RAGBRAI 2010

I was thinking about my future today, and I have come to the conclusion that I can't switch jobs for another two years. Here's why:

I have said I'd go to RAGBRAI in 2010 with Scott (and he better still be on board), so I can't start a new job because then I won't have the vacation time saved up.

And that's all. That is the sole reason I can't move or change jobs. Things like that can really screw up some plans.

Oh, and I just thought of this - after five years at this job, I'll be vested in the retirement plan. Not that it's worth anything, but I might get some more out of it than I would by leaving early. I don't think I've ever stayed at a job for more than four years. Next October will be four years at this one, so we'll see. I hope it gets a little more interesting. But that's for another post.

Can't Say I Didn't Think About It

I've spent some time with my neighbor recently, and discovered that I am slightly envious of him. He lives alone, and is a senior NCO in the Air Force. He is two years older than I am, and he has six years to go to retirement from the military. He seems to have everything going for him and all is in order. Oh, to be like that.

I have battled for several months now about joining the military once more. Sixteen years won't last that long, especially if I choose to enjoy my time. The four years I spent in the Army were very long because I resisted liking anything about where I was or what I did. I want to change that and retire in sixteen years, and then go get a job so I can retire again.

But some things make me not want to. First: the pay. I think I make more now than I would if I went back in, and raises would not come so frequently. Second: I'd have to travel some, for extended periods of time. I have become comfortable being home, especially now that we have a child. When I am gone, I can at least call and be called by the family.

But how else can I get a chance to live in Germany? To have free health care for my family? To go to the gym for absolutely free, and probably find someone to play racquetball with? To have a structured daily life? To not wonder what to wear? To get real-world experience with computers, a security clearance, and probably a $100K-plus job after retirement?

So I'm stuck. It's stability versus comfort. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting my life to be different.

Really Beta.

I got an e-mail from Apple yesterday about joining the new iPhone/iPod developers' forum, now in beta. As an iPhone developer, I have access.

The system runs on Apple servers, running Java, serving JSPs. I had an error setting up my account this morning, and it looks like the whole thing broke. Maybe they should set up a forum to discuss forum issues.

Business Unusual

I got a call today from a woman who works in an office I support. She wanted to buy a laptop tonight. And then she showed up and bought one.

After all the boredom and worry about that little computer store, someone manages to come in and buy something every month. Maybe I will actually make it.

Impatience

I've been impatient. That's the root cause.

I have had this familiar fruity taste in all the beer that has come out of my Mr. Beer kit, and I discovered tonight just what that peculiar taste was: wort. Unfermented beer. I hadn't waited long enough for the yeast to finish consuming all the sugars, and there I was, drinking unfinished beer.

It is very apparent in the latest batch of brown ale, and I had to even pour out a glass. I bottled it after seven days, but should have gone longer since I added Sugar in the Raw during the boil. I took it all out of the refrigerator tonight and will let it sit on the counter for a week. I just hope the tops don't blow off.

The blonde ale I have in the fermenter will stay much longer. Today is the 9th day in there and I don't have any intention of bottling it this week. I'm so disappointed in the last brown ale that I'm going to sit on this blonde for a good while. It's still bubbling, and I hope it turns out okay. Two more ingredient kits are on the way from Mr. Beer and my five-gallon equipment has been shipped. I might need to borrow a refrigerator or have a huge party.

The Debate

My Girl

Anika is a fantastic child. I just thought I'd share with the world this morning's joy.

Kids, You Know?

I went to a meeting Tuesday night with a handful of local merchants in Cook County. We're (they're) trying to get a group together to help bolster small business revenue locally. I took Anika with me since Beth has school Tuesday nights. Anika loves my computer shop and even has a cot there to lay down on.

The mayor was at the meeting, as were the owner of the local newspaper and several other business owners (obviously). I had a hard time keeping Anika quiet and to herself as she grew bored. Once about every 150 seconds, I tried to tell her to quiet down, quit kicking the table, don't draw on that, etc. There were several other conversations going on in addition to the speaker of the meeting. Anika wasn't the only person bored enough to find other entertainment.

I had to get stern with her one more time, and turned around to listen (or act as if I was). I felt a pat on my arm and turned back to her. She was pointing directly at Mayor Barr and said aloud, "Well he needs to be quiet too!"

I love her. She's so fair.

No One

"Never underestimate the disparity between developer excitement and user apathy."
-Ted Dziuba

I was reading this article this morning and came across that line. It's a good one-liner that encompasses a lot of what I feel sometimes.

I read the tech magazines and have my cool 2600 shirts, but no one can relate. Nearly everyone I know has better things to think about, and they don't give a shit about what it is I do. That is, until they have a problem with some electronic device. But even then, they just want it fixed. They don't really care what the problem was. They ask, but they don't listen to the answer or really care for my explanation.

