Thursday, December 23, 2004

Cold


Cold
Originally uploaded by reboot95.
Okay so if the roof came off the world and all the heat escaped would it be any colder. I know it sounds wierd. But I just read a story about it and I don't think it was much colder in the Story.

Just a couple of hours south of here they have massive snow falls like 10 or more inches. Mo. is not set up to handle that. But up here we had no snow none, nada, not a flake. But it sure is cold brrrrr

Merry Christmas

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Joy of Trout Fishing

Joy of Trout Fishing

Ahh the joy of casting your fly line in to a bucket of fish and still not being able to catch one. That is what Trout fishing is all about. The sheer frustration of being able to almost reach out and touch one of the little beauties but still having them come up, look at your offering, taste and spit it out just as you get ready haul him in. Or worse yet the crafty devils that seem to be able to untie fishing line just as you find a fly or lurer that really is working and you are down to your last one along comes that magical fish that can untie the line and run off your your prized fly. What a bother.

Well as you can see I did not leave empty handed this is from the catch made Friday afternoon on our trip to Rockbridge Mo. (http://www.rockbridgemo.com/) this Oct. I would really recommend it as a place to learn to trout fish. They have some pretty nice places to stay New House being the best. And the staff are always friendly and helpful. And even though you are in effect fishing in a bucket. You quickly realize that even with that you are at a disadvantage.

It is catch and keep so only catch as much as you can afford to buy and store. Helps to get a few people lined up before hand to pass the fish off to.

Fun time was had by all.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Moon Lit


Moon Lit
Originally uploaded by reboot95.
Are we on the edge of a field looking at a normal night sky or about to embark on a mystical adventure into a land where fair maids require rescuing and great wrongs are in need of righting. A place of daring deeds where strangers are not afraid to cast their strength to an impossible task because the land cries out against evil and wrong.

Are we men to undertake such action to rise up and go forward. Or should we cower in the darkness afraid of what the next step holds. Afraid of the terror in the ghostly forest. Afraid of the whispers in the dark. Afraid of the very inaction that we take.

No, I say rise up stand for what is right and true go forth to battle go forth to mighty deeds go forth to strive what ever the outcome may be go forth.

Friday, December 10, 2004

My Axim


dellaxim
Originally uploaded by reboot95.
Like to introduce you to my Axim and try out flickr. This is a neat little computer. Has all sorts of features. The thing I use it for the most is to read books on. www.baen.com has some wonderful free books that are really easy to read on the Axim. The other killer app for it is advantgo. I really don't use it that much for a pim. I think the Palm is still better for that. Microsoft took office and tried to cram it into a pda, it did not turn out that great but as a book reader it is great.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Well here we go











We just had our first dashing through the slush in a well you know the rest. Was not to bad we only had a short period that it was nasty. That was the time I was driving. And idiots taking pictures did not make it better :-) er well I thought the picture looked good and captured the fun of driving to work in the snow. Here's looking lots more winter driving.


Friday, November 05, 2004

Remember Beauty









Really like this image. Thought it was a reminder of the beauty in the world. That we should take time to see the little objects along our path appreciate what we usually over look. Try to take some of the beauty along with us as we walk away.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Mouthing the Words

Been reading about this Ashlee Simpson or what ever getting caught lip syncing on Saturday Night Live. And how it has lite up the phone boards so to speak on the old internet.

This gets me thinking to my self what the heck is going on in this Country. We are in a war for our very way of life for our very beliefs. We are at a critical juncture of that war we will be voting in about a week on which way we want our Country to go and people are more interested in some silly little kid Mouthing Words on a silly little TV show. Come on it is not even real like Star Trek is (that is an old private joke).

More thinking on my part, we are a nation that is just mouthing the words we don't care about any thing but silly stupid little fluff. We act big we get up on stage and say what we have heard other people say. We are in effect lip syncing our way through our lives and maybe that is why we are so interested in seeing some one getting caught we don't want to give away our own act.

Remember in the end we stand before God at which time we will stop mouthing the words and confess what we really did in our life. Will our lives have counted for any thing or will we have just immersed our selves in whether or not some teenager was using her real voice or memmorex.

