Default/Philisophicalish

Summer Recap

So I haven't posted in a while. Yes, I'm still alive. It has been a relatively busy summer. Lets see if I can recap...

I suppose the biggest news is that as of August, I now reside in Guilderland. It was kind of sad to leave my residence of 3 years, but it was time to move on. The new "apartment" (I say apartment lightly, it is actually a townhouse) is quite nice.

What else...well, touchofgr3y and I have been to 2038402380238 concerts. We saw the Black Crowes, the Allman Brothers band, Tom Petty, 311, the Wailers, the Counting Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Guster, and a few random opening bands thrown in there. All of them were at SPAC too. Still a bunch of concerts on deck too.

We also went down to Red Bank, NJ to see Kevin Smith do a QnA session, before watching an outdoor screening of the original Clerks. Quite cool.

Seen a couple movies this summer. Most notable is Clerks 2. Funniest...movie...ever. But that should be old news to anyone actually reading this.

Oh, I'm posting this from my laptop running Windows Vista. More specifically, pre-RC1 build 5536 (RC-1 is downloading now). I'm happy to say that an Inspiron 700m, with a 1.6ghz Pentium-M CPU and 512mb RAM can run Windows Vista (albeit only with the Windows Vista Basic interface), without issue. I've also been testing it on a higher-end machine at work (with all the bells and whistles turned on).

All in all, I have to say I'm very impressed. There are a few bugs to be worked out, but the overall spit and polish is notable. I like it. I'm going to install RC-1 on my desktop and see how it goes: it may be that Vista will become my primary OS at home at that point. I'm bold like that. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say about this later.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a screenshot:

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Default/Philisophicalish

Sleep Is For The Weak

I have this really bad habit of not going to bed on weekend nights, simply because I don't have to get up at any given time the following morning. I know I should, but I've found I tend to have some of my greater thoughts and ideas later at night. I am not sure why. My mother is nocturnal as well, so I suspect part of it is genetic. Either way, I'm aware I should probably be more disciplined and force myself to sleep at nights - it is hard to do so when you don't have any real motivation to do so, like an impending 8am alarm clock. The result is my sleep schedule is now all messed up, my mind is busy with thoughts and ideas, so of course I cannot sleep as of 2am 6 hours prior to my having to get up and get ready for work. G-r-e-a-t. The consequence is that naturally, the world is blessed with an update.

Work has been going fairly well. I show up, I do some neat stuff, and they pay me. I'm currently working on three concurrent projects, and making measured progress on each. One of which is a second pilot of what has been the product of most of my work since I've been hired- the upgraded user rooms image. Another has been a streamlined operating system install procedure. And Friday I began work on migrating one of our servers to a different box. I'm fairly pleased with my job at this point, so that is a good thing.

I am also taking another class towards my MS in Information Science. My feelings towards the class are mixed at this point. I've haven't made a secret of my feelings of whether or not the program is right for me. I mean, I like learning things. I set out to learn new things all the time. Most of my time that I sit at my computer I'm either trying to set up / configure some new technical wizardry, looking up how to do so, or browsing sites like wikipedia to learn about all sorts of random stuff. I would definitely consider myself someone who makes learning new things a top priority. So it would seem logical that taking classes would make me "happy" because I "like" to learn new stuff. I guess the real problem is that a class has to meet a few basic requirements: it has to be on a topic that is interesting or relevant, it has to present somewhat of a challenge, and the challenge has to be possible for me to complete. I don't like setting myself up for failure. Nor do I like spending a lot of time and energy doing working towards "learning" stuff that I am not interested in, or do not find relevant. At any rate, I'm still interested in the class, and plan on sticking with it, but I'm finding myself questioning the worth. I no longer really have a burning desire to pursue an education in a topic that I consider myself quite proficient in already. I mean, I've complained about the lack of an "Information Technology" program at UAlbany, but if there was one I wonder if that would be useful for me either. I'm already employed in the field, and I find that anything I go to implement I do so with relative success. So I guess I'm looking for something either more technical, or not technical at all. I just don't know whether my current course of study will help either of those things. A Masters might get me more money some day, but I'm not entirely sure it is going to make me any more happier. Anyway, we'll see how that goes.

