Let the packing begin later!

That's it! My sentence stay in Toronto is complete. Tomorrow, the apartment will be bare and I'll be heading home.

My wife is here next to me, so, for now, I'll put an end to this post...

My last day

In a few hours, I begin my last full day in Toronto. I had hoped to do some packing today, but deep down, I knew it wouldn't get done. I'll probably start packing when I hear the moving van pulling up. That's nothing new, of course; but this time, with so little to pack, I actually thought I'd do it early. What was I thinking!

Dinner at Eight

He's been talking about it for months... how he would like me to come to his home for dinner and an evening of relaxation. Today was the day. And I didn't even know it until late in the afternoon. As I was preparing to leave work, the boss stopped me and asked where I was going. When I told him I was heading home, he asked if I had forgotten his invitation to dinner. To be honest, I can't remember him actually setting a date, but who am I to say no to free food!

I realize I haven't been eating gourmet since I moved here, but it would not be much of an exaggeration to say the meal was exquisite. My bosses' wife is quite a cook, and she had prepared an Italian meal from scratch. I had never tasted such fresh pasta, vegetables (from their garden), and gourmet steak. Not wanting to appear like I didn't enjoy the food, I continued to accept offers for seconds, then thirds, then... ahem... let's just say that it took me a good half hour after eating the meal before I felt enough courage and strength to attempt to stand up and leave the table.

Then, my boss, his wife, his children, and his adorable dog joined me in the sitting room for some not-so-quiet conversation. Each time we started talking, there were interruptions from one or more of his children as well as the kids' friends, who seemed to be knocking at the door nearly every minute. Around 10:00PM, I decided I had stayed long enough. Had I stayed any longer, I would have been out for the night.

Anyway, there is a standing invitation for him and his wife to join my wife and I when next they visit the Windsor area.

The last work week begins

Things are really starting to move now. My boss is getting nervous that with my departure to Windsor, the braintrust of all those nifty things I've invented at work will be gone. Whether that means he intends to do away with me, and is only now realizing that no-one else knows how to work my gizmos; or whether he's simply concerned that teaching others how to use my utilities will be best done face-to-face; the boss seems to be a bit nervous.

Today, I was handed several tasks, all of which were contradictory in one form or another. When asked why I was not working on assignment "X", I pointed out a memo saying I should be doing "Y" before "X". However, that memo was in response to a memo from another supervisor who said I should be doing "X" before "Y". Thank god I keep all memos.

And today, I also got grilled about why five different components of a sixteen-component upgrade were not deployed last week before I left on holiday. The boss made his case by pulling out a spreadsheet clearly showing the sixteen requested items. To which I responded with an email from my supervisor, citing the exact same reference spreadsheet (even attaching a copy of the document to the email). The attachment I received last week had eleven (not sixteen) items... all of which were deployed.

I have enjoyed a perk few people get... the ability to set my own hours. I enjoy working into the evening. To avoid working 12-16 hour days perpetually, I simply arrive at work late. Usually, nobody minds. I arrive at 10:30AM and leave between 6:30 and 8:00PM, depending on the amount of work I wish to complete that day. For my last week at work, I have been asked to keep regular hours, so that my hours will coincide more closely with the hours of those employees who I must train.

That's a reasonable request, and so, to bed I go...

Tres cool

I'm home in Windsor this weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary. While here, I decided to start preparing the home office for the transition to telecommuting. Today, we purchased a wireless router (G-class) and a PCI wireless adapter. For the initial test, I installed the router at the current location of the cable modem, and installed the PCI card into one of the computers I brought back from Toronto. It took longer to configure than I thought it would; primarily because some of the security measures I was attempting weren't all that well documented. But, eventually, I got things properly configured.

The wireless setup is so cool. Although I haven't visited a speed-testing site to determine what the throughput is like, there doesn't appear to be any delays in connection or download progress. I'll have to verify that scientifically. Next week, when I am back here permanently, I'll try moving the router to my home office, and installing the PCI card into the computer that's currently connected to the router via wire. Hopefully, there aren't any cable-company filters on the wire that will prevent me from reversing the roles of the two outlets. Currently, the upstairs outlet is deemed an internet connection point, while the downstairs cable is deemed the TV signal source. I'd like to reverse those roles, if possible - moving the main internet access point into my downstairs office.

