I have had some resistance to the living-in-my-car idea, as expected. The opposition came from more than one direction, and I couldn't fully justify the meager savings over the inconvenience (and that inevitable dank smell that would penetrate all the fabric in the vehicle).
So this weekend we tossed around the idea of a recreational vehicle. At this time, however, it wouldn't necessarily be the best move to drop $3-$5K on a crappy 10-or-more-year-old travel trailer and then find a park to put it in. Plus the work needed on our pickup just to make it up to Atlanta could double that figure. Chuck the truck isn't so well these days. We thought we might could use it in the future as we like to travel, but outside of a park where I'd live in it, we don't have the storage space for it. And would we really use it? I'm only guessing that most of the people selling on Craigslist thought the same thing and now they're just trying to put it off on someone else.
So yet another thought experiment has dawned on me. It's another extreme, but a more justifiable and permanent idea nonetheless. We (my lovely wife and I) have decided we wouldn't mind living in North Georgia, as long as we can have what we want. And what we want starts with land. We need space to put all of our shit. My projects, our house, my shop, farm animals, and nothing. I think the nothing part is important. We need a buffer of nothing to surround our place and give us some peace.
On with my mental exercise: I want to think about what I would need to start with, on a bare piece of land, to begin to live on it. I'm talking about modern times, folks - I'm not roughing it in a tent. What needs to go in first, before I build a small cabin? What are the minimums for living?
I have thought a little bit about it and the first two things are whammies on the budget. After the land purchase, the first two items on the agenda are water and sewage - a well and a septic tank. I don't have exact figures on what those things cost, but they must be in the several thousand dollar range, each. And now that I think about it, it will take electricity to run the well pump. So I might have to look for land with an existing well.
Anyway, with those minimums in place, I could begin to build a small house and finish it to live in temporarily until we could get the main house built. My dad did this very thing. To combat theft, I would first build a shed to keep my tools and equipment in, and begin construction on the cabin.
Perhaps I will write more on this later as it seems like a good idea right now.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thoughts of Extreme Frugality
I can't stop thinking about this.
When I moved to Atlanta and got an apartment to stay in during the week, I didn't think I'd have any more to pay for outside of that. I ended up needing another car and bought a new one so I wouldn't have to worry about driving the 500-mile weekend trips. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Also, I had failed to realize what a strain paying back student loans would put on the finances. It has made me consider more than once whether the education was worth it. Since I can't return the Bachelor's degree to the store, complaining won't do much. I tell myself to live with it.
Considering ways to save money these days has become a new hobby. I tend to think in extremes at times, and this is no exception. I have almost found a way to save the largest amount of money in the shortest amount of time, while still saving my credit rating. No, it's not some debt relief plan that includes hacking the credit agencies, and I'm not going to rob a bank. I'm not going to default on any of my commitments, yet I'm going to save about to $700 per month.
Two words: voluntary homelessness.
The thought had crossed my mind some weeks ago, but I couldn't figure it all out. I'm close now.
Currently, I stay in this apartment during the week and drive 238 miles home on the weekends. If I could survive each work week just sleeping in my car, I wouldn't have to pay rent, water, sewer, electricity, or gas bills. Let's consider what I have available as alternatives:
Bathing
My work has a gym available for employees. It's $10 per month, and there are showers (and perhaps lockers; I haven't been there yet). That would be the place to change clothes, shower, and even - get this - work out.
Eating
There is a refrigerator at work which can hold necessities like jelly, cold cuts, cheese, fruit, and bottled water if needed. I can keep the rest in the trunk of the car. A large meal's leftovers from a good restaurant could be kept in there too. I can keep dishes in a desk drawer and wash them in the sink at the break area.
Sleeping
The parking deck at work is prime real estate. The bottom floor has no natural light and must therefore stay cooler in the summer months. I have a good sleeping bag for the colder times. It is a 24-hour operations center and my car being there during the day wouldn't raise suspicion as long as it's not in the same space at night. Of course it wouldn't - I'd park in my regular spot during work hours. Tinting the windows would also help, as could one of those windshield sun-shades.
Safety
Work is pretty safe. It has 24-hour security and is in an affluent part of town. The Glock 19 also has a voice.
Laundry
I own a house with a washer and dryer. It's just not in the Atlanta area. Weekends are for laundry and bed-sleep.
