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!
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Sunday, August 03, 2003
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.
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.
Friday, August 01, 2003
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Like a rolling stone
Tonight was the night... Toronto hosted a concert for nearly 500,000 paying customers to prove to the world that SARS is under control. When all is said and done, the economic spin-off from this concert will probably be minimal. Those business owners that were naive enough to think the influx of people would spend any part of their day doing anything other than trying to get into the concert, trying to get a good vantage point, and trying to exit as quickly as possible afterward will be crying in their coffee come Thursday morning. I hadn't realized the Toronto TV stations would be broadcasting the concert in near-real-time. For those of us that did not flock to Downsview Park, we probably had the best view in the house.
Except for the energy and experience of being at a big-name concert, most people don't go to concerts for the music. I can't tell you the number of times I've been disappointed with "live" versions of songs, after being bowled over by the studio version. Of all the bands I've ever seen, I think Supertramp and Boston did the best job of recreating the feeling of the music you had actually come to hear. Judging from what I heard on TV, I would have to say I'm glad I didn't pay money to hear the Stones.
I was much more impressed with the performance of Rush, one of 15 acts that played today's concert. Their music was most like what I remember them sounding like. Anyway, a music critic I'm not, so I'll end here. From the news video, it seems the crowd was well-behaved, and I hope everyone who went came away feeling good about their investment of time and money.
Tonight was the night... Toronto hosted a concert for nearly 500,000 paying customers to prove to the world that SARS is under control. When all is said and done, the economic spin-off from this concert will probably be minimal. Those business owners that were naive enough to think the influx of people would spend any part of their day doing anything other than trying to get into the concert, trying to get a good vantage point, and trying to exit as quickly as possible afterward will be crying in their coffee come Thursday morning. I hadn't realized the Toronto TV stations would be broadcasting the concert in near-real-time. For those of us that did not flock to Downsview Park, we probably had the best view in the house.
Except for the energy and experience of being at a big-name concert, most people don't go to concerts for the music. I can't tell you the number of times I've been disappointed with "live" versions of songs, after being bowled over by the studio version. Of all the bands I've ever seen, I think Supertramp and Boston did the best job of recreating the feeling of the music you had actually come to hear. Judging from what I heard on TV, I would have to say I'm glad I didn't pay money to hear the Stones.
I was much more impressed with the performance of Rush, one of 15 acts that played today's concert. Their music was most like what I remember them sounding like. Anyway, a music critic I'm not, so I'll end here. From the news video, it seems the crowd was well-behaved, and I hope everyone who went came away feeling good about their investment of time and money.
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
zzzzzz
Not much happening here (unless you count the headlines, which for days have been focused on the upcoming Rolling Stones concert). I've been tooling around writing some small utilities to help my colleagues and me with some of our more mundane duties. I'm a big believer in process automation. Other than that, I'm just looking forward to the weekend. I'll be home for the long holiday weekend.
I'll also be going home on three of the following four weekends... the last trip being my last trip.
Ah well, back to dullsville....
Not much happening here (unless you count the headlines, which for days have been focused on the upcoming Rolling Stones concert). I've been tooling around writing some small utilities to help my colleagues and me with some of our more mundane duties. I'm a big believer in process automation. Other than that, I'm just looking forward to the weekend. I'll be home for the long holiday weekend.
I'll also be going home on three of the following four weekends... the last trip being my last trip.
Ah well, back to dullsville....
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Ex-Qusay-moi!
What a day! Some Iraqi civilian just became a multi-millionaire hitting the jackpot on the $15M + $15M reward for the brothers grim. I really do hope he's able to collect the reward. Otherwise, U.S. credibility will take a further hit. In the meantime, let's just savour the idea that two of Iraq's cruelest sons have seen their last sunrise.
What a day! Some Iraqi civilian just became a multi-millionaire hitting the jackpot on the $15M + $15M reward for the brothers grim. I really do hope he's able to collect the reward. Otherwise, U.S. credibility will take a further hit. In the meantime, let's just savour the idea that two of Iraq's cruelest sons have seen their last sunrise.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Nearly skunked!
The garbage collection schedule in this neighborhood changed at the beginning of July. It used to be that garbage and recycling pickups were on Friday. Now, recycling is done on Friday, and regular garbage is collected on Tuesday. The collection, which used to be done some time in the late morning or early afternoon, now appears to be done very early in the morning. I had missed the last collection due to this change in schedule, so I headed out a few minutes ago with my bags. When I got to the curb, I apparently startled an animal that had been foraging through the home-owner's trash. As it ran off, I could see, even in the darkness, the distinct white stripe on the raised tail. I'm so lucky and grateful that this little predator didn't think me enough of a threat to spray me on his way out.
The garbage collection schedule in this neighborhood changed at the beginning of July. It used to be that garbage and recycling pickups were on Friday. Now, recycling is done on Friday, and regular garbage is collected on Tuesday. The collection, which used to be done some time in the late morning or early afternoon, now appears to be done very early in the morning. I had missed the last collection due to this change in schedule, so I headed out a few minutes ago with my bags. When I got to the curb, I apparently startled an animal that had been foraging through the home-owner's trash. As it ran off, I could see, even in the darkness, the distinct white stripe on the raised tail. I'm so lucky and grateful that this little predator didn't think me enough of a threat to spray me on his way out.
When is a rhetorical question not a rhetorical question?
I watched Jay Leno tonight. Monday is Headline night, where Jay offers goofy headlines, stories, ads, etc. that have been sent in by alert readers. One of Jay's favourite categories is the "crime blotter" entries about bumbling criminals. Apparently, one such brain-dead moron was returning from an overseas trip, with a stash of illegal drugs among his possessions. As is customary on such a trip, the passengers were provided with Customs and Immigration forms while still enroute, to help them get through the customs process more efficiently. One of the questions on the form was: Are you transporting any illegal drugs or contraband? - a question that our intrepid would-be criminal answered truthfully.
So here's my question. Upon landing, could this person be arrested for smuggling? Think about it. Smuggling is a crime where someone transports goods over a border without properly declaring the goods. Since this person did not hide what he was doing, I don't think smuggling would be an appropriate charge. Perhaps there are still charges such as trafficking or simple possession that could be levied. But smuggling? I don't think so.
And another thing... whoever it was that decided such a question should be placed on the form in the first place... I wonder if he's getting the last laugh at all his colleagues that insisted no-one would ever be caught by that question!
I watched Jay Leno tonight. Monday is Headline night, where Jay offers goofy headlines, stories, ads, etc. that have been sent in by alert readers. One of Jay's favourite categories is the "crime blotter" entries about bumbling criminals. Apparently, one such brain-dead moron was returning from an overseas trip, with a stash of illegal drugs among his possessions. As is customary on such a trip, the passengers were provided with Customs and Immigration forms while still enroute, to help them get through the customs process more efficiently. One of the questions on the form was: Are you transporting any illegal drugs or contraband? - a question that our intrepid would-be criminal answered truthfully.
So here's my question. Upon landing, could this person be arrested for smuggling? Think about it. Smuggling is a crime where someone transports goods over a border without properly declaring the goods. Since this person did not hide what he was doing, I don't think smuggling would be an appropriate charge. Perhaps there are still charges such as trafficking or simple possession that could be levied. But smuggling? I don't think so.
And another thing... whoever it was that decided such a question should be placed on the form in the first place... I wonder if he's getting the last laugh at all his colleagues that insisted no-one would ever be caught by that question!
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Ahoy, matey
Have you run into any Pirates lately? If not, get your ass over to the local Cineplex and have a grand old time. Johnny Depp offers a spirited portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, the greatest pirate to ever live, in Pirates of the Caribbean. He's an absolute hoot to watch. When I see him play roles like this, or Chocolat or Benny & Joon, I applaud his courage and talent. Thank god I allowed my wife to talk me into seeing this movie.
Have you run into any Pirates lately? If not, get your ass over to the local Cineplex and have a grand old time. Johnny Depp offers a spirited portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, the greatest pirate to ever live, in Pirates of the Caribbean. He's an absolute hoot to watch. When I see him play roles like this, or Chocolat or Benny & Joon, I applaud his courage and talent. Thank god I allowed my wife to talk me into seeing this movie.
She's gone
As the weekend draws to a close, my wife has hit the road. Not being one to waste a trip, she leaves with a car-full of seldom-used furniture, computer equipment and other odds-and-ends that signals the official start of the "moving out" process. I will be making two more trips home (possibly three, if I decide to go home on the long weekend in August) before the final trip home at the end of August. Frankly, there isn't much that will be brought home between now and the last trip, unless I convince myself that I can live without the oldest of my currently-connected computers.
As the weekend draws to a close, my wife has hit the road. Not being one to waste a trip, she leaves with a car-full of seldom-used furniture, computer equipment and other odds-and-ends that signals the official start of the "moving out" process. I will be making two more trips home (possibly three, if I decide to go home on the long weekend in August) before the final trip home at the end of August. Frankly, there isn't much that will be brought home between now and the last trip, unless I convince myself that I can live without the oldest of my currently-connected computers.
Saturday, July 19, 2003
Meet the Neighbours
I live in a basement apartment. Sometimes, particularly on weekends, things can get pretty rowdy in the main house. There are two young adults in their 20s, and they like doing the kinds of things young adults do... including throwing parties. Also, these kids received a karaoke machine for Christmas. Being part oriental, they have enjoyed using this machine long beyond the typical new-toy fascination period.
This weekend, my wife is visiting me, and the parents of these kids are out of town. To say that the house is nearly falling down around me would be an understatement. It so happens that I'm pretty good at filtering out most of the noise. In fact, I can't sleep unless there is background noise. My wife, on the other hand, needs absolute quiet to sleep. I would venture that, were it not for the volume of the music upstairs, the tap-tap-tap of my keyboard would be enough to keep her awake (though she's a room away, behind a wall and closed door).
I've decided to wait until midnight before I make my presence known upstairs, and I will be very polite in asking for some silence. However, if the noise continues, my wife won't get any sleep, and will be a total mess tomorrow.
I live in a basement apartment. Sometimes, particularly on weekends, things can get pretty rowdy in the main house. There are two young adults in their 20s, and they like doing the kinds of things young adults do... including throwing parties. Also, these kids received a karaoke machine for Christmas. Being part oriental, they have enjoyed using this machine long beyond the typical new-toy fascination period.
This weekend, my wife is visiting me, and the parents of these kids are out of town. To say that the house is nearly falling down around me would be an understatement. It so happens that I'm pretty good at filtering out most of the noise. In fact, I can't sleep unless there is background noise. My wife, on the other hand, needs absolute quiet to sleep. I would venture that, were it not for the volume of the music upstairs, the tap-tap-tap of my keyboard would be enough to keep her awake (though she's a room away, behind a wall and closed door).
I've decided to wait until midnight before I make my presence known upstairs, and I will be very polite in asking for some silence. However, if the noise continues, my wife won't get any sleep, and will be a total mess tomorrow.
What a car!
My wife's new Rav4 is rad. She let me drive it for a while (either to make me jealous, or because she had just completed a long drive getting here). Nice car!
She was able to salvage the in-dash MP3 player from the "wreck", and had it installed in this vehicle. Drive it in good health, my love!
My wife's new Rav4 is rad. She let me drive it for a while (either to make me jealous, or because she had just completed a long drive getting here). Nice car!
She was able to salvage the in-dash MP3 player from the "wreck", and had it installed in this vehicle. Drive it in good health, my love!
Friday, July 18, 2003
More positive feedback
Yesterday, I had a frank talk with my boss. It involved details of the logistics involved with the move back home. I asked whether I would be able to take a PC home with me (until now, I had been talking about using my own PC to access the office network remotely, but there are limitations to what applications are available over the network). To my surprise, he told me I would be taking two computers with me... the one I am currently using, as well as a "test" machine onto which I can install and test various versions of our application.
In addition to my normal duties, I've kind of volunteered to be the "installation wizard". I have been creating some sophisticated script-based installation routines that can adapt to virtually any installation platform, and can install other helper applications when necessary (not just our own applications). Unfortunately, since this is being done after hours, and can only be tested during brief down-time at the office, my overall progress has been limited. By allowing me to take a test machine home with me, he's encouraging me to go ahead with my efforts.
With respect to "normal" work responsibilities, I have had to place most of my own assignments on hold while I worked on the monster project that consumed last week and much of this week. Once that was completed, I had to return to my own tasks. My boss had been concerned that I may have lost my train of thought, having been away from that task for so long. He needn't have worried. I'm very focused, and after finally being able to return full-time to my real assignment, I finished it off today. This will no doubt please him to no end, since we can now ship (and bill for) the new feature.
Yesterday, I had a frank talk with my boss. It involved details of the logistics involved with the move back home. I asked whether I would be able to take a PC home with me (until now, I had been talking about using my own PC to access the office network remotely, but there are limitations to what applications are available over the network). To my surprise, he told me I would be taking two computers with me... the one I am currently using, as well as a "test" machine onto which I can install and test various versions of our application.
In addition to my normal duties, I've kind of volunteered to be the "installation wizard". I have been creating some sophisticated script-based installation routines that can adapt to virtually any installation platform, and can install other helper applications when necessary (not just our own applications). Unfortunately, since this is being done after hours, and can only be tested during brief down-time at the office, my overall progress has been limited. By allowing me to take a test machine home with me, he's encouraging me to go ahead with my efforts.
With respect to "normal" work responsibilities, I have had to place most of my own assignments on hold while I worked on the monster project that consumed last week and much of this week. Once that was completed, I had to return to my own tasks. My boss had been concerned that I may have lost my train of thought, having been away from that task for so long. He needn't have worried. I'm very focused, and after finally being able to return full-time to my real assignment, I finished it off today. This will no doubt please him to no end, since we can now ship (and bill for) the new feature.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Danger!
I forgot to pack my meds when I left for work yesterday. I don't forget often (perhaps a half-dozen times in the three years I've been on them), although yesterday was still out of the ordinary. Normally, when I forget my meds, I only miss one of the two daily doses. After I get home, I remember to take the second dose with my last meal of the day. Yesterday, however, I ate my last meal prior to returning home from work. So, for the very first time, I went an entire day without medication.
I can't say I felt any different than any other day... no symptoms I can put a finger on. But something strange happened during the evening (I don't want to post details here) that made me decide to take a reading first thing this morning.
To say I was horrified would be a gross understatement. My reading was through the roof. An average reading from a "healthy" individual (using the U.S. scale) would be 60-120. Over 140, you're considered diabetic. I have had only one reading above 140 in over three years. This morning's reading was 193. That's going only 24 hours without meds.
Doctors talk about diabetes being the great silent killer... saying that most people live with diabetes for years before the symptoms get serious enough to recognize. The day I was first diagnosed, my doctor took a blood-sugar reading of 490. At that time, I had been exhibiting all the classic symptoms of the disease. Within days of starting my meds, the blood-sugar readings were back in the normal range (aren't drugs wonderful), and the only lingering "symptoms" I experienced were vision-related. Ironically, I needed to get new glasses because my vision had improved after starting on the meds.
Shortly after starting on my meds, my blood-sugar readings were consistently in the 70-90 range, with "eating binges" knocking me as high as 120. Now, my average readings are in the 90-120 range, with binges taking me to the high 130's. Yesterday was a binge day, and with no medication whatsoever to mitigate, I got a glimpse of what my life could turn into if I forget my meds and ignore sensible eating rules.
I'm going to get back to sensible eating once I am back home (though, with this warning, I will do something to improve my ways during the last six weeks in Toronto). I enjoy my life and my family's company too much to let this get me without a fight!
I forgot to pack my meds when I left for work yesterday. I don't forget often (perhaps a half-dozen times in the three years I've been on them), although yesterday was still out of the ordinary. Normally, when I forget my meds, I only miss one of the two daily doses. After I get home, I remember to take the second dose with my last meal of the day. Yesterday, however, I ate my last meal prior to returning home from work. So, for the very first time, I went an entire day without medication.
I can't say I felt any different than any other day... no symptoms I can put a finger on. But something strange happened during the evening (I don't want to post details here) that made me decide to take a reading first thing this morning.
