Bubba Blog

2005-10-31T15:03:00.000-06:00

Finally! I got my phone back. It's been 7 ¹/₂ weeks since I took it in. It was messed up pretty bad, Midwest Wireless had to send it in to Nokia for repair, and Nokia couldn't fix it either. They sent me a brand new phone... While it's nice to have a new phone, I'm pissed that they didn't give me a new phone from the beginning. I've let the folks in the Arnolds Park store know, but it's gone nowhere. I'm going to have to have to go up the ladder and contact someone in Mankato. This example of customer service is horrible, but it seems to be the norm. Just because there are no "real" choices for other cell service, doesn't mean they can treat us this way. So, they'll be hearing from me, and I'll keep praying for Verizon to set up shop here.

2005-10-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

Funny of the day:

2005-10-14T11:17:00.000-05:00

I found this too funny not to post. I had tears in my eyes reading it...

2005-10-07T09:16:00.000-05:00

With all the news on TV lately about the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we shouldn’t forget that the midwest has its share of nasty weather too. Below is a link to a photo illustrating the damage caused to a friend’s home from a storm that passed through a couple of weeks ago. It really makes you cherish what you have, and reminds us not to take things for granted.

Click here for the picture of the devastation.

2005-10-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

Some of you might recall the puzzle I posted a while back, well, it's puzzle time again. This one is a bit harder and is an easy way to kill a few hours. You have to add and rotate mirrors to illuminate all the light bulbs from a single beam of light. Not as easy as it sounds. I ran through the first few levels quick, but I'm going to have to finish when I have more time. Good luck!

2005-09-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

This book is going at the top of my Christmas list.

2005-09-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

Hey, found this scary t-shirt site and I know at least 2 people who will enjoy seeing it. Creepy... Check it out.

2005-09-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

The 2nd Annual "Pull My Finger" Invitational was held at Silver Lake Country Club in Lake Park today amid wet conditions, several thousand mosquitos, and even some thunder and lightning. All four golfers finished all nine holes in one piece and were awarded first place medals. An awards banquet at Gunderson's followed. Bubba was awarded the "Doughnut of the Day" award, while Corey won the cart parking competition. Marc once again proved his golf prowess by losing the most balls. Dave actually had the lowest score, but was unable to accept his award because he is whipped and had to go home...

2005-09-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

Last night, for the first time in a very long time, I sang karaoke. I forgot how good I was, and how good it makes me feel to sing. It felt awesome up there on that stage. I'll definately be doing it more often. Besides, there is no better way to impress your date than to sing her a song...

2005-09-18T22:06:00.000-05:00

Two very good friends of mine got married yesterday, and while the ceremony was a bit soggy, the reception was fantastic. I had a great time, helping the new couple celebrate and catching up with old friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in a couple years. Congrats to Kevin and Jill and best wishes for the future!

2005-09-15T19:01:00.000-05:00

More great news! Lianna has been selected to participate in Math Olympiad at school. Math Olympiad is a national program that provides a challenging problem-solving curriculum to high ability math students. Selection is based on Basic Skills tests, a Cognitive Ability test, and Teacher Referral. This kid never ceases to amaze me. AWESOME!

2005-09-14T09:55:00.000-05:00

School is back in session, and 4th grade is going very well for Lianna. She's been accepted in to the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program for reading AND math. I'm so very proud of her. She told me last weekend that she wished she could go to school on Saturday because she likes it so much. Awesome! Her piano is progressing very well, and she's almost on the brink of a break through. Until now, it's been follow the notes and play along. I think she's ready to start moving into more difficult pieces, and possibly playing some of the songs she hears on the radio, etc. Volleyball started last night for her, also. She is exited about that, too! As soon as youth club starts in a couple weeks, it will be something for us every night of the week. Almost too much. She's decided not to rejoin Girl Scouts this year. The troop leaders quit, and so did all of the scouts, save two girls. So no nuts or cookies this year, you'll have to fend for yourselves. The first home football game is Friday night, so we'll be there. I'm looking forward to checking out the new bleachers at the football field.

Until later...

2005-09-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

I got wrapped up in a few things going on yesterday and totally forgot that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was released on DVD. I'll have to stop and pick that one up on the way home tonight.

So long, and thanks for all the fish...