Internet
Some of you might imagine that I would just use the Internet at work, but you are mistaken. I suppose I could just war-drive, but that is a bit inconvenient (and I guess living in one's car is too, but...). Considering the mobile nature of living in a car, Verizon or Clear wireless has a solution. For around $50 a month, I can get one of those hotspots with enough bandwidth to publish posts and conduct research. That takes away from my overall savings, but it's the one thing I cannot do without. It's funny - I am willing to go without shelter, climate control, and running water, but Internet access is an absolute must. What year is this?
Potty
Pretty obvious. Work or Wal-Mart.
Phone
Exactly what I do right now - use my mobile phone.
Electricity
Living in the car without appliances could be said to be "going green." I have auto adapters for the phone and the computer. Right now I can't think of anything else I'll need to use. No shaver, no hair dryer, nothing.
Part of my motivation is the possibility that at least one of my student loans could be paid off in a matter of a few months at this rate. I only wonder how long I could stand it.
So now that I've covered most everything, I turn to my overwhelmingly huge reader base I like to affectionately refer to as the fewer than five: What have I missed? What will I not like that I don't already know about? Would this make a good story on NPR?
When I moved to Atlanta and got an apartment to stay in during the week, I didn't think I'd have any more to pay for outside of that. I ended up needing another car and bought a new one so I wouldn't have to worry about driving the 500-mile weekend trips. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Also, I had failed to realize what a strain paying back student loans would put on the finances. It has made me consider more than once whether the education was worth it. Since I can't return the Bachelor's degree to the store, complaining won't do much. I tell myself to live with it.
Considering ways to save money these days has become a new hobby. I tend to think in extremes at times, and this is no exception. I have almost found a way to save the largest amount of money in the shortest amount of time, while still saving my credit rating. No, it's not some debt relief plan that includes hacking the credit agencies, and I'm not going to rob a bank. I'm not going to default on any of my commitments, yet I'm going to save about to $700 per month.
Two words: voluntary homelessness.
The thought had crossed my mind some weeks ago, but I couldn't figure it all out. I'm close now.
Currently, I stay in this apartment during the week and drive 238 miles home on the weekends. If I could survive each work week just sleeping in my car, I wouldn't have to pay rent, water, sewer, electricity, or gas bills. Let's consider what I have available as alternatives:
Bathing
My work has a gym available for employees. It's $10 per month, and there are showers (and perhaps lockers; I haven't been there yet). That would be the place to change clothes, shower, and even - get this - work out.
Eating
There is a refrigerator at work which can hold necessities like jelly, cold cuts, cheese, fruit, and bottled water if needed. I can keep the rest in the trunk of the car. A large meal's leftovers from a good restaurant could be kept in there too. I can keep dishes in a desk drawer and wash them in the sink at the break area.
Sleeping
The parking deck at work is prime real estate. The bottom floor has no natural light and must therefore stay cooler in the summer months. I have a good sleeping bag for the colder times. It is a 24-hour operations center and my car being there during the day wouldn't raise suspicion as long as it's not in the same space at night. Of course it wouldn't - I'd park in my regular spot during work hours. Tinting the windows would also help, as could one of those windshield sun-shades.
Safety
Work is pretty safe. It has 24-hour security and is in an affluent part of town. The Glock 19 also has a voice.
Laundry
I own a house with a washer and dryer. It's just not in the Atlanta area. Weekends are for laundry and bed-sleep.
Internet
Some of you might imagine that I would just use the Internet at work, but you are mistaken. I suppose I could just war-drive, but that is a bit inconvenient (and I guess living in one's car is too, but...). Considering the mobile nature of living in a car, Verizon or Clear wireless has a solution. For around $50 a month, I can get one of those hotspots with enough bandwidth to publish posts and conduct research. That takes away from my overall savings, but it's the one thing I cannot do without. It's funny - I am willing to go without shelter, climate control, and running water, but Internet access is an absolute must. What year is this?
Potty
Pretty obvious. Work or Wal-Mart.
Phone
Exactly what I do right now - use my mobile phone.
Electricity
Living in the car without appliances could be said to be "going green." I have auto adapters for the phone and the computer. Right now I can't think of anything else I'll need to use. No shaver, no hair dryer, nothing.
Part of my motivation is the possibility that at least one of my student loans could be paid off in a matter of a few months at this rate. I only wonder how long I could stand it.
