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.
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.
What a weekend thus far, Sunday should be fun too - a round table discussion @ The Hub which goes over the last few weeks of study we have done, it will be my first, missed last time, but I have been there for each lesson this time so should be interesting.
Had a very tasty dinner, after seeing Pizza Hut had added Pasta, I had to try their Alfredo - delish! I think I would definitely get that again, my mom helped and we at over half of it, very very filling - I’d recommend it to anyone, and to anyone who takes that recommendation, please invite me to join you
Taxes have gone well, probably be done by Monday no later, Sunday I am going to do even more number crunching, trying to dig up all of my purchases, most of the general figures are done, just trying to lower my total payout - as it stands more money came in this past year than the year previous, so pretty excited, this year should be even more funding as for 11 months out of 12 I will be employed thus a W2 & my Business, and if things go well with my review, and I get the raise after 90 days I’ll be even better, plus have health benefits.
Which leads to my other weekend favorite, sleep. Did a lot today, of course in 90F weather, so got some healthy sweating lol - but I have been re-fueling on fluids, but it’s a clear sign that summer is nearing very soon, as it’s 70F right now at it’s midnight - so may be time to get going on that AC for my room again this year or maybe it’s time to fill out the app and get my apartment rolling, of course I’ll know for sure on all of that after the 23rd, as that’s my court date for the ticket, never got a notice, just a court date on my ticket of 4/23 which is coming up very soon, so we’ll see what happens - once that and taxes are done, I’ll have a better picture of where I stand, if I have first and lasts month, I may make a go at it.
Anywhoo - thanks to everyone who has continually checked in on me over IM, nice to know folks are out there, if you don’t have me on IM, drop me a line, I’ll get you my screen names for stuff, but for now, I am going to go try to cool down a bit in the other room as my bedroom is still about 90F on it’s own (stupid computers!) so have a blessed Sunday!
Posted on 12 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
After a interesting week of work, here I am at the start of my weekend, the goals for today on the “non-work” side of things are taxes and bedroom cleaning - tonight later on I have a wild party to goto, and by wild I mean good friends, food, and possibly a flick.
Overall the week was good, I just find it really interesting how folks react to me at work, this past week alone I got several compliments about how I am very polite, easy to talk to, and quick to work on problems. Just part of how I work I suppose after the years (thus far) of running my own service based business, but it is something I’ve always preferred in service based business too - steady customers so to speak, that gives you more time to work with someone, get the plan down for what they want to do, and really dig in to helping make their project a wonderful thing.
This next 2 weeks though should be a tad crazy, taxes to be finished (should be done by Monday is my goal), start of packing up my room to move - not to mention throwing out a lot of stuff I don’t need anymore, preparing for the boss man’s presentation in NY (I don’t get to go, I am just setting up the powerpoint), and I am trying to finish up a write up of the new email options for customers, I think I have the pricing figured out in my head, and while I had hoped to get it online this past week, that just never happened - but lots to do, a server to setup, etc. etc. busy busy.
Anywhoo - going to go check on my YouTube upload, and get to work on the room a bit for a while - should be fun? 
Have a wonderful weekend all.
Posted on 5 April '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
So what happens when you eat Chicken strips @ a local “brewery” feel sick, get thru the work day, only to get a 30m nap, then off to a evening with friends, tasty Chinese food, fun bowling, a piece of cheese cake and hot coco from Denny’s - well the Chicken wins. Oi.
Today I have taken my first sick day, probably one of the few I’ll ever take I’d imagine - just too tired to drive safely to work, still achy from puking my guys out this morning, and I got no sleep, so I am kind of half working from home, half taking it easy and laying on my bed, so far so good, been checking in on work email, got the work cell primed, but thus far things are running smoothly out there, granted it’s a 20 minute drive away, so if I am REALLY needed, I can always bum a ride from one of the rents, but I doubt I’ll need to.
All in all this week has been good though, some minor irritations at work, mainly resulted from some people letting their personal problems leak into their day-to-day job @ the office, throw in a time change… a little ruff, but I made it thru short of food poisoning, looking forward to next week - but also have some projects to get rolling this weekend, more tax work, get RM up and running, email upgrade tonight for Horde, also publish the new “Enhanced Email” setup pricing for FH, maybe get some time on TN if I can wing it, so a busy but hopefully relaxing weekend.