2005-09-09T10:41:00.000-05:00

I have a phone again. Not my own, but it will do until mine comes back from the repair center. You can reach me at my number again.

2005-09-07T21:11:00.000-05:00

My cell phone has shit itself, and won't power on. I will have to take it in tomorrow. So, if you need to get me, you might not get me. Do you get me?

2005-09-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Tony Stewart leads the field just after sunset during the Sony HDTV 500 at California Speedway on Sunday, September 4th, 2005. Kyle Busch went on to win his first Nextel Series race.

2005-09-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

This is probably one of the cooler pictures I've taken. I took it Saturday night at the NASCAR Busch Series race at Fontana, just after the sun went down.

2005-08-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

Wow, 3 weeks since I've posted. Summer has gone too fast. Lianna started 4th grade today. She's excited and ready to get back into the swing of things, and so am I.

I found this site today. It would be perfect for the stuff laying around the house that I don't need anymore, or say, stuff left over from a yard sale... hmmm...

2005-08-10T10:05:00.000-05:00

And you thought frying bacon in the nude was painful...

2005-07-26T09:08:00.000-05:00

If you have a System Administrator in your life (hint: If you know me, you do), don't forget Friday, July 29th is "System Administrator Appreciation Day". Finally a chance to show your favorite sys admin how you feel... :)

2005-07-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Calling all eBay fanatics! Last Minute Auctions lists all auctions that are priced at a dollar or less, with less than an hour left. Check it out, but you may want to hide your credit card first!

2005-07-13T20:57:00.000-05:00

Next time you're hungry in the Iowa Great Lakes, make use of the Okoboji Restaurant Locator. I put this together tonight as a quick reference to the restaurants here. It uses the Google Maps API, and is really slick and easy to use. Dig it!

2005-07-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

Most people who know me know that I'm an audiophile of sorts, with a large collection of music. I'm also a huge fan of live music, especially bands that I have immediate access to. Living here gives me a great opportunity to see some very talented musicians at some of the local establishments. I've even become good friends with a few of the musicians. Below are some links to some of these bands, and the when and where they'll be playing here next.

The Cartwright Brothers - Everything - Okoboji Boats - July 15 and 16 @ 7:00 PM.
Drivetime - Rock/Blues - The Ritz - July 22 and 23 @ 9:00 PM
Towncrier - Rock - Whiskey Dick's - July 14 - 17 @ 9:00 PM
Erick Hovey - Blues Rock - The Pub in Milford - July 23 @ 2 PM

2005-07-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

Danica Patrick paces with the field leading up to the start of the race Sunday in Kansas City. Tony Kanaan won by less than a nose.

2005-07-06T18:37:00.000-05:00

Lianna and I before heading into the track to watch the IRL race on Sunday.

2005-07-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention that we frigging stuffed ourselved at Cheesecake Factory last night. The food was awesome! Mmmm... Key lime pie... Anyhow, The race today was great, and now we're in Sioux City. Going to watch the fireworks here in a bit with Alicia and Jereme. I'll get at least one pic of the IRL race up later, but I don't have my camera cable along with. Ah, such is life...

Later...

2005-07-02T21:50:00.000-05:00

Lianna before the start of the Craftsman truck race today at Kansas City.

2005-07-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

Hello from Kansas City! The kid and I are in town to catch the Craftsman trucks and Indy cars at Kansas Speedway tomorrow and Sunday. Then up to Sioux City to see Sis and J. Home Monday or Tuesday, whichever we decide. I'll post pictures if I can, but my camera's battery doesn't seem to want to hold a charge for longer than 15 or 20 minutes... Luckily, there's a Best Buy right up the street. If the battery pack is shot, I'll pick one up there... Or, maybe it's time for Bubba to get a new camera. I've had my eye on one for a little while now. Hmmm... Maybe... Later!

2005-06-27T15:11:00.000-05:00

I gotta have one of these...

2005-06-27T14:03:00.000-05:00

Wow, did I get a surprise Saturday morning. I hopped in the shower, and no hot water! I finished quick and went to investigate. Luckily, I had only blown a fuse. Thank god for that. I wasn't looking forward to replacing the water heater.

Later...

Here Kitty, Kitty...

2005-06-15T21:48:00.000-05:00

I got this link from my cousin. The object is to shoot a cat out of a cannon as far as you can. Pretty fun, and funny. Check it out here.