So now that I've covered most everything, I turn to my overwhelmingly huge reader base I like to affectionately refer to as the fewer than five: What have I missed? What will I not like that I don't already know about? Would this make a good story on NPR?
Monday, May 09, 2011
Blogging from the Kimdle
I honestly didn't think it would work, but the browser in the Kindle is more equipped than i had thought. This is a real pain, but I can actually compose and publish a post from the web interface of Kindle's experimental browser.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
On Whatever, or One Post Per Day (No Commitment)
I really miss being able to concentrate. If the reader might notice, most of the posts in the last four years are very short. A thought comes to mind to quit using computers during my time off so that I may gather my thoughts more efficiently and perhaps provide the reader with more entertaining fodder.
But giving up the use of computers at any time is very difficult for me. I could easily give up my phone as it does nothing but sit on my hip. No one calls, and I could talk to my wife through the computer with better results at times than the telephone. My life permanently on the other side of a computer screen is nearly unimaginable.
Being an amateur software designer/developer and a professional systems administrator, it is very hard to put thoughts of "what if..." out of my mind. I read about systems and rebuild things almost every day. It takes that to be better at what I do with every iteration at work. I rarely think of much else, and wouldn't have anything to write of if I didn't do what I do.
I find myself lately writing about not writing. It's a good exercise to sit down and just write, as many writing classes always begin. No matter if you think you don't have anything to write - just write: "I don't have anything to write." Then elaborate. It starts just like that.
Sometime I may begin to try posting at least once every day here on the blog and see what comes of it. Every day for, say, a week, and if it's working out I'll keep it for a month. We should see how that goes. I'll tag them with OPPD, for One Post Per Day. If I can post at least something genuine once per day for a week I will claim to have accomplished something.
Okay, the rules.
I'm a design and planning freak. I like to know how it could be done, and the likelihood of outcomes with each scenario. I picture things in my head a lot before I do something. So if I'm going to make the attempt at posting every day, I need to furnish at least the semblance1 of a plan. Here are some thoughts: I will likely make posts from my laptop in Atlanta, and they may be about the day, news events, or (the most likely case) simply start with "There's nothing to write about today...." I will make reminder items on my calendar that will tell me to write. There is no topic I can't write about - an instructional post on system administration is perfectly acceptable, as is a post about the royal wedding (probably the least likely to come to my attention).
I could make notes about something with my phone. Pictures from the day's events could draw more words out of me for the posts. I like taking pictures. I need to ride my bike or run more, so getting out to grab pictures and thoughts is probably a good way to seed blog posts.
I see that this hasn't actually been a bulleted set of rules, and that's good. My life must be flexible, and I want it known that I haven't committed to this yet. There is no start date specified. I remember committing to reading every non-reference book in my library in 2005. That got nowhere. I read one book, and I can't remember much at all about The Time Machine because I read it so fast. It really didn't count as reading.
But I do want to write more and write better. I want to try the one-post-per-day event. I suppose the first post tagged with "OPPD" will signify my commitment. We'll see how long my interest lasts.
Notes:
1. I just realized that I have never before typed the word 'semblance' but have only used it in speech. I happened to get the spelling and the use of the word correct.
But giving up the use of computers at any time is very difficult for me. I could easily give up my phone as it does nothing but sit on my hip. No one calls, and I could talk to my wife through the computer with better results at times than the telephone. My life permanently on the other side of a computer screen is nearly unimaginable.
Being an amateur software designer/developer and a professional systems administrator, it is very hard to put thoughts of "what if..." out of my mind. I read about systems and rebuild things almost every day. It takes that to be better at what I do with every iteration at work. I rarely think of much else, and wouldn't have anything to write of if I didn't do what I do.
I find myself lately writing about not writing. It's a good exercise to sit down and just write, as many writing classes always begin. No matter if you think you don't have anything to write - just write: "I don't have anything to write." Then elaborate. It starts just like that.
Sometime I may begin to try posting at least once every day here on the blog and see what comes of it. Every day for, say, a week, and if it's working out I'll keep it for a month. We should see how that goes. I'll tag them with OPPD, for One Post Per Day. If I can post at least something genuine once per day for a week I will claim to have accomplished something.
Okay, the rules.
