netflix, but I am getting bored of it, the online watching is cool, but limited to Windows, not a HUGE deal, as currently my media rig is Vista, but Netflix seems to of slowed, I recall getting DVD’s quickly, but last took about 4 days to get, and when I did get it, snapped in two. I realize this happens, BUT with Blockbuster, I could take in the envelope and tada, new DVD, cost is the only thing that I am weary about when it comes to price, as it stands with Netflix, I am on the lowest plan with live watching, but even at unlimited 1 out, and unlimited in-store exchange, it’s $22 a month, BUT that does mean instant change, not wait 4 days for a new movie - so I am considering it after I get the last of these bills paid.
iPhone is doing well, T-Mobile’s data speeds seem very nice as of late, and since I got off the 2Wire DSL at work, much more stable wireless across the board, it hops between the Linksys’s just fine, and allows me access to my mail in a quick pinch, plus SSH, just need to get my key on there so I can easily get onto servers vs ssh -> home -> server.
Sleep has been better lately, for a week or so it was out of order, as it can become with me, and yet again someone suggesting that I may suffer from insomnia - again I suppose it’s possible, I just think I have a very different way of sleeping… yeah that’s it! But so far so good, some good rest and I woke up only a little groggy not flat out exhausted.
Anywhoo - more tomorrow as it has become my weekly blogging day it seems sometimes, but for now I am going to go and stare at some code… yay.
Posted on 8 May '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
So Friday is now upon us. The week hasn’t been horrible, got to hang out with friends last night, till about midnight, and till about 11 tonight enjoying Iron Man opening night, some friends opt’d not to come, been a busy week, but I really wanted to go, so did Dan and Cam, so we loaded up in ol Red (Dan’s Truck) and went to east hills for the movie… like 12 people total in the theatre - as always fun. Hint hint - stay after the credits.
Tonight ended mixed I think, found out what the rock I heard hit me hit tonight while washing my windows and getting my car washed, my windshield 
looks like it smashed about 5 inches from the mirror mount, cracking a L shape into the windshield, haven’t noticed because it’s behind the mirror, thus invisible to me as I am driving, but it does need to be dealt with before it grows, breaks, other - but PTL it didn’t break on impact, a good windshield for sure, now it just needs some love, maybe while I’m in there get some tint on it! The joys of cars.
Lot on my mind tonight, lot been on my mind lately, I dunno, part of me really just wants a vacation, a break, I’ve done my own schedule so long, and I could fit in breaks, a breath, but today at work was just bam bam bam, one thing after another, and most of it was dump’d on me things someone else was given to do, but since they were busy, I got it, things which should simply be copied and handed out, are re-written by me, and placed in boxes, things which to me in my mind are “basics” of computers, folks either don’t know how to do it, or a frightened to do so in fear of the PTB coming down on them! I guess I am just blessed more than I truly realize - I have customers who learn, read, experiment, roll back a version if needs be, who handle some things on their own, but sometimes I think my old Drafting teacher is out to get me, he said I should be a teacher lol.
Anywhoo - I know part of my problem is I am still amp’ing down, but already way too tired to probably be up and be getting up in about 6 hours to goto work for 30m or so, then drive north to the accountant’s house and do some computer work…. so I will say Goodnight, and for the short end of my Iron Man review, here it is: Go See It. Night.
Posted on 1 May '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
So in 2 weeks… I get to attempt my first large-scale migration while working a standard 9-5 job - now for my own clients migrations have gone over smoothly, most are aware of the issues that could happen, most manage their own websites and update application configurations, upgrade the software itself, they download their mail, backup their OWN copy just in case, it’s a rather impressive thing, I have some amazing clients - but in this case, some outdated software, lack of user involvement (most are created by the host + managed by the host) - not saying this is a bad thing, but in a migration in the past we had some issues.
This time it will be different. By Thursday there will be a drafted email blast to all customers on the affected servers, it will go out no later than Friday evening letting folks know 1 full week in advance that changes to servers are coming, that of DNS, location, configuration, etc. give a few risks involved, possible downtime windows, and going from there thru the weekend - aka “fun” it also means some money in my pocket as well which leads to the next thing. The Magic Number
The number is my cost of my ticket. I think it’s actually LESS than what I paid last time, so all I need to do is call in tomorrow, pay it over the phone, and do online traffic school, and ta-da, no pesky court date, no delays, paid, cleared, back to normal, and hopefully not another ticket for another 5 years, but it’s all in all just one last thing that has been hanging on my mind lately, so tomorrow I give a ring, make a payment, sign-up for traffic school, get it done, and then the budget can return to it’s previous state of increasing… which is now part of my flip-flop going back to the top one 
I am picking up additional work with servers, granted I do need to iron out some details in regards to payment - aka need to get things on a monthly payment plan via card vs. check - I don’t mind check’s for small things paid up in a year, so 1 big check, but to do that would be a big big big big big check - but it’s something I plan to discuss on another day, other possible work is more of a fun thing I think I am going to do is 2 church related things, and I don’t get paid a penny! I may be helping Dan-o with the new Church Website, which is uber cool, and maybe, be singing for The Hub on Sunday…. sooooo work but a blessing!