2005-06-08T09:14:00.000-05:00

CONCERNED ABOUT TOO MANY CARBS IN YOUR DIET?

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

New Okoboji Bulletin Board

2005-06-03T22:46:00.000-05:00

Most of us with an interest in the Iowa Great Lakes know that there is a bulletin board on exploreokoboji.com. The only problem is, it's heavily moderated, and ALL posts are reviewed before being posted. If the moderator doesn't like what you have to say, your post never shows up on the site. Rob and I had previously talked about setting up our own where postes were not moderated up front, so long as the people posting were registered users of the board. I tossed it back and forth with Tess (who I adore), but decided not to do it for a couple reasons. Mainly because I didn't want to have to be responsible, or liable, for what someone else said about so and so, etc...

Anyhow, Rob is a doer (I'm the thinker). He went off and set up http://www.okobojibb.com, and it's a success so far. He's made me a moderator. At first just to config the site, create a logo, and set the forum topics, etc., but I'm getting into it more because I want it to be a hit. So, tell your family and friends. This thing could get huge!

2005-06-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

It was October and the Indians on a remote reservation asked their new Chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a Chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the coming winter going to be cold?" "It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold", the meteorologist at the weather service responded.

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared. A week later he called the National Weather Service again. "Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes", the man at the National Weather Service again replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter."

The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the Chief called the National Weather Service again. "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replied. "It's looking more and more like it is going to b e one of the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy."

Funny Shirt Websites

2005-05-23T23:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.extraugly.com
http://www.bustedtees.com
http://www.flipthebird.com
http://www.t-shirtsthatsuck.com

Enjoy!

2005-05-20T02:22:00.000-05:00

My new ride, brought to you courtesy Bank Midwest... I also should mention this picture was taken with my Nokia 6255i camera phone. Not bad for a cell phone.

2005-05-18T22:40:00.000-05:00

2005-05-17T10:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Rob!

2005-05-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

RED SKELTON'S -TIPS FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE

2005-05-13T00:22:00.000-05:00

1. Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have a little beverage, good food and companionship. She goes on Tuesdays, I go on Fridays.

2. We also sleep in separate beds. Hers is in Calif. and mine is in Texas.

3. I take my wife everywhere.....but she keeps finding her way back.

4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested the kitchen.

5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.

6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric bread maker. She said "There are too many gadgets and no place to sit down!" So I bought her an electric chair.

7. My wife told me the car wasn't running well because there was water in the carburetor. I asked where the car was; she told me "In the lake."

8. She got a mud pack and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off.

9. She ran after the garbage truck, yelling "Am I too late for the garbage?" The driver said "No, jump in!"

10. Remember: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce.

11. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.

12. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don't like to interrupt her.

13. The last fight was my fault though. My wife asked "What's on the TV?" I said "Dust!"

2005-05-13T00:11:00.000-05:00

If you're having a bad day, remember, it could be worse.

2005-05-11T13:34:00.000-05:00

I found this cool game. Can you solve all 25 levels? I did.

2005-05-05T23:19:00.000-05:00

Never be late again with this kick ass clock. Oh, and happy Cinco de Mayo everybody!

2005-04-29T15:47:00.000-05:00

I was/am a big Mitch Hedberg fan. I found a list of some of his quotes online, and thought I'd share. Enjoy the laugh.

2005-04-18T15:45:00.000-05:00

According to my watch, I haven't posted in over a month. Sis wonders why, and I'll tell you it's been busy. Who has time to post blog entries when they have a 9 year old who's in everything, a girlfriend, a busy career, a World of Warcraft addiction (kidding), a social life? Not me, as you can tell. I will still post here, but there are more important things going on in my life right now, so it may not be as often as you or I would like. But, you should know this, life is good for me right now, I'm in love, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!

2005-03-11T09:33:00.000-06:00

How to tell if your date is bored. (Warning! Not safe for work or children!)

2005-03-09T15:38:00.000-06:00

It's as easy as X, Y, Z!

2005-03-08T09:38:00.000-06:00

Geek project of the week - Building your own PBX.

2005-03-01T23:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a funny for all of you who are into romance novels.

2005-02-27T21:55:00.000-06:00

Saw this tonight and had to post it. It's Office Space with the Superfriends, and it's sure to please...