I'm a design and planning freak. I like to know how it could be done, and the likelihood of outcomes with each scenario. I picture things in my head a lot before I do something. So if I'm going to make the attempt at posting every day, I need to furnish at least the semblance1 of a plan. Here are some thoughts: I will likely make posts from my laptop in Atlanta, and they may be about the day, news events, or (the most likely case) simply start with "There's nothing to write about today...." I will make reminder items on my calendar that will tell me to write. There is no topic I can't write about - an instructional post on system administration is perfectly acceptable, as is a post about the royal wedding (probably the least likely to come to my attention).
I could make notes about something with my phone. Pictures from the day's events could draw more words out of me for the posts. I like taking pictures. I need to ride my bike or run more, so getting out to grab pictures and thoughts is probably a good way to seed blog posts.
I see that this hasn't actually been a bulleted set of rules, and that's good. My life must be flexible, and I want it known that I haven't committed to this yet. There is no start date specified. I remember committing to reading every non-reference book in my library in 2005. That got nowhere. I read one book, and I can't remember much at all about The Time Machine because I read it so fast. It really didn't count as reading.
But I do want to write more and write better. I want to try the one-post-per-day event. I suppose the first post tagged with "OPPD" will signify my commitment. We'll see how long my interest lasts.
Notes:
1. I just realized that I have never before typed the word 'semblance' but have only used it in speech. I happened to get the spelling and the use of the word correct.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
New Tires
I finally got new tires on the motorcycle. The shop I went to was comprised of some of the nicest people I have ever encountered at motorcycle places. One of the guys asked where I lived and told me a good route to take home - 130 miles worth. So here's my route to the shop (14 mi):
And my route home today (124 mi):
I'm going to see if I can't do something similar tomorrow!
And my route home today (124 mi):
I'm going to see if I can't do something similar tomorrow!
Friday, April 01, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
What I Could Do
I've written quite often about how I don't like where I live and that I should get out and go to a big city where people are more diverse and there are more opportunities. I have an apartment in Atlanta now and while I really hate admitting this, I was wrong.
There is an overwhelming number of assholes here. I hadn't thought about that. I'm an asshole, but usually only in my head. Too many of the people here are assholes out loud. I am a social person and I can't help that. But I prefer to be a recluse when everyone around me can't stop yapping about themselves. The competition here is so fierce that nothing gets done and people get hung out to dry instead of properly informed and trained.
Today I'm reading my Eclipse IDE: Pocket Guide
in preparation for beginning Android application development. My plan is to have such a grasp on that platform that I could work for anyone, from anywhere - including my house in the country. I am also working through Hello, Android and then off to two other books on the platform. The last time I started working on Android I began coding on the first day of study and got locked into an all-night hacking session trying to work out my project while researching the SDK. Not anymore. I'm giving myself the fundamental education so I don't have to do so much hacking and have so many problems at once. If you're interested in this progress, keep a watch out at blog.twoleg.com. I expect to release a simple app for free just to get the hang of it. It probably won't be anything groundbreaking - probably an enhanced flashlight application or something. Not a whole lot of design considerations in that realm. I will try to post progress at least weekly.
Toodles!
There is an overwhelming number of assholes here. I hadn't thought about that. I'm an asshole, but usually only in my head. Too many of the people here are assholes out loud. I am a social person and I can't help that. But I prefer to be a recluse when everyone around me can't stop yapping about themselves. The competition here is so fierce that nothing gets done and people get hung out to dry instead of properly informed and trained.
Today I'm reading my Eclipse IDE: Pocket Guide
in preparation for beginning Android application development. My plan is to have such a grasp on that platform that I could work for anyone, from anywhere - including my house in the country. I am also working through Hello, Android and then off to two other books on the platform. The last time I started working on Android I began coding on the first day of study and got locked into an all-night hacking session trying to work out my project while researching the SDK. Not anymore. I'm giving myself the fundamental education so I don't have to do so much hacking and have so many problems at once. If you're interested in this progress, keep a watch out at blog.twoleg.com. I expect to release a simple app for free just to get the hang of it. It probably won't be anything groundbreaking - probably an enhanced flashlight application or something. Not a whole lot of design considerations in that realm. I will try to post progress at least weekly.Toodles!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Good Quote of the Day
"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand" - Kurt Vonnegut
Struck me as amusing today, simply because it was off-topic for my recent activities and what's on my mind lately. It reminded me that sometimes we just have to forget important things every once in awhile and just laugh.
