March 2008 Archives
Saturday I spent the afternoon out with my D70, playing with the 28-80mm, 70-300m, and 50mm lens. I've been meaning to get down there for a few weeks. I started off at Ocean Beach, and then moved down to Sunset Cliffs. I didn't quite make it out to the pier--I'll have to do that sometime.
A friend of mine turned me onto Adobe Lightroom, so I played in that all day Sunday - awesome product.
Meanwhile, you can peruse the handpicked images over at The Gallery
(be glad I didn't post all 450 images!) :)
A friend of mine turned me onto Adobe Lightroom, so I played in that all day Sunday - awesome product.
Meanwhile, you can peruse the handpicked images over at The Gallery
(be glad I didn't post all 450 images!) :)
I occurred to me tonight...I'd never done a speed test on my cable connection here at home.
The results were pretty darned good:
Can't really complain about that for $50/mo, eh? (at least in terms of US cable-based broadband)
The results were pretty darned good:
Can't really complain about that for $50/mo, eh? (at least in terms of US cable-based broadband)
Last Saturday I noticed a "pimple" inside my mouth, on the gum, by one of my back molars (#14). I've had these before. It means that a near-by root, which has been root canal'd, has developed an infection. I let one sit for 6+ months before and ended up going thru a lengthy oral surgery procedure to go into the side of the gum, cut it out, clean it, heal it. Luckily I had an amazing endodontist (in LA at the time).
Well, long story short, I got referred to an endo here; went in this morning to have him check it out. Took some pics. It was exactly as I thought -- infection around the root of #14. Now #14 got treated originally probably 8 yrs ago? Maybe longer. He decided he'd rather re-do the root canal - I concurred and he went right to work. I wasn't necessarily expecting that to happen TODAY...but sure, the sooner the better where infections are concerned.
It's 1216 now, and the novacaine is wearing off. Left side of my face/head hurts, just from the trauma (my jaw does NOT like to be open like that for that long). I'll go back in a month, he wants to treat one of the canals in that tooth further.
Well, long story short, I got referred to an endo here; went in this morning to have him check it out. Took some pics. It was exactly as I thought -- infection around the root of #14. Now #14 got treated originally probably 8 yrs ago? Maybe longer. He decided he'd rather re-do the root canal - I concurred and he went right to work. I wasn't necessarily expecting that to happen TODAY...but sure, the sooner the better where infections are concerned.
It's 1216 now, and the novacaine is wearing off. Left side of my face/head hurts, just from the trauma (my jaw does NOT like to be open like that for that long). I'll go back in a month, he wants to treat one of the canals in that tooth further.
I just had a very nice 3hr 34min conversation with a great old friend of mine, James. Found out he had a major case of pneumonia recently - had him in the hospital for a month. Horrible! But he apparently has the genetic make-up of Wolverine so he was able to get over it quickly & return to work (sooner than he would have liked, I think).
But my point is - it's was just a really nice evening, talking & catching up. He's one of those rare friends that, no matter how much time passes between contact (days, months, years), he'll always be one of my best friends who I care about a lot. Doesn't hurt that we "get" each other -- and we had a good long talk tonight about the frustrations of meeting new friends & people when most of them just don't "get" you.
That's been especially true during my time here in SoCal (LA & SD both). The folks at work get it, cuz they're part of it. The tech, the lifestyle involved. But outside of that environment, I end up meeting people who just don't grok what it's like to be an IT geek. I remember a few months back when someone was shocked and just couldn't understand why I leave my home PC on all the time. It was such a basic thing for me, I took me a minute to even be able to respond to them.
At any rate-- catching up with friends is one of those moments to live for in life :) I enjoy any time I get to spend a couple hours with someone & either be nostalgic, or philosophic, or just catch up on life.
I should mention I also had a few hrs with AgentX last night; talking about drinks, DefCon, why I should find a talk to give & hit the hacker-con circuit, etc. Good times. I've gotta go visit him in The Shire sometime soon.
I guess it's been a good "catching up" weekend.
But my point is - it's was just a really nice evening, talking & catching up. He's one of those rare friends that, no matter how much time passes between contact (days, months, years), he'll always be one of my best friends who I care about a lot. Doesn't hurt that we "get" each other -- and we had a good long talk tonight about the frustrations of meeting new friends & people when most of them just don't "get" you.