To say I was horrified would be a gross understatement. My reading was through the roof. An average reading from a "healthy" individual (using the U.S. scale) would be 60-120. Over 140, you're considered diabetic. I have had only one reading above 140 in over three years. This morning's reading was 193. That's going only 24 hours without meds.
Doctors talk about diabetes being the great silent killer... saying that most people live with diabetes for years before the symptoms get serious enough to recognize. The day I was first diagnosed, my doctor took a blood-sugar reading of 490. At that time, I had been exhibiting all the classic symptoms of the disease. Within days of starting my meds, the blood-sugar readings were back in the normal range (aren't drugs wonderful), and the only lingering "symptoms" I experienced were vision-related. Ironically, I needed to get new glasses because my vision had improved after starting on the meds.
Shortly after starting on my meds, my blood-sugar readings were consistently in the 70-90 range, with "eating binges" knocking me as high as 120. Now, my average readings are in the 90-120 range, with binges taking me to the high 130's. Yesterday was a binge day, and with no medication whatsoever to mitigate, I got a glimpse of what my life could turn into if I forget my meds and ignore sensible eating rules.
I'm going to get back to sensible eating once I am back home (though, with this warning, I will do something to improve my ways during the last six weeks in Toronto). I enjoy my life and my family's company too much to let this get me without a fight!
Happy Camper
My wife is a happy camper. Yesterday, she took delivery of her new vehicle - just one day after financing was approved and Toyota got confirmation that they would be receiving a settlement cheque from the insurance company for the writeoff. I haven't heard my wife so giddy since... the last time I heard her voice. Yeah, I know, I think my wife is giddy all the time. But this time, she had a reason.
I, too, am a happy camper. Having had a chance to talk with the boss (after fixing the nasty problem, of course!), he offered assurances that my job was indeed safe - even after I vacate the office. Whether that sentiment continues after the end of August remains to be seen, but for now, I'm cautiously optimistic.
My wife is a happy camper. Yesterday, she took delivery of her new vehicle - just one day after financing was approved and Toyota got confirmation that they would be receiving a settlement cheque from the insurance company for the writeoff. I haven't heard my wife so giddy since... the last time I heard her voice. Yeah, I know, I think my wife is giddy all the time. But this time, she had a reason.
I, too, am a happy camper. Having had a chance to talk with the boss (after fixing the nasty problem, of course!), he offered assurances that my job was indeed safe - even after I vacate the office. Whether that sentiment continues after the end of August remains to be seen, but for now, I'm cautiously optimistic.
Monday, July 14, 2003
Finally!
The problem that had turned out to make last week so unbearable at work has been solved (I think). In an effort that should win me points with the boss on how effectively I can work from home, I sat down an hour ago to put a fresh brain to work on the problem. I believe it's been solved. After a comprehensive test, I think all the potential sources of error have been corrected. A few minutes ago, I was able to run our application against the new database, obtaining exactly the same results, and the same throughput as with the preferred database.
Thank god that's over with!
The problem that had turned out to make last week so unbearable at work has been solved (I think). In an effort that should win me points with the boss on how effectively I can work from home, I sat down an hour ago to put a fresh brain to work on the problem. I believe it's been solved. After a comprehensive test, I think all the potential sources of error have been corrected. A few minutes ago, I was able to run our application against the new database, obtaining exactly the same results, and the same throughput as with the preferred database.
Thank god that's over with!
There's a bad moon on the rise
A few weeks ago, I posted about Fleetwood Mac's new "Peace Keeper" song, and its similarity to another piece of music. As it turns out, although I wasn't the first to comment on this similarity, I was one of the first.
Today, looking through referral records to this blog, I found a recent visit from Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc., based on a search "rip off of Paul Simon Kodachrome". My first instinct was "here comes the lawsuit". Imagine my surprise when it turned out that this is not a lawfirm, but rather the real inventor of the internet. Don't get me wrong though ... I still think this visit was research into a copyright infringement action-in-the-making.
A few weeks ago, I posted about Fleetwood Mac's new "Peace Keeper" song, and its similarity to another piece of music. As it turns out, although I wasn't the first to comment on this similarity, I was one of the first.
Today, looking through referral records to this blog, I found a recent visit from Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc., based on a search "rip off of Paul Simon Kodachrome". My first instinct was "here comes the lawsuit". Imagine my surprise when it turned out that this is not a lawfirm, but rather the real inventor of the internet. Don't get me wrong though ... I still think this visit was research into a copyright infringement action-in-the-making.
Sunday, July 13, 2003
New Humour
I'll just thank Mike for this link. He credits everyone who needs to be mentioned, so I won't bother. I changed my mind. I will provide credits.
This new link will be added to the Comic Relief area on this page, as soon as I can figure out how to capture part of the video for a thumbnail.
Update:
I wasn't able to figure out how to "Print Screen" a streaming video file, so I ripped off an image from Google Images. The pictured table tennis player was apparently a child prodigy, playing from the age of three. Except for her love of table tennis, she has no other connection to the humourous video.
I'll just thank Mike for this link. He credits everyone who needs to be mentioned, so I won't bother. I changed my mind. I will provide credits.
This new link will be added to the Comic Relief area on this page, as soon as I can figure out how to capture part of the video for a thumbnail.
Update:
I wasn't able to figure out how to "Print Screen" a streaming video file, so I ripped off an image from Google Images. The pictured table tennis player was apparently a child prodigy, playing from the age of three. Except for her love of table tennis, she has no other connection to the humourous video.
Pet Peeve
At the risk of sounding stupid, there's a dyslexic thing I do with HTML tags that drives me batty. And I wish bloggar had the capability of stopping me in my tracks and calling me a twit before I actually posted my stuff.
Nearly every time I use the <i> tag, I seem to want to end it with a </b> tag. Needless to say, this causes runaway passages like this.
This paragraph is NOT supposed to be displayed in italics, but because I didn't finish off the italics properly from the paragraph above, I get run-on italics.
Obviously, this is not a really big issue, because as soon as I read my own blog post, I can see the error, and immediately return to the editor to fix it. It's just that the error is so annoying, I wish bloggar had a way of saying...
"Hey dumbo. Why are you putting a </b> tag in this post when you aren't currently in a BOLD passage???"
Maybe that's the reason they have a "Preview" tab in their editor!
At the risk of sounding stupid, there's a dyslexic thing I do with HTML tags that drives me batty. And I wish bloggar had the capability of stopping me in my tracks and calling me a twit before I actually posted my stuff.
Nearly every time I use the <i> tag, I seem to want to end it with a </b> tag. Needless to say, this causes runaway passages like this.
This paragraph is NOT supposed to be displayed in italics, but because I didn't finish off the italics properly from the paragraph above, I get run-on italics.
Obviously, this is not a really big issue, because as soon as I read my own blog post, I can see the error, and immediately return to the editor to fix it. It's just that the error is so annoying, I wish bloggar had a way of saying...
"Hey dumbo. Why are you putting a </b> tag in this post when you aren't currently in a BOLD passage???"
Maybe that's the reason they have a "Preview" tab in their editor!
Sneaky bastards
On my home computer, I use a raft of programs that are free for non-commercial use. When I can, if the program is truly something I can't live without, I make a small donation to the author. One program that I use infrequently, but is on my "essential" list is my FTP browser program. The program I use seems better at staying connected to my particular host than some of the other, better known programs. I think it's because my host has implemented some sort of security to attempt to defeat programs that stay connected to the FTP site. Anyway, as a registered user, I got a legitimate email the other day that an update was available for this program.
Before I rant too much, I want to say up-front that the problems I had with the update may be due to the fact that this program had previously been installed on the old computer before I transferred everything to the new computer - so there's a possibility that something related to the update process was incompatible between Windows Me and Windows XP. Nevertheless, when I attempted the online update, my working program stopped working. Selecting the "repair" option from the Application Installer didn't seem to help.
Finally, I had to completely uninstall the old version before installing the update.
And here's where the "sneaky" part comes in.
The new "update" is a time-limited version of the program. Whether it will stop functioning after 30 days remains to be seen. But I saw nothing in the release notes that indicated that this version was less capable than the version it replaced. If, at the end of 30 days, it stops functioning, I will either have to think about installing a different FTP client, or I will have to rely on the "original" version of the program, which is still installed on my old machine.
Either way, the choices suck.
On my home computer, I use a raft of programs that are free for non-commercial use. When I can, if the program is truly something I can't live without, I make a small donation to the author. One program that I use infrequently, but is on my "essential" list is my FTP browser program. The program I use seems better at staying connected to my particular host than some of the other, better known programs. I think it's because my host has implemented some sort of security to attempt to defeat programs that stay connected to the FTP site. Anyway, as a registered user, I got a legitimate email the other day that an update was available for this program.
Before I rant too much, I want to say up-front that the problems I had with the update may be due to the fact that this program had previously been installed on the old computer before I transferred everything to the new computer - so there's a possibility that something related to the update process was incompatible between Windows Me and Windows XP. Nevertheless, when I attempted the online update, my working program stopped working. Selecting the "repair" option from the Application Installer didn't seem to help.
Finally, I had to completely uninstall the old version before installing the update.
And here's where the "sneaky" part comes in.
The new "update" is a time-limited version of the program. Whether it will stop functioning after 30 days remains to be seen. But I saw nothing in the release notes that indicated that this version was less capable than the version it replaced. If, at the end of 30 days, it stops functioning, I will either have to think about installing a different FTP client, or I will have to rely on the "original" version of the program, which is still installed on my old machine.
Either way, the choices suck.
Saturday, July 12, 2003
TGIF
I don't think I've looked forward to a Friday as much in years. It was a tough week and for a while, I was a bit scared of losing my job. I think my case of nerves was due to a combination of things... taking on a new car lease and higher insurance premiums; having only six weeks left before saying goodbye to Toronto, and not being able to read my boss' mind as to how secure my job is once I leave town. Ordinarily, I'm confident in my abilities, and feel that I am easily re-employable. But with the economy continuing to be in the doldrums, my confidence isn't all it used to be.
I really enjoy my job, and am looking forward to being able to work from home. But if the company I work for experiences too many weeks like the one just finished, I fear for its long term survival. To be fair, the problems we faced this week have nothing to do with the company, its products, or the employees. We've just had a dickens of a time getting our application to work with a particular brand of database (a problem faced by many software application vendors), and one of our largest customers has made the decision to ditch their current database (one that works perfectly with our application) for this tempermental one. Good news has been difficult to come by, and both my boss and the client are getting very fed up with the resulting problems.
I had hoped that my wife would be visiting this weekend, but since she's driving a rental at the moment, she decided to delay the trip until next weekend. By then, she should have her new car.
I don't think I've looked forward to a Friday as much in years. It was a tough week and for a while, I was a bit scared of losing my job. I think my case of nerves was due to a combination of things... taking on a new car lease and higher insurance premiums; having only six weeks left before saying goodbye to Toronto, and not being able to read my boss' mind as to how secure my job is once I leave town. Ordinarily, I'm confident in my abilities, and feel that I am easily re-employable. But with the economy continuing to be in the doldrums, my confidence isn't all it used to be.
I really enjoy my job, and am looking forward to being able to work from home. But if the company I work for experiences too many weeks like the one just finished, I fear for its long term survival. To be fair, the problems we faced this week have nothing to do with the company, its products, or the employees. We've just had a dickens of a time getting our application to work with a particular brand of database (a problem faced by many software application vendors), and one of our largest customers has made the decision to ditch their current database (one that works perfectly with our application) for this tempermental one. Good news has been difficult to come by, and both my boss and the client are getting very fed up with the resulting problems.
I had hoped that my wife would be visiting this weekend, but since she's driving a rental at the moment, she decided to delay the trip until next weekend. By then, she should have her new car.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Eventually, Toyota will get its act together and forward the paperwork needed to get the insurance settlement done. The insurance company, eager to pay off on the claim, has been waiting for Toyota to inform them of the remaining obligation on the lease. And until they do, my wife can't get her new vehicle. Patience is a virtue, I'm told, but my wife is in no mood to be patient.
Monday, July 07, 2003
The verdict's in
It's a writeoff! Nearly $12,000 damage on a $16,000 vehicle. Hard to believe that only the front end was damaged. But, I guess that's where all the expensive stuff is... the engine, coolant system, air conditioning, and airbags. Add to that the body damage, and it became way too expensive to fix.
So, my wife spent part of the day doing her final test drives. We had already tentatively decided on the next vehicle, subject to the financing being what we expected. When the dealer confirmed the numbers we had seen on the web, it was a done deal. In a few days, my wife will take delivery of her brand new Toyota RAV4.
It's a writeoff! Nearly $12,000 damage on a $16,000 vehicle. Hard to believe that only the front end was damaged. But, I guess that's where all the expensive stuff is... the engine, coolant system, air conditioning, and airbags. Add to that the body damage, and it became way too expensive to fix.
So, my wife spent part of the day doing her final test drives. We had already tentatively decided on the next vehicle, subject to the financing being what we expected. When the dealer confirmed the numbers we had seen on the web, it was a done deal. In a few days, my wife will take delivery of her brand new Toyota RAV4.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Judgement Day
Tomorrow is apparently the day the adjuster will decide whether my wife gets a new vehicle, or gets to keep her current car. In our current financial situation, I'm not sure I like the idea of getting a new (more expensive) vehicle. But then again, she's the one that has to drive it, and do all the errands she does; and according to her, the Echo is simply not big enough to do everything. It is incredibly versatile for it's size, but its size is still a limitation. Still, if we have to give up the 50% increase in fuel efficiency we've grown accustomed to, that will be a bit of a pain in the wallet.
Tomorrow is apparently the day the adjuster will decide whether my wife gets a new vehicle, or gets to keep her current car. In our current financial situation, I'm not sure I like the idea of getting a new (more expensive) vehicle. But then again, she's the one that has to drive it, and do all the errands she does; and according to her, the Echo is simply not big enough to do everything. It is incredibly versatile for it's size, but its size is still a limitation. Still, if we have to give up the 50% increase in fuel efficiency we've grown accustomed to, that will be a bit of a pain in the wallet.
Saturday, July 05, 2003
It's Official
A couple of weeks ago, my step-daughter and her fiance finally set a wedding date. At the time, the date seemed pretty far off. I guess she must have thought so too, because I just found out this morning that the date has been moved forward by a whole year. It's still more than a year off, but at least it seems more realistic. She's having the time of her life, pouring through wedding magazines and burning up the phone lines to every female relative in the same area code to talk about dresses, and god-knows-what-else women talk about when they're planning a wedding.
This is a very special time for her, so I say... go have your fun!
A couple of weeks ago, my step-daughter and her fiance finally set a wedding date. At the time, the date seemed pretty far off. I guess she must have thought so too, because I just found out this morning that the date has been moved forward by a whole year. It's still more than a year off, but at least it seems more realistic. She's having the time of her life, pouring through wedding magazines and burning up the phone lines to every female relative in the same area code to talk about dresses, and god-knows-what-else women talk about when they're planning a wedding.
This is a very special time for her, so I say... go have your fun!
Friday, July 04, 2003
It ain't over til it's over
We've all heard countless jokes about insurance companies and their reluctance to come across with payment after a claim is made. Although it's too early to comment about the entire affair, I can say that the initial contact with the insurance company has been positive. An adjuster was due out today to look at the car. We're hoping it's a writeoff, so we won't have to deal with nagging problems after attempting major repairs. There was no delay in approving rental car accommodation, and there is a budget for rental that should suffice for a month (should such a long period be required to get the original vehicle back). The only down side is if the insurance company decides to write the car off. In such a case, we have only two days of car rental time to find a new vehicle. That's really too fast to make an informed decision.
We'll see how this plays out.
We've all heard countless jokes about insurance companies and their reluctance to come across with payment after a claim is made. Although it's too early to comment about the entire affair, I can say that the initial contact with the insurance company has been positive. An adjuster was due out today to look at the car. We're hoping it's a writeoff, so we won't have to deal with nagging problems after attempting major repairs. There was no delay in approving rental car accommodation, and there is a budget for rental that should suffice for a month (should such a long period be required to get the original vehicle back). The only down side is if the insurance company decides to write the car off. In such a case, we have only two days of car rental time to find a new vehicle. That's really too fast to make an informed decision.
We'll see how this plays out.
