Mostly Alive… Sorta. Yeah.

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.

God is Good, Taxes Done, Sleep Coming, Wheee!

So yes, it’s 2am. I finished the last bits of my final number crunching, and I have come to a conclusion, it is so time for accounting software and taking the time to learn it. TN has been growing slowly, nearly 10k more in this past year, and about another 1k in actual profit made, and of course, this year is going to be no different, with costs lowered on my end, and in turn also offering more to customers, I see some growth, but then also this calendar year I have a W2 coming, fun fun. In the end I paid more than last year (which I expected) the total was $282 (about $100~ more than last year), and as usual, state is no refund, nothing due. PTL.

Lots of prayer during taxes, TurboTax always scares the crap out of me every year, as it keeps a running tally of Tax owed, then after areas adds in the new deductions - so at one point I had $1,925 in taxes, and just started praying as I went over numbers again and again, (I need sleep) - only to run thru things, and finally say the classic “Your will be done” as over the last week funds have been coming in very steady, so I figured God was preparing me for taxes, well after hitting next to go into the new area, it re-calculated and it was less, then I got EIC and we arrived, lots of prayer tonight, and really a lot over the last few days, stress at work, taxes looming, and the upcoming court fun of my ticket, going to call the courts today from work and see what they say, if I can just pay it and do traffic school, so game.

Sleep is nearing, just HAD to get taxes done, and with the e-File it’s already post marked today, but again as I say every year, I want to do next year better, and I may form a LLC for ThrustNet and go from there, not 100% sure, but it may be time for an accountant as well - but with work in under 6 hours, I should probably wrap it up.

Anyhwoo - I’ll hit up the blog tomorrow from work, just been busy, tad crazy, and in this job I feel like I am re-living my first year of businesses as I am once again having hassles with what used to be Arrival, but at some level it’s not their fault, and yet they aren’t working with us either, long story, more later I am sure, but for now — thanks for all the prayers, thanks to folks who IM’d me tips on dealing with my court date if I indeed have to go, good stuff, much appreciated - but I must sleep, winds finally lived up to their purpose and brought the temp from 80F->52F lovely. Night folks. More later. Wheeeee!

TGIF: Good Day, Bad Morning?

So this week was great, got a lot accomplished. Work has gone good, had some mini blips in our billing software (DOS App!) - did some packing and it half worked, half took an hour longer than normal (guessing it found + repaired some bad things) - this week has been incredibly smooth though, even have the house to myself for a few days.

Heck so well, we got to hang out with Cory tonight, well last night (aka Thursday) and it all went well, got to drive Cory by his old house, show him what used to be fields and orange groves we used to play in as kids, now housing lol - then we made the trek to his hotel, dropped him off, and I got this crazy idea to swing out and pick up a check that has been waiting for me for 3 days, and when getting there and looking around, said check was no-where to be found which just compounds my desire to really start shutting stuff off - not from the hosters who host on my rigs, this is a sold unit I manage, and the fees for it have not been paid going on 2 months now, so on Tuesday it’ll be officially 2 months of payments due.

I am not honestly sure what to do, this is one of those sticky situations - where the client is a friend, but as of late I seem to be more of an distant friend, and as his employee feels about myself and dan - part of me, and at the encouragement of others, it may be time to go our separate ways on friendly terms, vs. wait for me to explode - since I have taken the 9-to-5, I keep their servers running, but then also the occasional bit of side-work, which I do my best to keep up on, but this latest side gig, seems to be more and more trouble, and I don’t know if I am getting the full story or not, so not sure what’s up, but I am leaning towards enough is enough.

But I am trying to unwind, so I am just going to lay it at the Lord’s feet in prayer, and just pray his will be done in it all, because I don’t honestly know what to do in this situation, short of fight, and that doesn’t seem like it’d work.

Anywhoo - I need sleep, tomorrow is a busy busy day, need to get some things setup for a presentation, as well as get some other assorted things rolling on software upgrades, so I bid you all a good night, and happy Friday.

Saturday, Shirt, Money, Rain

Hello from my first non-crazy weekend in nearly a month. Yowza - last month was a tad nutty, but this month may amp up to be just as cookoo - but hey I can’t complain too much, if I snag this job, a lot of things will be coming around, changing, adapting, etc. - so a relaxing weekend, that in the end turned into not too shabby time with the kMan (we had pizza & played with computers), but also getting partial payments and such - so nice there.