How would Jesus Vote.

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

The Key to Job

Think about Job, how he spends nearly the entire book complaining about what had happened. Seeking counsel and comfort from his friends. And he had the idea that if he could just present his case to God, God would see the validity of his claims. Now remember Job was probably the man closest to God on the earth at this time.. He understood that he would see God even after he died. He wished for an advocated to plead his case before God. So close to God that God remarks about it..

However when God confronts Job it is so much more than Job had ever guessed. All Job can say is "I am unworthy-how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer- twice, but I will say no more." I just think it is most truthful moment in human history. That when confronted with God in truth all our complaints all our wishes all our arguments about how things should have been, just become nothing, in the face of who God is.. Pretty cool and reassuring that even in spite of this, He loves us so much that He sent his Son to redeem us..

Thursday, September 09, 2004

New Cube

Moved into a new Cube at work. Pretty much like a ledge hanging on a cliff feel like I need to tie myself in so I won't fall out. I've been working there for 15 years I think my cube would be fine for an intern or someone that has been there for a year but at 15 years you just have to much stuff to fit in one of these things. Oh well I'm sure thing will change. And at least the cube walls aren't short so we don't all look like a whack a mole game.

Monday, August 23, 2004

Stop the insanity of Electronic packages

Okay how many people are like me they get home with some new keen thing they just picked up at Best Buy or Comp USA, or yes even Walmart. Say your first thumb drive, or maybe that neat new MP3 player you have been wanting. So there you are standing in your home going "cool" can hardly wait, but before you can use your new wonder toy you have to tear your way through it's tamper proof, child proof, open proof plastic encasing. DOH!!!!!

Come on what gives with this, I own the product why do I need a hack saw and a blow torch just to open the silly thing. I don't really thing this industrial strength Kevlar impregnated obstacle slows down thieves that much but it sure is annoying to us consumers when we get the product home..

See I'm a country boy at heart and still carry around a pocket knife (except at airports now, stupid terrorist). Anyhow even equipped with one of the most wonderful inventions made of man, right up there with fire in usefulness, I still struggle and strain to get at my new toy.. I've even sliced open my hand with those silly packages (never the knife just the package).

So here you have it an open letter to manufactures to make it a tad bit easier to get past the packaging of our favorite new gizmos. Come on Please..

Thursday, August 12, 2004

What am I for

I've been looking at some of the stuff on the Internet regarding
people running for office. And just to start this off I'm going
to vote Republican (I can explain later). But I noticed
something about both parties that is showing in the ads and
blogs. It seems that people define their idea by how bad the
other side is not by how good their side is.

Most people that support Kerry spend more time complaining about
Bush than they do extolling how good they think Kerry is. But
the same is true from Bush supporters they tend to speak more on
how bad Kerry is than how good Bush is.

It really made me question somethings. I don't really want my
position to be defined by being against the other party. I want
to be voting because I'm for the party and the ideas of the
person I"m voting for. Not just because I am against what the
other guy stands for.

Seems that the candidates and the people that support them have
bought into the idea that people are only choosing the lesser of
two evils.. So they work to make the other guy seem more evil.
Not convince people that they are better.

So I guess I need to think in terms of what I'm for, not what
I'm against.

So why am I going to vote Republican. I can think of reasons
why not to vote Democrat but I want to think of why to vote
Republican..

One I got a lot of money back on taxes this year. But I pay a
lot I mean a lot in taxes. So anyone who can lower that tax
burden for me is a plus.

I believe that we should not fool around with gun control. In a
society that is only allowed to have sticks and stones the man
with a gun is king. And by definition is someone is going to
use a gun for a crime they are already a criminal so why would a
low against guns make them less inclined to use one. They are
already committed to breaking the law.

I believe that the whole sale destruction of unborn children is
destroying this nation. We need to slow or stop this. Just
think of the number of children killed each and every day. I
have to take the position because I believe that even though
they are unborn they are living aware children. And there is no
way to be comfortable with what is happening if you believe they
are children. If you don't believe they are children then I
guess you can live with what is happening but just think what
public out cry would be if someone was killing that many puppies
or kittens a day. Aren't unborn children worth more than
puppies or kittens. Save the Unborn Child.

