Diary of a Network Geek

"Never confuse movement with action."
--Ernest Hemingway
Funny thing, that difference between movement and action. Things change. It's the way of the world. It happens whether I actively participate, or not, but it's not the same as me taking action. Action implies that I've made a choice, a decision. Movement, simple movement, is just me drifting with the tide. Action is me setting my sails. I can set them to run with the wind or tack against them, but I have to choose which way to sail and act accordingly. I may not end up where I intend to sail, but, at least it's movement with a purpose. If I just drift, well, then I've given up any hope of arriving at a destination of my choosing. It may be good, or it may be worse than where I started. Personally? I prefer the choice.
Today, I cleaned up some of my Bloglines subscriptions. I added one to William Gibson's blog and removed two that linked to my former step-daughter's very inactive pages. I kept them in there with the excuse that someone needed to keep up with what she was doing on the web. And someone does, but not me. That hasn't been my job for quite some time now, so there's not a need to keep those subscriptions alive.
I hope one day she comes to find me, to find out, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story. I honestly doubt she will, though. Either way, it's someone else's problem now. I did my part. I did what I could. Now, the rest is up to someone else.
God, help her.

Anybody want to buy land in Costa Rica?

So, the other day, I was talking with this guy from church about his impending divorce. It'll be his second, so there wasn't much I could tell him that he didn't already know. And, since he lives in the River Oaks area, there's going to be a whole lot more money involved than I'll probably ever see in my lifetime. Again, not much advice I could give him, except, of course, to remind him why one hires a lawyer for these things. I just reminded him that he didn't need to roll over simply because he was the man and, traditionally, the woman got the lion's share of the communal property. They'd earned that money together, each contributing their part and he was entitled to his fair share. Besides, at the moment, she actually makes more money than him, so it's not like he'd be hurting her financially at all. Mainly, though, I "advised" him to let the lawyers haggle it out when things got ugly about the money. Again, that is why one pays for a personal shark in the first place, right?

Anyway, he was talking about investing in real estate in Central America. Specifically, in Costa Rica. Now, a lot of times when guys start in with this kind of thing, I figure it's somebody trying to impress me, but not with him. Something about the matter-of-fact way he talks about some of this stuff and his plans for developing some of the land and making a resort just ring too true for me to feel like there's a scam or an ulterior motive. I've been wrong before, of course, but, these days, I'm a fairly hardened, bitter cynic and I tend to trust my instincts when it comes to people. Sadly, when I suspect something untoward, I'm rarely wrong.
But, he knows what I do for a living and for fun. He knows, for instance, that I've done web design work for my divorce lawyer. And, as a check was on the way, I mentioned that again this weekend when I saw him. Also, it turns out that when you Google Houston Divorce Lawyer, my lawyer already shows up on the second page of hits. Considering that he didn't show up in the first 20+ pages of hits before I revamped his website, I'd say we're doing pretty well. A little more time and he'll be on that Holy Grail of search engine optimization, the first page of Google results.
In any case, I was joking with him, the guy from church, not the lawyer, about how I was in that very unique position of actually making money back from my divorce lawyer. But, it wasn't long before he was asking about domain names and websites and optimization. And, yes, I found myself volunteering to do a simple website for him and optimize it for the search engines. And, of course, advise him about how to find an URL submission service that would keep his ranking good and high.

And that's when he jokingly offered to trade me a hectare of land in Costa Rica for doing a website from scratch and optimizing it for the search engines. At least, I think he was joking. I mean, he was sort of laughing about it, but... But, it would be a pretty damn good deal and I'm thinking about calling him to see if he was serious or not. Because, I've been looking around at it a little bit and $750 worth of land now could very quickly and easily be over $75,000 some time in the next five years.

And, I was getting ready to tell him I'd do it for nothing.

So, does anyone know about real estate investing in Costa Rica?

I suppose I shouldn't be overly surprised...

So, I got up this morning and checked my e-mail, as I usually do. Here's what I found:

I'm so so sorry, but my friend spent the night in the ER and she asked me to stay with her. I just got home and I'm very tired. Can we have dinner tonight or sometime this week?

