Geeky Ramblings

My mom needs a new computer … right now she has one of my old systems … a Pentium III 700mhz and a really junky 15″ monitor.

Since I no longer need theshire anymore (all the applications that were running on it have been moved to gondor), I figure I’ll give the system to mom.

Since her monitor is so junky also … I picked up a 19″ LCD display for myself, gave my old 19″ LCD display to Ginny, and took her 15″ LCD display for the servers (which frees up a lot of space on my computer workbench). Now I can also give mom a much nicer 17″ CRT display.

Dad just has to adjust her computer desk so the new monitor will fit. He groused about that when I told him what I was going to do.

’nuff said.

Who would have thought that getting Ginny an early birthday present of a IPOD-Mini necessitates a 2nd mortgage on the house?

I feel really old.

While talking to my folks the other day, they informed me that my nephew Josh has a girlfriend.

Ok, yes, I admit he’s 15 years old … and that’s about the time for a young man to have a girlfriend (not that I did, but I was a pretty late bloomer).

None the less … I remember when he was a baby.

I’ll get over it … eventually

Ok, he’s not THAT grey … just a bit ’round the temples.

Ginny and I went down to my folks house for dinner last weekend.

Of course the first thing he wanted to do when we arrived is take the new Escape Hybrid for a spin around the block.

I think he was impressed … although he admitted to being a bit disconcerted when he put the car in gear without the engine running, and pressed on the accelerator … and it moved. He did like the smooth transition from electric to gas engines.

Although I don’t need my father’s approval … it’s nice to have.

Today at lunch, my mom told us that she bought some ‘Diet Doctor Pepsi’, because she knew that’s the soda I liked.

Ginny and I almost fell out of our chairs laughing.

Well, the Xmas holiday is over … and we survived intact

It was quite busy over here at the Gibbs house …

• My parents came over on xmas eve. We had dinner at Brass Restaurant. Then my mom and Ginny went over to her church for the evening service. My mom doesn’t subscribe to the Christmas holiday so much as she likes the music and pageantry. Dad and I stayed home … we talked and watched Master and Commander. I don’t know if he enjoyed it as much as I do though. It is a bit on the loud and bloody side). Mom and dad stayed the evening in our guest room.



• The next morning the whole clan came over to our house for brunch. We had ham, pancakes, and a lot of nosh food. It was good. We also got a bit goofy with a santa hat.
• That evening we went over to Chris and Susan’s house for dinner … there was a fair bit of geekery and a lot of good food. Steve did a commendable job on a goose.
• Today ended up being a lazy day … we originally had plans to have dinner with Joe and Lisa … but they had some varmint problems in their new house … so that had to be rescheduled.

(more…)

I now have two examples proving the Six Degrees of Separation theory is correct.

WARNING: Bad grammar ahead.

1. A person who works for my Dad is married to a woman who works for a company that is a MKS customer … and the womans supervisor is an ex-MKS employee, who used to be be a co-worker of mine.
2. A few weeks ago another co-worker of mine asked if my Dad’s name was Sheldon, and was he the controller for such and such company. I confirmed that it was his name, and he does work for that company. Turns out her husband is a contractor for the company my dad works for.

It is truly a small world.

The other night, as Ginny and I were driving to dinner … she asked me what I wanted for Chanumas (the odd congomeration of Chanukkah and Christmas that we celebrate).

I told her I would like a Speedlite.

She then asked me what a Speedlite was … I explained it is an external flash unit for Canon cameras.

I explained the various features I wanted (not too many, mainly the tilting flash head).

We then went on to discuss other topics … and I commented that the street lights were wobbling due to the wind.

She didn’t think it was due to the wind … she thought the bulbs in the speed lights were going out because she didn’t see all the street lights wobbling.

It took a moment for us to realize her fauxpau … and then we both burst out laughing.

Ok, yeah, we’re easy to amuse.