Okay I guess I get to allow one thing that I'm against in the
democratic party to define why I vote the way I do. They tend
to be focusing on this us against the wealth. Pitting one class
of people against the other. The have's against the have not's.
This tactic has been used by way to many really bad people over
history.. The whole idea that the have not's should rise up
and over throw the have's is not a healthy idea for our nation.
And just think about this. From a global stand point all of
America is wealthy, and all of America are the have's..
Remember all American's are in this together and we don't need
to be splitting along class lines.. Oh and if the Democrats are
the party of the have not's and champion of the poor then why do
the richest of the rich, why do the wealthy celebrities support
them so much.. Hmmmmmmm

Okay so to turn that last one in to what I'm for. I'm for
people that do not promote class strife. For a party that will
foster they idea that we are all American's and we are all in
this together and we need to stand up for each other.

So there I've done it. I've tried to define why I'm voting the
way I do because of what I'm for in the party I'm voting for not
because they are just a little less evil than the others.


Monday, August 02, 2004

IBook

Well I finally went ahead and did it. I now have an IBook, and I am a
impressed. UNIX with a cool GUI. It is missing a few unix things and I
think I will still have Linux on my other laptops. And I still think my
Dell insprion 8600 is going to be my favorite but this thing is very
easy to carry around super lite and very full featured. But old Steve
Jobs needs to take a clue and put two mouse buttons on here it really
needs it. You can get a two button mouse with scroll wheel which I did
but when you are using it on you lap the sec

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Yahoo! News - 'Fahrenheit' Sets Stage for New Crop of Documentaries

Yahoo! News - 'Fahrenheit' Sets Stage for New Crop of Documentaries

Oh great now we will have reality tv cloggin up the Theaters now.. I go to movies to see unreality I have enough reality at work and out the window at home. Okay I do like some real documentaries on like the History Channel or Discovery Channel and the Shakleton movie was interesting. But I really don't need to see that stuff on the big screen. And I really figure this is going to be more like Reality TV than real Documentaries. That is all we need is Survivor on the big screen. Come on give me fantasy. I'll stick to the real world for reality.

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

What is that Dark spot

I think you all have already heard about the new speed-o-meter for the bike.  The first time I rode with it though I noticed this dark spot on the display that was really annoying.  But when I got home and in the house it seemed to be gone.  So I thought well maybe it was a one time thing or maybe heat related.  I'll see what happens next time.  Well went biking Saturday with some friends and I noticed that the spot was back.  I decided I was going to have to take the speed-o-meter back and get it replaced.  I went to show it to my friend Dave..  I said see this here spot I guess I have to take this back.  And Dave was like what spot..  I'm like this Spot right here can't you see it..  I moved it around it was plain as day to me..  Why couldn't he see it.  Then the little light in my head went off.  Let me take my POLARIZED sunglasses that I wear for fishing but like also for biking because they have a strap on them OFF.  Lo and Behold the Spot disappeared...  Put the glasses back on Spot reappeared.  Spot on Spot off..  Hold up glasses so friends can see spot.......  Problem solved....

Monday, July 12, 2004

Biking

Hey got a new Bike seat, no more numbness...  If you have not ridden a bike as an adult you may not know what I mean if you have then you know..  The only prob is the new seat is sort of slippery with the bike pants and all so I have to keep moving back up the seat...  Oh well but the new seat with no numbness is pretty cool.

I also got a speed-o-meter.  That is really really neat.  Cool to be going along and look down and see how fast you are going.  Sort of mesmerizes you kinda of going along oh look I'm going 12 oh look 10 oh look 11 oh look 9 so cool so cool.

Biked on Grant's trail was pretty nice.  It is all paved well at least the part I rode on was.  Lots of bladers and walkers and kids.  So you sort of had to weave in and out of the..   Got to see the Clydesdale out at Grant's farm..

  

Friday, July 09, 2004

On that home ownership is a pain thing

Well for the last few weeks I've heard the sound of water drip
drip dripping.. After a little looking I found that the the
toilet was running running running. Turns out that the little
thing that shuts off the water in mine is not made very well.
Lots and lots of complaints on the toilet forums (yes there
really are such a thing). So got a new fulidmaster 400a and put
it in. It was pretty easy. I'm turning in to a regular handy
man.. Well if the women don't find you handsome they should at
least find you handy.