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Counting blessings
"Had it not been for the airbag, I would be talking to you about organ donation right now." With these sombre words from the attending physician, it became clear that our son's life had been spared tonight. What lesson he chooses to take from this experience, I cannot know. Nor can I even begin to imagine what it's like to be in such a situation. I am just so glad that there will be no lasting ill effects from the accident. I only hope that the other driver (who was broadsided) fared as well.
"Had it not been for the airbag, I would be talking to you about organ donation right now." With these sombre words from the attending physician, it became clear that our son's life had been spared tonight. What lesson he chooses to take from this experience, I cannot know. Nor can I even begin to imagine what it's like to be in such a situation. I am just so glad that there will be no lasting ill effects from the accident. I only hope that the other driver (who was broadsided) fared as well.
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Crashing back to earth
My last post was about the just-finished long weekend, and how much fun I had with my family. As if to remind me that not all is good with the world, I got a phone call tonight from my wife. Our son was involved in an automobile accident. Although I don't have all the details, I can say he was charged. Thank goodness the airbags deployed, leaving our son with (hopefully) minor injuries. The jury is still out on that one, as he is waiting in the hospital emergency room to be examined even as I write this post. But he (and the other driver) both walked away from the accident, so that's good news!
The insurance burden of having a new driver on our vehicle was bad enough, even with a driver's certification discount. Now, all that is over. Statistics say that a single male, under age 25, is a very serious accident risk. Despite the best training and conservative driving technique, one simple mistake will now cost us plenty - for at least the next seven years. It's a hard lesson for a young adult to learn.
My last post was about the just-finished long weekend, and how much fun I had with my family. As if to remind me that not all is good with the world, I got a phone call tonight from my wife. Our son was involved in an automobile accident. Although I don't have all the details, I can say he was charged. Thank goodness the airbags deployed, leaving our son with (hopefully) minor injuries. The jury is still out on that one, as he is waiting in the hospital emergency room to be examined even as I write this post. But he (and the other driver) both walked away from the accident, so that's good news!
The insurance burden of having a new driver on our vehicle was bad enough, even with a driver's certification discount. Now, all that is over. Statistics say that a single male, under age 25, is a very serious accident risk. Despite the best training and conservative driving technique, one simple mistake will now cost us plenty - for at least the next seven years. It's a hard lesson for a young adult to learn.
The countdown has begun
I've just returned from a very long weekend with my family. It was wonderful. The best news is that my step-son seems to have come to some realization that I haven't been such a bad father after all. It started with the Father's Day card, but has progressed from there. We spent some really good quality time together this weekend, and I came away feeling like I'm truly appreciated as a father. It's a good feeling.
Except for one really hot day, the weather was tolerable over the weekend, which meant that I spent quite a while outdoors with my wife. She is a real water-baby, having a perpetual desire to be in the pool. During the weekend, I took the opportunity to join her for a refreshing swim. The water was a bit chilly (23C), but still enjoyable.
I really didn't want to go back to Toronto; not just because I was having such a good time, but also because I felt quite tired during the evening and dreaded the idea of driving home. I promised my wife that I would pull over for a nap if things got difficult. Well, they did get difficult, quite early in the trip. I stopped for a short (1-1/2 hour) nap after only 140km. Then, after an additional 100km, I stopped again; this time for a longer nap. When I woke up, it was already light enough to see my surroundings. I was concerned about being stuck in rush hour traffic for the remainder of the drive, but luckily, traffic remained reasonably light until about 1km before my highway exit point. Even so, things only slowed from 115kph to about 100kph, so that's not too bad.
By 6:45am I was home, and started catching up with email and such. I was a bit surprised that there was no feedback from my landlord. I had served formal notice to move at the end of August, and expected that a note might have been slipped under my door. We now stand at 61 days before my time in Toronto is done!
I've just returned from a very long weekend with my family. It was wonderful. The best news is that my step-son seems to have come to some realization that I haven't been such a bad father after all. It started with the Father's Day card, but has progressed from there. We spent some really good quality time together this weekend, and I came away feeling like I'm truly appreciated as a father. It's a good feeling.
Except for one really hot day, the weather was tolerable over the weekend, which meant that I spent quite a while outdoors with my wife. She is a real water-baby, having a perpetual desire to be in the pool. During the weekend, I took the opportunity to join her for a refreshing swim. The water was a bit chilly (23C), but still enjoyable.
I really didn't want to go back to Toronto; not just because I was having such a good time, but also because I felt quite tired during the evening and dreaded the idea of driving home. I promised my wife that I would pull over for a nap if things got difficult. Well, they did get difficult, quite early in the trip. I stopped for a short (1-1/2 hour) nap after only 140km. Then, after an additional 100km, I stopped again; this time for a longer nap. When I woke up, it was already light enough to see my surroundings. I was concerned about being stuck in rush hour traffic for the remainder of the drive, but luckily, traffic remained reasonably light until about 1km before my highway exit point. Even so, things only slowed from 115kph to about 100kph, so that's not too bad.
By 6:45am I was home, and started catching up with email and such. I was a bit surprised that there was no feedback from my landlord. I had served formal notice to move at the end of August, and expected that a note might have been slipped under my door. We now stand at 61 days before my time in Toronto is done!
Thursday, June 26, 2003
The suggestion below was received via email. In some perverse way, it makes sense!
Solution: Israel / Palestinian Conflict
Let me suggest the perfect solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Since the Palestinians want a homeland and it doesn't seem that chopping Israel up even smaller than it already is, is a satisfactory solution. . . .Let's give France to the Palestinians!
The French have already stated that nothing is worth fighting for. Besides, France has better irrigation and soil than the West Bank and Gaza strip.
It's the perfect solution. The French won't even fight back.
And how about a new name for this Franco-Palestine country?
I propose the name - -"Frankenstine".
Let there be peace on Earth.
Solution: Israel / Palestinian Conflict
Let me suggest the perfect solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Since the Palestinians want a homeland and it doesn't seem that chopping Israel up even smaller than it already is, is a satisfactory solution. . . .Let's give France to the Palestinians!
The French have already stated that nothing is worth fighting for. Besides, France has better irrigation and soil than the West Bank and Gaza strip.
It's the perfect solution. The French won't even fight back.
And how about a new name for this Franco-Palestine country?
I propose the name - -"Frankenstine".
Let there be peace on Earth.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Real food
Has anyone noticed the new KFC commercials? The series of commercials has the tagline "real food". Although the tagline is debatable, the entertainment value of the commercials themselves is top rate. The latest in the commercial series began earlier this week. It features a women's stag. A bunch of women are having an absolutely wild time, with "real commitment", "real tears", "real friends", and "real food" among the activities. The commercial ends with the bride-to-be answering the door and meeting a real hunk dressed as a police officer. Eyes wide with anticipation, she rips the buttons off his shirt, only to be told (by her bridesmaid in a discreet whisper) that this is *not* a hired entertainer (commercial ends with the words "real cop").
I've seen it three times now, and it still brings a smile to my face.
Has anyone noticed the new KFC commercials? The series of commercials has the tagline "real food". Although the tagline is debatable, the entertainment value of the commercials themselves is top rate. The latest in the commercial series began earlier this week. It features a women's stag. A bunch of women are having an absolutely wild time, with "real commitment", "real tears", "real friends", and "real food" among the activities. The commercial ends with the bride-to-be answering the door and meeting a real hunk dressed as a police officer. Eyes wide with anticipation, she rips the buttons off his shirt, only to be told (by her bridesmaid in a discreet whisper) that this is *not* a hired entertainer (commercial ends with the words "real cop").
I've seen it three times now, and it still brings a smile to my face.
Sunday, June 22, 2003
Losses shouldn't go unnoticed
Many of you may remember the unpleasantness of last spring's blog war, when a series of misunderstandings led to an acrimonious breakdown of a budding friendship. Life goes on, of course, and except for one occasion where I couldn't stop myself from intruding where I clearly wasn't welcome, I've kept my distance.
Seven years ago, I had the unpleasant task of taking our pet to the vet for the last time. At the tender age of three, her body had been ravaged by a tumour that left her a mere shell of herself. Despite the fact that she had been "Laurie's" baby, she had won enough of a place in my heart that I cried for days after her loss.
So, I can't begin to imagine the pain of losing an animal that has been part of a family for nine years. I so want to say something comforting in this time of loss, but to do so might cause more discomfort, even bitterness. I guess I'll have to be satisfied with expressing my condolences here.
Many of you may remember the unpleasantness of last spring's blog war, when a series of misunderstandings led to an acrimonious breakdown of a budding friendship. Life goes on, of course, and except for one occasion where I couldn't stop myself from intruding where I clearly wasn't welcome, I've kept my distance.
Seven years ago, I had the unpleasant task of taking our pet to the vet for the last time. At the tender age of three, her body had been ravaged by a tumour that left her a mere shell of herself. Despite the fact that she had been "Laurie's" baby, she had won enough of a place in my heart that I cried for days after her loss.
So, I can't begin to imagine the pain of losing an animal that has been part of a family for nine years. I so want to say something comforting in this time of loss, but to do so might cause more discomfort, even bitterness. I guess I'll have to be satisfied with expressing my condolences here.
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Technology is your friend
I installed the KVM switch today. I love it. My wife loves it (I sent her pictures of how it looks, and how it helps me clear my desk). It's allowed me to effortlessly switch between computers and applications without lifting my head from the screen or fingers from the keyboard. I don't know how I did without it for so long.
I saw a device today at the mall. I think it's a discontinued internet appliance, and I asked the salesperson why it was on sale (2/3 off until tomorrow). I think I saw things like this two or three years ago, but this one looks more modern. I'm trying to find information about it on the web. Basically, it's a telephone with a large, colour LCD screen. The write-up says it can be used to browse the internet and send/receive email. I'm thinking of getting it for my parents and for my mother-in-law. The only thing holding me back, at this point, is not being able to see one in person.
I installed the KVM switch today. I love it. My wife loves it (I sent her pictures of how it looks, and how it helps me clear my desk). It's allowed me to effortlessly switch between computers and applications without lifting my head from the screen or fingers from the keyboard. I don't know how I did without it for so long.
I saw a device today at the mall. I think it's a discontinued internet appliance, and I asked the salesperson why it was on sale (2/3 off until tomorrow). I think I saw things like this two or three years ago, but this one looks more modern. I'm trying to find information about it on the web. Basically, it's a telephone with a large, colour LCD screen. The write-up says it can be used to browse the internet and send/receive email. I'm thinking of getting it for my parents and for my mother-in-law. The only thing holding me back, at this point, is not being able to see one in person.
Friday, June 20, 2003
Coming soon to a desk near me
For several years, I've thought about what it would be like to clear some space on my desk for things like a pad and paper. Those that know me would never accuse me of neatness, but it's not just that... it's the fact that I have a number of computers that I need to control, and when I've set up the monitors and keyboards, there's not much room left for anything else. What I really have needed is a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switch. It's a device that allows someone to control multiple computers from a single keyboard/mouse/screen.
Soon, I'll have one of these devices. Now that I have access to wholesale prices on computer equipment (where was that recollection two weeks ago when I bought my computer retail), I decided to bite the bullet and get the damned thing. I placed my order on Thursday, and was told the switch box would be in today.
I decided to splurge and get a model that also can switch the microphone and speaker outputs as well. So, I won't have to put up with having multiple speaker systems installed - or of not being able to hear some of my computers. With this device, whichever computer I'm currently monitoring - that's the one I'll be able to hear.
For several years, I've thought about what it would be like to clear some space on my desk for things like a pad and paper. Those that know me would never accuse me of neatness, but it's not just that... it's the fact that I have a number of computers that I need to control, and when I've set up the monitors and keyboards, there's not much room left for anything else. What I really have needed is a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switch. It's a device that allows someone to control multiple computers from a single keyboard/mouse/screen.
Soon, I'll have one of these devices. Now that I have access to wholesale prices on computer equipment (where was that recollection two weeks ago when I bought my computer retail), I decided to bite the bullet and get the damned thing. I placed my order on Thursday, and was told the switch box would be in today.
I decided to splurge and get a model that also can switch the microphone and speaker outputs as well. So, I won't have to put up with having multiple speaker systems installed - or of not being able to hear some of my computers. With this device, whichever computer I'm currently monitoring - that's the one I'll be able to hear.
Thursday, June 19, 2003
As I was saying...
I decided to change the bedroom switch to circuit (A) to avoid any further interruptions. I realized that now, the bedroom and living room were on the same circuit, but at least it was my circuit. Then one day, something strange happened. I turned on the switch in the living room, but the bedroom light didn't come on. Was it a fluke? Well, no. It turns out that, depending on how long you hold down the switch, it is possible to get one light to turn on. And the order is completely predictable. The living room always goes on before the bedroom (or at least, if you click for a short while, only the living room comes on). And it works in reverse too. If I'm in the bedroom, and want to turn out only the living room light, I click the "off" button for just a short time...
Anyway, that's been working for months without a hitch... until about a week ago. The bedroom light will not come on reliably any more from the bedroom switch. It works fine from the living room switch, and the "OFF" function works ok from the bedroom - just not the "ON". There's another strange thing. When I find myself feeling very warm, the extra body heat makes the switch work, but when I'm cold, or even at "normal" temperature, the bedroom switch will not turn the lights on.
I'm thinking it might be the batteries in the switch that need to be replaced. I might give that a try...
I decided to change the bedroom switch to circuit (A) to avoid any further interruptions. I realized that now, the bedroom and living room were on the same circuit, but at least it was my circuit. Then one day, something strange happened. I turned on the switch in the living room, but the bedroom light didn't come on. Was it a fluke? Well, no. It turns out that, depending on how long you hold down the switch, it is possible to get one light to turn on. And the order is completely predictable. The living room always goes on before the bedroom (or at least, if you click for a short while, only the living room comes on). And it works in reverse too. If I'm in the bedroom, and want to turn out only the living room light, I click the "off" button for just a short time...
Anyway, that's been working for months without a hitch... until about a week ago. The bedroom light will not come on reliably any more from the bedroom switch. It works fine from the living room switch, and the "OFF" function works ok from the bedroom - just not the "ON". There's another strange thing. When I find myself feeling very warm, the extra body heat makes the switch work, but when I'm cold, or even at "normal" temperature, the bedroom switch will not turn the lights on.
I'm thinking it might be the batteries in the switch that need to be replaced. I might give that a try...
I'm thoe Thor - NOT!
Electricity and I have never gotten along. I have a healthyfear of respect for it (I won't change a lightbulb without killing the fuse first). But what I really don't get is the vaguarities of light switches. My "apartment" was created by someone who literally threw up a couple of dividing walls in their basement and called it an apartment. There were no light switches in the new apartment (except for ones at the base of the staircase). Problem is... the owner of this house erected a wall close to the staircase that redefined the geography of the basement. This wall created, in effect, a hallway that has two doorways - one to my apartment, and one to the laundry room.
So, when you enter my apartment, if you haven't turned on the light at the base of the stairs, the apartment is completely dark. Worse, at bedtime, the only way to turn out the lights is to venture out into the common hallway, turn out the lights, and feel your way back to the bedroom in the dark.
Now obviously, such a situation becomes intolerable after, oh, about 3 seconds. So, I had the landlord install light switches inside the confines of the apartment. I have one switch mounted just inside my front door, and another switch mounted in the bedroom. But here's the problem. No wiring was laid in the process of installing these switches. They are "surface mount" switches... meaning, they are not attached to any wiring, and in fact, the switch can be pulled right off the wall.
For purposes of this discussion, consider the "light switches" to be like remote controls. Click "on" and the lights should turn on. Click "off" and... you get the idea. Sounds simple, right? So here's the rub. There are three light switches in the basement. Switches 1 and 2, located at the base of the staircase, control the Living Room and Bedroom lights in my "apartment". Switch 3 controls the hallway light, and this switch is located at the top of the second level staircase, immediately accessible to the people living on the main floor of the house, so they can see where they're going when they descend the staircase.
The "surface mount" switches are "smart" switches. They can be programmed to control either of two different circuits (A or B). When I first moved in, I had the landlord set the circuits to control the Living Room and Bedroom lights. It worked really well until about the third night, when I almost took a header down the steps getting into the basement. At that point, I realized I needed to be able to turn off the stairway light at the bottom of the staircase (not at the TOP - before finding my way to the bottom). The "remote control" switch seemed like a good bet, so I had one installed.