Also on my mind is my personal health- I've been taking some steps to improve it in certain areas. I'm a little bit more conscious of what I eat, although I admit I'm still don't have a fantastic diet. I went for a run yesterday, and went to the pool a couple times a couple weeks ago, and I feel I should try to get more exercise. I went to the doctors recently, and got some stuff to cure my ailments...and so far I'm quite happy with the results. I also need to visit a dentist...I may have what appears to be a possible toothache developing. Just what I need! I will try to look up dentists this week, and also try to get to the gym or do something exercise related.

As far as other projects and such, I've not made as much progress as I would have liked. My server is still sitting there, representing a pile of money that is not being used. I've already gotten one replacement part, it appears as if I may need another to have everything working as it should. Been playing with some things on the router to keep me occupied in the interim: messing with different Samba configurations, playing with access control lists (I must say, the way Windows handles this is considerably nicer, in my humble opinion), implementing DNS and trying to wrap my head around VLANs, as well as ipv6. So, I'm not exactly -bored-.

I should probably be getting back to bed. I don't want to go back to work. It was a pleasant weekend, for the most part. Tonight was fun. There were some people over here, and it was generally a good time. Watched half of it next door w/ Katie and Melissa (and the other Katie at times). I'm glad the Steelers won, they've been an elite team for some time now and deserve it. Perhaps next year will be the Giants. Or the Colts. Or, at least, anybody but the Patriots ;) I didn't think the halftime show was all that great, the Stones were much better when we saw them. Its not just the live thing or the smaller venue thing either, they just didn't sound nearly as good as they should have. I've generally seen the same impressions on the stuff I've read online. The mere fact that they are all in their 60s and played the Super Bowl is cool enough, though. Oh, and the commercials were mostly nothing to write home about, but some of them were pretty funny. Can't tell you which one is my favorite at the moment, but it was probably the one where the doctor zaps the fly and such....I'll leave the details as an exercise for the reader.

I'm going to bed now. Here's to an OK week...
Default/Philisophicalish

2-0-6

Happy New Years everyone :)

I had a good New Years Eve...went over to Tischler's and hung out for a while. We played this game "Battle of the Sexes". The guys lost, because apparently knowing what needlenose plyers are is as equally an impressive accomplishment as knowing what a ramakin is (I think not). Also got to watch the Giants clinch the NFC East, which was good. This is the first season I've paid that much attention to football in years. Although I'm a Giants fan, I'd prefer to see the Colts win the Super Bowl. A Manning versus Manning Super Bowl would be nice, but ya know, I just don't see the Giants getting there this year. I want the elder Manning to win one, and my roommate to shut up :) (He's a Patriots fan).

I've been spending the last week or so cleaning and organizing the apartment. I would say I've made significant progress. We're likely not going to renew our lease in June for this place, but I'd like it if it was at least habitable until then. I guess it just takes a little creativity...

Anyway, I'll leave you with my "resolutions"...

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Default/Philisophicalish

1/3 of a year goes by quite quickly

It is amazing where the time goes when you have lots to do. It seems I have not updated my journal in...well, a long long time. That is not to say there has been a shortage of journal-worthy events happening in the last *gasp* 4 months. That's right, I have not updated in almost the entire last 1/3 of the year. Shame on me.

I suppose the most significant "event" that has occured in the last 1/3 of the year is with respect to my job. Yes, I still have it, and yes, for the most part I still enjoy it. I've gotten a few projects done, and another project or two has been postponed. I still don't have a cubicle, although they are apparently building it "the week of the 12th". So, for the moment I still share office space. But the entire dynamic of the group has changed, and quite dramatically. Without getting into too much detail, there was a management change, and the adjustment period has been...well, interesting. Let us just say that the job lost some of its fun. But I still like it, still think it is a better deal than most things out there, and it still pays the bills. And that is all I have to say about that.