The way things were going on this mythical date, I probably should have anticipated this, right? Now, I'm sure the story about a friend in the ER is absolutely true, but I think it's understandable that I'm a little suspicious by this time. So, I've had another suggested change in plans that takes us to dinner. I wonder if this is finally what she had in mind or not? Later, will I get an e-mail suggesting a trip to Spain so we can run with the bulls? Who knows.
I responded to her, saying that I really didn't want to do dinner for a first date and maybe we could do lunch next weekend. Somehow, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if that doesn't manage to work out either.

Anyone up for coffee at a book store? I'll buy you a slice of Bavarian Death Cake...

So, I've got a lunch date tomorrow...

I've been on Match.com for a while now, but I haven't really persued anything since LK and I dialed back into "friend mode". I just haven't been all that interested. And, money has been a little tight. Well, at least before I knew that check from my lawyer was on the way. Oh, sure, there've been the odd profile or picture that makes me think, "Hmm, yeah, I wouldn't mind getting to know her a whole lot better." Or, even, "Gee, I wonder what name she'd slip and call me in a moment of passion? Todd? Scott? Barry?"
Anyway, this girl from Match "Winked" at me, so I sent a short e-mail back. E-mail went back and forth for about a week and we've spent the last week working out a date this weekend. It took about three or four e-mails before I could tell for sure that she wasn't actually reading my entire e-mail to her. Not the best start. I mean, the e-mails were only five or six sentences long, so it doesn't seem like a huge challenge to actually, you know, read the whole thing. Especially when I wasn't wasting words and asking simple questions like, "The Guardian doesn't open until next week, is there another movie you'd like to see? Oh, and any thing I should avoid in particular when choosing a lunch spot?"

I don't know, maybe the fact that she only answered the second of those two questions was a clue that she didn't really want to do a movie at all, but why not just say so?
Here's how it went. First, I suggested an afternoon movie. Her response was that it was "a little hard to get to know someone" in a movie. Okay, valid point. I had intended to suggest getting a bite to eat after the movie, assuming everything went well. So, I said as much and suggested that we just go ahead and plan on it. She agreed and we started talking movies. Then, in the middle of one of those exchanges, she writes that she would rather get lunch before the movie, to make sure we get along before we sit through a movie together. Again, perfectly valid point of view. Except, if we went to see the movie first, we'd have at least that much to talk about afterward. Then, she doesn't like any of the movies playing but is stuck on this one movie, The Defender, which we've already established doesn't open until next week. Ultimately, I mentioned that three times in three different e-mails before we got around to considering a different movie. And, then she hits me with "so you're set on an early movie?" And, you know, I wasn't, really, but she agreed with me all week long that this was what we were going to do until Friday night when it became an issue.

After walking away from the computer long enough to find the humor in the entire situation, I sent her back " Hey, since the movie thing is getting to be a challenge this weekend, why don't we just meet for lunch tomorrow? Have a favorite place?" Which got me what I should have either asked for or offered ten half-read e-mails previously: a phone number. Naturally, when I called, I got voice-mail.
But, we finally connected and are meeting for lunch, at noon, Sunday. But, you know, I somehow doubt this is going to get very far. I mean, so far, she can't be bothered to read an entire five sentence e-mail or just come out with what she wants to do when I ask her. Neither bode well. And, before I take any critisizm for not taking a firmer lead, I did, but she obviously didn't want to do what I was suggesting. In spite of popular opinion to the contrary, I'm a pretty flexible guy and what we did really wasn't that hugely important to me. If all she wanted to do was meet for lunch, that would have been fine. Instead, we danced around for a week, accomplishing little other than making me frustrated and quite doubtful. Still, I'll go through with it because; a) I might be surprised and really enjoy her company and b) the only way to get out and meet people is to, well, get out and meet people. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

And, I bet my faithful readers thought I was going to recap my last therapy appointment from Thursday night. Ha! Maybe some other time!

Yes, there are still some things one can get for free.