Struck me as amusing today, simply because it was off-topic for my recent activities and what's on my mind lately. It reminded me that sometimes we just have to forget important things every once in awhile and just laugh.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
AIX User Authentication Lockout
Hi Folks,
No one at work cares about this, so I'll tell the world here since I never found the answer during my 45-minute Googling session last night.
AIX, like any other system, has a lockout policy: a pre-determined number of unsuccessful logon attempts results in the account being denied access until an administrator unlocks the account and/or resets the number of failed logins. Pretty straightforward and simple, huh?
The problem presents itself when that locked-out user tries to establish an SSH session to the box. All they get is Access denied, and authentication fails. Enter the administrator (me, last night). SMIT showed that the account was not locked, and logins were enabled. First thought: reset the password. Okay - done.
Access denied. Shit.
We know from the obvious that the user has locked himself out, but how do we absolutely know that when SMIT says it's not locked? The user attributes showed the account lockout threshold was 5 unsuccessful attempts. Under Solaris, the account unlocks when we reset the password. Not AIX.
I ended up resetting the unsuccessful login count to 0 through SMIT and the user successfully logged in. Problem solved, but where's my indicator for next time? How can I tell that the threshold has been exceeded?
Even after the password reset, I had tried su - username, and finally got something other than Access denied. It told me that the maximum number of unsuccessful logon attempts had been exceeded. There's a clue....
The user doesn't see that when they're trying to SSH to the box - sshd just says "No. You go away."
Resetting the unsuccessful login count in SMIT showed me that the command is
It turns out that the count is kept in that file: /etc/security/lastlog. There is a line under the user stanza with, you guessed it,
if n is greater than the maximum number specified in the user attributes, it's not going to show TRUE for Is Account LOCKED? It will just be there.
So just reset the unsuccessful login count whenever you reset a password. Chances are you're getting a call to reset the password because they have tried too many times.
This was on AIX 5.3.
No one at work cares about this, so I'll tell the world here since I never found the answer during my 45-minute Googling session last night.
AIX, like any other system, has a lockout policy: a pre-determined number of unsuccessful logon attempts results in the account being denied access until an administrator unlocks the account and/or resets the number of failed logins. Pretty straightforward and simple, huh?
The problem presents itself when that locked-out user tries to establish an SSH session to the box. All they get is Access denied, and authentication fails. Enter the administrator (me, last night). SMIT showed that the account was not locked, and logins were enabled. First thought: reset the password. Okay - done.
Access denied. Shit.
We know from the obvious that the user has locked himself out, but how do we absolutely know that when SMIT says it's not locked? The user attributes showed the account lockout threshold was 5 unsuccessful attempts. Under Solaris, the account unlocks when we reset the password. Not AIX.
I ended up resetting the unsuccessful login count to 0 through SMIT and the user successfully logged in. Problem solved, but where's my indicator for next time? How can I tell that the threshold has been exceeded?
Even after the password reset, I had tried su - username, and finally got something other than Access denied. It told me that the maximum number of unsuccessful logon attempts had been exceeded. There's a clue....
The user doesn't see that when they're trying to SSH to the box - sshd just says "No. You go away."
Resetting the unsuccessful login count in SMIT showed me that the command is
chsec -f /etc/security/lastlog -a "unsuccessful_login_count=0" -s 'username'
It turns out that the count is kept in that file: /etc/security/lastlog. There is a line under the user stanza with, you guessed it,
unsuccessful_login_count=n
if n is greater than the maximum number specified in the user attributes, it's not going to show TRUE for Is Account LOCKED? It will just be there.
So just reset the unsuccessful login count whenever you reset a password. Chances are you're getting a call to reset the password because they have tried too many times.
This was on AIX 5.3.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Random Thinking
I've just come to the conclusion, at 12:48 this morning, that I don't write here much anymore because I really don't care enough to do so. I am not that passionate about anything anymore to the point that I feel I should write about it.
Apparently I'm passionate enough about not being passionate, though. I've just told you in a couple of sentences that I don't care about anything enough to write a public discussion. And look - you're already growing bored of this post. The fact is that I have had this blog here at benrehberg.com for over six years now and I have only posted 520 times. I've nearly tweeted that much in 18 months. And speaking of Twitter, I think I'm getting off of that train. Facebook too. Down with friends who only know me again through a social experiment and marketing shithole. And fuck Mark Zuckerberg.