Trees and wind

Well I'm a bit tired of wind in the trees. I had another tree
top come out of a silver maple and go cart wheeling through the
air. This must have been one heck of a wind (happened the night
of the ice storm). Snapped the tree off clean, and then carried
it about 20 or 30 feet through the neighbors carport. So after
talking with my law inclined friends it is the storm that did
the damage not the tree. And I don't have responsibility for
the damage it is all up to her insurance... But per her
insurance agent it is my responsibility to clean up the junk.
Oh well got the tree guys to fix everything up in my yard too
and now I have a little pile of firewood. You know home
ownership is sort of a pain..

Monday, July 05, 2004

Ice Ice

Well just went through the first hail storm at the house.  I think the biggest it go was jelly bean size.   Which by the way make a terrible racket when you are in the house.  But it does not appear to have caused much damage.  We also got a lot of rain and it is still thundering in the distance.  And oh year I'm in the dark which is a real pain since tonight was the Star Gate SG1 to Atlantis special.  Got to watch about 10 minutes of it then boom into the dark..  I'm only able to be on the Internet thanks to a big old back UPS..  I had one on the tv computer but it lasted only about 10 minutes before it went down hard.  So I'm ready my the lantern and hoping the power comes back on soon.  It is not to fun to sleep with out the CPAP any more.  And I have a 9:00am meeting oh bother...  Don't even have a working alarm clock..

   Steve

Saturday, June 26, 2004

The Chronicles of the Unbeliever

I've decided to try and read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.   I've really not read it since the first time through.  And they I went about it backwards I think.  I read the second Chronicles first.  And even though they stand alone there are a lot of things that are confusing..  Really like Stephan R. Donaldson but man is he long winded.  I've read the first few chapters of Lord Fouls Bane a few times but sort of drift off to something else.  But really want to try and make through all six books this time.  I guess I'm reliving my childhood (teen hood) somewhat again..

Any how decided to let the Xanth novels set for a bit before I get back into them..  Fear that the last book may be a cliffhanger and would hate to get there before the next one is written ;-)

Friday, June 25, 2004

Wired News: Florida to Tax Home Networks

Wired News: Florida to Tax Home Networks

Okay I can not really think of anything more annoying than to have someone tax my network attached computers in my own home. That uses equipment I bought and that I installed. What the heck is up with this. I can understand taxes that are translated into some service some benifit but this tax is insane.

I understand that it was started for business that used their own infrastructure to do telephone calls and don't use the phone system. I'm sort of thinking that this is a protection for the phone system.

There is also the thought that it would go to schools. What is going on with that. How does my having a network in my home require me to be taxed at a higher burden for schools... Do not understand this at all

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Xanth

I've been reading the Xanth novels again. Well some for the first time.. I read them many years ago when I was a kid. The were released on scrolls at that time. The newer book form is much nicer to hold in bed. And with electric lights it is so much easier to read after dark.. I still find them very entertaining. They are not exactly children books but they are really clever and funny.

I have just complete the isle of view.. I'm glad to see that Dolph's dilemma was finally resolved. And glad to see that Electra lived through the experience.. It is amazing to realize that, that book was written 15 years ago or so. Man do I feel old since I consider Xanth to be a part of my adult life. I probably read the first book before I could drive though..

I also have to say that the books that go with Split Infinity are really my favorite by Piers Anthony. Anyhow it has been nice to get to know and old friend and realize I still have more books to go than I have read. That is a big advantage of going back to a multibook Piers Anthony trilogy years later. I only have to wait as long as the Barnes and Noble's order to go thorough to read the next book.. Not years...

An ocean of meetings.

When I started out as a kid programmer some 15 years ago I never
really thought my job would consist of shuffling from one
meeting to another. I figured it would be some heroic last
minute debugging endeavor. It is 12:54 and I've already had two
meetings and will soon be heading for another. Now Meeting can
be okay. It is nice to set there and let your brain wander
around.. You know get some exercise feel the freedom of being
outside of your head and all but enough is enough I feel I
should accomplish at least one thing a week. If nothing else so
I have something to write in a status report..