2005-02-09T23:15:00.000-06:00

My friend Maverick...

2005-02-08T14:31:00.000-06:00

This public service announcement brought to you by Novell. Funny stuff!!!

2005-02-03T23:15:00.000-06:00

I was looking around tonight for a place to buy blank sheet music, so Lianna could start writing her own stuff for the piano when I found this site: http://www.blanksheetmusic.net. You can print your own, what a novel idea... And damn sweet, too.

2005-01-31T17:01:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, today we have a distinguished blogger among us. I present to you, the great Heidini!

2005-01-26T00:08:00.000-06:00

It seems Kerulian has "re-discovered" the Internet and has posted to his blog... (OK dude, how many times did you have to type in your password before having it sent to you? :) ) His latest is about a futuristic call center approach to McDonalds drive through, although with VoIP, it's not so futuristic. It's "A New Way to Order Food", and you can read all about it on his blog, just clicka the linka...

2005-01-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

Are you having vision problems? You can check your eyesight online at Online Eye Chart

2005-01-20T15:20:00.000-06:00

How to kill yourself like a man.

2005-01-20T00:22:00.000-06:00

Go on, you know you've always wanted to do it...

2005-01-10T07:50:00.000-06:00

Got back last night from northern Minnesota. We took the sleds up and had a little fun. Here is a picture of Wade on his sled with his dad to the left and his uncle to the right. My sled is in the foreground.

2005-01-02T12:03:00.000-06:00

I'm thinking of moving this to a permanent domain. I don't know what to call it though. Any ideas out there?

2004-12-31T23:52:00.000-06:00

Happy new year everybody!

2004-12-28T17:57:00.000-06:00

The deal is done, and Qwest is gone. I called tonight and ordered my Qwest service disconnected. They will disconnect tomorrow. The Vonage service performs well enough to warrant the switch. The only issues I have are some choppy audio later in the evenings, usually between 8:30 and 10:30. Anyone who needs to reach me then has my cell phone number anyway. If you need my new number, Qwest provides an automated message at the old number for 90 days, so you can get it there. Otherwise, lemme know at bubbasan at gmail.com.

2004-12-21T09:28:00.000-06:00

I got my router from Vonage yesterday and got it hooked up last night. First night reviews are mixed. It was working perfectly at install, as I called Rosebud a couple times. After the kid's program at school until about 10, it was unusable. I called Marc shortly after 10, and it sounded fine. I talked to Mom for almost 45 minutes last night also, and it sounded fine. Tonight, more testing.

2004-12-16T09:53:00.000-06:00

It says here and here, that Frank Solich will be announced as the new head football coach at Ohio U today. Frank got the screws from dear old Nebraska U one year ago after finishing the regular season with a 9-3 record. I'm sure that Ohio will be damn happy to have a team that goes 9-3. Go Bobcats!

2004-12-15T17:37:00.000-06:00

Well, I bit the bullet. I'm switching phone companies as early as the end of this week. I refuse to pay Qwest more money for less service. The company I chose for my home service is Vonage. They work different than a traditional phone company. The actual phone connection routes my voice over my high speed Internet connection with voice over IP technology (VoIP). I get all the "extra" features, that Qwest would sell me, for free. And, since they don't have to own the wires that come into my house, the price is way cheaper. For $14.99/mo., I get 500 minutes of talk time to anyone in the US or Canada. Inbound calls don't count. Even going over that limit, calls are just 3.9 cents per minute. See their website for all the details. Now, the catch. I can't keep my existing phone number, because (I assume) Vonage doesn't have a switch in my local exchange. My number is actually a Sioux City number, so Sis can call me for free... :)

I expect the phone router any day now, I'll let you know what I think of it when I get it installed.

2004-12-11T02:44:00.000-06:00

And the Trogdor smote the Kerik, and all was laid to burnination.

2004-12-10T10:20:00.000-06:00

It says here, that the picture below is a hoax. It also says I'm not the only one who fell for it. It was just too easy to believe. Anyhow, blame Wob, he's the one who sent it to me.

2004-12-09T22:07:00.000-06:00

The 2005 Okoboji Winter Games schedule has been posted. Here's your copy! Now all we need is snow, and, uh, oh yeah... ICE. The sled needs a couple tweaks, but is pretty much ready to go... Bring on the white stuff!