That's been especially true during my time here in SoCal (LA & SD both). The folks at work get it, cuz they're part of it. The tech, the lifestyle involved. But outside of that environment, I end up meeting people who just don't grok what it's like to be an IT geek. I remember a few months back when someone was shocked and just couldn't understand why I leave my home PC on all the time. It was such a basic thing for me, I took me a minute to even be able to respond to them.
At any rate-- catching up with friends is one of those moments to live for in life :) I enjoy any time I get to spend a couple hours with someone & either be nostalgic, or philosophic, or just catch up on life.
I should mention I also had a few hrs with AgentX last night; talking about drinks, DefCon, why I should find a talk to give & hit the hacker-con circuit, etc. Good times. I've gotta go visit him in The Shire sometime soon.
I guess it's been a good "catching up" weekend.
It's underway.
First face-to-face was back in Minnesota (eh!) a couple weeks ago. Next staff meeting will be at LayerOne in Pasadena in May.
Started planning with the hotel yesterday/today. I love those folks! This from the email thread:
Feel free to follow the antics over at DefConNetworking.org
I setup the site to be informational -- today I actually google'd it, and found a pretty cool shout-out from last year. Also listed in a few other places.
First face-to-face was back in Minnesota (eh!) a couple weeks ago. Next staff meeting will be at LayerOne in Pasadena in May.
Started planning with the hotel yesterday/today. I love those folks! This from the email thread:
p.s. real name is Steve, but no one at DefCon calls me that :)
p.s.s. real name is Theresa, but no at DefCon calls me that. I don't know what they call me and maybe I don't want to know:)
Feel free to follow the antics over at DefConNetworking.org
I setup the site to be informational -- today I actually google'd it, and found a pretty cool shout-out from last year. Also listed in a few other places.
I spent a few hours at Balboa Park today. GORGEOUS day, btw! I wanted to get my new 50mm lens out for some trials, see how I like it, how it likes to be used, etc. Got some good pics, I think. See whatcha think. They're over in the Gallery under San Diego -> Balboa Park.
It's official. I am KI6PBS.
OpenID is now supported for commentary.
Happy Birthday Mr. Peay. Don't say I never got you anything! :)
Happy Birthday Mr. Peay. Don't say I never got you anything! :)
It's always funny how most Mondays are so busy. Either pre-planned-busy (eg. back-to-back meetings) or they just fall out that way. I remember driving to work I had a really great set of thoughts to share... and I intended to jot them down as soon as I get into the office - but then the habits, the routine, and the email kicks in, and blocks everything out. I was just about to give up, as I sat down just now to write this, relegating those thoughts to the wasteland of memories not to be retrieved, when I remembered!
It was around the point of the 52 merging onto the 805, having random half-awake dreams, when I reflecting on my faith, my belief in God, my religion. It's not often I share my views, my thoughts. It's a personal relationship. It's rare I write about any relationships, much less my spiritual one. It's certainly difficult enough being gay, much less gay & republican, much less gay and republican and Christian. People wonder how I reconcile all that. I just do. I have faith. I believe. Need there be anything more? I remind people that I have a paper I wrote (pdf) on the subject.
That's not to say I dislike speaking about it. I enjoy it, actually, when I can find someone who appreciates the conversation, not someone who's trying to poke holes in everything. Those are not productive situations. Perhaps those are the people who need the conversation most. I've never been one for philosophical debates. I take information in, absorb it, analyze it, then make observations, recommendations, actions. Real-time debates have never been my forte.
I had this thought also: I'm lucky that God chooses to walk with me. I am the one who is blessed. Turning around the phrase "walking with God." While it's naturally good & fine that you've chosen to walk that path, there's perhaps something to be said for God choosing you to walk with, too. I've had so much turmoil in my life over the years. I'm truly blessed that God stays with me, in my life. Nothing keeps me going more than that. Nothing.
I am sad, truly, that I've lost faith in the churches of mankind. My faith in God never falters. My faith in man, however, does all the time. I see people who use religion as a crutch at times. God gave us free will on purpose. At no point did He ever take that away. Don't hole up inside the church, filled with power struggles and politics. Don't become co-dependent on an organization. Be strong in yourself, be strong in God. Worship with your fellows, but don't cross the line and become lost in the church.