Well I have been sitting up too long, so I am going to head back to the bed to zone out a bit more, maybe drop in a movie - going to attempt lunch when it comes around, just not sure I’ll be ready for solid food just yet… soon. Have a lovely Friday everyone!
Posted on 14 March '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
Soooooooo… how you all doing? This is the “its late, so brief blog” version of things, so here we go….
Backup at work is up and running, in the end with fakeraid I went with dmraid + RAID0 - so no real failure option, but at the same time, going to archive per-user to bzip and such sans media (personal mp3 files) and it’ll all be good, but it’s a rockin system, doing well.
Bowling - we have made it a weekly thing it looks like, as we are going Thursday night, but none the less bowling, so I’ll get to see if I can improve my game any from last week’s cosmic bowling. Crazy Girls in the lane next to us… long story.
Stargate - Ark of Truth is out, loved it. Bought it @ Target watched half of it at work while working on the backup server, but finished it @ home, rip’d it to Xvid for watching on-demand on the TV as well as a copy for the iPod… yes I love Stargate, I have all 10 seasons of SG1, and all of Atlantis. Good stuff indeed.
Shirts - got a few new ones, one came today, mainly artsy, also got one of a pigeon that says “I’m from the streets” looks cool, but I do need to do some laundry this weekend and get things ready, plus I need to find some clothes for Church and singing in the choir, may need to venture out to the GAP as their shorts/pants tend to fit me good.
Anywhoo… there it is, I am sure there is something I am leaving out, still waiting on my ticket, got to meet Solomon Poon, etc. etc. BUT it is time to goto bed soon, so I must wrap up, set out clothes for the AM, and get to it - bi-weekly meeting tomorrow, and more folks to get setup on the backup server. Fun Fun. Night all! Thanks for reading!
Posted on 12 March '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
The whole thing with balance I am trying to find with the jump between the 8 to 5 grind and TN/FH is tough, not that it isn’t possible, it’s just a change in mindset, as well as making sure to take a break, relax, breathe, you know that sort of thing - and tonight a much needed break was had, a game of Catan, 2 Nephews, a Niece, 2 friends and 1 Solomon.
Such a beautiful baby, got to hold him for a little bit, he’s got some good muscles already pushing around as he laid across my chest more or less as I held him on the couch - just honored to get to meet him, hang out with the Poon’s - my buddy Lanie was there, as well as Blaine and Cameron, apparently Gavin had some sort of prior “thing” with a certain “lady” friend, geeze, what’s so special about a lady friend when you have cool people playing Catan? he was missed, but it was a fun evening, got to even give a piggy back ride, so I mean that alone sum’d up the evening.
It was a great break, and I have actually taken most of the night off, I do have some spot work here to do shortly with some domain renewals, cancelations, and I am also looking to move forward on some alternative email options for both FH/TN that are just standard POP3/IMAP (no fancy Exchange) but simple alternatives and see if I can’t package it with standard accounts over time and absorb the cost in and offer email managed off server, vs. on server, would let folks store more on box - but before I go into business mode, I want to find a snack, and relax a bit more, as tomorrow is Friday, which means every little project people forgot, will hit my desk!
Speaking of work though, the backup server is as such:
- ABIT IP35 Pro (Fancy)
- Intel Core 2 Duo (E6420) 2.13ghz (Conroe)
- 4 GB GeIL Ram (2 x 2GB sticks)
- 5 x Maxtor 500GB SATAII Drives (4 in RAID5 - other will be primary OS aka nothing critical for backups)
- 4 HotSwap Enclosures for the Drives
- Promise FastTrak PCI SATAII Controller (mixed feelings, but some positive reports)
- 750W Power Supply
- Other Assorted Goodies: ie. cdrom, floppy, Radeon X700
A nice little rig, but more I read about the promise card the more mixed I feel about it - but we’ll see how it goes probably Tuesday at this point since most stuff is shipping from CA, so it’ll be here probably Monday/Tuesday.
Anywhoo - sleep is nearing, so work must be done, I’ll write more tomorrow after bowling! Night folks!
Posted on 6 March '08 by Chuck Brown, under General. No Comments.