I guess another somewhat significant event unfolded a few weeks ago - Brian and I went to check out a new place of residence. The apartment, if you even want to call it that, is quite awesome and has just about everything we're looking for. So, we put ourselves on the list, even though it is a little pricey. I'm excited though, and I hadn't been excited over much of anything since I got promoted.

Over the last few months I've gone to quite a few concerts. Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, 311 & Alient Ant Farm, Our Lady Peace, Jackie Greene and Susan Tedeschi (not really my thing, I was dragged against my will, but it was OK), and most likely one two or 10 more than I have neglected to mention. Bon Jovi is on deck, too. So I guess this year has been the year of the concerts. I've also been to see Henry Rollins, went camping back in September, visited a casino for the first time in my life (and came out $200 ahead!), and saw a couple movies.

Lately I've become more and more interested in various aspects of investing, with the intention on getting my feet wet in the near future. But, as with everything else, before I go taking any risks, I'd like to know what I'm doing. So, that has temporarily replaced all things computers as my obsessive interest of the moment. I'm sure that will wane, it usually does.

OK, I'm bored of writing...time to check out what the rest of the world has been writing about.
Default/Philisophicalish

Hard at Work, or Hardly Working?

I'm sure I've used this subject in a previous entry before (when you've been around the business as long as I have, you're bound to reuse material) but at it applies I am going with it. I'm currently waiting for a Ghost session to finish, hopefully finalizing the base image for the fall user room deployment. Still have to work on some GPO and profile stuff, but that is neither here nor there. Technojarble? Sorry...translation: I have 15 minutes to kill.

As I stated in my previous entry, I have been thinking about how I'd like to use this journal. I've had it for close to 4 years now, and still continue to use it as a distraction from meaningful things. Moreover, I've been thinking of what to do with my website(s). As you may (or may not) know (or care), I have my website and webserver. I consider the former as my main site; the latter started off as a resource for me to use to download certain files while working in the user rooms. It has grown to have pictures and other stuff, and as such the distinction between that and my regular website is blurred. Now that I have a real domain name, and soon a real machine to host it on, I figure that I will probably my webserver as my primary site instead. This gives me an opportunity to think of what I'd like to do with it. I've seen some pretty cool websites, most of them blogs (yes Katie I linked to Wikipedia, sue me!) Technically, this journal "is" a blog of sorts, so there is really no use to having a completely separate one. However, there are methods to mirror entries from a weblog to Livejournal. So what I was thinking is that I would so something like that: website entries get mirrored as public entries to LJ (as they are public anyway), while private/protected entries will just get posted to Livejournal.

In other news, I recently heard on the radio that the Cisco Networking Academy is coming to HVCC. I didn't see anything on their website, so thinking I was just tired when I heard it I decided to give em' a call (oh no! the telephone!). Lo and behold, I was not mistaken: they do, in fact, have classes that will prepare you for Cisco certifications. So, now I am at a loss as to what I would like to do next semester. I was contemplating taking a SUNY class (tuition free, of course) as I'd like to get my Masters sometime this century, but I'd also like to take a class that may actually help me in my line of work. Albeit, I work with Microsoft stuff, but I'd like to be a jack-of-all-trades and who knows what the future will hold. I originally wanted to do this while I was an undergrad (well, grad too), through some cross-registration voodoo through RPI. However, I can actually afford to pay HVCC tuition. So, I have some thinking to do, but this is definitely a consideration.

Since I was actually proactive at using the phone today, I called the dealership to get a status update on the parts they apparently ordered for my car. See, I went there last week to finally get my door looked at- the drivers-side door lock has been borked since Winter of 2002 (talk about procrastination), and more recently the lock/unlock switch on the door came apart as well. So now that I actually can semi-afford to get bent over by a dealership, I took it to get looked at. Turns out the cost isn't going to be extremely painful, but they needed to order parts from various regions of the country and therefore it is taking a while. As it stands, they are still waiting for one part. Seeing as I waited three years to get it looked at, I guess I can wait another couple days for results.

Well it seems like the session is done. Actually, I lied, I've taken an image and re-deployed it while skillfully multitasking this journal entry. So I guess it is time for me to actually do "work"