I head back to Toronto for the "last time" on Sunday. Next weekend, I'll be headed back to Windsor! I can't wait!

Just call me psychic

In today's newsbag comes a story about a white-knight version of the MS Blast worm. Am I good, or what!

Hunter/Killer Anti-Virus

I wonder why hunter/killer anti-viruses are not more prevalent in today's environment. They are as technologically feasible as any worm or virus, yet we don't hear enough about this potential boon to internet security. Here's how the concept works...

White-hat hackers (that same group that finds exploits and reports them to manufacturers) would participate in the creation of "beneficial" worms. These worms would seek out vulnerable computers in the same way malicious worms do; however, when a vulnerable system is found, the beneficial worm would patch that system in a way that does not allow the malicious worm to penetrate the system. In addition to performing the patch, the beneficial worm would try to spread itself to other vulnerable systems (using the same methodology as malicious worms), but only until a particular expiry date had arrived, or until no such vulnerable system could be located - whichever came first.

Some may say that a worm is a worm is a worm, and that "white-hats" should be allowed no more freedom to infect your system than "black-hats". In principle, I agree. But sometimes, a well-intentioned intervention, while not appreciated at the time, is the best long-term solution.

For people running Windows software, the windows update service offers a means of applying patches before things get out of hand. It's a mystery to me why more people don't run it more often. It's also a mystery why users don't take advantage of the automatic application of patches, so staying protected becomes a no-brainer.

All set to go!

Two more weeks in Toronto, and then I'm home. I had prepared a checklist of things that needed to get straightened out, logistically, before I left town. Despite giving that list to my boss nearly 2 months ago, he procrastinated, and finally, on Friday, sat me down to discuss future plans. His vision has changed these past two months, whereby he is considering me for tasks more focused on the core software, and less focused on the internal support and infrastructure improvements. In a way, that's good... because that tells me that I'm a valued part of the core team. However, in other ways, it's not as good.

The company I work for could really use some improvements in their infrastructure, and I was working, behind the scenes and on my own time to ensure that, little by little, those improvements were introduced. By changing my role and denying me the opportunity to take back some of the tools I would have needed to continue my work in that regard, it signals to me that there is no genuine mandate for process improvement. Ultimately, this may be the biggest limiting factor in the continued growth of this company.

This weekend, I'm in Toronto. The following weekend, I go home to carry some boxes, but more importantly, to celebrate my wedding anniversary. And the weekend after that... I'M HOME!!!!

Software Patents - the Lunacy continues

I believe in software patents. I believe that the time and energy invested by people to solve a problem should not be subject to theft by others without fair compensation. Still, this story leaves me a bit unnerved.

My opinion is that, if I am working to solve a problem, and am unaware that someone else has already solved the problem and patented the solution, I should not have to pay this person for his solution, even if I come up with a similar one. As long as I can show that my research was "pure" (i.e. not influenced in any way by the other person's solution), I don't think I should have to fork out money twice to solve the problem.

In the case above, I find it hard to believe that Microsoft was unaware of the patent. After all, when a big company like Microsoft develops new products, I'd imagine they have a team of researchers out there trying to determine whether someone else already has patent rights.

Ironically, the patent holder in this case is working on another research project called Dark Iron (insert copyright symbol here - I don't know how) that sounds suspiciously like a common worm / distributed attack software. I wonder whether the American Hacker Alliance (AHA) will be filing a patent-infringement case against Mr. Doyle?

Lesson learned

I just learned a lesson about the KVM switch. Order matters. Specifically, the computers need to be powered on in a specific sequence for the KVM switch to work properly. Hmm... It might not be too sequence-dependent, but one thing is clear... the computer connected to SLOT 1 needs to be the first to be turned on. I suppose if I had thought about it, it would have been obvious - the keyboard plugged into slot 1 supplies power to the entire KVM switch. So, it there is no power going to slot 1, how is the thing supposed to work?