Remember what I said about A or B circuits? What the heck do you do when you add a C circuit? I programmed the new switch to use circuit "B". When I enter from outside, I turn on the lights at the top of the staircase, and when I get to the bottom, I turn off the lights. So far so good...
In the apartment, I quickly realized that my bedroom light switch (B) was also controlling the light in the outer hallway. I thought that was an acceptable sacrifice - wasting some energy in the hall during the relatively little time that my bedroom light is on. The problem started when the owner of the house had the audacity to make a trip to the laundry room while I was sleeping - and turned on the lightswitch. On came the bedroom light! And I almost hit the roof.
(I've got to go to work now - I'll finish this post later)
Electricity and I have never gotten along. I have a healthy
So, when you enter my apartment, if you haven't turned on the light at the base of the stairs, the apartment is completely dark. Worse, at bedtime, the only way to turn out the lights is to venture out into the common hallway, turn out the lights, and feel your way back to the bedroom in the dark.
Now obviously, such a situation becomes intolerable after, oh, about 3 seconds. So, I had the landlord install light switches inside the confines of the apartment. I have one switch mounted just inside my front door, and another switch mounted in the bedroom. But here's the problem. No wiring was laid in the process of installing these switches. They are "surface mount" switches... meaning, they are not attached to any wiring, and in fact, the switch can be pulled right off the wall.
For purposes of this discussion, consider the "light switches" to be like remote controls. Click "on" and the lights should turn on. Click "off" and... you get the idea. Sounds simple, right? So here's the rub. There are three light switches in the basement. Switches 1 and 2, located at the base of the staircase, control the Living Room and Bedroom lights in my "apartment". Switch 3 controls the hallway light, and this switch is located at the top of the second level staircase, immediately accessible to the people living on the main floor of the house, so they can see where they're going when they descend the staircase.
The "surface mount" switches are "smart" switches. They can be programmed to control either of two different circuits (A or B). When I first moved in, I had the landlord set the circuits to control the Living Room and Bedroom lights. It worked really well until about the third night, when I almost took a header down the steps getting into the basement. At that point, I realized I needed to be able to turn off the stairway light at the bottom of the staircase (not at the TOP - before finding my way to the bottom). The "remote control" switch seemed like a good bet, so I had one installed.
Remember what I said about A or B circuits? What the heck do you do when you add a C circuit? I programmed the new switch to use circuit "B". When I enter from outside, I turn on the lights at the top of the staircase, and when I get to the bottom, I turn off the lights. So far so good...
In the apartment, I quickly realized that my bedroom light switch (B) was also controlling the light in the outer hallway. I thought that was an acceptable sacrifice - wasting some energy in the hall during the relatively little time that my bedroom light is on. The problem started when the owner of the house had the audacity to make a trip to the laundry room while I was sleeping - and turned on the lightswitch. On came the bedroom light! And I almost hit the roof.
(I've got to go to work now - I'll finish this post later)
I've been heckled!
<plant tongue in cheek>
I've been heckled. It's going around, and like most forms of "pass-it-on" mail, I will not participate.
</plant tongue in cheek>
<plant tongue in cheek>
I've been heckled. It's going around, and like most forms of "pass-it-on" mail, I will not participate.
</plant tongue in cheek>
Comment box issues
It must be frustrating for a guy like Hossein Sharifi (author of YACCS) when changes to the underlying code in a blogging tool render his work inoperable. As a paying supporter, and first requestor of the "Post in the box" feature (where the content of your post appears in the comment box), Hossein chose my blog to be the beta site for this feature. And my blog is featured on his website, showing potential contributors what payoffs there are in supporting his efforts.
Anyway, when "Blogger" changed it's blogging tool, it affected two aspects of the YACCS tool. First, the comment counter went on the fritz (this has been corrected). Second, the comments box no longer displays the content of the post. As usual, Hossein has been very responsive to emails, and he has indicated that he may be able to find time this weekend to investigage a solution to this unfortunate mess. Until, just pretend you know what I'm talking about, and be patient.
Note:
The changes at "Blogger" had an effect on w.bloggar as well. Thankfully, they've figured out how to make their tool work, and have already posted information on how to fix the problem.
It must be frustrating for a guy like Hossein Sharifi (author of YACCS) when changes to the underlying code in a blogging tool render his work inoperable. As a paying supporter, and first requestor of the "Post in the box" feature (where the content of your post appears in the comment box), Hossein chose my blog to be the beta site for this feature. And my blog is featured on his website, showing potential contributors what payoffs there are in supporting his efforts.
Anyway, when "Blogger" changed it's blogging tool, it affected two aspects of the YACCS tool. First, the comment counter went on the fritz (this has been corrected). Second, the comments box no longer displays the content of the post. As usual, Hossein has been very responsive to emails, and he has indicated that he may be able to find time this weekend to investigage a solution to this unfortunate mess. Until, just pretend you know what I'm talking about, and be patient.
Note:
The changes at "Blogger" had an effect on w.bloggar as well. Thankfully, they've figured out how to make their tool work, and have already posted information on how to fix the problem.
Dinner with the boss
I was invited to join my boss for dinner last night. I think it was probably as a token of appreciation for the long hours I've been putting in lately. The night before, he had been off for the day, but came in during the late evening - probably to pick up some paperwork. He found me at my desk at 8:30PM. Yesterday was the third day in succession where I had worked at least 10 hours. I would have preferred to go home early, truth be told, but it will be a cold day in hell before I'll say no to a free meal.
We went to Outback (my choice), and on the way there, I realized this is the same place I chose the last time he took me to dinner. Among the many topics of discussion, I broached the subject of my moving back home. I wanted him to candidly discuss any concerns he might have about my telecommuting. He admitted that "face-to-face" communication is an important part of his relationship with all employees. At the moment, there is only one employee in the entire organization that is allowed to telecommute (perhaps more accurately, to work at home, independent of any contact with the office). This employee also happens to be a life-long friend and 20+ year working colleague. It's obvious that a level of trust has been earned over the years. The challenge for me will be to remain "plugged in". I will be telecommuting in the true sense of the word - working from a remote desktop using the company's resources.
In the case of the other employee, he still makes a trip to the office once a week, driving perhaps 50-70 miles, one way. In my case, the commute would be 250 miles, so I'm not sure how often the boss will insist on actually "seeing" me. I am investigating things like Netmeeting and other "whiteboard" applications that will make it possible to be more involved in day-to-day communications.
Perhaps, if we start doing teleconferencing on an ongoing basis, I may have to switch to a commercial cable internet account, based on bandwidth usage. That's a price I'm willing to pay - assuming it's not an expense that would be reimbursed.
I was invited to join my boss for dinner last night. I think it was probably as a token of appreciation for the long hours I've been putting in lately. The night before, he had been off for the day, but came in during the late evening - probably to pick up some paperwork. He found me at my desk at 8:30PM. Yesterday was the third day in succession where I had worked at least 10 hours. I would have preferred to go home early, truth be told, but it will be a cold day in hell before I'll say no to a free meal.
We went to Outback (my choice), and on the way there, I realized this is the same place I chose the last time he took me to dinner. Among the many topics of discussion, I broached the subject of my moving back home. I wanted him to candidly discuss any concerns he might have about my telecommuting. He admitted that "face-to-face" communication is an important part of his relationship with all employees. At the moment, there is only one employee in the entire organization that is allowed to telecommute (perhaps more accurately, to work at home, independent of any contact with the office). This employee also happens to be a life-long friend and 20+ year working colleague. It's obvious that a level of trust has been earned over the years. The challenge for me will be to remain "plugged in". I will be telecommuting in the true sense of the word - working from a remote desktop using the company's resources.
In the case of the other employee, he still makes a trip to the office once a week, driving perhaps 50-70 miles, one way. In my case, the commute would be 250 miles, so I'm not sure how often the boss will insist on actually "seeing" me. I am investigating things like Netmeeting and other "whiteboard" applications that will make it possible to be more involved in day-to-day communications.
Perhaps, if we start doing teleconferencing on an ongoing basis, I may have to switch to a commercial cable internet account, based on bandwidth usage. That's a price I'm willing to pay - assuming it's not an expense that would be reimbursed.
Monday, June 16, 2003
A Father's Day to Remember
My words of a few days ago were prophetic. I just came back to Toronto minutes ago, and have to share what will go down as the very best Father's Day ever.
In order to deal with Father's Day for Laurie's and my side of the family, we decided to split the weekend between the two families. My dad and mom were invited over for a barbecue on Saturday, and we took a drive to Wheatley on Sunday to be with Laurie's dad and his wife.
Saturday started out well, with my parents arriving only minutes ahead of my step-daughter, her fiance, and their two children. My parents had only seen Courtney once, shortly after her birth more than four years ago. And it was their first opportunity to meet Emily, born this past February. Although I was focusing on the grandchildren, my wife would inform me later that my parents appeared very pleased that Courtney called me "grandpa", accepting me as a "blood relative". I absolutely adore that child, as I do Emily.
There were nine of us spending the afternoon together. Courtney and my wife had a pre-dinner swim (accompanied by our black lab "Rosie", of course), and as usual, Courtney knew that she could not swim without her "special coat" - a life jacket which we insist she wear while swimming. After the swim, we spent a leisurely afternoon laughing, talking, taking pictures, and eating dinner. After dinner, Courtney played with the dogs, Emily was passed around among the doting grandparents and great-grandparents, and Courtney's parents took a break from their parental responsibilities to share some R&R on the front porch.
It was during this after-dinner period that my life changed forever. As I was taking pictures of my parents, and of Laurie holding Emily, we heard a faint call for help from Courtney. Apparently, she had been trying to reach a floating toy by the edge of the deep end of the swimming pool, and had somehow fallen into the water. Her right hand had a firm hold on the deck of the pool. The rest of her was in the cold water. Laurie frantically handed Emily to my mother, and started racing for the deep end of the pool. Courtney looked back over her shoulder at my wife, and just as I told her to keep hold of the pool, she let go.
Instantly, her tiny body fell below the surface of the water. The next two to three seconds have been described to me by all the witnesses. It pretty much matches my recollections, except that to me, time seemed to stand completely still. The moment Courtney's head submerged, I jumped to my feet, simultaneously handing the camera to my dad, who was seated a couple of feet from me. I then took two running steps in the direction of the pool, and dove in, fully clothed. I could see Courtney below the surface, and the momentum of my dive carried me all the way to her. I grabbed her midsection and thrust her upward as I swam for the surface. As soon as her shoulders cleared the water, Laurie was there to hoist her all the way up and out.
I weigh nearly 300 pounds, and no-one would ever accuse me of moving quickly. However, on this day, my parents and wife would later remark that they had never seen me move so fast in my life. As for Courtney, she was under water for such a short time, I doubt she even realized the danger she had been in. Safely ashore, she didn't cry, or scream, or do anything that would indicate fear. Instead, her only remark was "Oh, oh! I think I've ruined my new outfit!"
Once my adrenaline rush had subsided, I walked through the house to the front porch to fetch Courtney's parents. Seeing me, Christie joked that it looked like I had fallen into the pool. My reply, "No, but I had to rescue someone that did" brought an immediate change of expression and a mad dash for the backyard. Later, Christie would present me with a beautiful Father's Day card, and a heartfelt "Thank you" for saving her baby.
Perhaps lost in all the excitement was my step-son, Jonathan. I have been so impressed with him since the day I came into their lives. As the youngest and the only boy, he is the one I've had the most paternal influence over. For years, I know he's objected to my discipline, but on this day, he gave me the most touching card I had ever received. And, for the very first time in his card, he referred to himself as my "son". It brought tears to my eyes.
I had hoped to have my family learn about my special day through my blog, but the word-of-mouth story spread faster than I could have imagined. My sister called from Toronto to wish me a Happy Father's Day, referring to me as a "hero". I couldn't figure out how she had found out, until she told me that my mother had described the events of the afternoon to her. And my inlaws' extended family found out during Sunday morning church services, courtesy of my wife.
My words of a few days ago were prophetic. I just came back to Toronto minutes ago, and have to share what will go down as the very best Father's Day ever.
In order to deal with Father's Day for Laurie's and my side of the family, we decided to split the weekend between the two families. My dad and mom were invited over for a barbecue on Saturday, and we took a drive to Wheatley on Sunday to be with Laurie's dad and his wife.
Saturday started out well, with my parents arriving only minutes ahead of my step-daughter, her fiance, and their two children. My parents had only seen Courtney once, shortly after her birth more than four years ago. And it was their first opportunity to meet Emily, born this past February. Although I was focusing on the grandchildren, my wife would inform me later that my parents appeared very pleased that Courtney called me "grandpa", accepting me as a "blood relative". I absolutely adore that child, as I do Emily.
There were nine of us spending the afternoon together. Courtney and my wife had a pre-dinner swim (accompanied by our black lab "Rosie", of course), and as usual, Courtney knew that she could not swim without her "special coat" - a life jacket which we insist she wear while swimming. After the swim, we spent a leisurely afternoon laughing, talking, taking pictures, and eating dinner. After dinner, Courtney played with the dogs, Emily was passed around among the doting grandparents and great-grandparents, and Courtney's parents took a break from their parental responsibilities to share some R&R on the front porch.
It was during this after-dinner period that my life changed forever. As I was taking pictures of my parents, and of Laurie holding Emily, we heard a faint call for help from Courtney. Apparently, she had been trying to reach a floating toy by the edge of the deep end of the swimming pool, and had somehow fallen into the water. Her right hand had a firm hold on the deck of the pool. The rest of her was in the cold water. Laurie frantically handed Emily to my mother, and started racing for the deep end of the pool. Courtney looked back over her shoulder at my wife, and just as I told her to keep hold of the pool, she let go.
Instantly, her tiny body fell below the surface of the water. The next two to three seconds have been described to me by all the witnesses. It pretty much matches my recollections, except that to me, time seemed to stand completely still. The moment Courtney's head submerged, I jumped to my feet, simultaneously handing the camera to my dad, who was seated a couple of feet from me. I then took two running steps in the direction of the pool, and dove in, fully clothed. I could see Courtney below the surface, and the momentum of my dive carried me all the way to her. I grabbed her midsection and thrust her upward as I swam for the surface. As soon as her shoulders cleared the water, Laurie was there to hoist her all the way up and out.
I weigh nearly 300 pounds, and no-one would ever accuse me of moving quickly. However, on this day, my parents and wife would later remark that they had never seen me move so fast in my life. As for Courtney, she was under water for such a short time, I doubt she even realized the danger she had been in. Safely ashore, she didn't cry, or scream, or do anything that would indicate fear. Instead, her only remark was "Oh, oh! I think I've ruined my new outfit!"
Once my adrenaline rush had subsided, I walked through the house to the front porch to fetch Courtney's parents. Seeing me, Christie joked that it looked like I had fallen into the pool. My reply, "No, but I had to rescue someone that did" brought an immediate change of expression and a mad dash for the backyard. Later, Christie would present me with a beautiful Father's Day card, and a heartfelt "Thank you" for saving her baby.
Perhaps lost in all the excitement was my step-son, Jonathan. I have been so impressed with him since the day I came into their lives. As the youngest and the only boy, he is the one I've had the most paternal influence over. For years, I know he's objected to my discipline, but on this day, he gave me the most touching card I had ever received. And, for the very first time in his card, he referred to himself as my "son". It brought tears to my eyes.
I had hoped to have my family learn about my special day through my blog, but the word-of-mouth story spread faster than I could have imagined. My sister called from Toronto to wish me a Happy Father's Day, referring to me as a "hero". I couldn't figure out how she had found out, until she told me that my mother had described the events of the afternoon to her. And my inlaws' extended family found out during Sunday morning church services, courtesy of my wife.
Friday, June 13, 2003
Spring Cleaning
I've been holding off doing my spring cleaning on this site, hoping that some of my favourite bloggers would come back online. Until they do, they've been temporarily "commented out" so as not to lead my meagre readership into dead space. I'd like to also welcome Lindsey to my links bar. I've been on her list for some time, and she's really worth reading, so go try her out.