And lately, fuck Google too, and their sleazy one-night-stand Verizon. I'm beginning to dislike those companies simply because they profit too much on the personal interactions of individuals. It's a sickness that wears one out from the outside in. First it was search results which were innocent enough. It has come all the way to "push" advertising, where Google will know that since I like pizza and I am near a pizza restaurant, my phone will buzz to tell me the specials there (near future).
No thanks. I'm quitting Facebook, and I am seriously considering not continuing with Google and Android. I do not live where that plethora of information is usable, and I am becoming increasingly afraid that we will become too dependent on this availability of data and personalization. Like GPS has done for travelers - we no longer have maps or ask for directions.
I realize that I am rambling. It's late and I have been drinking to counteract the early-afternoon coffee that punishes me when I close my eyes tonight.
Apparently I'm passionate enough about not being passionate, though. I've just told you in a couple of sentences that I don't care about anything enough to write a public discussion. And look - you're already growing bored of this post. The fact is that I have had this blog here at benrehberg.com for over six years now and I have only posted 520 times. I've nearly tweeted that much in 18 months. And speaking of Twitter, I think I'm getting off of that train. Facebook too. Down with friends who only know me again through a social experiment and marketing shithole. And fuck Mark Zuckerberg.
And lately, fuck Google too, and their sleazy one-night-stand Verizon. I'm beginning to dislike those companies simply because they profit too much on the personal interactions of individuals. It's a sickness that wears one out from the outside in. First it was search results which were innocent enough. It has come all the way to "push" advertising, where Google will know that since I like pizza and I am near a pizza restaurant, my phone will buzz to tell me the specials there (near future).
No thanks. I'm quitting Facebook, and I am seriously considering not continuing with Google and Android. I do not live where that plethora of information is usable, and I am becoming increasingly afraid that we will become too dependent on this availability of data and personalization. Like GPS has done for travelers - we no longer have maps or ask for directions.
I realize that I am rambling. It's late and I have been drinking to counteract the early-afternoon coffee that punishes me when I close my eyes tonight.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Happy Birthdays
It's not all bad when you share a birthday with Samuel Adams, George Muller, Thomas Nast, Meat Loaf, Lil' Wayne, and Avril Lavigne.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_27
Happy Birthdays, folks.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Verizon and Windstream Have It Out For Me
I am without Internet access this morning at home. No big deal - an outage has to happen sometime, right? We can't have a perfect world, so I am not all that upset about not being able to read e-mail. I have many other things to do at 5 am.
However, one thing I chose to do was test the new tethering capability on Android 2.2. Would I need a driver or special software? Android 2.2 gave devices the capability to share its Internet connection via WiFi (which was a fantastic idea, by the way), but Verizon left that part out of the 2.2 update for the Droid. I called them cock-blocks that day for that. A statement I read spewed some bullshit about the Droid not having the ability to do that - a hardware limitation.
Folks have been rooting the Droid and making it a hotspot since the damn thing hit the streets. It obviously has the capability.
Anyway, it turns out that if I want to tether it with USB, all I have to do is plug it in and turn on tethering. Windows 7 apparently works well with it. We got a private address and everything - it looked good. However, I did not have access to the Internet. I tried to browse the Web with the phone and got the page from Verizon that said: "If you would like to subscribe to mobile broadband..." I was not happy. If I have unlimited Internet access via my handheld device, what is the difference if I use that connection with a computer? Why do I have to pay even more just to use the same service in a different way?
I didn't get an iPhone because AT&T wireless sucks in rural areas, such as the one in which I live. Sprint is the same. Verizon has coverage nearly anywhere I go, so I stuck with them. Now they're sticking it to me. And I am not happy.
I do now believe that when I move to a respectably-sized city I will be switching carriers. Wankers.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Weekend Rumination
I have had some thoughts over the weekend and I have decided to stay with the new job for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time. I am gaining a great amount of experience, the money's pretty good, and it is a lot more interesting than the last five years I've just spent in state employment. I'm getting better at the new stuff every day (I'd said I was impatient and I was right) and I think I might enjoy it a little.
We'll see what happens.
We'll see what happens.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Windows Internals
I've been reading Windows Internals, 4th ed. by Mark Russinovich and David Solomon this weekend, and there are things within Windows that I never thought existed. Windows can be troubleshot to the finest detail and it seems I will be able to debug third-party software with just a few tools within Windows itself.
