Here We Go Again

About 3 1/2 years ago, our daughter had a medical crisis beyond belief. We discovered that her spinal cord was being pinched off by misshaped vertebrate at the base of her neck. She was diagnosed with an extreme case of kyphosis, and underwent two massive surgeries to help correct the problem. Her second surgery was almost 3 years ago exactly on this date, and overall, while it was a long, tough battle in the beginning, the majority of the last 3 years have been trouble free. Thankfully. But, I'm concerned that may be changing. Our daughter really isn't growing a lot, and actually hasn't grown very much over the last 2 years, period. Maybe a little, but definitely not as much as she normally should be. And, today, my wife informed me that our daughter has been having neck pain. That's the first time she's complained of any pain in a really long time. So, I don't know if something has happened, or if this was to be expected. Hannah has been so normal over the last couple of years, something she definitely needed. I pray to God with all of my being that it's nothing serious, but it's in the back of my mind that we may be going down an unwanted path once again.

On the Wagon

I've decided to eliminate caffeine from my diet. I know, you may think I'm crazy, but overall, whenever I go off caffeine, I typically feel much better, and I thought perhaps that caffeine was contributing to making me so tired, in spite of the difficult shifts that I work. So, over the last few days or so, I've been weaning myself off, and as of now, have not had any caffeine for the last 48 hours. But man, the headaches have been hard to cope with, especially the last 3 days. It's not been a mind splitting headache by any means, but more of a dull ache that just won't go away. I know it's from the caffeine withdrawal, and that the blood vessels in my head are more dilated, thus causing the throbbing pain. The headaches should go away in another day or so, and hopefully, I'll be healthier in the end. Or, I may fall off the wagon altogether, who knows.

My Schedule Sucks

My job requires me to work very odd hours. It's a schedule that I've worked for almost 15 years, but still have not really gotten used to it. I work different shifts all of the time, and often, work 3 different shifts in any given week. It's hell, and I never really know if I'm coming, going, or otherwise. I do get 3 and 4 day weekends during the winter twice every 5 weeks, but at the expense of working 7 days in a row for the remainder of the time. During the summer, I have quick turnarounds, only 1 day off at a time, and so forth. Essentially, it sucks. My sleep patterns are so bizarre, enough to drive a normal person crazy. Today was a perfect example. I was so tired after working my shifts this past weekend, I slept for 11 straight hours today. I went to bed at 2 am last night, and woke up at 1 pm this afternoon. That's typical. Working night shifts, day shifts, and evening shifts all in the same work can drive a person insane. Research has also indicated that shift work definitely makes for a poorer quality of life, with the stress of continually shifting one's schedule detrimental to your overall health. I suppose that's why I'm always tired, often grouchy, and never truly happy. But, that's my job, and it's a career that I chose, and unfortunately, am somewhat locked in for the rest of my life. That's the price I pay I suppose. Ugh.

Giving Up On The Beard

OK, I've decided to give up on the beard. I've come to the conclusion that I'll never be able to grow one. Things haven't changed in 5 years, and I just don't have dense enough whiskers. Oh well, while the thought was nice, I look better with a clean shaven face.

Technology Sucks Sometimes

My laptop computer is having problems. In fact, it's the same identical problem that my wife's laptop had, as we have the same exact model, a Dell 600m Inspiron. Her laptop developed a problem where the battery would no longer charge, and the power cord would short circuit the system. Thankfully, her computer was under warranty, and Dell replaced the motherboard, which solved the problem. Now, my laptop is having the same exact issue. It's not shorting out, but the battery will not charge, and I suspect it's the power connection on the motherboard, in fact, the same exact problem with the other laptop. Unfortunately, my laptop is out of warranty, and there's nothing I can do about it. The service tech that replaced my wife's motherboard said it was the most common failure on this model of laptop, due to the flimsy components. Now I'm pissed. I can live without a battery in the laptop, as I don't really go mobile very often. It's just that the laptop components should last longer than 18 months. I can make do, but if I really needed the mobile capability, I'd be even more upset than I am now.

Snow Pet Peaves

We received a big snow over the weekend, from 6 to 8 inches. There was so much snow that I couldn't get into the driveway without shoveling first. Snow blowers make quick work of a big job, and I'm so thankful I have one. I was diligent though, and made sure that the snow ended up in my yard, and not in the street. Some of my other neighbors weren't so nice. The snow plows came through the neighborhood very quickly, and the streets were clear. But, several yahoos on the street proceeded to blow all of their snow right back into the street. Idiots! And, there were several other people who didn't bother to scoop their driveways or sidewalks at all. It's county ordinance that you at least have to scoop the sidewalk within 24 hours after the snow ends. Let's just say it's not nice to have to walk through someone else's laziness. I guess I'm just being picky, it's been a long day and I'm tired and crabby.