Anywhoo - there it is, busy busy at work, and I could go into details, but honestly I get tired of talking about the 8-5 grind, it makes me tired, thus I am going to flip off the lights, sigh a sigh of relief on the ticket, and fall asleep watching some crazy movie (The Comebacks?) so I wish you all a very happy Wednesday! Keep it real, Rock on for Jesus, and Keep on Truckin (I think that’s all I’ve got) - night folks!
ps. Dan, Jake, Scott, Val, Gavin, Cameron, Blaine, Cory, Jeff, Matt, etc. etc. etc. Who’s up for 830p showing of Iron Man Thursday? Anyone?
Posted on 29 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
So the week is done, twas a long one, with little sleep, but I am alive, and probably going to pass out here in a minute, but just figured I’d post a note.
A good week overall I’d say, the iPhone is doing well, with all the talk of 3G I have considered taking it back, but at the same time, it works, it does what I need, WiFi will always be faster, and granted 3G speeds will beat that of EDGE, at the end of the day Edge is more widespread, and like last time AT&T’s big data release, unless they REALLY learned from last time, we’ll probably see more outages, and for those who get it for T-Mobile’s 3G being rolled out, outages there too I’d imagine… if it’s not locked into AT&T’s 3G network!
Anywhoo - busy day tomorrow, meeting about servers in the afternoon, probably a service call in the morning across the street to look at a DVD Burner Issue, and Dinner later that evening with friends, so busy busy - so I am going to crawl over to my bed, start up the movie where I left off, and dream happy dreams. Night.
Posted on 25 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
Well it was a strangely quiet day today at the office. The entire sales team, vice president, and coo - are all at the company’s annual sales meeting this year in Sin City - but it was still busy, and yet I think maybe 2 people called/came to my office - so maybe things are finally calming down to the “2 days a week of work” idea that I was told was the norm even if not, so far I don’t mind the job, just wish I had 9-6 vs 8-5… but all in due time!
This morning I was supposed to goto court for my ticket (according to my ticket) but as of Monday they said to call back in 7 days for a new court date, so I am going on that, I mean why would the court lie? But tomorrow the plan is to try and get off work an hour early to goto Edison Middle School! My former Jr. High - as Dan’s nephew is playing Baseball, I want to go and have fun, but also take the camera to get some shooting under my belt, it has been a while since I was behind the camera, be nice to try and get some good shots of a game.
Sleep as the title of this post is what I am lacking at the moment, pain has kept me up a few nights, and the pain that was thru my neck and shoulder is finally getting enough where pain meds will put it to sleep, but part of me would love to take a day off, but I am trying to keep my sick days to a minimum, but I know sooner or later job and work will collide and I’ll need to do a half day, but I want to cross that bridge only when I come to it.
Anywhoo - going to call it a night (I hope), today was good though, first day with the iPhone as the primary phone, I am still considering the switch to AT&T, but not 100% on that yet, but for now I have my iPhone on T-Mobile, a new wallet, and a photo day! Life is good, just a tad tired, so hopefully sleep will come quickly. Night folks. Have a great Fake Friday.
Posted on 23 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
So if the blogging increase is any measure of my stress level, it is true, things have calmed down, with taxes done and paid for, finances leveling out, a case of seasonal Gadget Fever, and of course finally getting my Christmas present from my bro ($50 @ thinkgeek) I did what any person trying to unwind would do… buy some nerdy stuff for no other reason than you can Actually the mini-maglight kit and the wallet were two of my main purchases, the candle I wanted to try, as for my apartment I want to limit power, see how they work.
All in all though things are getting better, not perfect, still a LOT to do. This next week I start open talks about email, I had previously hoped to have it online, but the company started to make me nervous, their solution was overly complex, and I want something 1) Clean 2) Easy to Use 3) Fair Resale Rates - so the ball is in motion on that, and this next week calls will be made, and ideas will be formed.
The speeding ticket is getting interesting, apparently my court date is moved, as my ticket was barely entered into the system on the 4th, so I am going to call again on Friday and then again on Monday if no valid answer arises, I am going to simply go in and get a printed/signed proof of the date change as I have no desire to get a bench warrant out for me over a silly ticket - so I am going to do it right and get it going and done with.
Had dinner with the boys tonight, went to Cindy’s and had some grub, good chats, good time, I was also invited to another gather next Friday with a fellow PK and his friends, few I know at least 1 other guy he hangs out with, but had a good chat today as his company does some IT services locally, and would do wonders for us, so probably going to work with him to get them helping us re-structure the entire IT setup at work, so time will tell how that all goes, but if nothing else, more friends to hang out with.
Anywhoo - approaching midnight, and I want to get some sleep, of course I may drop in a movie, but I think even if I do, I am going to just pass out, but thanks to everyone for their continued check-ups on me and their prayers, it’s all getting there slowly but surely, and to anyone who wants to if you want to hit me up on IM during the day, feel free, I am not always at my desk, but my system is locked so no random person will start chatting with you - but I’ll get back to you sooner or later, just means I am wandering between buildings so with that said I am off, happy Friday’s Eve!
Posted on 16 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