Thing is, I have two computers that came on simultaneously when I repowered the UPS. But the computer plugged into SLOT 1 takes longer to reboot. Apparently, the computer in slot 2 is not happy with this arrangement. It's yet another thing I have to remember to rewire when I get back home. I'm not going digging through all the wiring trying to redo it before moving back. It's just not worth the effort.

This thing called sleep

I discovered something yesterday afternoon. When power is completely gone... when there's not enough light to see where you're going - even when your pupils are opened to the max - there's one thing that's still possible... sleep!

Having coincidentally followed on the heels of a night when I didn't leave work until after 2AM (nearly a 16 hour shift), it wouldn't have taken much effort to coax me into an after-work nap. The way these things normally go, I would have gotten home at 7 or 8PM (the price of getting to work at 11AM after a late night) and crashed for a few hours, only to wake at 3 or 4AM and get online. Instead, we were let out at 4:30, figuring that even if power was restored quickly, it would only come back on in time to leave.

My usual 10-minute trip home took about 40 minutes. For the most part, people were courteous. Despite massive lines of cars, there were no car horns. However, this concept of treating out-of-order traffic lights as a four-way stop was foreign to those who were accustomed to following the lead car through an intersection, regardless of the colour of the light. It took some bravery to edge into the flow of traffic, deciding after a significant wait, that it was our turn to go. While this may have been a bold move, nevertheless, the people whose progress I interrupted seemed to understand, and there were no horns or words exchanged.

Trying to eat dinner would have been a dilemma. My stove (which I never use because of my microwave) is electric, so it was of no use. And I knew the restaurants in the area would be without power. So I did what I always do after a long day at work. I took a nap.

My understanding is that the nap lasted about 4 hours. I say understanding because at 9:30ish, it was pitch-black. No night-lights, no LEDs on my computer speakers... nothing! I fumbled around in the dark until I found my cellphone, and used it as a flashlight to navigate around the apartment. I don't have a land-line phone. My cell is it! So I called my wife to find out how she was coping in the dark. I knew she had been affected, despite being in Windsor, since on the way home, the news had stated the blackout affected Detroit.

To my surprise, she told me the power had come back on 10 minutes earlier. Secure in the knowledge that power was only minutes away, I made my way upstairs to inform the landlord that power would be restored soon. I'm glad I made the trip. Though he's a great landlord, we really don't have a need to talk to one another. He's got his life; I've got mine. But on a night when nothing else was working, we took time to sit and talk. It turns out that he had been unable to call his wife, since his cell phone didn't want to work. I loaned him mine, and he was able to get through to her.

Then, he asked whether I wanted one of the candles that he had placed around the house. I accepted, and when I finally returned to my apartment, I was able to prepare a cold-cut sandwich by the light of the candle. After one more call home, I headed to bed about 11:30, hoping that, come morning, the power would still be out, and I would get the day off. I woke up around 4:30AM, and noticed that my bedside alarm clock was flashing. Damn! Power had come back exactly 59 minutes earlier.

I was surprised when I got to the living room, and found all my computer equipment running. Surprised, because, when I got home after work yesterday, my monitor and computer speakers were still on - powered by my UPS, which was doing it's best to warn me that power had been cut. I had turned off the UPS to silence it's alarm and conserve battery power. This morning, when I saw the computers were powered on, but the monitor and speakers weren't, it hit me... for the past couple of months, I've had my computers plugged into the non-battery-protected sockets of the UPS! Doh!

As soon as I post this entry, I'll remedy that situation.

Is it just me?

Well, it's been three days since I got my new glucose meter. I give it a couple of more days before I look like a strung out junkie. The idea that I could test on my forearm, instead of constantly pricking the same two fingers (don't ask!) seemed attractive at the time. The brochure said that the forearm offered a completely painless area for testing. I don't dispute that. I have yet to feel any of the pinpricks, and am always amazed when I see a droplet of blood issue forth from the point of contact. But there's a problem.

Whereas the pinpricks in my finger seem to leave a sore spot for a couple of minutes, and afterwards leave no evidence of any kind, my arm seems to be intent on leaving a blood blister at the point of impact. Right now, my arm looks like a cross between freckles, age spots and needle marks. It's the last scenario that has me concerned. Everyone knows I'm straight as an arrow. I've never sampled alcohol (past the age of 8 when I was expected to partake of Passover wine), never tried a cigarette, and never was curious about drugs. So, walking around with tracks on my arms is quite embarassing.