The 4th edition covers XP and Server 2003, while the 5th edition (the most current) covers Vista and Server 2008. I chose to buy a used copy of the 4th edition to cover most of what we have deployed in the field, and to understand its limitations. I'm trying to get the workplace to buy the 5th edition for us.
If I find anything else interesting, I'll certainly post it here if I feel passionate enough about it.
The 4th edition covers XP and Server 2003, while the 5th edition (the most current) covers Vista and Server 2008. I chose to buy a used copy of the 4th edition to cover most of what we have deployed in the field, and to understand its limitations. I'm trying to get the workplace to buy the 5th edition for us.
If I find anything else interesting, I'll certainly post it here if I feel passionate enough about it.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
No One Knows What to Do When Their Needs and Their Dreams Conflict
I was writing to Scott this morning and discovered that I had something to say.
The new job has me at a crossroads. I am back on a time clock and I feel like a monkey. However, the salary is much higher than I was making without the clock so I figure at some point I'll get over it. Still, it's demeaning and it makes me feel undervalued. I also have absolutely nothing in common with anyone there.
The new job has me at a crossroads. I am back on a time clock and I feel like a monkey. However, the salary is much higher than I was making without the clock so I figure at some point I'll get over it. Still, it's demeaning and it makes me feel undervalued. I also have absolutely nothing in common with anyone there.
I had some serious reflection time alone at lunch yesterday. I'm giving up the better part of a business that, if taken full-time, could allow me to retire comfortably at 40. Staying with the bank in my monkey chair with a headset on is less stressful and more focused, but I would retire with everyone else at 65 or something. I really had to weigh my options and assess risks, and I still haven't really decided. For the time being, though, I will probably keep showing up at the bank every morning.
I think my discomfort stems primarily from the drastic change. I just left a job where I made my own schedule, knew everything about my job (and made it up when I didn't), and my boss bought the beer every time we met, which was not often. I now work in the same building with my boss, I have a schedule set by the company, I have to follow a dress code, and I'm really confused about what it is I was hired to do. Mostly, I don't like having an earnings ceiling and a boss. Especially the boss. That really bothers me. I have found that I am more comfortable with making my own decisions based on my own experience and knowledge - the department I am in has its little need-to-know hierarchy and it's a pain in the balls when I can't make a decision because I can't get in touch with someone. I do not feel empowered.
I have come to the conclusion that no IT department does IT correctly, and that bothers me. I am finally experiencing that difference they speak of between college and the world, that challenge-invoking difference between education and practice. However, that doesn't have to be that way. I mean - seriously - when I get an e-mail from the Systems Administrator telling me to ensure I adjust the power scheme on every laptop I deploy, there is something wrong. The company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on hardware, infrastructure, and management software that I should never have to touch a machine more than once to deploy it. Group Policy exists solely for this purpose. We have 600 machines deployed and it seems there is no standard. How the hell does someone manage 600 devices by hand? The answer: inefficiently. Therein lies the source of why no one is very positive. No wonder they're busy and "understaffed."
Whatever I decide, this job will give me some good experience to take to the next place. It's not all bad - I am learning a whole lot about some specialized software and gaining enterprise-level hands-on practice. This could be the start of a successful career in the banking industry. I could just be feeling growing pains exacerbated by my impatience. I will wait a couple more months to see if I can inject some sense into the workplace.
This is not to say that I hate working there, but so far no one has been very positive or outgoing and the whole lot of them are just downright strange. I feel like I should just keep to myself and not bother with making acquaintances - there are no benefits to such things here.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Changes Forthcoming
I got a new job recently but haven't started yet. I haven't bothered to tell anyone on Facebook or even Tweet about it. My friends (or rather, those people who are on that list) don't read this blog. When they start bitching about my not telling them my life changed, I can say "well, I posted about it on my blog."
I will lose my tablet computer next Thursday. I'd planned to quit Friday the 3rd but we're furloughed. So in losing my only mobile computer I have left since the state won't let me keep it, I ordered my next PC. It's a customized HP Pavilion dv6z (looks a lot like this one
) and I think it's the end-all for five years. With a quad-core AMD Phenom II, 640GB HDD, and 6GB RAM, I should be set for at least that long. They threw in a discounted HP Officejet 4500 Wireless All-in-One I couldn't resist getting that too.
I got the printer in yesterday and the slip-case I tagged on will be here tomorrow. HP still says the computer will be built by September 2, 2010. I ordered a Dell laptop for a client a day before I ordered my own from HP. We'll see which one gets here first.