You know what the worst is, it is the phone, webex meeting. You
always get to some point where you mind is completely absent and
all you here is blah blah de blah de blah right Steve. Then
there you are trying to play back on the blah and figure out
what the heck it was you just agreed to.

AAAAHHH The modern work place a cornucopia of meetings..

Oh well I'm about to be late have to go.. Trudge trudge trudge

Friday, June 18, 2004

Do I look fat to you ;-)

Been trying to walk every day this week. I have a Dr. appt. next week and he is going to wonder why my weight is going the wrong way. Then he will look at me with a disapproving scowl and say you need to lose weight. Am I over weight??? Well in a modern America I'm not the largest person you are going to meet but with all the lung problems and circulation problems caused by the icky fungus of the mid west (I'll tell you all about that sometime) I need to be a lean mean walking machine instead of a eating machine.

I'm back eating chicken sandwichs for lunch probably not the best but better than what I had been doing. Also working on eating less and walking walking walking...

Problem is I'm really busy lately and feel guilty taking out the time to walk. And even 30 mins of walking really makes the old calves hurt. Wish there was a quick way to get this done, but there isn't so walk walk walk walk walk.. Good luck to me..

Can you hear the Music.... Can you hear it now... How about now....

Well I dug out my HipZip and charged it up got it working started messing with it and got to the point where it would play music the first time I turned it on and then it would continually state that it the disk in it did not have any valid music files. Finally decided that it might be time to update.. So started searching for something that I could stick SD cards in. Man are MP3 players expensive and very few of them are expandable. Found the Digitialway MPIO FL100, it seemed to have nice features so I fired up Amazon and ordered one. As an mp3 player it is pretty cool but does suck up the old AAA battery pretty quick (Packages of NiMHs fixed that) has good play back, I'm not really into a lot of base. And took SD cards.. But the software for it is el stinko.... You know how you should plug in a usb device and it shows up as a drive and you just drag and drop simple.. NOOOOOO They have there own little retarded program for putting files on it.. I loaded looked at it and started searching for an alternative. There is a plug in for Windows Media but it seemed to lock up. Looked at a Screen Savers recommendation called SVETA part of DB Power amp. So far that is the tool I'm going to go with.. So as a player it is pretty nice but the tool for putting stuff on it gets an el-stinko rating... So if they would come up with some drivers for Win XP so it would look like a drive would be double plus good. Oh I have a Dazzle and can use that to dump songs on the SD. The Dazzle is USB 2.0 where the player seems to be USB 1.1 sort of slow to copy 384 Meg (128 Meg Internal, and 256 Med SD).

Monday, June 07, 2004

Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow

Saturday was a great day for being outside. Fairly cool, lots
of nice things to do and see. So do I stay in andw slave in a hot
computer room all day? Strangely enough I didn't...... :-)

Got up about 5:00am (yeah I really did) and got all my bike
stuff together and picked up Dave and headed out to the Katie
trail. Got there about 7:00 am or so (Hmmm really thought it
was still dark at that time of night). We biked a total of 16
miles and I came to the realization that bike seats hurt more
each year. You would think that at some point you would get
used to the terrible shooting pains caused by a bike seat that
after a couple of summers biking you would be able to just hop
up there and take off no pain. Well let me tell you that ain't
the way it is.. It hurts more and more.. But the time we
finished off I was reduced to limping along beside my bike
waving at the deranged horsefly buzzing wondering when the
hurting would stop. All in all it was a great biking day and I
can't wait to go again..

Also went out to St. Louis Mills and walked around. Wow is that
place big. Lots of stores, strange stores, why would you need a
place that only sells purple stuff. And I was once again
attacked by the mad buffing booth
weasel. Do I really look like someone that likes to have buffed
nails. I don't think so.. Also I think I'm going to have to
try Tony Romas again. Not as good as the Hickory Log in Dexter
but not to bad... Good help....