2004-12-09T22:06:00.000-06:00

Check out this ad from Popular Mechanics from 1954. If they were that wrong about computers 50 years ago, imagine the changes we'll see in the next 50 years.

2004-12-09T13:49:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally got around to fixing the Blogroll/Firefox issue. All it needed were a couple DIV tags with an align=right thrown in for good measure.

Speaking of Firefox, have you made the switch yet? If no, why? Firefox has been downloaded 9.6 million times since November 9th. C'mon folks, that many people can't be wrong.

Mozilla has released version 1.0 of the E-mail partner to Firefox, called Thunderbird. It's a great replacement for Outlook Express and it also functions as a news aggregator. So, what are you waiting for?

2004-11-18T11:31:00.000-06:00

OK, time for a little converstion topic. How many of you absolutely detest Wal-Mart, but go there because you have no other choice? We have a supercenter in Spirit Lake and Spencer. We used to have a K-mart and Shopko in Spencer, but they closed because of Wal-Mart. So, now I'm forced to go to Wal-Mart, because I'd have to drive to Sioux Falls, or further, get to any of their major competitors. Wal-Mart sucks!

2004-11-16T14:05:00.000-06:00

We're trying Mozilla Firefox at work as a viable replacement for Internet Explorer. It seems to work well for most things, but some things, like a handful of my admin pages, don't work. So far, it doesn't work for any of the Cisco CCM or Unity admin pages. WebTrends doesn't work, either. However, from a home user's perspective, this browser is a perfectly acceptable replacement for IE. It's much safer than IE, and works just as well.

Speaking of things not working, it seems this here blog looks like crap in Firefox. I'll be fixing that in the next couple of days, when I have some spare time.

2004-11-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

Says here that Kerry has just conceded the election to King George... Shit...

2004-11-02T08:18:00.000-06:00

For the love of God and country, go vote today!

If you haven't decided which presidential candidate is worthy of your vote, this video from Eminem might help.

More info on the video at MSNBC.

2004-10-28T13:18:00.000-05:00

Hey, if you're into good music, and you hate the RIAA and how they police the fucking music downloads online, you need to check out http://www.garageband.com. It's full of all kinds of music, from bands you've probably never heard of. Still, it's free, and some of the rock songs I listened to kicked some ass. Check it out!

2004-10-28T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Gmail tinkering is coming along nicely. It's pretty sweet how it groups E-mail exchanges, what Google calls conversations, together as layered windows. The other cool thing is the ability to map your Gmail account as a drive in Windows or Linux. It allows you to copy files into and out of Gmail through command line on Linux or Windows Explorer. I have a list of people who already want an invite. I do not have any invites to hand out, and I don't know if I will get any. My list is still short. If you want one, let me know and I'll put you on my list.

2004-10-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: I got a gmail invite yesterday. Thanks Bren! After a little searching, I found his blog. I put it on the 'ol roll to the right ---->

2004-10-26T15:21:00.000-05:00

I "found" this today.

AFGHANISTAN (Bubba's News Agency) - Taliban Minister of immigration, Mohammed Omar, warned the United States that if military action against Iraq continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's supply of convenience store managers.

He went on to add, "If this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next."

It's getting ugly folks. Do us all a favor and go vote for a stronger America next Tuesday.

2004-10-21T10:18:00.000-05:00

I broke down yesterday and signed up for picture messaging from Midwest Wireless. I have had a photo blog reserved for that purpose at http://bubbasan.textamerica.com/. You'll notice the most recent picture from that moblog above. I couldn't get it to position where I wanted it on the right, so I put it there. It will move, but I don't know where just yet. Anyhow, look for more pictures in the near future.

2004-10-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

I've also been playing around with Skype the last few days. It is essentially a voice chat application that will let you talk to another person, much as you would talk on the phone, through your PC with a microphone and speakers. The software is free. Calls to other Skype users are free. You might ask your self, but I can do that through AIM or MSN. That's where Skype shines. It was built as a voice network first and the sound quality is excellent, where the others were built as a text messaging platform and voice was added later. That's cool, but the biggest advantage to Skype is that you can call any telephone in the world for something like $.02 a minute. That's way cheaper than any long distance company I've seen. But, here's the downside. I don't know anybody who uses Skype, so I've been unable to actually test. I don't want to pay for minutes unless I can test the free stuff first. Anybody want to help me out?