So, here's my question... how does everyone else react to forearm testing? Does everyone get these unsightly marks, and how long do they last?

The countdown continues...

What an exciting time! Having just returned from another weekend in Windsor, where I was able to drop off a couple more boxes of stuff. The next trip in two weeks will include all non-essential computer equipment. That will leave just one computer, a bed, a loveseat, a TV and a microwave to be moved on the last weekend of the month. I'm getting excited!

The visit to the doctor's office was less than enjoyable. I got a prescription for an updated glucose monitoring device. My first device was around four years old, and the test strips I had been using were actually expired. I know I've been abusing my body since living on my own, but I hadn't realized the extent to which I had allowed myself to deteriorate. I've used the new monitor four times so far, and none of the readings I've gotten have been encouraging. Because the meter is new, I used the control solution to see whether everything was working properly. My first control reading was out of range - meaning that either something was wrong with the machine, the enclosed test strips, or my procedure. I did a second control reading a day later (after obtaining two, disturbing glucose readings). This time, the control reading was bang on. Since then, I've gotten another two less-than-thrilling readings.

All I can say is, when I move back home, I'll be following a more stringent diet.

Being human (and craving carbohydrates) sucks!

Almost gone

Just a few minutes more of packing and checking email before heading home. My back is much better now, and won't be an issue for the doctor after all. I had previously booked an appointment on an unrelated matter, so it's good that I won't have to complicate the appointment with anything trivial.

Bye!

My aching back!

I hurt myself sometime this past weekend. I think it happened when I slipped on wet pavement. I actually slipped twice - once on the metal doorjamb at a restaurant, and once on the painted auditorium floor in a movie theatre. Both times, I managed to maintain my balance, but I think I may have wrenched my back in the process.

On Sunday, I started feeling the pain. That night, I had trouble sleeping, and on Monday, the pain was even worse. By the time I returned to Toronto (a four-hour drive), my back was a real mess. Tuesday, I could barely move. Although I dragged myself to work, I spent the majority of the day grimacing in pain. Today, the pain was only marginally reduced. My wife slipped me a single dose of Robaxacet as I was leaving Windsor. I've been reluctant to take it, primarily because I don't like taking drugs for every little thing; but also because one dose won't do me much good, and I certainly don't want to take these things on a continuing basis.

I'm hoping that a couple more days of good sleep and liberal use of an icepack will do the trick. If I'm wrong... I see my doctor this weekend, and I'll ask her opinion.

That was special!

Each weekend at home is more and more enjoyable, and this last one was no exception. I love spending time with my wife, my son, and the dogs. And I got the opportunity to visit with my parents and sister this weekend (a real bonus). And now, I've just arrived back in Toronto.

Yeah!!!

She's back! And when I return from my vacation, I can add Lee's link back onto my reference page. Or, I can try to do it from this public computer, and hopefully won't screw up anything.

Come back!

Lee wants to come back. But she's playing hard to get and wants people to convince her to return. Now personally, I love Lee's writing. And I understand that some people can get beaten down so much by adversity, criticism, and other's stupidity that they just throw in the towel. In my humble opinion, Lee is someone who should be in the blogging community. Her opinions are no less worthy than anyone else's. If you've never read her work, then the link in this post won't be any help - it doesn't tell you anything about her. But by visiting her site and leaving a comment, perhaps you can be the one that finally convinces her that hiding in the closet is no way to live a life.

The countdown continues

Twenty-four hours from now, I'll be on the road somewhere, hopefully close to home. With me, I will have the first of three mini-loads of stuff heading back home. My plan for tomorrow is to pack up all the winter clothes and possibly one of the two active computers still with me in Toronto. The laptop has already gone home (with my wife, on her last visit). I should also gather up all the computer-related books/manuals that are here. It shouldn't take me very long, and at this point, every box that gets taken home early will mean that much more room on the "last day" for the really big/bulky stuff.