I like to think I know what I'm doing most of the time, and so far it's working. It's just that I'm lonely in my enthusiasm about computing. There is no one here like me.

Let Me Say This

This is in response to this little post. I'm not opposed to helping people. Yes, I'd like to pick the ones I help (who wouldn't like to know where their time and money are going?). The rich get richer and the poor get poorer because too many people think that they can't change. I'd like to imagine that if my house was flooded and everything was gone, I could make something somewhere else and get through. I wouldn't be cursing the government or the rich because I was hungry. I don't know a single wealthy person who would refuse to grant me a meal or even a night in their house. Some folks I know even have a spare house or two I could probably use.

As a small business owner, how am I to respond to that article? I am certainly toward the bottom of that pyramid mentioned, but I like to think I make good decisions based on what I know. It's only my fault that I am where I am, whether I'm at the top or the bottom. Should I make more money and hire someone to pay, or should I just try to make rich people poorer to equalize the social status in my region? I don't get it. What is the purpose of starting my own business if it is so wrong to build wealth and pay poor people to work for me? I probably couldn't find any wealthy people to sit in my shop - I'd rather pay someone who needs the money and wants the experience.

This is all difficult to explain, but I just don't get the point of the article. Maybe it doesn't make a point. It offers no solution. How am I to respond?

How I'm Gonna Feel

Today Begins...

I was supposed to start doing something at 8:00 this morning, but now it's after 9:00 and I've yet to peel my buttocks off this chair. I actually have a full calendar today, but I just don't feel like doing much.

Now that you've helped me think about this, I'll go to work.

I Should Live in Canada

I was going to post a cute little thing about one of those personality quizzes I took this morning, but the code to embed it is really bad and it clashed with Blogger's editor anyway.

So I'll just tell you about it.

No I won't. It's not important. It was a waste of 30 minutes, which in turn made me waste your two minutes reading this post. And you're no better for it. Some friend I am, huh?

Wish You Were Here

Looks like Friday will be rough. I expected to see storms by yesterday, but Fay decided to take another trip to the Atlantic and get her wits about her (you know she's tired after touring Florida). Then she's coming over. It's warm out in the Atlantic and some say she could become a hurricane before she comes to Georgia. The tip of the yellow arrow is about where I live:

Another Idea Down the Drain

Well, there you have it - right there in the agreement for the iPhone developer program: You can't drive a cruise missile via an iPhone application. There goes my fancy new government contract. From the agreement itself:

Applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance; automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management; or emergency or life-saving purposes.

Doesn't that suck? Just what exactly are we to do with our iPhones* if we can't blow something up?


*I don't own an iPhone and plan to only if I develop something really cool that needs testing.

Learning a Lesson

I know I shouldn't hire anyone. I'm stressed to be efficient so as to reach a point at which the company is profitable, and that means I'm in it alone for a long while.

But I really have to poop.

And I'm sure there's some law that says as soon as I get back there and down to business, a customer will walk in the door. I haven't had a genuine customer just walk in yet, but if I go back there and get to it, I am sure I will meet my first.

In good spirits,

Reach for the Sky

We've had a hold-up. My day job announced that they need me tomorrow through Friday in Atlanta, and I won't be able to operate the store from there.

I have given some thought to setting up the iMac on the counter and doing a video chat with customers as they walk in, but that would be more of a pain right now. Maybe when I get more established downtown I can do a remote-consultation type of thing from afar.

We will now be opening the storefront on August 9, 2008. We'll see how that goes.

It's On Now, Bitches!

This is only the beginning. From this photo, we're much farther along than this today. We should be open for business next weekend; I'm shooting for Saturday, August 2.

Rehberg Technology, Inc.

Let's see... what did I get done today?

I woke up, worked in the shop several hours, came home, drank some beer, ate dinner, posted to a class forum, and then I formed a corporation.

Who thought it would be that easy? Just a quick web form and $100, and I have myself a business entity. Rehberg Technology, Inc. is as of right now Georgia's newest corporation, and I couldn't be more proud for them to name me as the CEO.

Which reminds me - I have to stop by the paper and give them $40 and the instructions for the press release (notice of incorporation).

It's late now and I'm spent. I formed a whole company, for chrissake! Good night.

Mr. Dvorak, You Are Wrong Again.

He thinks that Internet access should be metered, just like the power and water. You pay for what you use. His argument is rational, I'll admit, but it is not inclusive of every use.

I'm writing in a hurry because I really want to discuss this, but Beth won't let me take a computer this weekend to Florida. I'll put the link here so you can take a look, and I will discuss this at length at a later time. I'm shutting down now.