2004-10-18T09:55:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Google, they release their desktop search software last week (Windows only). It indexes all your files, including E-mails, Internet history, AIM messages, Word docs, etc. on your hard drive and makes them searchable via a small web based search engine that runs on your PC. Users will also notice that it will display a small result summary for your PC when you search on Google.com. Pretty handy if you keep lots of stuff you need to refer to later. But, there is a downside. If you have multiple accounts on your PC, the desktop search will index and display results from all private folders, regardless of permissions. Since it runs for everyone, you can search and find info in anyone else's personal documents. Just a forewarning, but don't let it stop you from trying it out. It's just too damn cool not to.

2004-10-18T09:39:00.000-05:00

Can anyone out there spare a Gmail invite? I've been dying to tinker with it. If you would care to donate an invite to my worthy cause, please E-mail me at: crazyazbubba at yahoo.com.

2004-10-18T09:35:00.000-05:00

I've been doing alot of reading (and listening) about Podcasting the last week or so. In effect, it's an efficient way to download blogged audio to an iPod (hence the name). Actually you can put the files on any portable media device, since they are just MP3s. Adam Curry (think MTV) is a pioneer leading the charge in taking back the airwaves online. I've listened to his podcast almost everyday since he started. It sounds just like a radio show. Very professionally done. With a piece of software called iPodder, you can subscribe to different podcasts through the magic that is RSS. It lets you schedule the show downloads, and I understand that it will sync with the iPod. I wouldn't know, I don't have one or any other portable media device, for that matter. I use it to download and listen to the shows on my laptop. Anyhow, it's going to be huge (it already is). Check it out!

2004-10-12T13:26:00.000-05:00

The truck is gone. The perps and his friends hauled it out through Shane's driveway (See diagram below...) and pulled it away. It's been suggested to me that it wouldn't run for a reason, but I know nothing of that nature. It is good to have great friends...

I'll let you know if the truck returns, and the route he takes if it does.

2004-10-06T23:24:00.000-05:00

Oh, and comments are fixed again. Not real sure how they got messed up, but you can leave comments once again.

2004-10-06T22:54:00.000-05:00

Well, I had to call the cops again tonight. I just as well put them on speed dial. This time the neighbor, who I'm going to start calling the perpetrator (perp), thought he'd be sneaky and drive off the street to the north of me, and into his backyard. This time, through two different yards. The police went and talked to the guy and he said it was his roommate's truck, and that he wasn't home. I'm betting he was hiding in the back bedroom, not uptown playing pool. And, from the sounds of it, I'm not the only person in the 'hood who's had a problem with the people in that house, which makes me feel a little better. I've also included a picture that should explain much of what I'm talking about (click it to make it bigger). It might even give you a chuckle. At least I'm beginning to see humor in some of this. I'll be smiling even more when he learns to keep his truck off my yard. Anyhow, now I know this isn't the end of it, I'll keep you updated.

2004-10-06T10:28:00.000-05:00

I've been listening to Keith Urban's new CD at country.com this morning. It's pretty damn good. The guy just keeps pumping out great music. Not bad, for an Aussie. I'll probably end up buying it, too. You can have a listen at the link. CMT.com : Keith Urban : Listening Party

2004-10-06T10:18:00.000-05:00

Well, another night and no sign of my neighbor or his pickup. It wasn't there when I got home last night, and still no sign of it there this morning. I am keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that the cops got to him. As I said, it has no muffler (which is at least worthy of a fix-it ticket), no license plates that I could see (which is highly illegal), and he used it to trespass (which can get you jail time). I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm willing to bet he's doing a little more than drinking too much. I talked to one of my other neighbors yesterday, since she works at the same place I do (She's in production, I'm in IT). She said she thought it was odd, because he drove through my yard twice on Sunday while I wasn't home. She's keeping an open eye for me. I also took some pictures of my yard, in case I need them. So, with a little peace of mind, I slept like a brick last night. I woke up at 7 this morning in the same position I remember falling asleep in. More info on this whole situation as I have it...

2004-10-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

Well, the cops are involved now. The dumb son-of-a-bitch drove through my yard again. I had no choice but to call the authorities. I'm sure this won't be the end of it, I'll keep you posted.