I will lose my tablet computer next Thursday. I'd planned to quit Friday the 3rd but we're furloughed. So in losing my only mobile computer I have left since the state won't let me keep it, I ordered my next PC. It's a customized HP Pavilion dv6z (looks a lot like this one
) and I think it's the end-all for five years. With a quad-core AMD Phenom II, 640GB HDD, and 6GB RAM, I should be set for at least that long. They threw in a discounted HP Officejet 4500 Wireless All-in-One I couldn't resist getting that too.I got the printer in yesterday and the slip-case I tagged on will be here tomorrow. HP still says the computer will be built by September 2, 2010. I ordered a Dell laptop for a client a day before I ordered my own from HP. We'll see which one gets here first.
Friday, August 06, 2010
"Too Many Stakeholders are Being Left Out of Discussions Over the Future of the Internet"
I think it's time we started creating our own networks with IPv6 and sticking it to the corporations. An ad-hoc network would work if everyone knew what was going on. One tie-in to a public backbone and I can light up a community without touching the mainstream corporations.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
I Missed Something
I just spent two entire minutes moderating comments. The only one of the 16 comments I published was from my mom.
Thanks, Mom - you'll be sure to get my new address.
In light of this, I am amazed at how many robots post comments at random blogs. I now wonder what percentage of my visitors is human.
Thanks, Mom - you'll be sure to get my new address.
In light of this, I am amazed at how many robots post comments at random blogs. I now wonder what percentage of my visitors is human.
Google Wave is Dead. Long Live Google Wave!
Google Wave is dead.
While I was very excited about the project and the product, I am equally unsurprised about the demise. Tony Bradley hit it on the head when he wrote "Unfortunately, nobody really understood what to do with Wave, and Google never gave any useful guidance to clarify it."
My thoughts precisely. I had every idea of how to use it, and a lot more people found other uses, but no one caught on. Adoption was too shallow, advertisement wasn't really pushy, and no one I work with would get on and use it. I'm on a team with 25 people, and Wave would have worked wonders for our boring-ass conference calls. We could easily publish an agenda, create a document, and collaborate with unparalleled efficiency if we'd used it.
But all is not lost. Eric Schmidt said that they're taking the technologies and applying them to products that haven't been mentioned yet. I'd rather they put Wave technologies into Google Docs, Google Talk, and perhaps right inside GMail so we won't have to use a separate product to experience what Wave was supposed to give us.
While I was very excited about the project and the product, I am equally unsurprised about the demise. Tony Bradley hit it on the head when he wrote "Unfortunately, nobody really understood what to do with Wave, and Google never gave any useful guidance to clarify it."
My thoughts precisely. I had every idea of how to use it, and a lot more people found other uses, but no one caught on. Adoption was too shallow, advertisement wasn't really pushy, and no one I work with would get on and use it. I'm on a team with 25 people, and Wave would have worked wonders for our boring-ass conference calls. We could easily publish an agenda, create a document, and collaborate with unparalleled efficiency if we'd used it.
But all is not lost. Eric Schmidt said that they're taking the technologies and applying them to products that haven't been mentioned yet. I'd rather they put Wave technologies into Google Docs, Google Talk, and perhaps right inside GMail so we won't have to use a separate product to experience what Wave was supposed to give us.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Facebook Hiatus
I'm taking a break from Facebook and changing my e-mail address. It has become more information overload and things that don't matter and less life. Less communication; fewer genuine interactions. I enjoy talking to people, sharing things, and discussions, but that doesn't have to take place on Facebook. I can share through Twitter, Foursquare, and this site. I can communicate through e-mail. I enjoy reading and writing when it's person-to-person; I am very tired of reading newsletters, sales offers, Facebook updates, and pass-this-along bullshit.
So I'm starting from scratch and I'm managing my own data. If you already know my e-mail address or phone number, send me a note or call me for the new address.
And don't expect a reply from me within five minutes. I no longer have a computer stationed inside my house. I look forward to more personal communication with my real friends. Send me a note to let me know how you are; I should return the favor before the seasons change.
So I'm starting from scratch and I'm managing my own data. If you already know my e-mail address or phone number, send me a note or call me for the new address.
And don't expect a reply from me within five minutes. I no longer have a computer stationed inside my house. I look forward to more personal communication with my real friends. Send me a note to let me know how you are; I should return the favor before the seasons change.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)