There are a lot of ways to find free wireless Internet connections in Houston. Besides using Googlemaps, there's also the Houston CitySearch pages that list public establishments with free WiFi by category. Not to mention all the Panera Bread Company cafes that all seem to have free wireless, nation wide, as I've mentioned in previous posts.
(Sadly, it seems you'll have to pay for WiFi at the airport, and not just in Houston.)
While a lot of that might not be "fun" for everyone, those of us who live in Houston can now get out this weekend and still be connected. And, for a Network Geek like me, that is fun. So, what the heck, it's Friday, you might as well click the links and get ready for the weekend.

Oy!  This I'm familiar with!

So, I just got an e-mail from my lawyer.  You know, the one who did my divorce just over a year ago?   Well, some time back I did some work on their website, Affordable Houston Divorce Attorney, and fired off a bill to them.  They just got it and got things organized and a check is "in the mail".  Naturally, things are tight all over, so I'm very familiar with this phrase, but, mainly because I say it so often!

Anyway, I was sure this was going to a black hole that I'd thrown a bunch of time into for no reward, but, suprise!  The check is in the mail!  I guess I can buy groceries and gas this month after all...

I have a dream.

It is a simple dream. No, not winning the lottery, or world peace, or the perpetual motion engine, or even a mythical trip to the Playboy Mansion. No, my dream is that I might get through an entire task without interruption, distraction, mishap, mayhem, or... Sorry, lost my train of thought because the dog started barking at something outside. Now, where was I?

Right, so, Monday, I started out with a few simple bullet items to accomplish. Easy, uncomplicated goals. Just configure a laptop and run a couple of cables out in the shop. Seems fairly straight-forward, doesn't it? Sadly, those two simple, easy, straight-forward things are still not done, two days later.
Instead, I dealt with spy ware installed on a machine in Bellechasse. A machine that I personally cleaned of spy ware last week. In some cases, deleting, by hand, files and directories and Windows registry entries to kill the offending malware. Two full days I spent on this infernal machine, meticulously cleaning every last scrap of naughty code, only to have it completely reinfected not more than five minutes after it was powered on by the user. Why? Because, no matter how many times I tell my users not to click on any random link they get in e-mail from Bubba Mussolini or Archimedes Hirohito or Kwabena Mieles, no matter how fascinating their offer sounds. Nor should they click on any stupid web page that comes up in a search they can't imagine would be a problem, no matter how personal it might be. And a guy who's used AutoCAD for years asked me for help on printing. Me, who's never so much as opened a drawing in the latest version of AutoCAD, much less tried to send it to a plotter. Naturally, I've got him printing in less than thirty minutes.
Then, at home, I made marinara which proceeded to find every piece of clothing I was wearing. That was followed by an attempt at a berry smoothie, made with frozen strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. A smoothie that was so thick and frozen it "poured" like a blender full of half-solid mud. The splash from that minor accident found the clothes that the marinara missed. But, before I could try to stop those stains from setting, I had to hurry and nail up some boards from the fence because my dog had tried to chase a squirrel through the rickety, old thing. Oh, and speaking of dogs, Hilda found something dead and nasty to roll in, after having had a bath Sunday. Now, even though I live far enough away from the city that I pass cows on the way to work, they're still not in my backyard. Nor am I so close to the projects that she should have found a diaper in the backyard, so what she rolled in, I'm not sure, but, at least now, you have some idea what I was smelling while I tried to get it off her. Again.
(As an aside, I should note that Monday evening, while I was actually having fun installing a blog for a fellow blogger plagued by comment spam, I saw a gecko that was about the size of my pinky scurry across the floor. An hour later, I saw a cockroach by the back door that was at least twice the size of pinky. Who lost the bet with God that allowed roaches twice the size of their natural predator?)