2004-10-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

This morning at about 1 AM, I was rudely awakened by my neighbor behind me starting his truck, the one with no muffler. I grumbled and waited for him to leave, and leave is exactly what he did. Right through my yard! And, not just the corner of my yard, either. All the way from the back lot line to the street! I was pissed. I was wide awake at that point and fuming. I calmed down and figured I'd go talk to him today after work. Much to my dismay, he returned at 3 AM, and drove from the street, through my yard and into his back yard. I had just fallen back to sleep, and it was enough to wake me up. I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. I got up to see him and his buddy staggering toward his house. So, bright and early, about 7:15 this morning, I took a walk. First I banged on his back door, no answer. I walked around front. "BANG BANG BANG". His dog starts going ape shit, so I figure he's getting up now. He answers in his boxers and no shirt, smelling of cheap booze.

I say, "I'm Ryan Vermeys, I live in the white house behind you. I'm here to ask you to stop driving through my yard."

I get "OK" from his half awake ass.

I go on, asking, "Think you can you handle that?"

I get a slightly more alert "Yeah."

"OK, thanks." I say as I wheel around and walk down his steps.

I walked back home, muttering obscenities to myself. It serves him right to have his hungover ass forced out of bed like that in the morning. I've been in a funk all day wondering what he's doing to my yard right now. I only hope this episode puts an end to it. I don't want to have to put up a fence, or even worse (in my opinion) call the cops. Things always get messy when you get the authorities involved. Not necessarily how I wanted to meet my neighbors, but under the circumstances, it couldn't have happened any other way.

2004-10-04T11:40:00.000-05:00

I've been listening to Alan Jackson's new CD at country.com. It's extremely not bad. I'll probably end up buying it. You can have a listen at the link. CMT.com : Alan Jackson : Listening Party

2004-10-04T11:38:00.000-05:00

If you're into amateur photography, this page is for you. The author has put 10 FREE photography lessons online. How sweet.

2004-09-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

This site really grabbed my attention, being the math geek that I am. Football Commentary turns the game of football into a real numbers based analysis of the game. Check it out!

2004-09-27T23:20:00.000-05:00

Lianna, Maverick, and a can of Coke.

2004-09-22T20:45:00.000-05:00

Now, this brings back some memories. It's an Apple II emulator. Go ahead, go play Oregon Trail, it's the old version you used to play in school...

Thanks to r0bcat for the linky...

2004-09-21T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is fucking hilarious! End Of The World

2004-09-20T11:24:00.000-05:00

UPDATE:
I came off a little over the top earlier, and in reflection, it was just about right. It is so very frustrating when people buy a machine that they have no idea how to use, and never make an attempt to educate themselves on PC use, updates, and protection. However, after much thought, I think I could use this to make some dough. Starting now, I will do spyware removal for $100 per PC. If there is something else wrong, don't ask. I know an excellent PC repair person, and I will gladly give you his name and phone number. So let me finish by revising my earlier statement:

If you need spyware removed and you have $100, I'm your man. Otherwise, stop asking me to fix your fucking computers!

Rosebud, I'll still fix your PC for free... :)

2004-09-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's ever seen me at a party, family reunion, etc., perched in front of the hosts PC, will know that I can relate to this. I get the feeling most people think I like doing that kind of thing in my spare time, and that all I do is sit in front of a PC because I'm a net addict or something. I don't and I'm not! I do this shit for a living, what makes you think I want to fix your PC when I should be enjoying the company of the people I'm around? Of course there are exceptions (Mom, Sister, very close friends...) To the rest of you: Stop asking me to fix your fucking computers!

Maybe I should get me one of these...

2004-09-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

In case you were wondering.

2004-09-15T01:14:00.000-05:00

I've got a good one for you, it's one of those stories you hear about all the time about how companies are too tight to let the IT department do things right. We've been talking about doing a full domain upgrade at work for some time now, and since all support for NT ends December 31st, we're going to do it Q1 of next year. We'll be upgrading to Windows 2003, no easy task. I asked the natural question, "When are you going to send us to training?". The answer? In typical fucked company style: "There isn't going to be any, we'll have to read books and get our info off the web."

I hate it...

So, if anybody out there has any tips or tricks pertaining to a Windows domain upgrade from NT 4.0 to Windows 2003, please, please, please send them my way...