Well enough for now..
Steve

Thursday, June 03, 2004

G4 peuuuu

Been watching G$ TECHTV a little bit. The best thing I can say
is that The Screen Savers is still on. The rest of the shows
are like watching endless X-Play with out Morgan Webb. Yuck..
Looks like they are once again surrendering to the thought that
the only people that ever buy anything are kids with absolutely
no attention span.

Here is my solution. Stop giving money to kids.. Come on
parents you can do it just start buying the things you want.
Lets use economics for our own purposes.. Lets stop all these
silly shows and get some quality shows back on TV.

Friday, May 28, 2004

Stormy Weather

Well once again last night we had forecasts for strong thunder storms (I guess they worked out or something). We were not disappointed we got what was predicted. It is interesting to look out in your back yard and see a raging creek.. Hmm wait a minute I don't have a creek in my back yard, well last night I did.
Anyhow had the standard go hide in your basement warnings of TV. I was glad to follow their advice. I think today will be sort of a nice day maybe not violent storms.

Taking a vacation day today. First day in two weeks that has been meetings free. I would sure like to kick the meetings habit, just say no to meetings. Not really sure what happened one day I went to work checked out calendar and realized my job was made up of going to meetings.. Oh bother...

Well need to go.

Thursday, May 27, 2004

It Burns our eyes my preeecccciousss

Today on the way to work there was this strange bright,
yellowish orb hanging in the sky.. I seem to have a distant
memory of rumors of such a strange thing but I can't really
place. I'm going to have to do some research on this strange
apparition..

I long for the familiar gray covering over our world. The
comforting waters falling from the sky, the awesome flashes of
light that shake the world..

Okay. So it has been awhile since I've seen the sun.. I think
we have had enough rain to make a duck tired of it.. And I'm a
bit tired of the storms.. Hmmm but they have been giving me
something to write about.

Looks like we will be getting rain again this afternoon. I
actually like rainy days a little more than most people I know.
But I've had enough. An nice sunny day would be a good change.

Now I have a pair of sunglasses around here somewhere, where are
they. Oh yeah under that pile of dust.

Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Here comes the rain again.

Storms continue to move through the area.. Had a real scare
this afternoon while at work. Heard this terrible clatter on
the roof, ran to the window and would have thrown up the sash to
see what was the matter. But we don't have those with the
wonderful tinted glass office windows. Anyhow back to the story
at hand, what should appear to my wondering eyes but a pea size
pellet of ice. Okay think it must be time to go home. Luckily
the hail turned out to be pretty brief and did not cause any
damage to my Explorer..

When I finally left work I noticed this angry black cloud
descending on us. So, I thought to my self, self it is time to
get home. Pretty much the whole way home a driving sheet of
rain followed me. As I pulled into my neighborhood the friendly
Tornado sirens started. Danger Will Robinson, hmmm to be in the
basement. If the reports on the news were right I missed a
tornado by about 5 or so minutes around 270, and 40..

Thank you God. I'm not really wanting to visit OZ just yet..

Mighty Rushing Wind.

Tuesday morning about 12:30 am as I lay in bed reading I heard
this awful roaring of wind, with a large craaaccckkkk. At which
time I thought hmmm let's see think it is now time to go the
the basement and hide in the corner.. Now where is that cat....
Lets see need to grab the laptop so I can see when to come back
up.. Hope the WiFi does not get wiped out.. Now where is that
cat..

Well after getting up and dressing I went out to see only a
small amount of movement in the trees and nothing that really
looked basement worth... Maybe time to turn on the TV. All the
local stations were in Danger Will Robinson mode. Seems a
severe thunder storm was coming through the area and St. Charles
had wind gusts of 58 mph.. That seems like a pretty serious
wind gust. The storm was on track to move through the area in
another 20 or so minutes.

After getting up the next morning I looked out in the back yard
and remembered the craaaaccckkkk from the night before. Seems
that one of the trees in the back yard had the the top broken
off.. Oh well lets see do I need a chain saw.....

Think I might be better off having a tree service do it since it
is still attached to the top of the tree. O bother......

But hey it is really pretty good. I have not had any hail come
uninvited to visit like some of my friends and the tree did not
kill any fences or land in someone else's yard....

Monday, May 24, 2004