I've been holding off doing my spring cleaning on this site, hoping that some of my favourite bloggers would come back online. Until they do, they've been temporarily "commented out" so as not to lead my meagre readership into dead space. I'd like to also welcome Lindsey to my links bar. I've been on her list for some time, and she's really worth reading, so go try her out.
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Speaking of niggling annoyances, the migration from my old Compaq to the new machine came with one hitch I hadn't expected. Compaq's machines come with a customized version of Internet Explorer. There is an animated GIF (a rotating "Q") at the top right of the screen on the Compaq browser. Before I migrated my old machine, the browser on the new machine had a clean toolbar. Now, after migrating, the toolbar is stuffed with additional icons.
I know how to customize the toolbar, and I've already removed the unwanted items. However, I can't seem to find anything in the documentation that will allow me to remove that annoying "Q". It seems to be an embedded part of an OEM Internet Explorer. Unlike some people who will pay to have things like this fixed, if I can't figure it out myself, I'll have to live with it.
I know how to customize the toolbar, and I've already removed the unwanted items. However, I can't seem to find anything in the documentation that will allow me to remove that annoying "Q". It seems to be an embedded part of an OEM Internet Explorer. Unlike some people who will pay to have things like this fixed, if I can't figure it out myself, I'll have to live with it.
STOMP
I had expected some of my ancient programs to stop functioning when I made the conversion to XP, and I was not disappointed. A few of them began to work again when I switched to compatibility mode, but others did not. I suppose that's something I'll have to live with; or I'll just preserve those particular applications on my old machine.
I hadn't expected any problems with my backup program, and technically, it was still working after file migration. But STOMP's BackupMyPC was reporting that it intended to back up onto my Panasonic CD-RW drive. The same drive that was no longer part of my new machine. It's not a biggie, but some things just annoy me, and seeing STOMP insist that I had a Panasonic drive was a niggling source of annoyance. No problem, I thought... I'll simply use the Reconfiguration Wizard to select the proper drive.
Where the heck is that reconfiguration wizard??? It doesn't seem to be in the pull-down menu. A search of the internet revealed the name of the module, and I wasn't even able to find the file on my machine. Maybe the migration didn't quite work??? A quick look at my old machine verified that the file wasn't there either!
So, I decided to go to STOMP's support pages (very good support page, by the way) and downloaded the latest upgrade. Like many other products, STOMP's upgrade packages require that you have a previous version installed. No problem. As the upgrade package begins to install, it tells me that the previous version has been found, and it will now be uninstalled prior to upgrading. But the uninstall procedure fails, due to a missing uninstall component. A second attempt to install the upgrade informs me that I have no prior version, and asks me to insert the original disk. When I do, it proceeds, but tells me it will need to remove the old version... after which the uninstall fails.
Now, I'm between a rock and a hard place. The old version (which wasn't actually old - just non-configurable) won't uninstall, and the new version won't install until the uninstall is completed. I meticulously detailed my situation in an email to STOMP, and after three days, they sent a detailed email response. However, the response basically contained the steps I had already followed.
Keenly aware of my recent experience with XP activation, I ran their procedure again anyway (who knows - it might have worked!) but nothing different happened. Then, I got the idea that the only way to fool the computer into thinking the uninstall worked was to remove all traces of the program in the registry. That took the better part of a half hour, but seemed to do the trick. Faced with a "clean" system, the upgrade informed me that I had no previous version of BackupMyPC installed. It again asked me to insert the original CD. However, this time, it did not inform me that the previous version would need to be uninstalled. It just proceeded with the upgrade.
Now, BackupMyPC sees my proper CD-RW drive (was that too much to ask?). And I checked the drop down menu, and the upgrade does have the hardware reconfiguration wizard! I don't know what happened to the previous version's wizard, but at least I'm happy.
Tonight, I have to buy some new CD-R's so I can perform the Disaster Recovery backup.
I had expected some of my ancient programs to stop functioning when I made the conversion to XP, and I was not disappointed. A few of them began to work again when I switched to compatibility mode, but others did not. I suppose that's something I'll have to live with; or I'll just preserve those particular applications on my old machine.
I hadn't expected any problems with my backup program, and technically, it was still working after file migration. But STOMP's BackupMyPC was reporting that it intended to back up onto my Panasonic CD-RW drive. The same drive that was no longer part of my new machine. It's not a biggie, but some things just annoy me, and seeing STOMP insist that I had a Panasonic drive was a niggling source of annoyance. No problem, I thought... I'll simply use the Reconfiguration Wizard to select the proper drive.
Where the heck is that reconfiguration wizard??? It doesn't seem to be in the pull-down menu. A search of the internet revealed the name of the module, and I wasn't even able to find the file on my machine. Maybe the migration didn't quite work??? A quick look at my old machine verified that the file wasn't there either!
So, I decided to go to STOMP's support pages (very good support page, by the way) and downloaded the latest upgrade. Like many other products, STOMP's upgrade packages require that you have a previous version installed. No problem. As the upgrade package begins to install, it tells me that the previous version has been found, and it will now be uninstalled prior to upgrading. But the uninstall procedure fails, due to a missing uninstall component. A second attempt to install the upgrade informs me that I have no prior version, and asks me to insert the original disk. When I do, it proceeds, but tells me it will need to remove the old version... after which the uninstall fails.
Now, I'm between a rock and a hard place. The old version (which wasn't actually old - just non-configurable) won't uninstall, and the new version won't install until the uninstall is completed. I meticulously detailed my situation in an email to STOMP, and after three days, they sent a detailed email response. However, the response basically contained the steps I had already followed.
Keenly aware of my recent experience with XP activation, I ran their procedure again anyway (who knows - it might have worked!) but nothing different happened. Then, I got the idea that the only way to fool the computer into thinking the uninstall worked was to remove all traces of the program in the registry. That took the better part of a half hour, but seemed to do the trick. Faced with a "clean" system, the upgrade informed me that I had no previous version of BackupMyPC installed. It again asked me to insert the original CD. However, this time, it did not inform me that the previous version would need to be uninstalled. It just proceeded with the upgrade.
Now, BackupMyPC sees my proper CD-RW drive (was that too much to ask?). And I checked the drop down menu, and the upgrade does have the hardware reconfiguration wizard! I don't know what happened to the previous version's wizard, but at least I'm happy.
Tonight, I have to buy some new CD-R's so I can perform the Disaster Recovery backup.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Looking ahead
Father's Day is coming! I'm looking forward to being back in Windsor this weekend for Father's Day. With the warmer weather, the pool will be open and my wife is planning a barbecue on Saturday. It will be an opportunity for my parents to meet their newest great-grandchild and renew acquaintances with their first.
Father's Day is a bittersweet day for me. I love my dad and honour him always, and Father's Day is just one of those days when I get an opportunity to focus on him. But then, there's the other side of the coin. I have never regretted my decision to marry into a ready-made family. My wife is amazing, and her children have beautiful souls and kind hearts. I love being her wife and their father. But the kids have always made it clear that I'm not their dad. I'm happy to say that their biological father has always been an important, loving part of their lives. He never shirked his responsibilities and generally did what he could to remain part of their lives. Despite being remarried and having a new family, he still put in enough of an appearance in my kids' lives to remain their "dad".
Unfortunately, I was adversely affected by the knowledge that I was not considered their "dad", and didn't go "the extra mile" to win their affection. And I never got to that point of parenthood where a parent is willing to forgive and forget all transgressions. For years, I harboured bitterness over some of the things my children said and did, and that made Father's Day a time I personally dreaded.
As my kids get older and experience "life" for themselves, I believe they are coming to the realization that I did more for them than they gave me credit for - providing a constant presence and some semblance of emotional and familial commitment. And I've come to the realization that, despite being rebellious and sometimes too much to handle, these kids have grown into exceptional young adults. And now, I have grandchildren who have known me from birth. They actually see me as "grandpa", and that has put a joy into my life that I'd never gotten the opportunity to experience.
Heck, sometime soon, I might actually enjoy Father's Day for myself!
Father's Day is coming! I'm looking forward to being back in Windsor this weekend for Father's Day. With the warmer weather, the pool will be open and my wife is planning a barbecue on Saturday. It will be an opportunity for my parents to meet their newest great-grandchild and renew acquaintances with their first.
Father's Day is a bittersweet day for me. I love my dad and honour him always, and Father's Day is just one of those days when I get an opportunity to focus on him. But then, there's the other side of the coin. I have never regretted my decision to marry into a ready-made family. My wife is amazing, and her children have beautiful souls and kind hearts. I love being her wife and their father. But the kids have always made it clear that I'm not their dad. I'm happy to say that their biological father has always been an important, loving part of their lives. He never shirked his responsibilities and generally did what he could to remain part of their lives. Despite being remarried and having a new family, he still put in enough of an appearance in my kids' lives to remain their "dad".
Unfortunately, I was adversely affected by the knowledge that I was not considered their "dad", and didn't go "the extra mile" to win their affection. And I never got to that point of parenthood where a parent is willing to forgive and forget all transgressions. For years, I harboured bitterness over some of the things my children said and did, and that made Father's Day a time I personally dreaded.
As my kids get older and experience "life" for themselves, I believe they are coming to the realization that I did more for them than they gave me credit for - providing a constant presence and some semblance of emotional and familial commitment. And I've come to the realization that, despite being rebellious and sometimes too much to handle, these kids have grown into exceptional young adults. And now, I have grandchildren who have known me from birth. They actually see me as "grandpa", and that has put a joy into my life that I'd never gotten the opportunity to experience.
Heck, sometime soon, I might actually enjoy Father's Day for myself!
Monday, June 09, 2003
Activation - Part 2
I wrote early this weekend of my frustration at being unable to activate my copy of Windows XP. As the time draws near for the opening of MDG's service department (my copy of Windows states they're open at 9:00AM - their website says 10:00AM), I decided to get my ducks in a row by verifying (for the umpteenth time) that the online activation process I attempted on the weekend was unsuccessful. So I entered the code yet again, fully expecting an error message. This time, the activation worked. No error messages... just a note informing me that the activation was successful.
I just don't get it, but at least I won't be as embarassed as if this procedure had worked while on the phone with a tech!
I wrote early this weekend of my frustration at being unable to activate my copy of Windows XP. As the time draws near for the opening of MDG's service department (my copy of Windows states they're open at 9:00AM - their website says 10:00AM), I decided to get my ducks in a row by verifying (for the umpteenth time) that the online activation process I attempted on the weekend was unsuccessful. So I entered the code yet again, fully expecting an error message. This time, the activation worked. No error messages... just a note informing me that the activation was successful.
I just don't get it, but at least I won't be as embarassed as if this procedure had worked while on the phone with a tech!
Sunday, June 08, 2003
Moo!
It's raining horses and cows at the moment. I left my apartment after dinner to visit my sister. I toyed with the idea of walking the 400 metres or so to her home, but because it was slightly windy and cool, I thought I'd take the car. It was too nice when I left (though a bit muggy), so I didn't bring a jacket with me.
Bad choice.
After visiting for an hour or so, it was time to leave. As I approached the front door of her home, I could hear the unmistakable sound of rain hitting the roof. Only thing is, my sister lives in a two storey home. The rain was falling so hard, you could actually hear it from the main floor. She offered to let me leave through the garage, cutting by about 30 feet, the distance I would have to travel in the pouring rain. I still got soaked getting into my car.
Arriving back at my apartment, I was alarmed to see a wall of water blocking the sidewalk that leads to my basement apartment's entrance. So severe was the force of the rain issuing forth from the rain spout, I actually decided to ring the doorbell to the main house and ask to walk through their hallway to get to the basement stairs from indoors. After getting over the initial strangeness of my request, my landlord was clearly able to see from his front porch that my way was indeed blocked by unceasing rain.
I'm hoping this rain doesn't continue overnight, or my apartment may be flooded.
It's raining horses and cows at the moment. I left my apartment after dinner to visit my sister. I toyed with the idea of walking the 400 metres or so to her home, but because it was slightly windy and cool, I thought I'd take the car. It was too nice when I left (though a bit muggy), so I didn't bring a jacket with me.
Bad choice.
After visiting for an hour or so, it was time to leave. As I approached the front door of her home, I could hear the unmistakable sound of rain hitting the roof. Only thing is, my sister lives in a two storey home. The rain was falling so hard, you could actually hear it from the main floor. She offered to let me leave through the garage, cutting by about 30 feet, the distance I would have to travel in the pouring rain. I still got soaked getting into my car.
Arriving back at my apartment, I was alarmed to see a wall of water blocking the sidewalk that leads to my basement apartment's entrance. So severe was the force of the rain issuing forth from the rain spout, I actually decided to ring the doorbell to the main house and ask to walk through their hallway to get to the basement stairs from indoors. After getting over the initial strangeness of my request, my landlord was clearly able to see from his front porch that my way was indeed blocked by unceasing rain.
I'm hoping this rain doesn't continue overnight, or my apartment may be flooded.
No spoilers here
Did I enjoy the Matrix Reloaded? Hell, yes! Was I surprised by anything that happened? Thankfully, I was. I had avoided any venue that would have provided a spoiler to this movie, and consequently, I enjoyed this viewing from the perspective of someone who really didn't know what was to happen next. Except to say there were some scenes that were just too far over the top, I won't speak specifically about anything in the movie. I am looking forward to the last episode in the trilogy.
Did I enjoy the Matrix Reloaded? Hell, yes! Was I surprised by anything that happened? Thankfully, I was. I had avoided any venue that would have provided a spoiler to this movie, and consequently, I enjoyed this viewing from the perspective of someone who really didn't know what was to happen next. Except to say there were some scenes that were just too far over the top, I won't speak specifically about anything in the movie. I am looking forward to the last episode in the trilogy.
Movie day
My sister here in Toronto gave me movie tickets as a birthday gift. She knows how much I enjoy going, and it's been quite some time since I went. Today, I had to decide whether to see the Matrix Reloaded, or Italian Job. I want to see them both, but there's a chance my wife will be interested in seeing the latter movie next weekend while I'm home. So, I guess I'll be taking in the Matrix movie. I've heard things both good and bad about this movie, but as usual, when there's a movie I'm interested in seeing, no critic will dissuade me.
My sister here in Toronto gave me movie tickets as a birthday gift. She knows how much I enjoy going, and it's been quite some time since I went. Today, I had to decide whether to see the Matrix Reloaded, or Italian Job. I want to see them both, but there's a chance my wife will be interested in seeing the latter movie next weekend while I'm home. So, I guess I'll be taking in the Matrix movie. I've heard things both good and bad about this movie, but as usual, when there's a movie I'm interested in seeing, no critic will dissuade me.
Please don't make me tell you again
I've had my new computer for a week now, and I finally figured it was time to activate Windows XP. I didn't think there would be any drama in this process, but what the heck... I'm also not as paranoid about online security as some people. In fact, I think I'd rather perform registration procedures over the internet (secure connection of course) than over my totally unsecure cell phone.
So, I finally said yes to one of the Microsoft reminder messages, and proceeded to the online activation wizard. My eyesight is not too great at the best of times, but when it comes to reading the small print on the registration certificate (in bad room light), it was a challenge. Particularly difficult is trying to make out the difference between a "B" and an "8". I tried typing the number several times, each time receiving an error that the number was invalid. Then, I got the clever idea to use my video cam, in macro mode to enhance the image... just to make sure I was typing it properly. I was.
With no success online, I switched to the telephone procedure. Justin, the tech I dealt with, was very polite. He asked me to read the activation ID from the Register by phone wizard, and when I did that, and clicked the button to generate a new ID, the computer generated the same ID I had been trying to type before. And, with Justin holding on, I tried one more time to do the online registration. And it failed again.
At this point, Justin asked where I had purchased the computer, and he then advised me that I would have to contact the computer manufacturer.
I hope things go better with them.
I've had my new computer for a week now, and I finally figured it was time to activate Windows XP. I didn't think there would be any drama in this process, but what the heck... I'm also not as paranoid about online security as some people. In fact, I think I'd rather perform registration procedures over the internet (secure connection of course) than over my totally unsecure cell phone.
So, I finally said yes to one of the Microsoft reminder messages, and proceeded to the online activation wizard. My eyesight is not too great at the best of times, but when it comes to reading the small print on the registration certificate (in bad room light), it was a challenge. Particularly difficult is trying to make out the difference between a "B" and an "8". I tried typing the number several times, each time receiving an error that the number was invalid. Then, I got the clever idea to use my video cam, in macro mode to enhance the image... just to make sure I was typing it properly. I was.
