Month: June 2009

Having new toys is fun! Getting an iPhone 3G S means having access to all the many, many apps in the App Store, not to mention all the cool features baked right in.

Like, for instance, GPS. Which means I can keep track of my running and measure distance and pace and record them for all posterity (or until the internet goes away, anyway). Mike Russell suggested using a program called RunKeeper, and I took him up on it.

Behold! My first run since the Helvetia Half Marathon!

I did that today, in 65-70º weather, after taking two weeks off. I am slow, but that’s what I get for taking time off. I will get back into shape. I will! Stop looking at me like that.

“Are you the computer dude?” the lady asked, challenge in her voice.

I stopped talking to the customer I had been helping and turned around to face the woman who had spoken. I thought about how Ken and I had been literally stopped at the door as we were leaving for the day two days ago and not allowed to leave until we’d agreed to show up and unplug this work unit’s computers while their cubicles were being rebuilt.

I thought about all the other projects that were not getting accomplished because two trained computer techs were being used as movers; the deployments that weren’t getting done, the people who were still struggling with failing hardware that would not have a working PC until these PCs were back up and running.

I thought about having to solve problems on this move the night before long after my work shift had ended, problems like how to plug n a computer in a cubicle that had been rebuilt without power outlets anywhere within 25 feet. A computer setup that included the PC, two monitors, and a printer.

I thought about the frustration of all the work that has been piling up, more work than my 3 person team could possibly do, and how it all seemed to be “top priority” to my boss and the customers.

And I snapped a little.

“I am a computer dude, and my name is Brian.”

“Well, are we going to get our computers today?” she asked.

Again, I reminded myself that I was just one person, that I had just spent a frustrating morning coming in early, ransacking the storage areas of two different buildings looking for the cords and cables I needed to make sure everyone here was up and running before the office opened at 8 AM, and how I was currently in the middle of squeezing one lady’s PC, two monitors, inkjet printer, label printer, and flatbed scanner into a cube that was about 20% smaller than the old, crowded cubicle she had two days ago. I smiled back at the lady challenging me, perhaps a bit too feral-y. “Yes, ma’am. That is what I am here to do.”

She went away.

Later, when I was in the process of setting up her computer, she walked up to me and said, “Thank you for this. I am sorry. I am sorry I was a bitch.”

“Thank you. And I am sorry for snapping at you. I know how hard it is to move. It’s been a long week for me.” And I proceeded to ask her for her preferences in how she wanted her computer set up.

Work is hell lately. Lots of folk are feeling the strain.

My main webserver, Eggers, has been operating from my sister’s office for about two years now. It’s been fairly uneventful; a bit of downtime but otherwise not bad for a simple business DSL line and a cheap Mac mini. I’ve been impressed and I’ve learned a lot about running and operating a webserver remotely. Mac OS X is very capable in that area, even for a desktop operating system, although I’m sure I’m not getting all I could out of it if I had the time and inclination. It gets the job done.

It’s been a good setup, but I think that my days as a web server admin are coming to a close. For business reasons, my sister is moving out of her current office, and I’m pulling Eggers out of there for now. I’m going to actually sell the hardware and move the site over to a web host (feel free to offer suggestions but I’m strongly considering TotalChoice on the recommendation of my fiancée Lindsey) for now.

I feel a bit sad about losing Eggers as my server. But one of the reasons I’m doing this is because I want to pay off my debt and get my money situation in order; once that’s done, one of my dreams is to have my own office somewhere, and put in a real web server, like a fancy Xserve or somethin’, and take the time to learn it well. It’d also be nice to have a quiet office in which to write and dream. Y’know… someday.

I still have plans to re-design my site and add some bells and whistles, and to add some stuff on the backend to make it more commenter-friendly and to report better stats and such. I’ve also started and not completed a task to update all my archives and old links; I want to work on that, too.

But even as I work on old projects, new projects come in. It’s hard to get a handle on things. And, of course, life rolls on, even away from the internets. I guess that’s just the way the modern world works. I’m OK with it; I’m just making note of it here before moving on to something else.

For now, of course, my site lives on and I will continue writing and posting my thoughts here. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere… For now.

I am so busy lately. Family stuff, work stuff, it’s all busy.

This is my apology for not blogging more.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I’ll be back to blogging normally… eventually.

One of the nice things about using text messaging as a primary means of communication with my friends is the fact that I can send them a “good morning” when I’m up and around without waking them up, while being consumed with jealousy of their ability to sleep in.

I am not a dad. At this rate, being in my mid-40s, I’m not sure I ever will be. Maybe, maybe not.

But I know some dads, including my own, who is both my biological and legal dad.

I just saw my dad yesterday morning, who brought me something of sentimental value – which I am giving to Lindsey as a promise and a gift for our three-month anniversary.

Which may or may not lead to fatherhood. But it has certainly made me (and her, I think) very happy with our couplehood.

But, y’know, happy Father’s Day to all the actual dads out there.

I stepped in to the hospital room to visit my friend Kevin, who had had some major surgery earlier in the week. When I walked in, Kevin’s wife was there, along with two other men, a woman and a small child, standing around the bed and talking. I didn’t recognize any of the strangers, but from the conversation, Kevin knew them well enough. Neighbors? I stood back, waved at Kevin, and listened in.

Kevin laid in bed in his pajamas and hospital gown. He was energetic and interested, in a much better mood than the last time I had seen him two days before, drugged to reduce the pain and silent.

M., Kevin’s wife, introduced me to the group. Soon enough the conversation wound down to a close and the group made ready to leave. Then one of the men looked at M., expectantly, and M. said, “They wanted to pray for you before they leave.”

Kevin nodded and held out his hands on either side of the bed, and M. and the other adults joined, by their hands, into a circle.

I stayed back from the rest of the group, suddenly amused. One of the men looked at me, encouragingly, his hand open for me to join in. I kept my hands at my side.

It was an awkward moment.

Until Kevin said, “Brian doesn’t pray,” in a friendly, not challenging, voice.

The rest of them nodded and then proceeded to ignore me and one of the men then spoke to his God, asking for His help in healing Kevin from the disease and injury that Kevin had… somehow… contracted and which required surgical intervention.

They were oblivious to the irony.

This morning I have the chorus to this song going ’round in my head.

Since embedding on that video is disabled, I think I’ll share this dude’s cover instead.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYv-oG18hjg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999]

I could be singing it to her… or I could be singing it to myself. Not sure it matters.

My technical clothes are laid out.

Cliff Bloks and PowerBar Gels are stashed in my Camelbak – and the bladder is full of water and in the freezer.

Inspiring music is loaded on my iPhone.

Toenails trimmed. Face shaved.

Coffee set to be made automagically in the morning.

BodyGlide is waiting for me.

It’s still early-ish enough for me to get a good night’s sleep before getting up around 5:30 AM and waiting for dad to pick me up, and take me to the Hillsboro Stadium so I can run my very first half-marathon.

…I need to stop procrastinating and go to bed, already. Not much more I can do at this point.

Good night.