Stonewerks.net

The IndyCar season finally begins this weekend with the first race ever in Sao Paulo Brazil. I am not a super fan of street courses as I prefer road circuits or ovals better, but a street course is better than nothing. Actually they will be better when the new engine package comes in and turbos are allowed again. Hmmmmmmmmmm turbos…….
Its and early one so set the DVR for 11:30am. I know Gus and Bill are waiting with baited breath for this one.

Sao Paulo Virtual Lap

A few years back Steve gave us his old Series One Tivo and instantly the wife fell in love with this little box by the TV. Fast forward to today and it has turned sad. Comcast is switching to digital and killing off its analog signal in the near future. Ahead of this switch they have stopped providing guide data that Tivo pulled down so the only thing Tivo can record now is the major networks. Then once Comcast turns off the analog feed we will have to get rid of the Tivo all together.

Keep looking at Dish Network because they have this device that is a shared DVR so you can record your shows and then watch them on either TV in the house. Kind of a cool idea.

Just got a call from someone at the old company needing help.

Them – Hi this is Dan from JK and I can’t get to the intranet.
Me – Yeah I am not going to be able to help you, I no longer work there, you are going to have to call S____.
Them – {long pause} {confused tone} Uhmmm Ohhhh. Who am I suppose to call now?
Me – S_____ P______.
Them – S_____ who?
Me – P_____, his number is on the intranet homepage.
Them – Ok I will call him.

Wow I knew we neglected the remote facility and 2nd and 3rd shift never saw us but I guess I didn’t realize we were unknown.

This past weekend the wife and I visited my family in Ohio. It is a long drive to them but it is worth it. Friday afternoon we got to the parents house and my brother came over for dinner. After dinner we were talking and Mom was looking for some old drawing that my Dad had done and she was reading some of the things that my brother and I had written when we were kids. There were many big belly laughs from that pile of old papers and it was an absolutely fantastic night.

Saturday we went to where my brother and his girlfriend work and was able to talk to her for a little while. We thought she wasn’t working on Saturday and were going to hang out with her but we were wrong.

Sunday we went to church with my parents. Those are some genuinely nice people at that church, they type people you would expect to be at church. Afterward, we all went out to a pizza joint for lunch and just sat and talked. The wife and I knew we had to get rolling for home but really didn’t want to leave. Finally we got up to make our way back to the North and on the way out we took this picture. I set the camera on the trunk of Mom and Dad’s car and everyone smiled nicely (except me, look like a stupid chipmunk) and took the picture. Hugged and said our good byes and when we would see each other again, and headed to our own homes.

I love seeing my family more than anything, and look forward to the next time we can be together again.

Today was my first day at my new job.

Wow.

There are going to be many many moons required to whip this network into any respectable shape. They have been without a full time admin for way too long and it shows. I plan on taking pictures of the current physical state as well as documenting for myself its current situation. Then over time look at where it has come. There are many notes that I jotted down today about things that aren’t working at all, half working, configured in a way I don’t approve of and many questions about what I saw. And this is just the physical layout and the servers. Tomorrow I hope to have time to dive into switch, router, and firewall configs to see what we have going on there.

It is going to be an incredible challenge and I found myself wondering today, “where on earth do I even start?” This is going to be a blast!

What a great game between Team USA and Canada in Olympic hockey!

Twitter is all a flutter and the Canadians seem a little miffed at Brodeur!

I was in a bit of an industrious mood today. One of the projects I have been avoiding is pulling up all the 12×12 vinyl tiles and then the old linoleum flooring in the utility and half bath. I need to remove this old flooring so that I can put down the in floor heating and then a mastic layer before the new floor. I knew this job was going to suck so I didn’t have a lot of motivation. So today I sat down with the heat gun and a putty knife to start pulling back the flooring the best I could. I quit after only 30 minutes and 7 tiles removed.

Here is what I learned. When your heat gun goes to 1100 degrees and you are heating up the vinyl tiles, if those super heated tiles and glue fall on your finger, it can remove the skin from said finger.

There has to be a better way to do this job.

After 6+ years with my current employer, I have chosen to take a new opportunity. It was a hard choice to make as a truly enjoy where I work and with those who I work with but there are opportunities at the new employer that I feel I must take the chance on. Tuesday is my last day and March 1 I start with my new duties and I have the mixed emotions of sadness and excitement.