Trouble With Ebay

We've been using Ebay for a long time. In fact, I think I signed up for an account when Ebay was first created. We're not power users by any means, our rating is 81, but 100% positive. We've bought a lot of things, sold a few things, and overall, have been very pleased. In other words, we've never had a bad experience, until now that is. At the end of December, my wife purchased a Nintendo game guide for one of my daughter's games. Typically after an auction, I use Paypal immediately to send the money. It's quick, painless, and allows for a very quick transaction. This was December 27th. I was a little leary of this Ebay seller, after reading his feedback, which included numerous negative comments, many very recent. The main complaint was very slow shipping, no response from emails, and some folks who just downright didn't get their merchandise. Sure enough, that happened to us. He did send 2 emails over the course of 3 weeks, each one stating that there was a delay in the shipment, but that the order was still being processed. So, I think this guy didn't actually have the game guide when he listed the auction, but was stringing us along. At least that appeared to be his operating procedure with other folks. So, after 3 weeks, I sent an email inquiring about the item, and that if it wasn't shipped immediately, to please refund my money. After reading the feedback, I was prepared for a lengthy battle, and threatened to file a claim with Ebay, Paypal, and file a fraud claim with the Federal Trade Commission. Low and behold, 2 days after the email was sent, my money was refunded. I didn't have to file a claim at all, and now am off the hook. So, what started out as a very negative experience turned out OK in the end. I was set on leaving negative feedback for for this loser, but decided to leave neutral feedback considering he refunded my money very promptly when asked. So, we're in the pursuit of another game guide, as it's one that you can't find locally at the stores.

Growing a Beard

I never have had the ability to grow a decent beard. I've always been like that. My dad was like that though to some degree too, but it's never really bothered me. I did try once about 5 years ago, but my whiskers just aren't thick enough to make it look good. Well, I decided to give it one more try. So, I haven't shaved since January 1st, and will give it another couple of weeks to see what happens. My whiskers are definitely a bit thicker than last time, but I still think it may end up a little thin. We'll see. LOL

Losing Weight

Well, it's that time of year that I start thinking about losing weight again. It is after all a new year, and I didn't exactly make any specific resolutions. I've essentially been the same weight for the last seven months, except for an increase or decrease of a couple of pounds here and there. Right now, I weigh 199. Am I fat? Not really, but not really skinny either. I guess I'm just normal. In reality, I would like to lose about 15 lbs I think, and if I could drop my maintenance weight to about 185, I think I'd be happy. So, that's my goal, and hopefully, by summer, I'll be down in the range. Of course, that means I have to commit to exercising more, eating better, and watching the junk food. It's always easier said than done, but I'm not getting any younger, and eventually, it might be hard to accomplish my goals if I don't get busy now. In fact, the sooner the better. But not too soon, I think I'll start my next "lifestyle change" (as my wife calls it) next week, and will use this week as my last hurrah. Funny though, it always seems that next week becomes the week after that, and then next month, and in 6 months, I'll be complaining that I'm still the same old weight. It's an evil cycle.

New Toy

Well, after much research, I decided to buy a new Ipod. I mentioned this last month, but just now decided to go ahead and do it. At first, I didn't want to buy an Ipod, as I thought there were better bargains out there. While that's true, you still can't beat the availability of accessories for the Ipods. They dominate the market, period. They are a little bit more pricey when compared to similar models by other manufacturers, but perhaps that's a worthy price, I'm not sure. Right now, I've got about 1400 songs in my collection, consuming about 5 1/2 gigs of space. That includes most of my all time favorite songs, so I'm happy, and don't really see myself adding huge amounts of new music, until new songs come out, etc. So, I settled on the Ipod 8gb Nano, which is an amazingly small player, and very stylish. I opted for the Product Red line, which essentially Apple will donate money to the fight against Aids for each unit purchased. It's an awesome mp3 player, sounds great, and definitely fits my needs perfectly right now. I decided to forgo the 30gb video version for the same price, as I don't really have a need (or time) to watch video in that manner, plus the Nano is much cooler in my opinion, and will probably be more reliable in the end because it's a flash-based player, versus a hard-drive based player (on the 30gb model for example).

Fluorescent Light Update

Recall from a few posts ago that we converted nearly our entire home to compact fluorescent lights. Actually, from my perspective, the light is much brighter, once the bulbs warm up that is. When you first turn them on, especially if they've been all for a long time, it's downright dark, but sure enough, the light continues to steadily increase to full brightness, in about a minute or less. So, we have to learn to put up with the dimness at first, but otherwise, I'm happy with the light. My wife stated that she wanted a dimmer installed on the bedroom lights. Perhaps she thinks it's now too bright, I'm not sure, but at least we're saving money. Ha.