With no success online, I switched to the telephone procedure. Justin, the tech I dealt with, was very polite. He asked me to read the activation ID from the Register by phone wizard, and when I did that, and clicked the button to generate a new ID, the computer generated the same ID I had been trying to type before. And, with Justin holding on, I tried one more time to do the online registration. And it failed again.
At this point, Justin asked where I had purchased the computer, and he then advised me that I would have to contact the computer manufacturer.
I hope things go better with them.
Saturday, June 07, 2003
Funny how things work out
I'm sure you've all experienced this before...
You have a problem that you can't solve. So you ask someone to help you, and in the process of describing the problem, you realize what you've been doing wrong. That's how I feel right now, as I sit typing on my new computer, having successfully transfered everything of value from my old system.
The problem turned out to be a combination of things... the firewall, the differences in the networking wizards in Windows XP and Windows ME, and the IP addresses assigned to the computers by the router. I made small mistakes in configuring elements of all these components, and talking about the situation pointed me in the right direction.
It wasn't five minutes after I made my last post when I discovered the cause of the problem. Another two-and-a-half hours to transfer the stuff between computers, and voila!
This weekend is getting off to a great start!
I'm sure you've all experienced this before...
You have a problem that you can't solve. So you ask someone to help you, and in the process of describing the problem, you realize what you've been doing wrong. That's how I feel right now, as I sit typing on my new computer, having successfully transfered everything of value from my old system.
The problem turned out to be a combination of things... the firewall, the differences in the networking wizards in Windows XP and Windows ME, and the IP addresses assigned to the computers by the router. I made small mistakes in configuring elements of all these components, and talking about the situation pointed me in the right direction.
It wasn't five minutes after I made my last post when I discovered the cause of the problem. Another two-and-a-half hours to transfer the stuff between computers, and voila!
This weekend is getting off to a great start!
Anyone lend a hand?
Including information transfered from several previous versions of hardware, my last computer has many years worth of programming utilities, source code, etc. that need to be transfered to the new machine. In the old days, before modern programs hid their settings in registry entries, it was pretty simple to figure out what needed to be repackaged and moved to the new computer. Nowadays, you need to rely on utilities such as Alohabob to do the job for you. I had decided to use a utility called Move Me (written by a company called Spearit). Their website was quite helpful, and their product is priced more reasonably than the competition. For a piece of software that will only be used once, it seemed unreasonable to spend nearly $80CDN for the high-priced spread.
Besides, Move Me was a free download. It would do all the work of determining what needed to be moved, and only after seeing the report of what would actually be moved, you could make the commitment to either "register" and pay the fee; or abandon the process. As a prerequisite, all you need to do is establish a network connection between the original and new computers, so files can be transfered.
How difficult could that be? With Windows XP on the new computer, and the built-in networking wizard, I felt confident that the network setup would take a matter of minutes - surely no more than an hour. So why, five days later, am I sitting here wondering how the heck this transfer is ever going to happen?
I first tried to connect an ethernet cable directly between the two PCs to set up a peer-to-peer network. That didn't work, and I've since learned that something called a "crossover" ethernet cable is needed for a direct connection. I guess this is something like the null-modem cable from back in the serial connection days. Next, I connected both computers to the internet router. After all, the router had assigned IP addresses from the same subnet to my computers, and I figured I should be able to talk among the computers connected to the common router.
Wrong!
Whether it's my firewall configuration, or something in the router, I haven't figured it out yet. I only know that my XP can see (but not talk to) the Windows ME computer... but the Windows ME computer can't see the XP.
Oh well, maybe I'll figure it out this weekend!
Including information transfered from several previous versions of hardware, my last computer has many years worth of programming utilities, source code, etc. that need to be transfered to the new machine. In the old days, before modern programs hid their settings in registry entries, it was pretty simple to figure out what needed to be repackaged and moved to the new computer. Nowadays, you need to rely on utilities such as Alohabob to do the job for you. I had decided to use a utility called Move Me (written by a company called Spearit). Their website was quite helpful, and their product is priced more reasonably than the competition. For a piece of software that will only be used once, it seemed unreasonable to spend nearly $80CDN for the high-priced spread.
Besides, Move Me was a free download. It would do all the work of determining what needed to be moved, and only after seeing the report of what would actually be moved, you could make the commitment to either "register" and pay the fee; or abandon the process. As a prerequisite, all you need to do is establish a network connection between the original and new computers, so files can be transfered.
How difficult could that be? With Windows XP on the new computer, and the built-in networking wizard, I felt confident that the network setup would take a matter of minutes - surely no more than an hour. So why, five days later, am I sitting here wondering how the heck this transfer is ever going to happen?
I first tried to connect an ethernet cable directly between the two PCs to set up a peer-to-peer network. That didn't work, and I've since learned that something called a "crossover" ethernet cable is needed for a direct connection. I guess this is something like the null-modem cable from back in the serial connection days. Next, I connected both computers to the internet router. After all, the router had assigned IP addresses from the same subnet to my computers, and I figured I should be able to talk among the computers connected to the common router.
Wrong!
Whether it's my firewall configuration, or something in the router, I haven't figured it out yet. I only know that my XP can see (but not talk to) the Windows ME computer... but the Windows ME computer can't see the XP.
Oh well, maybe I'll figure it out this weekend!
Friday, June 06, 2003
What a funeral! - Part 3
So, I get in my car and start reading the handout while waiting for my turn to join the procession. The card says there is information being broadcast over a station on the FM band. Cool idea! I tune in, and am being fed helpful information about the procession. As the card indicates, funeral processions have no extra rights on the road - no automatic right of way. I am to obey all traffic signals, and I am only allowed through a red-light on the specific instructions of the police escort.
I should point out that I do not go out much at night. I go to work, come home, veg by the TV. I may live in the Toronto area, but that doesn't mean I know every street in the city. As my car gets the green light to proceed, I follow the car ahead of me, concentrating on not getting separated from the procession. After only two blocks, I realize the FM signal that was so strong 30 seconds ago is now a distant memory. The thought occurs to me that I should have listened more carefully to the broadcast while it was on the air, because I have absolutely no idea where the cemetery is. I begin to have thoughts of getting lost - a pall-bearer who can't find the funeral. And then, as if to really stick it to me, the light I'm approaching turns red as the car just in front of me forces it's way into the turn lane just ahead of the cross street traffic. And there's no police escort in sight! There is absolutely no way I can proceed. As I impatiently wait for the light to change (or for a break in the traffic), I realize that the car in front of me is long gone, and I have no idea where I'm going. It also occurs to me that the people behind me may not know where they're going either, and will do whatever they can to stay on my tail!
The next five minutes of driving felt like an eternity. I was absolutely determined not to get stuck at another red light. I had to figure out how to make up the distance between me and the procession. With one eye on traffic, and the other scanning the horizon for any sign that the procession has changed direction, I blindly go forward. Miraculously, I caught a glimpse of the car I had been following earlier - about two blocks ahead of me. I only recognized it because of the four-way flashers. Throwing caution to the wind (and any hope that people behind me would be able to catch up), I sped up and finally caught up with the car. It was just in the nick of time, because the car had been slowing down to turn off the main road.
That was the end of the excitement for the day, but I have to really protest that funeral processions in Toronto are not given the respect and right-of-way that I am accustomed to in Windsor (and I assume most other cities).
So, I get in my car and start reading the handout while waiting for my turn to join the procession. The card says there is information being broadcast over a station on the FM band. Cool idea! I tune in, and am being fed helpful information about the procession. As the card indicates, funeral processions have no extra rights on the road - no automatic right of way. I am to obey all traffic signals, and I am only allowed through a red-light on the specific instructions of the police escort.
I should point out that I do not go out much at night. I go to work, come home, veg by the TV. I may live in the Toronto area, but that doesn't mean I know every street in the city. As my car gets the green light to proceed, I follow the car ahead of me, concentrating on not getting separated from the procession. After only two blocks, I realize the FM signal that was so strong 30 seconds ago is now a distant memory. The thought occurs to me that I should have listened more carefully to the broadcast while it was on the air, because I have absolutely no idea where the cemetery is. I begin to have thoughts of getting lost - a pall-bearer who can't find the funeral. And then, as if to really stick it to me, the light I'm approaching turns red as the car just in front of me forces it's way into the turn lane just ahead of the cross street traffic. And there's no police escort in sight! There is absolutely no way I can proceed. As I impatiently wait for the light to change (or for a break in the traffic), I realize that the car in front of me is long gone, and I have no idea where I'm going. It also occurs to me that the people behind me may not know where they're going either, and will do whatever they can to stay on my tail!
The next five minutes of driving felt like an eternity. I was absolutely determined not to get stuck at another red light. I had to figure out how to make up the distance between me and the procession. With one eye on traffic, and the other scanning the horizon for any sign that the procession has changed direction, I blindly go forward. Miraculously, I caught a glimpse of the car I had been following earlier - about two blocks ahead of me. I only recognized it because of the four-way flashers. Throwing caution to the wind (and any hope that people behind me would be able to catch up), I sped up and finally caught up with the car. It was just in the nick of time, because the car had been slowing down to turn off the main road.
That was the end of the excitement for the day, but I have to really protest that funeral processions in Toronto are not given the respect and right-of-way that I am accustomed to in Windsor (and I assume most other cities).
What a funeral! - Part 2
Upon entering the building, I'm immediately greeted by a host who is passing out cards. On one card, there are basic instructions about the funeral process - traffic laws, and their application to cars in a funeral procession - information about where the after-burial family greeting will take place, etc. On the other card was hygiene information and a questionnaire about SARS. The card politely suggested that anyone who had a cough would be banned from the funeral home. I suppressed a dry cough as I passed through the door to the chapel. The same card carried very useful information about the proper method of washing your hands to help prevent the spread of the disease. I confess that this information was very interesting, and I've kept it for future reference.
Unlike funerals I've been to in the past, the family was not seeing well-wishers. I don't know whether this was a personal preference, a form of protection against SARS, or just the way this home works, but eventually, the immediate family left the private chamber to enter the chapel.
A number of family members in succession took the platform to offer their eulogies, and I was struck by the amount of love and affection that were in the room. I didn't know Harry very well. I had only met him a handful of times, since my sister has only been married to Harry's son for a short six years. However, the words I heard and the emotions I saw expressed were very much in line with how I would imagine eulogies for my own father would go. Harry was a year younger than my father, and with my dad in the audience, thoughts of his eventual demise flooded my brain, and I started to cry uncontrollably.
After a short service, it was time for the those who would be heading to the cemetery to get in their cars.
Upon entering the building, I'm immediately greeted by a host who is passing out cards. On one card, there are basic instructions about the funeral process - traffic laws, and their application to cars in a funeral procession - information about where the after-burial family greeting will take place, etc. On the other card was hygiene information and a questionnaire about SARS. The card politely suggested that anyone who had a cough would be banned from the funeral home. I suppressed a dry cough as I passed through the door to the chapel. The same card carried very useful information about the proper method of washing your hands to help prevent the spread of the disease. I confess that this information was very interesting, and I've kept it for future reference.
Unlike funerals I've been to in the past, the family was not seeing well-wishers. I don't know whether this was a personal preference, a form of protection against SARS, or just the way this home works, but eventually, the immediate family left the private chamber to enter the chapel.
A number of family members in succession took the platform to offer their eulogies, and I was struck by the amount of love and affection that were in the room. I didn't know Harry very well. I had only met him a handful of times, since my sister has only been married to Harry's son for a short six years. However, the words I heard and the emotions I saw expressed were very much in line with how I would imagine eulogies for my own father would go. Harry was a year younger than my father, and with my dad in the audience, thoughts of his eventual demise flooded my brain, and I started to cry uncontrollably.
After a short service, it was time for the those who would be heading to the cemetery to get in their cars.
What a funeral! - Part 1
My wife left immediately after lunch on Sunday, giving me a few more minutes with my computer before having to head off for the funeral. I had been asked to be a pall-bearer, so I figured I should be at the funeral home early. Just to make sure, I looked up the address of the home, and noted the phone number. Then, I headed out.
Let me tell you something about Toronto. Unlike every city I've ever lived in, street numbering in Toronto is NOT balanced. That is, you don't see addresses like "123 Noname street" on one side of the road, and "124 Noname street" on the other side of the road. I'm not sure why, exactly, but that's the way it is. So, I set out to find a particular address, and I think I'm getting close. I'm looking for the 2400 block, and as I drive, I see the numbers going by... 1700... 1800.. 1900... finally, I get to 2400... but the number I'm looking for is odd, and this side of the road is even! No problem... I look at the other side of the road and am shocked to see the address is in the 4500 range!
My cushion of 45 minutes (according to the map I saw online, I only lived about five miles from the funeral home) was now down to under 30 minutes. I start going in the opposite direction looking for the home, while simultaneously calling on my cell phone for a cross street. Armed with a cross street, I now know the general location, and I still can't find it! Back and forth I drive, with no clue where the darned funeral home is.
Finally, with less than 10 minutes to the scheduled start time, I locate a small building, almost lost next door to (what appears to be) a large truck yard. Since I was relatively late, my position in the funeral procession was rather far back (first car in the third row), which concerned me because I was supposed to be a pall-bearer. In Windsor, where I'm used to going to funerals, the pall-bearers are positioned at the head of the procession (immediately behind the hearse and family vehicles), so the pall-bearers arrive early to the cemetery. Here in Toronto, it's first come, first served.
My wife left immediately after lunch on Sunday, giving me a few more minutes with my computer before having to head off for the funeral. I had been asked to be a pall-bearer, so I figured I should be at the funeral home early. Just to make sure, I looked up the address of the home, and noted the phone number. Then, I headed out.
Let me tell you something about Toronto. Unlike every city I've ever lived in, street numbering in Toronto is NOT balanced. That is, you don't see addresses like "123 Noname street" on one side of the road, and "124 Noname street" on the other side of the road. I'm not sure why, exactly, but that's the way it is. So, I set out to find a particular address, and I think I'm getting close. I'm looking for the 2400 block, and as I drive, I see the numbers going by... 1700... 1800.. 1900... finally, I get to 2400... but the number I'm looking for is odd, and this side of the road is even! No problem... I look at the other side of the road and am shocked to see the address is in the 4500 range!
My cushion of 45 minutes (according to the map I saw online, I only lived about five miles from the funeral home) was now down to under 30 minutes. I start going in the opposite direction looking for the home, while simultaneously calling on my cell phone for a cross street. Armed with a cross street, I now know the general location, and I still can't find it! Back and forth I drive, with no clue where the darned funeral home is.
Finally, with less than 10 minutes to the scheduled start time, I locate a small building, almost lost next door to (what appears to be) a large truck yard. Since I was relatively late, my position in the funeral procession was rather far back (first car in the third row), which concerned me because I was supposed to be a pall-bearer. In Windsor, where I'm used to going to funerals, the pall-bearers are positioned at the head of the procession (immediately behind the hearse and family vehicles), so the pall-bearers arrive early to the cemetery. Here in Toronto, it's first come, first served.
Birthday fit for a king
Despite knowing that I would be attending a funeral the next day, I had a terrific birthday. In truth, I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time, having on several occasions put off the decision to upgrade my computer in hopes that I would be able to do so on my birthday. My wife came to Toronto for the weekend, and we headed off early Saturday morning to shop for computers.
I thought I knew what I wanted, having just spent a considerable amount of time "window shopping" and perusing newspaper flyers. With Intel recently announcing a new chip set, some of the local dealers were beginning to offer fairly substantial discounts on their current stock.
I shopped the way I always do... trying to find a good blend of performance and price. On this occasion, it meant looking at the 2.4GHz P4's instead of looking for more horsepower. I don't play games, so any additional speed would be money wasted. It happened that MDG was running an end-of-month special, offering "free" upgrades of memory and disk capacity. The deal was: buy a 512MB RAM / 80 GB hard drive system, and they would upgrade it to 1000MB RAM, 120GB drive at no additional charge.
They also offered a Lexmark X74 multi-function printer free (after rebate).