I still think back to when I was 8 or 9 years old, attending First Southern Baptist Church of Woodcrest (Riverside). During that one summer revival, I brought more guests to church than any other church member. More than any other church member! Must have been my winning 8-year-old smile! I won a book for that honour. I still have it, next to my Bible. But in my later life, I sit back & think about those days--I brought so many people to church. Maybe helped bring someone to God. But then what? Maybe that's where churches have failed me. Perhaps the message just never reached me. There seemed like so much focus, in all the churches we attended over the years, on building up the congregation--and thus filling the offering plates. Get people into the pews. But what about after that? How does the church tend to people after someone is saved? It seems like I see too many instances of churches is trying to control peoples' lives in one way or another. I do not believe Jesus ever meant for churches to be organized in His name for that purpose. Free will.
Some of them do a fine job, I have no doubt. It's harder & harder to find them. It's been a long time for me. But yet my faith in God isn't affected even one small bit.
(I wonder if I've offended the Christian readers of my blog yet?)
I was also thinking about the changes in perception over time. Changes in possible "explanations for God." Only 10,000 years ago, God was a concept of a supreme being who you could not possibly look upon else you be struck down by His awesomeness--it was easy to think of the sun as God. As man evolved (if I dare use that term here), more and more explanations of what God may be, or other explanations for the things that happen (science replacing God). And here I stand, being raised of scientific nature, who see all these other fantastic explanations of what "could be", and of course being immersed in sci-fi for so long I can imagine many, many others...and yet I still have complete faith that God is who He says He is.
I don't, as I've mentioned before, and it still resonates in my ears, "wear my religion on my sleeve", being much like my father in those regards. I know there are those who still have a hard time with the gay thing, and/or the republican-thing, and even with the Christian-thing. I've had some desire to find a new church again--but after such bad experiences, it's hard to trust again, especially with something so personal to me.
I'll never push any of my views on anyone else. I only ever offer my experiences as examples. My life is a unique experience and collection of events and actions, just as yours is. You're always invited to share, as I hope some of you will share with me -- and many thanks for those who have shared so much with me already, and I look forward to many years of it still!
It was around the point of the 52 merging onto the 805, having random half-awake dreams, when I reflecting on my faith, my belief in God, my religion. It's not often I share my views, my thoughts. It's a personal relationship. It's rare I write about any relationships, much less my spiritual one. It's certainly difficult enough being gay, much less gay & republican, much less gay and republican and Christian. People wonder how I reconcile all that. I just do. I have faith. I believe. Need there be anything more? I remind people that I have a paper I wrote (pdf) on the subject.
That's not to say I dislike speaking about it. I enjoy it, actually, when I can find someone who appreciates the conversation, not someone who's trying to poke holes in everything. Those are not productive situations. Perhaps those are the people who need the conversation most. I've never been one for philosophical debates. I take information in, absorb it, analyze it, then make observations, recommendations, actions. Real-time debates have never been my forte.
I had this thought also: I'm lucky that God chooses to walk with me. I am the one who is blessed. Turning around the phrase "walking with God." While it's naturally good & fine that you've chosen to walk that path, there's perhaps something to be said for God choosing you to walk with, too. I've had so much turmoil in my life over the years. I'm truly blessed that God stays with me, in my life. Nothing keeps me going more than that. Nothing.
I am sad, truly, that I've lost faith in the churches of mankind. My faith in God never falters. My faith in man, however, does all the time. I see people who use religion as a crutch at times. God gave us free will on purpose. At no point did He ever take that away. Don't hole up inside the church, filled with power struggles and politics. Don't become co-dependent on an organization. Be strong in yourself, be strong in God. Worship with your fellows, but don't cross the line and become lost in the church.
I still think back to when I was 8 or 9 years old, attending First Southern Baptist Church of Woodcrest (Riverside). During that one summer revival, I brought more guests to church than any other church member. More than any other church member! Must have been my winning 8-year-old smile! I won a book for that honour. I still have it, next to my Bible. But in my later life, I sit back & think about those days--I brought so many people to church. Maybe helped bring someone to God. But then what? Maybe that's where churches have failed me. Perhaps the message just never reached me. There seemed like so much focus, in all the churches we attended over the years, on building up the congregation--and thus filling the offering plates. Get people into the pews. But what about after that? How does the church tend to people after someone is saved? It seems like I see too many instances of churches is trying to control peoples' lives in one way or another. I do not believe Jesus ever meant for churches to be organized in His name for that purpose. Free will.
Some of them do a fine job, I have no doubt. It's harder & harder to find them. It's been a long time for me. But yet my faith in God isn't affected even one small bit.
(I wonder if I've offended the Christian readers of my blog yet?)
