What a BuzzKill

Well I figured out how to fix the problem with being unable to embed flash videos on my blog posts: I just needed to encapsulate the code for the Flickr badge doo-hickey to the right within its own DIV tags. I’m glad it was something simple, because I really like that doo-hickey (besides I spent about an hour and a half hacking the code before I figured out how to make it look the way I wanted).

I was going to post the video I linked to in my last post, but it’s been taken down for violating copyrights. Oh well.

In other news … uh … I have nothing to say, really. Life is good!

_{This entry likes to play patty-cake with poodles.}

After 12 years, I finally built myself a brand-new computer. This may seem odd to hear from an I.T. guy, but the fact is that since the first computer I bought back in 1995 I’ve had a computer that was either some constant set of upgrading one piece here, one piece there, leftover used parts that clients no longer wanted, or a part replaced when the one I was using eventually failed. I wasn’t trying to live on the cutting edge of technology, but I did manage to keep my system current enough to handle whatever it was I wanted to do.

The computer parts were ordered last week from Newegg.com and the last box arrived yesterday. I assembled it last night and stayed up late installing Windows XP (I won’t try Vista until after the first service pack), all the usual plug-ins and applications (Foxit PDF reader, 7-Zip, QuickTime, PrimoPDF, Adobe Flash/Shockwave players, etc), and all available updates from Microsoft.

The late hour didn’t bother me much since I was going out with Christine, Sam, & Rece to watch the lunar eclipse later. I took some pictures of the eclipse, that I’ll post some time soon.

So back to the computer … I brought the computer to the office with me so I could continue installing software when I had some spare time between projects and assisting clients. This thing is fast! I’m quite impressed and getting anxious to give it a test drive soon. I loaded Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar and will probably hop on to play after I’m finished typing this post. I should be able to turn up all the video options that my old computer either had trouble displaying or was unable to display at all. I’m so excited!

_{This entry is going to journey to Rivendell!}

Today I went to an 82 year old client’s retirement community to help him with some issues he’s been having on his computer. He was very happy to learn that he no longer needed to use AOL’s ridiculously slow software to check his email and stock portfolio (he’s loaded, btw).

On my way out, I glanced at their daily events board and had to grin …

So I guess it is true that the Nintendo Wii is enjoyed by people of all ages. That’s cool.

This entry wants to play shuffleboard on its Wii!

This is a post made using Windows Live Writer. I learned about it from:

Scribes - The Best Free Blog Editor: Windows Live Writer

So here it is.

I can also use it to insert a bird’s eye view of my apartment. How cool!

Exciting, eh?

This entry hopes it works correctly.

I just installed AOL on a client’s computer. Deliberately.

Dear God, what have I done?

This entry just threw up in its mouth … just a little.

National Geographic has a very interesting article on their website about swarm theory. It’s about how simple creatures like ants and bees are able to act more intelligently as a group than would be possible as individuals. There are people already basing studies and experiments on how this might come to work for people as well. Businesses, government, and military could potentially find innovative ways to apply this to improve their operations.

This entry has a new respect for ants.

For a time I’ve got another webcam set up in my living room. This one is extra-tasty-cool-and-shit … it’s robotic! So if you want to give it a whirl, be my guest and check it out.

Username: webcam1, webcam2, or webcam3

NOTE: This only works on Internet Explorer only. It’ll require you to allow the installation of an ActiveX component.

Robotic BuzzKill Cam

Please don’t comment on the mess, because I really don’t care.

This entry might do a dance for you, if you watch.

4 weeks and counting, and I haven’t gone a day at work without some mention or discussion or troubleshooting something to do with one of those infernal hand-held devices. Sure they’re about as handy as a rubber glove in a sex shop, but by golly I’d love it if I could just not have to deal with them for ONE STINKING DAY. I swear, it’s been enough to put me into another “Eggs with flippers” mood.

Segue into the sickness … I flew up to Sacramento on Monday to attend a course on Blackberry Enterprise Server Administration on Tuesday. I could tell that I was getting sick, but since the class, flight, and hotel had already been paid for, I started taking Airborne and hoped for the best. Well the best isn’t what happened and I found myself spending Monday waking up every 2 hours in a fevered sweat. It was fortunate that I had hopped into bed about 9 pm, otherwise I would have been a complete zombie for the training class.

After enjoying a lovely buffet breakfast Tuesday morning, I caught a taxi to the facility hosting the training. The course was definitely worth the time, and I learned quite a bit that I should have known BEFORE I was told to install the blasted platform and rolled it out to the CEO. It did become rather difficult to concentrate later in the afternoon as I could feel myself begin to come down with another fever.

The class eventually ended, I got my certificate of completion and I was off to catch a taxi to the airport. This turned out to be unnecessary, since one of the guys attending the class had a rental and was also headed there. Dexter turned out to be a real cool guy and we spent the time waiting for our respective flights talking shop over crappy Chinese food at the airport food court. The flight home was uneventful (as one would hope), but I was unable to sleep on the plane, as usual.

Christine, who had been gracious enough to watch Rece while I was away, came to pick me up at the airport. She was nice enough to tolerate my whining and got me back to my car, which I had left at work before my trip. That night’s sleep was good, thanks to a double shot of Nyquil.

I ended up calling in sick for the next couple of days (Wednesday & Thursday). To be honest, I almost wish I had done so today as well. On my way back from lunch I ran into the CEO in the parking structure and she brought up the Blackberry again. Damn it.

This entry used to like blackberries.

My inbox is where I keep all pending work requests, unanswered emails, etc. For the first time in probably 6 months, I’ve managed to get it down to this…

This is a sight for sore eyes!This entry likes to celebrate the simple things in life.

Well after my previous venting about the forced switch to Time-Warner Road Runner service, I’ve made at least a little progress with things. I sent an email to their tech support, explaining to them my problems with email (via Outlook) and webmail. This was done from the office during my lunch break. Later that same day, I get home and magically Outlook is working again. Oh wonders of wonder! No response, no confirmation of receiving my email - but hey, at least one part now works!

The situation with their webmail logon and interface seems to have improved, but it still does the oddball thing about not accepting my username after the timeout period has passed - and only letting me in if I use my email address as my username… well, not all the time, but some of the time - and never when I think it’s going to do it. Frustrating!

All right, that’s enough venting for now.

This entry wishes he had gotten a pony for Easter.