So, with a couple of upgrades (like a drool 17" LCD monitor and DVD drive) on the basic package, I went home a happy camper.
I was on cloud nine most of the remainder of the day, but I still managed to remember that my lovely wife had made the trip to Toronto, and I managed to tear myself away from the new toy long enough to have a very enjoyable time with her.
Despite knowing that I would be attending a funeral the next day, I had a terrific birthday. In truth, I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time, having on several occasions put off the decision to upgrade my computer in hopes that I would be able to do so on my birthday. My wife came to Toronto for the weekend, and we headed off early Saturday morning to shop for computers.
I thought I knew what I wanted, having just spent a considerable amount of time "window shopping" and perusing newspaper flyers. With Intel recently announcing a new chip set, some of the local dealers were beginning to offer fairly substantial discounts on their current stock.
I shopped the way I always do... trying to find a good blend of performance and price. On this occasion, it meant looking at the 2.4GHz P4's instead of looking for more horsepower. I don't play games, so any additional speed would be money wasted. It happened that MDG was running an end-of-month special, offering "free" upgrades of memory and disk capacity. The deal was: buy a 512MB RAM / 80 GB hard drive system, and they would upgrade it to 1000MB RAM, 120GB drive at no additional charge.
They also offered a Lexmark X74 multi-function printer free (after rebate).
So, with a couple of upgrades (like a drool 17" LCD monitor and DVD drive) on the basic package, I went home a happy camper.
I was on cloud nine most of the remainder of the day, but I still managed to remember that my lovely wife had made the trip to Toronto, and I managed to tear myself away from the new toy long enough to have a very enjoyable time with her.
Playing catch up
It's been an eventful several days. If I were to do my usual thing, I'd have this really long post discussing everything that's happened since my birthday. It's times like this I wish I had the patience (and blogging tool) to do one of those "more" entries (you know the kind - where you click a link to see the whole story).
In this case, I think I'll cover each topic in a separate post.
It's been an eventful several days. If I were to do my usual thing, I'd have this really long post discussing everything that's happened since my birthday. It's times like this I wish I had the patience (and blogging tool) to do one of those "more" entries (you know the kind - where you click a link to see the whole story).
In this case, I think I'll cover each topic in a separate post.
Saturday, May 31, 2003
Life goes on
It's my birthday today! More than a half-century on this earth, and I still haven't figured out what I want out of life. But I do know that I enjoy having my wife around (she decided to visit this weekend - wasn't that sweet!).
On a sadder note, my sister's father-in-law passed away yesterday. The funeral is tomorrow, and I'm a pall-bearer. Not the way I'd have chosen to celebrate my birthday weekend, but that's life.
It's my birthday today! More than a half-century on this earth, and I still haven't figured out what I want out of life. But I do know that I enjoy having my wife around (she decided to visit this weekend - wasn't that sweet!).
On a sadder note, my sister's father-in-law passed away yesterday. The funeral is tomorrow, and I'm a pall-bearer. Not the way I'd have chosen to celebrate my birthday weekend, but that's life.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Fleetwood Mac's latest
I'm a big Fleetwood Mac fan. They're probably in the top 5 groups in my book (Beatles, Eagles, Queen, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac). So, I was looking forward to their newest studio album. Overall, I've enjoyed the tracks I've heard on radio, although I can't be the only one who's noticed a significant similarity between the tune in "Peacekeeper" chorus, and the old Paul Simon song "Kodachrome".
George Harrison got in copyright trouble once by lifting a tune from another artist. I'd really like to know if they have permission to rip off Paul Simon's tune.
Keanu Reeve's Generosity
I've heard this from one news outlet, and I'd like to hear from a different source before declaring this as fact, but if true, this is incredible. Often, actors in a blockbuster movie will have a deal that pays them "points" (a percentage of the profit) based on boxoffice performance. The report I heard today was that Keanu Reeve's portion of the points for The Matrix Reloaded comes to a cool $100,000,000 (yes 100 MILLION dollars). News is that he's giving it ALL away. Quoted as having "more money already than I know what to do with", he is reported to have given lavish gifts to the stuntmen on the movie. I didn't get from the news piece whether he's simply "giving it away", or "donating it to charities". Still, if true, that's definitely news!
I'm a big Fleetwood Mac fan. They're probably in the top 5 groups in my book (Beatles, Eagles, Queen, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac). So, I was looking forward to their newest studio album. Overall, I've enjoyed the tracks I've heard on radio, although I can't be the only one who's noticed a significant similarity between the tune in "Peacekeeper" chorus, and the old Paul Simon song "Kodachrome".
George Harrison got in copyright trouble once by lifting a tune from another artist. I'd really like to know if they have permission to rip off Paul Simon's tune.
Keanu Reeve's Generosity
I've heard this from one news outlet, and I'd like to hear from a different source before declaring this as fact, but if true, this is incredible. Often, actors in a blockbuster movie will have a deal that pays them "points" (a percentage of the profit) based on boxoffice performance. The report I heard today was that Keanu Reeve's portion of the points for The Matrix Reloaded comes to a cool $100,000,000 (yes 100 MILLION dollars). News is that he's giving it ALL away. Quoted as having "more money already than I know what to do with", he is reported to have given lavish gifts to the stuntmen on the movie. I didn't get from the news piece whether he's simply "giving it away", or "donating it to charities". Still, if true, that's definitely news!
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Just wasting time
Not intentionally, mind you... I tried to read my weblog a couple of hours ago. After repeated attempts to load the page, it came up the same way each time - totally messed up. Normally, I wouldn't think twice about it. I'd assume that there was a problem with blogspot's server, and that somehow, partially completed pages were being served up.
But yesterday, I had experienced lots of problems with w.bloggar's interface to blogger. When I went to w.bloggar's site to see if there were any technical notes posted, I noticed that there was a new version of w.bloggar available for download - and I promptly upgraded. With no improvement in performance, I headed over to blogspot to see if anything was posted on that site. There was a post, but not about problems... it was about a new beta version of blogger.
Although I didn't opt to download the new version, I did visit their site that gives you a taste of what your blog would look like if you were using the new blogger interface. I didn't change anything, but I did poke around for quite a while.
Which brings me back to my current issue... seeing all the mumbo jumbo on the screen, I jumped to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe I had changed something. For a person who backs up data twice a day, I'm ashamed to say I don't have a single backup copy of the template stored on blogger's server. So, I spent the past two hours comparing the template code from an old googled archive of my site to the template on file with blogger.
You probably know that google's version of a page has all the template tokens expanded with actual content, so it wasn't a trivial matter to look at the source code of both forms and try to find the similarities and differences. But I persisted, and after two hours, I concluded that the templates were undamaged. Just to be sure, I tried loading them into Dreamweaver, and it couldn't find anything out of the ordinary either. And then I tried to go back into Blogger, and lo-and-behold, the page came up perfectly.
Sometimes, computers can be so juvenile!
Not intentionally, mind you... I tried to read my weblog a couple of hours ago. After repeated attempts to load the page, it came up the same way each time - totally messed up. Normally, I wouldn't think twice about it. I'd assume that there was a problem with blogspot's server, and that somehow, partially completed pages were being served up.
But yesterday, I had experienced lots of problems with w.bloggar's interface to blogger. When I went to w.bloggar's site to see if there were any technical notes posted, I noticed that there was a new version of w.bloggar available for download - and I promptly upgraded. With no improvement in performance, I headed over to blogspot to see if anything was posted on that site. There was a post, but not about problems... it was about a new beta version of blogger.
Although I didn't opt to download the new version, I did visit their site that gives you a taste of what your blog would look like if you were using the new blogger interface. I didn't change anything, but I did poke around for quite a while.
Which brings me back to my current issue... seeing all the mumbo jumbo on the screen, I jumped to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe I had changed something. For a person who backs up data twice a day, I'm ashamed to say I don't have a single backup copy of the template stored on blogger's server. So, I spent the past two hours comparing the template code from an old googled archive of my site to the template on file with blogger.
You probably know that google's version of a page has all the template tokens expanded with actual content, so it wasn't a trivial matter to look at the source code of both forms and try to find the similarities and differences. But I persisted, and after two hours, I concluded that the templates were undamaged. Just to be sure, I tried loading them into Dreamweaver, and it couldn't find anything out of the ordinary either. And then I tried to go back into Blogger, and lo-and-behold, the page came up perfectly.
Sometimes, computers can be so juvenile!
Is free email the next thing to die?
Free email, the orignal "killer app" of the internet, might soon be dying. Before you run out and spread the rumour, be aware this is only my opinion. Service providers, hungry for new revenue sources, are slowly removing the free services that attracted users. It's the old "make them dependent - then raise prices" philosophy. Illicit drugs are marketed in this way, and soon, I believe all internet services will be paid.
It's not necessarily a bad thing, having paid services. It could be argued that without a steady source of revenue, the providers you have come to depend on will go out of business. It can also be said that anything you receive for no charge is not highly valued. Would you be willing to pay a penny to be able to mail an electronic letter? It would be a good bet compared to snail mail, and would probably cut down on the number of unsolicited emails. People who send out or respond to chain letters would think twice about wasting their money. If charges for emails were automatically added to your cable bill, or phone bill, you wouldn't need to worry about managing additional numbers of bills (just higher costs). I can foresee a time when internet rates become even more multi-tiered, perhaps varying based on the number of emails you send per month.
With MSN's announcement that they will be phasing out free hosting for photographs, many people will be inconvenienced by having to find other sources of storage for their pictures. I can't imagine the day is far off when Hotmail will be an MSN-member only service. And once that happens, it won't be long before Yahoo and other email providers figure they can get away with charging a fee, because their biggest competitor is doing so.
Enjoy free email while it lasts.
Updated to add...
I just noticed that this post from Saturday had not been published. My cable service is so slow, the connection times out before I can get the message published
Free email, the orignal "killer app" of the internet, might soon be dying. Before you run out and spread the rumour, be aware this is only my opinion. Service providers, hungry for new revenue sources, are slowly removing the free services that attracted users. It's the old "make them dependent - then raise prices" philosophy. Illicit drugs are marketed in this way, and soon, I believe all internet services will be paid.
It's not necessarily a bad thing, having paid services. It could be argued that without a steady source of revenue, the providers you have come to depend on will go out of business. It can also be said that anything you receive for no charge is not highly valued. Would you be willing to pay a penny to be able to mail an electronic letter? It would be a good bet compared to snail mail, and would probably cut down on the number of unsolicited emails. People who send out or respond to chain letters would think twice about wasting their money. If charges for emails were automatically added to your cable bill, or phone bill, you wouldn't need to worry about managing additional numbers of bills (just higher costs). I can foresee a time when internet rates become even more multi-tiered, perhaps varying based on the number of emails you send per month.
With MSN's announcement that they will be phasing out free hosting for photographs, many people will be inconvenienced by having to find other sources of storage for their pictures. I can't imagine the day is far off when Hotmail will be an MSN-member only service. And once that happens, it won't be long before Yahoo and other email providers figure they can get away with charging a fee, because their biggest competitor is doing so.
Enjoy free email while it lasts.
Updated to add...
I just noticed that this post from Saturday had not been published. My cable service is so slow, the connection times out before I can get the message published
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
American Idol
Let me start by saying I've never seen this show; not last season, not this season. I don't know the contestants, or anything about them. However, as the hype for this season's final saturates the airwaves, I've seen pictures of the final two. And I'd like to know if I'm the only one that thinks the skinny guy looks a lot like Martin Short?
I wonder if he sounds like Martin too?
Let me start by saying I've never seen this show; not last season, not this season. I don't know the contestants, or anything about them. However, as the hype for this season's final saturates the airwaves, I've seen pictures of the final two. And I'd like to know if I'm the only one that thinks the skinny guy looks a lot like Martin Short?
I wonder if he sounds like Martin too?
What a weekend!
I'm so glad I decided to go home to Windsor for the holiday weekend. Despite having been there last week, I had no regrets about this trip. The weather was beautiful, both for the drives there and back; and for spending quality time together outdoors. Last weekend, I got a chance to walk the dogs with my wife, and it felt good being outdoors. This weekend, I got the opportunity to go on multiple walks, and to also spend time shopping, talking, and just enjoying my wife's company. The focus was on the two of us, and we made the most of our time together.
On Friday, the subject of my move back to Windsor came up at work. I informed the boss of my decision to set a specific date for the move, and he concurred that the date I picked was workable. So, I will be giving my notice at the beginning of July, and at the end of August, I will be back in Windsor, hopefully for good! Sure, there will still be business trips to Toronto, but "home base" will be Windsor. I'm so excited!
I also let my parents know this news, and they were also very happy at the prospect of having me back home with my wife.
I'm so glad I decided to go home to Windsor for the holiday weekend. Despite having been there last week, I had no regrets about this trip. The weather was beautiful, both for the drives there and back; and for spending quality time together outdoors. Last weekend, I got a chance to walk the dogs with my wife, and it felt good being outdoors. This weekend, I got the opportunity to go on multiple walks, and to also spend time shopping, talking, and just enjoying my wife's company. The focus was on the two of us, and we made the most of our time together.
On Friday, the subject of my move back to Windsor came up at work. I informed the boss of my decision to set a specific date for the move, and he concurred that the date I picked was workable. So, I will be giving my notice at the beginning of July, and at the end of August, I will be back in Windsor, hopefully for good! Sure, there will still be business trips to Toronto, but "home base" will be Windsor. I'm so excited!
I also let my parents know this news, and they were also very happy at the prospect of having me back home with my wife.
Friday, May 16, 2003
Heading home... eventually!
I really hadn't planned to drive home this weekend. I'm still recovering from the last drive back to Toronto early Tuesday morning. But when I realized that it's a long weekend, and the laptop computer I was planning to use this weekend had been previously checked out by a colleague, there wasn't much reason to hang around. It's been raining cats and dogs all day, and I seem to be unable to stay awake when rain is falling (or even on the way). Bottom line... I fell asleep while eating dinner, and I've just now woken up, still very much groggy. I won't be attempting to drive any time soon. Perhaps I'll try the next time I wake up this evening.
Now, it's off to sleep!
I really hadn't planned to drive home this weekend. I'm still recovering from the last drive back to Toronto early Tuesday morning. But when I realized that it's a long weekend, and the laptop computer I was planning to use this weekend had been previously checked out by a colleague, there wasn't much reason to hang around. It's been raining cats and dogs all day, and I seem to be unable to stay awake when rain is falling (or even on the way). Bottom line... I fell asleep while eating dinner, and I've just now woken up, still very much groggy. I won't be attempting to drive any time soon. Perhaps I'll try the next time I wake up this evening.
Now, it's off to sleep!
Thursday, May 15, 2003
Smile for the birdie
Looking at those mother's day pictures, I relived not only the beautiful moments of the day, but also the frustrating moments caused by my digital camera. I should say that the camera itself is amazing. In its day, it was the best in its price class - winner of the Editor's Choice Award - and highly recommended by all the camera reviewers. But, the world of technology changes quickly. And with today's cameras coming down in price, there's no reason to stick with a camera that takes over 10 seconds to warm up, has a one-to-two second lag time from the time you click the shutter button, and takes more than 15 seconds to transfer the image to its 8MB SmartMedia memory card. Oh, did I mention that you can eat through a set of alkaline batteries before you fill the camera's memory?
The images I've posted on this site, although they were taken with this camera, were intentionally reduced in size and image quality to facilitate quick load times over low speed internet connections. The typical picture, in its "normal" size, is about 100-200K. By the time it's posted here, the size has been reduced to 10-20K. This past weekend, we had to stop taking pictures at 55 shots when the memory card was filled. There were at least that many additional shot opportunities that were missed due to the slow data transfer times and low memory capacity.
It was all too much to bear. I realized there are just too many "photo-worthy" moments when you have small grandchildren, and when you miss an opportunity for the perfect shot, that opportunity is gone for good. The day after our trip to Colasanti's, we went to Future Shop to find a new camera. Future Shop had more than 50 models on display, and I spent the better part of the day researching various internet web sites to determine which camera would offer the best range of features at the most reasonable price.
and the winner is...