I was also thinking about the changes in perception over time. Changes in possible "explanations for God." Only 10,000 years ago, God was a concept of a supreme being who you could not possibly look upon else you be struck down by His awesomeness--it was easy to think of the sun as God. As man evolved (if I dare use that term here), more and more explanations of what God may be, or other explanations for the things that happen (science replacing God). And here I stand, being raised of scientific nature, who see all these other fantastic explanations of what "could be", and of course being immersed in sci-fi for so long I can imagine many, many others...and yet I still have complete faith that God is who He says He is.
I don't, as I've mentioned before, and it still resonates in my ears, "wear my religion on my sleeve", being much like my father in those regards. I know there are those who still have a hard time with the gay thing, and/or the republican-thing, and even with the Christian-thing. I've had some desire to find a new church again--but after such bad experiences, it's hard to trust again, especially with something so personal to me.
I'll never push any of my views on anyone else. I only ever offer my experiences as examples. My life is a unique experience and collection of events and actions, just as yours is. You're always invited to share, as I hope some of you will share with me -- and many thanks for those who have shared so much with me already, and I look forward to many years of it still!
February was a very busy month. It flew by, as I knew it would. Preparing for, attending, and recovering from GDC was the name of the game.
I had a very nice weekend last weekend up in Minneapolis with my friends, Dave & Heather. Zac was there. We all celebrated Dave's (2nd, apparently haha) 28th birthday. We decided that in 2 yrs when he turns 30 and I turn 40 we should all goto Germany. I don't know if Heather & I told Dave about that, but there it is :)
On the flight(s) back home, I finished up my ARRL study guide, and this morning I took the amateur radio exam for my Technician Class license. AND ACED IT! Granted it was a fairly easy exam, to be perfectly honest. If you read the book, the questions were very straight forward. There were a couple questions which involved knowing formulas which I was sweating--but didn't get any of those questions. It's a pool of like 600 or 700 questions, and the exam is only 35 of them, and 26 is a passing score. I was told to check the FCC database on Thursday and should have my call-sign then. w00t! Mark one thing off my "things to do before I die" list haha. Maybe I'll go for my General-class license, too? Maybe.
I realized when I got home from the exam (which took all of 20 mins, including paperwork & scoring) that this was my first "weekend off" in 3 weeks. That's the way it goes sometimes. Of course I have this lingering headache from yesterday. Need to resolve that situation.
But I think to celebrate, I'm going to do some cooking this weekend. I'm thinking a pecan pie is on the list, as well as some more focaccia bread (the last batch turned out really well!). And tonight, I am thinking maybe a roast, with baked potatoes (haven't done those in a long time!). I want to find a sauce for the roast, tho -- so that's what I'm on the hunt for right now. Then I'll be off to Whole Paycheck, er Whole Foods and pick up some items -- including, I'm sure, more cheese. I've been on a cheese kick lately.
I had a very nice weekend last weekend up in Minneapolis with my friends, Dave & Heather. Zac was there. We all celebrated Dave's (2nd, apparently haha) 28th birthday. We decided that in 2 yrs when he turns 30 and I turn 40 we should all goto Germany. I don't know if Heather & I told Dave about that, but there it is :)
On the flight(s) back home, I finished up my ARRL study guide, and this morning I took the amateur radio exam for my Technician Class license. AND ACED IT! Granted it was a fairly easy exam, to be perfectly honest. If you read the book, the questions were very straight forward. There were a couple questions which involved knowing formulas which I was sweating--but didn't get any of those questions. It's a pool of like 600 or 700 questions, and the exam is only 35 of them, and 26 is a passing score. I was told to check the FCC database on Thursday and should have my call-sign then. w00t! Mark one thing off my "things to do before I die" list haha. Maybe I'll go for my General-class license, too? Maybe.
I realized when I got home from the exam (which took all of 20 mins, including paperwork & scoring) that this was my first "weekend off" in 3 weeks. That's the way it goes sometimes. Of course I have this lingering headache from yesterday. Need to resolve that situation.
But I think to celebrate, I'm going to do some cooking this weekend. I'm thinking a pecan pie is on the list, as well as some more focaccia bread (the last batch turned out really well!). And tonight, I am thinking maybe a roast, with baked potatoes (haven't done those in a long time!). I want to find a sauce for the roast, tho -- so that's what I'm on the hunt for right now. Then I'll be off to Whole Paycheck, er Whole Foods and pick up some items -- including, I'm sure, more cheese. I've been on a cheese kick lately.