The way home the rain started, I love rain, I plan to go driving in it here shortly to get to the bank and ATM these checks, not the perfect way to get money in the bank, but as it’s that time of the month for bills, I’d rather get it rolling in now than fight later - hopefully Monday I’ll have other checks in and be able to get that going.

To finish up the night I just snagged a shirt from tonight’s Woot:

Pretty snazzy, my mom wanted one too, so I ordered 2 but 2 shirts for $20, not too shabby.

Anywhoo - Tomorrow brings Sunday, a day of rest, probably the one day I truly do take off, so I will bid you all a pleasant evening, have a Wonderful Sunday - for you Superbowler’s enjoy the big game, and here in Bako the new channel 46 on brighthouse for the game in HD. (yes I got the call 3 times too) - night folks!

Real Job Time?

So I have the iMac set to wake me using Awaken - it’s pretty snazzy, though I need a new wakeup playlist - I have the alarm set for 6:45am, should give me plenty of time to shave, shower, get dressed (in pants! omw!), and get out the door not in a hurry by 8am, slowly drive over across town, find a parking spot, find the building, and be ready to chit-chat job wise. The plan seems to of changed, originally it was a casual look around, now it’s a full on interview it seems, so I need to print a copy of the resume.

All in all I am more tired than excited or nervous, this past two weeks of migrations and moves has worn me out pretty good, but we’ll see how it goes, and I am sure I’ll post an update here or via twitter tomorrow - but once this is figured out, then a lot of things are going to fall into place, finances, new schedule, projects, etc. etc. etc. so change in general - but good things I think.

Anywhoo - I’d ramble on for hours, but for now I am going to drop a DVD in the player, turn it on and drift off into a dream world - more tomorrow, prayers appreciated!

Farewell Cable TV?

Why do I need TV? Oh the random entertainment, noise in the background, stay up on current events? I dunno, though with Cable modem + Cable TV, I have me a hefty bill - but with all the entertainment available do I really need it?

The options, things like Netflix, Hulu, Joost, Amazon, iTunes, Vongo, etc. various free to low cost monthly subscriptions, I mean even with the ones listed, say $8.95 for Netflix, Amazon.com $10.00 for Rentals, Vongo $10, so around $30 gets me lots of streamable/downloadable content, as well as a single DVD out at a time from Netflix, I mean it’s a lot of stuff for $30, all of which can be view via the media rig using DVI->LCD TV - which then leaves the question, short of Vongo, why do I need Windows again? I don’t write this to make Jake upset about my Mac/Linux love, just looking at options to eliminate a machine, I mean remove the one machine merge some hardware, less clutter.

But time to look at it seriously, if I take digital cable line-up out of my monthly budget, that’ll increase my monthly surplus greatly - any one have any other ideas?

Anywhoo - so far so good today, got assorted things finished up, DNS will hot-swap tonight, just need to migrate the FH/TN core DNS records over and its good to go, but right on schedule with a Wed. cancelation! very cool indeed. It’s all good - thanks for the continued prayers, this week is looking good! Eventually I’ll sleep…. eventually.

Thanks WAMU Dave

Well today I decided to call and get a update on my “VECTOR” search at WAMU - as usual the intro level folk just gave me the usual run down of what we’ve already covered, and so the guy said “Want to talk to my Supervisor?” well the call in total all levels of discussion lasted 40 minutes but in the end, Dave finally saw where I was coming from, he saw notes on the vector that were contrary to what I’d been told at my local branch. So I intend to have a good chat with the local branch manager again, as he claims they should of never started the vector as it was done probably moments after I left, as it’s very clear cut.

But what makes Dave special in my mind, is he realized all the ups downs, around etc. I had been thru in all this, and agreed to reverse the $30 issue, he explained things, and went over some past similar timeframes and worked it all out, so in the end, it came out wonderfully, of course I plan to push these fees over to the two companies who essentially caused the issue in the first place, which will cover fees I got from my old credit card processor, which I hope to have done with by tomorrow.

In other news, servers are nearly ready, working on some tweaks to the Apache/PHP configurations to make things a tad more zippy, but it’s an amazing thing to watch the monitoring info I have on this, I signed up for a new monitoring as the old one was becoming unreliable (it was a OLD OLD never updated Beta) - but the last 48 hours the current servers have had lots of ups/downs where as the new boxes, even the one with about 5-10 sites on it, all steady, solid, sexy. So writing up the FH newsletter, prepping to move some friends tonight to Trogdor, but it’s all coming along nicely, by Feb. things should be happier than happy!

I appreciate all the prayers, keep em up, lots coming up, lots to do, and back to it I go!