My Crazy Life

A new stamp

Ξ November 14th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Uncategorized |

Tech Summit Blues

Ξ November 13th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Uncategorized |

Got invited to a Tech Summit and am there now…. It’s odd to be surrounded by my past in various iterations, then getting introduced to some new technologies. It makes me want to go out and try out/deploy all these things, but I don’t have a place to do it in.

Geeking Update

Ξ November 11th, 2008 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Geek |

I’ve had to do a couple of updates this weekend and tonight:

• Performance on Alexandria dropped with the addition of the external hard drives to add storage. I’ve removed the drives for the time being.
• I will have to source additional memory from another system (more than likely either shockwave or tsunami Mk. 1) to add to Alexandria. With the installation of Sharepoint, I believe that system resources are being taxed too much. I’ll do some more tests later this week.
• I have also begun uploading/organizing the image collection on Alexandria’s Sharepoint.  Once I have enough of a starting point, I will be opening a Beta Test to a handful of outside users.
• One major accomplishment: Alexandria can now stream Blu-Ray movies (really they’re .mkv files)directly to the TiVo, without the need of a Blu-Ray player. W00t!!!




• Hurricane, the newest addition has been birthed. She will be tasked as a PC that will be fitted into Ronan (Amante’s Saturn VUE).

I’ve also created a new Amazon Wish List for my current Geek Projects. Christmas is coming up.

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Major Geeking….

Ξ November 7th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Geek |

So… what do you do when you suddenly find yourself with a lot of time on your hands?

Well, you catch up on the geek projects waiting for you at home.

Here’s what I’ve got done so far:

Alexandria:

• Alexandria is back online from Myrtle Beach, and is in its home. It’s connected to the outside Internet and is accessible to registered users.
• I’ve also got Sharepoint services up and running on Alexandria. This will be used to provide the front end for the registered users when they connect.
• I’ve also increased the total capacity of Alexandria to 1.37Tb

The Den / Twister:

• Twister has been resurrected and has been re-purposed as a computer for the Den. (I’m sure that Amante will talk about what we did in the Den in her blog)
• I’ve taken the monitor that was originally running the previous computer setup and it is now acting as a monitor for Twister, and a HDTV display for the Den.
• In the future, the cable box will be replaced with a TiVo. This will give us a total simultaneous recording ability of 4 channels. Estimated HD recording capacity of 20 hours (180 hours in standard).

Amante / Blizzard:

• Installed connector to Alexandria for Blizzard. Created user account for Amante.
• No major upgrades planned for Blizzard.

Amante / Tsunami:

• Moved all data to Alexandria and began preparations to rebirth Tsunami for a future role.

Me / Shockwave:

• Prepare to move all data to Alexandria. Plans to rebirth Shockwave as possible weather station / house surveilance & automation station.

Master Bedroom:

• Replaced cable box with HDTV box. Plans will include a TiVo for this room in order to use the Multi-Room Viewing.

Kitchen 2.0 / Typhoid:

• Typhoid is ready with a dual display and will be placed at the island when the cabinets come online (which is currently obviously on hold)
• I have begun the framework for a kitchen database, and have acquired a UPC database which has millions of products to source from. The initial design will track groceries and costs.

Family Room:

• This has been the biggest bit of work in the house. We have replaced the television with the one that I had up in Myrtle Beach, and installed the TiVo and extended storage.
• I’ve hooked up the X-Box Gen. 1 to the television.
• In order to properly configure the TiVo, X-Box and Television, I will need to bring a network drop to it, which means crawling in the roof amongst the insulation to pull the cable. I did some preliminary work this afternoon, and should have that roughed in tomorrow.
• The cable company comes tomorrow to give me the Cable CARD. After that, we can return to the Family Room.

And then there was one

Ξ November 6th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Work |

I recieved word today that all of the remaining ducks, save for Raider Duck were released today. While we all knew it was coming, it still is a shock to take it all in.

Raider Duck knows that it is only a matter of days, if not hours before his time is finished.

One thing I am glad I was able to do while I was up on my last trip (20 hours of driving within 39 hours) this past Tuesday was to tell them all that while it may seem that Charlie Brown and King Henry are pulling these strings, it really isn’t up to them. There is a person assigned to a Chapter 11 company to oversee all of the finances day to day operations, and the future. This person pulls all of the (purse)strings, and makes all of the decisions. For once in their lives, Charlie Brown and King Henry don’t have too much say in their company’s future, which I am sure must be killing them. Explaining this to the ducks seemed to help things some, but in reality, how can anything help this situation?

I spoke with Raider Duck this evening, and ran some things by him. I am sure that they will all find their ways to new ponds quickly.

I lost my job on Monday.

Ξ November 4th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Stupid stuff I should delete |

Things had been stressful at work for a while and that is while I haven’t been on for a while.

Well… that and the fact that the CEO (King Henry) found the blog. I think that he didn’t like what I had said, and my comments on hubris.

I’m currently up in Myrtle Beach, tying up loose ends, and I’ll be out of here in the morning, back to the house tomorrow night.

I may post some more about things in the coming days, we’ll see.