Tuesday, was more of the same, but spiced with visits from phone switch vendors trying to sell me things that I've been told I can't buy. Instead, I have to explain, carefully, to these people that I have two choices for phone switches because a mysterious, invisible "consultant" of some kind, who I've never met or talked with, has convinced someone who matters in my company that those are the only two choices that matter. Oh, and the guys in the shop who've been waiting on that cable since last week asked about it. And the director of sales needs a photo editor for the Mac he doesn't want to use, so he can resize pictures to send to clients. And, the engineering department has rehired a former employee, so I need to shuffle people around to get to a computer that has to be totally reconfigured by Monday. (Which is actually an improvement, since I normally get an hour or two's notice before the guy starts.) And, a giant monitor went out and needed to be replaced. And I have to spec out PCs and a new server, which I'll have to go install, for that Bellechasse office. And... I'm sorry, something shiny passed by my screen. Where was I?

Oh, right, I should be planning for ... Something. Shouldn't I? Shouldn't I be planning projects? Planning to improve their IT infrastructure? Something? Who knows. And, what's more, I don't have time to worry about it because about the time I have more than two minutes to string together, something else will distract me.
Well, at least they're still paying me!
But, on the upside, tomorrow night I go in for my last therapy appointment. My head-shrink has pronounced me well. Or, at least, well enough to be turned loose without a keeper, which is all anyone can really hope for, right?

Well, now, if you'll pardon me, it's time to head off to work, so I need to put my cup and mouth guard in before I pull on my stain-resistant body armor.
You know, it really didn't seem like such a big, impossible dream when I got into this business. Ah, well, maybe next year.

Yarr, today be International Talk Like A Pirate Day, me blog maties!

Few are the holidays made for such as we, ye digital sea dogs, but this be one of 'em. Ye don't 'ave to be a data pirate or music pirate or any kind of law breakin' pirate at all to join in the fun. Ye just 'ave to like talkin' like a pirate, ya' scury dogs! So, whether ye be a privateer, a corsair or a buccanner, or ye just wanna be, go on the account fer just the day and chase ye booty, while ye may! Then finish 'er off w' a bit o' good grog and throw in a hearty "yo, ho, ho". Then set aside the sweet trade fer the life of a land lubber fer another year, but, 'till this great, glorious day rolls 'round again, dream o' dubloons an' grog, and International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

A little Friday Fun for the big kid in all of us.

Let's start with the ladies.
This past week has brought me all kinds of Hello Kitty goodness.  First, there was the Hello Kitty exhaust pipe. Then, there was the Hello Kitty TV shaped like an Apple (the fruit, not the computer). THEN, there were the Hello Kitty iPod cases!  The Hello Kitty Cabal just keeps cranking them out!  But, wait, there's more!  The Hello Kitty Skype Headset and Mic!
And, for those of you ladies who are Hello Kitty-ed out, there are the Ear Phones that look like Eer Rings.  (Actually, those are pretty cool looking.) And, last, but not least, the Pink PS2.

But, don't worry guys, I haven't forgotten some cool stuff for us, too.  I'll lead with a counter to all the Hello Kitty stuff, the Astro Boy Phone! (Okay, this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I loved Astro Boy when I was a kid.)  And, I don't know how good this suit is, but a men's suit that includes iPod control fabric can't be all bad, right?

And, finally, something that both sexes will be able to geek out over together: Tetris Fridge Magnets!

Well, that ought to be enough Friday Fun for anyone!  Oh, don't forget, Tuesday 9/19 is International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Ahem.

Well, I got quite a surprise this morning. I opened my mail and there was a note from "G_______ @ aol . com". That girl I knew in college. I think it's best if I edit myself and not let loose with what I really said, for a change, but I was quite rather stunned. It'd been so long since I sent her the e-mail that I thought I'd never hear from her. I figured that the e-mail address was wrong or that she'd decided she didn't want to hear from me or... Well, it doesn't really matter what I thought, since she e-mailed back.

"What a surprise. Of course I remember you."
That was how she started the very brief note she sent me. It's been almost 20 years since we last communicated. How do you summarize that much time? "Of course" she remembers me, she writes. "Of course", as if that one semester should automatically mean as much to her as it did to me. How silly of me to think that 20 years might have erased me from her memory. Honestly? I cannot tell you how relieved I am that she does, in fact, remember me. So...

So, now, what the hell do I say?
Anyone have any advice for your Uncle Jim?