After much research, and test-drives of several models at the store, the winner is the Canon PowerShot S400 ELPH. This 4 Megapixel camera costs about the same as the camera above, and allows photo quality pictures to be printed up to 8x10. But, for the most part, we'll be using this camera to record tons of pictures and even some audio/video clips (up to 3 minutes in length).
With the 128MB Compact Flash card, we can store almost 1500 pictures at 640x480 resolution without having to unload the memory card. And the time needed to store even the highest resolution photos is less than one-half second. Finally, due to its compact size, my wife can carry it in her purse at all times.
No more missed photo-ops!
Looking at those mother's day pictures, I relived not only the beautiful moments of the day, but also the frustrating moments caused by my digital camera. I should say that the camera itself is amazing. In its day, it was the best in its price class - winner of the Editor's Choice Award - and highly recommended by all the camera reviewers. But, the world of technology changes quickly. And with today's cameras coming down in price, there's no reason to stick with a camera that takes over 10 seconds to warm up, has a one-to-two second lag time from the time you click the shutter button, and takes more than 15 seconds to transfer the image to its 8MB SmartMedia memory card. Oh, did I mention that you can eat through a set of alkaline batteries before you fill the camera's memory?
The images I've posted on this site, although they were taken with this camera, were intentionally reduced in size and image quality to facilitate quick load times over low speed internet connections. The typical picture, in its "normal" size, is about 100-200K. By the time it's posted here, the size has been reduced to 10-20K. This past weekend, we had to stop taking pictures at 55 shots when the memory card was filled. There were at least that many additional shot opportunities that were missed due to the slow data transfer times and low memory capacity.
It was all too much to bear. I realized there are just too many "photo-worthy" moments when you have small grandchildren, and when you miss an opportunity for the perfect shot, that opportunity is gone for good. The day after our trip to Colasanti's, we went to Future Shop to find a new camera. Future Shop had more than 50 models on display, and I spent the better part of the day researching various internet web sites to determine which camera would offer the best range of features at the most reasonable price.
and the winner is...
After much research, and test-drives of several models at the store, the winner is the Canon PowerShot S400 ELPH. This 4 Megapixel camera costs about the same as the camera above, and allows photo quality pictures to be printed up to 8x10. But, for the most part, we'll be using this camera to record tons of pictures and even some audio/video clips (up to 3 minutes in length).
With the 128MB Compact Flash card, we can store almost 1500 pictures at 640x480 resolution without having to unload the memory card. And the time needed to store even the highest resolution photos is less than one-half second. Finally, due to its compact size, my wife can carry it in her purse at all times.
No more missed photo-ops!
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
You've got mail!
Tonight, my mailbox runneth over. And the news is all good! I've been waiting for pictures from Mother's Day weekend. Although I've become accustomed to the instant gratification afforded by a digital camera, the reality of living away from home is that I have to wait for my wife to find the time to download the pics into her computer, and then email them to me. Tonight, I received a nice assortment of keepsake pictures, and I thought I'd share some with you.
We start with the child midway at Colasanti's, where for just a dollar (that's a Canadian dollar), your child is treated to a 2-minute ride. The flying bug was very colourful and inviting. Though you can't tell from the close up, the seat-back on each car was designed to look like a stuffed animal.
Still in the midway, an electric train in the form of a caterpillar makes its way around a winding set of tracks. It was an excellent opportunity to catch mother and daughter having a great time!
Leaving the midway, we head over to the petting zoo. At only 75 cents per adult, you can spend as much time as you want in the company of the most adorable (and greedy) barnyard animals you'll ever encounter.
As you can see from these pictures, the goats were a big hit. There were lots of other animals to see up close. But these goats were the only ones that were allowed to roam freely among the visiting crowd.
Lest you think that Courtney was the only one having fun with the goats, Christie seems to be a hit with the younger kids as well...
Although it was difficult getting Courtney to leave the petting zoo, there was still much to be done. Before we left Colasanti's for the day, we decided to take in a round of miniature golf. Here, Courtney displays her winning style.
Well, kiddies... That's enough for now. I hope your Mother's Day was as enjoyable as mine!
Tonight, my mailbox runneth over. And the news is all good! I've been waiting for pictures from Mother's Day weekend. Although I've become accustomed to the instant gratification afforded by a digital camera, the reality of living away from home is that I have to wait for my wife to find the time to download the pics into her computer, and then email them to me. Tonight, I received a nice assortment of keepsake pictures, and I thought I'd share some with you.
We start with the child midway at Colasanti's, where for just a dollar (that's a Canadian dollar), your child is treated to a 2-minute ride. The flying bug was very colourful and inviting. Though you can't tell from the close up, the seat-back on each car was designed to look like a stuffed animal.
Still in the midway, an electric train in the form of a caterpillar makes its way around a winding set of tracks. It was an excellent opportunity to catch mother and daughter having a great time!
Leaving the midway, we head over to the petting zoo. At only 75 cents per adult, you can spend as much time as you want in the company of the most adorable (and greedy) barnyard animals you'll ever encounter.
As you can see from these pictures, the goats were a big hit. There were lots of other animals to see up close. But these goats were the only ones that were allowed to roam freely among the visiting crowd.
Lest you think that Courtney was the only one having fun with the goats, Christie seems to be a hit with the younger kids as well...
Although it was difficult getting Courtney to leave the petting zoo, there was still much to be done. Before we left Colasanti's for the day, we decided to take in a round of miniature golf. Here, Courtney displays her winning style.
Well, kiddies... That's enough for now. I hope your Mother's Day was as enjoyable as mine!
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Mother's Day Weekend
I'm just now walking in the door, having finally arrived from Windsor. I'll try to keep this short so I can get some sleep before having to head in to work.
Mother's Day Weekend was, in a word, memorable. Starting with an overnight drive to Windsor Friday, and a full schedule of family oriented events Saturday, the entire weekend was devoted to my wife, my mother, Laurie's mother, and our daughters. Everyone was home for the weekend, and it was a grand reunion. With my parents having returned within the past couple of weeks from their winter retreat, I finally had everyone back together. In an effort to avoid the Mother's Day Sunday crowd, my wife and I took her mother, and our three children, and two grandchildren to Colasanti's on Saturday. We spent six glorious hours playing with the grandchildren, taking a liesurely stroll through the petting zoo (more than one pass, actually, thanks to the irresistible goat kids that really knew how to warn your heart and empty your pockets of spare change). While there, we also enjoyed a picnic lunch and a round of indoor golf.
There was much to see, and even more to photograph. As usual, I'll have to get my wife to send me some pics by email so that I can post them here.
Sunday was spent with my parents, whom I hadn't seen since their return. They are looking marvelous, and it was really good to see them. My mom seems to appreciate and approve of the decorating that my wife has done while I've been here in Toronto. I got to see some of her handiwork for the first time this weekend, and I must say, she's quite talented.
I have so much to say, but I can barely keep my eyelids open...
So, goodnight for now.
I'm just now walking in the door, having finally arrived from Windsor. I'll try to keep this short so I can get some sleep before having to head in to work.
Mother's Day Weekend was, in a word, memorable. Starting with an overnight drive to Windsor Friday, and a full schedule of family oriented events Saturday, the entire weekend was devoted to my wife, my mother, Laurie's mother, and our daughters. Everyone was home for the weekend, and it was a grand reunion. With my parents having returned within the past couple of weeks from their winter retreat, I finally had everyone back together. In an effort to avoid the Mother's Day Sunday crowd, my wife and I took her mother, and our three children, and two grandchildren to Colasanti's on Saturday. We spent six glorious hours playing with the grandchildren, taking a liesurely stroll through the petting zoo (more than one pass, actually, thanks to the irresistible goat kids that really knew how to warn your heart and empty your pockets of spare change). While there, we also enjoyed a picnic lunch and a round of indoor golf.
There was much to see, and even more to photograph. As usual, I'll have to get my wife to send me some pics by email so that I can post them here.
Sunday was spent with my parents, whom I hadn't seen since their return. They are looking marvelous, and it was really good to see them. My mom seems to appreciate and approve of the decorating that my wife has done while I've been here in Toronto. I got to see some of her handiwork for the first time this weekend, and I must say, she's quite talented.
I have so much to say, but I can barely keep my eyelids open...
So, goodnight for now.
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Happy Mother's Day
One more feeding of my sister's cat, and I'm on the road. When you read this, sis, know that I actually stayed in town long enough to feed the cat twice, as promised. And thanks for leaving me dinner. That was so cool! My wife called around 11:00PM, and was surprised I hadn't left the city yet. (I guess she forgot about the cat!)
Good luck at the competition, Stef!
Honey, I'm comin' home!!!
One more feeding of my sister's cat, and I'm on the road. When you read this, sis, know that I actually stayed in town long enough to feed the cat twice, as promised. And thanks for leaving me dinner. That was so cool! My wife called around 11:00PM, and was surprised I hadn't left the city yet. (I guess she forgot about the cat!)
Good luck at the competition, Stef!
Honey, I'm comin' home!!!
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
e-i-e-i-o
There are certain words that I tend to misspell on a regular basis. Not because I can't spell, but because my fingers, when typing, have a mind of their own. Apparently, the word "niece" is one of them. As my sister so kindly pointed out, (with only a modicum of ribbing), I had misspelled that word in a post which she dredged up in my archives. Well, to you, dear sister, phhhht!!! Just kidding. The error has been corrected.
There are certain words that I tend to misspell on a regular basis. Not because I can't spell, but because my fingers, when typing, have a mind of their own. Apparently, the word "niece" is one of them. As my sister so kindly pointed out, (with only a modicum of ribbing), I had misspelled that word in a post which she dredged up in my archives. Well, to you, dear sister, phhhht!!! Just kidding. The error has been corrected.
Monday, May 05, 2003
You go, girl!
Michele is the brains behind Troop Trax. And now, she's received a community award for her efforts. Congratulations, Michele.
(I've avoided posting links in this piece, because Michele apparently avoided making the connection between the two sites in her own posting. Why, I don't know, but who am I to go against her own intentions). Catch Michele at "A Small Victory" in my link list.
Michele is the brains behind Troop Trax. And now, she's received a community award for her efforts. Congratulations, Michele.
(I've avoided posting links in this piece, because Michele apparently avoided making the connection between the two sites in her own posting. Why, I don't know, but who am I to go against her own intentions). Catch Michele at "A Small Victory" in my link list.
Have you seen my bird?
I'm looking for a bird. Not just any bird. His name is Norden. He has taken a particular liking to my vehicle. For three days running, I've noticed that my car has been adorned with airborne decorations. These have appeared in a consistent pattern, no more than an inch from where they appeared the day before. What I find most intriguing is that there are no tree limbs or wires anywhere near my parking spot... which means that Norden is performing these feats of precision bombing while in flight. While I find him truly amazing, and would venture that he was trained by the folks at Lockheed Martin, I would like to introduce him to a stone I'm saving just for him.
I'm looking for a bird. Not just any bird. His name is Norden. He has taken a particular liking to my vehicle. For three days running, I've noticed that my car has been adorned with airborne decorations. These have appeared in a consistent pattern, no more than an inch from where they appeared the day before. What I find most intriguing is that there are no tree limbs or wires anywhere near my parking spot... which means that Norden is performing these feats of precision bombing while in flight. While I find him truly amazing, and would venture that he was trained by the folks at Lockheed Martin, I would like to introduce him to a stone I'm saving just for him.
Saturday, May 03, 2003
Happy birthday, dad!
Riddle me this... who's the world's best dad?
Mine of course, but don't take my word for it. My sisters think so too! And at 83 years young, I hope to be wishing him a happy birthday for many years to come. I can't imagine the world without him (and my mom too, lest she think she's not appreciated). But today's his day, so I hope she'll cut me some slack!
I consider myself very lucky that I've had the benefit of two, loving parents to see me through some rough times. They've taught me a lot about life, and the importance of family.
I was named for his father, so every once in a while, I joke around and call him "son". He seems to enjoy this, and I see a bit of a sparkle in his eye when we play this game. My father is an easy person to like. He used to have a lot of friends, but at his age, he's starting to get to the point where he's outliving them. Just remember, dad, that there are some good friends right here at home, and we're in no hurry to lose you!
Riddle me this... who's the world's best dad?
Mine of course, but don't take my word for it. My sisters think so too! And at 83 years young, I hope to be wishing him a happy birthday for many years to come. I can't imagine the world without him (and my mom too, lest she think she's not appreciated). But today's his day, so I hope she'll cut me some slack!
I consider myself very lucky that I've had the benefit of two, loving parents to see me through some rough times. They've taught me a lot about life, and the importance of family.
I was named for his father, so every once in a while, I joke around and call him "son". He seems to enjoy this, and I see a bit of a sparkle in his eye when we play this game. My father is an easy person to like. He used to have a lot of friends, but at his age, he's starting to get to the point where he's outliving them. Just remember, dad, that there are some good friends right here at home, and we're in no hurry to lose you!
A man who knows what he wants
Have you ever had one of those days when your personal slave isn't in the mood to cater to your whims. Well, this man knew just what to do.
Have you ever had one of those days when your personal slave isn't in the mood to cater to your whims. Well, this man knew just what to do.
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Various ramblings
I had a bit of a scare today. It had to do with my archives. After hearing all sorts of horror stories about Blogger archives, and wondering what all the fuss was about, I finally got a taste of the problems myself.
Actually, I haven't been able to successfully "republish" my archives since November. A pesky Java Error was displayed; but since I don't use any Java code that hasn't been in my template for the better part of a year already, I couldn't figure out what could have changed in November. So today, I decided to investigate. Following all the instructions on the Blogger help pages, I tried to unlink, then relink and republish my archives - all to no avail. Then, horror of horrors, when I visited my archive page, I was shocked to see that all the pages since April 2002 had been delisted!
To make a long story short, I tried some unorthodox (i.e. undocumented) methods of attempting to resurrect the archives, and after close to an hour of trying, everything seems to be back in order. The archive page list is up to date, and my last attempt to "republish" all the archives progressed without incident.
Lindsey recently changed her web page template, and I think it's quite attractive. So much so, that I paid a visit to the site of the artist who created her graphics, and I'm seriously considering a facelist - the first since I started blogging.
A facelist, for those who know me, is a radical concept. I'm someone who has used the same barber (not the same barber shop - the same BARBER) since the age of 8 (I'm now over 50). I continue to buy the same style of shoes, year after year, until they go out of production. I eat the same foods every day, and like it that way. I could go on, but you get the idea. I don't embrace change.
So, if I do make a change in my blog template, it will be a major undertaking.
Last weekend, my parents returned from their winter holiday in Phoenix, and this weekend, it's my dad's birthday. I won't be in town to see him until the following weekend (Mother's Day). I'm really looking forward to seeing them. It's been a long, eventful winter.
I had a bit of a scare today. It had to do with my archives. After hearing all sorts of horror stories about Blogger archives, and wondering what all the fuss was about, I finally got a taste of the problems myself.
Actually, I haven't been able to successfully "republish" my archives since November. A pesky Java Error was displayed; but since I don't use any Java code that hasn't been in my template for the better part of a year already, I couldn't figure out what could have changed in November. So today, I decided to investigate. Following all the instructions on the Blogger help pages, I tried to unlink, then relink and republish my archives - all to no avail. Then, horror of horrors, when I visited my archive page, I was shocked to see that all the pages since April 2002 had been delisted!
To make a long story short, I tried some unorthodox (i.e. undocumented) methods of attempting to resurrect the archives, and after close to an hour of trying, everything seems to be back in order. The archive page list is up to date, and my last attempt to "republish" all the archives progressed without incident.
Lindsey recently changed her web page template, and I think it's quite attractive. So much so, that I paid a visit to the site of the artist who created her graphics, and I'm seriously considering a facelist - the first since I started blogging.
A facelist, for those who know me, is a radical concept. I'm someone who has used the same barber (not the same barber shop - the same BARBER) since the age of 8 (I'm now over 50). I continue to buy the same style of shoes, year after year, until they go out of production. I eat the same foods every day, and like it that way. I could go on, but you get the idea. I don't embrace change.
So, if I do make a change in my blog template, it will be a major undertaking.
Last weekend, my parents returned from their winter holiday in Phoenix, and this weekend, it's my dad's birthday. I won't be in town to see him until the following weekend (Mother's Day). I'm really looking forward to seeing them. It's been a long, eventful winter.