More Snow on the Way

Well, we got another 4 inches of snow last weekend, and this upcoming weekend, we're expecting another 4 inches. Actually, these minor snowfalls really aren't that bad. It's a manageable amount, and you don't really get snowed in, except for maybe a few hours. I really dislike the wind that accompanies the snow. I could do without the wind, but now, I don't mind snow so much. It sure is peaceful when the snow is falling, and a fresh blanket of snow is actually quite beautiful. It's just after the snow that it gets ugly, when the beautiful, white snow becomes gray, slushy junk that just makes a mess everywhere. The inside of our garage is really gross. And, it hasn't really gotten warm enough where I can attach a hose to the outside faucet and clean it out. Oh well, it's winter, I wouldn't expect anything different.

Computer Software Updates

Computers are great, and have become so entrenched in everyday life. Everything is done on the computer now, including online banking, email, managing various accounts and so forth. The workhorse behind the productivity is the software. It's amazing at the strides that continue to be made, and the new features that come out with each new software build. But, at some point, it becomes overwhelming to manage the updates. Of course, there are the incremental updates that you must download and install, to keep your system fresh with the latest and greatest bug fixes available. But the complete new versions are overwhelming too, in that it seems like you're always spending money. I guess that's why the software companies stay in business, knowing that they really have a stranglehold on our lives now. And, if you don't upgrade your software, eventually, they stop supporting older versions, so it makes it more troublesome to get help if something goes wrong. It's a never-ending cycle it seems. And, with 4 Windows computers in the house, and 1 Linux box, it's a tangible mess to make sure all of the systems remain updated and safe.

Microsoft 2007 Launch

I attended the national launch yesterday of the Microsoft 2007 suite of products, including the new Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007, and Microsoft Exchange 2007. It was an event where the various products were showcased, allowing IT folks to get the inside scoop on all the new software. The new Windows Vista looks very cool, but is probably something the typical person can do without for now. In other words, the 4 computers we have that Run Windows will likely stay with Windows XP for now. Of course, new computers will be shipped with Vista starting February 1. Hmm, is a new computer in the pipeline for me? Ha, perhaps someday. The computer I use now is almost 5 years old, in other words, it's becoming ancient when compared to the computers of today. So, sometime this year, I'll probably upgrade, relegating my 2.0 gHz computer to my Linux box perhaps, and get a new, shiny, fast processor for my daily use. On another note, Office 2007 looks very impressive. I was amazed with all of the enhancements, and in fact, many of the features will save a lot of time. As a perk for attending the event, I did receive a full copy of Office 2007 Professional, and I think I will install it. We still use Office 2003 Professional at work, but the new 2007 Office suite is backwards compatible, and a vast improvement with so many great new features that it's hard to pass up.

Have You Noticed...

Have you ever noticed that the people who tend to get their Christmas lights up first are usually the ones who then get them down last? I never thought about this until day, but I think it's true. In our neighborhood, those folks that had their lights up before Thanksgiving are the ones that still have them up today. Some still turn them on, but most just leave them hang. I took an hour yesterday to take my lights down. It was about 50 degrees outside, and I wanted to take advantage of the good weather before the snow and cold arrive this weekend. It seemed they came down much easier than they went up. Imagine that.

Fluourescent Bulbs Take Two

After second thought, I think we may leave the vanity lights in our 3 bathrooms as standard incandescent globe lights, as the instant on feature is a desired feature in those locations. But, I did buy fluorescent bulbs for just about everything else, except for a few of the can lights where the compact fluorescents are cost prohibitive (because of the dimmer switches on those circuits). So far, I've spent $150 on the bulbs, and the projected savings over the life of the bulbs (up to 5 years) is almost $2000, with a combined saved wattage of 2590. Wow! That's amazing. Now, that $2000 is the expected savings if every light purchased is used for 3 to 5 hours per day. Some of the lights that were replaced only get turned on a few times per day, some of the lights are only turned on once or twice every few days. So, my top savings would be no where near $2000. The savings will really come in handy for those lights that stay on for long periods, such as the overhead lights in each room, the lights above our kitchen table, etc. Still, it all adds up, and amazingly fast. I couldn't find lights to replace the front eave PAR30 lights, but I will likely just leave those as-is, with halogen bulbs, and I doubt I'll replace the lights in the garage. Compact fluorescent lights don't do very well in the cold, with a shortened life, slow start times, and reduced output. All of the bulbs that I've purchased so far have a 5 year guarantee, and will be fully replaced if they fail before then. However, you have to submit your original receipt and UPC to receive full credit. That's probably more trouble than the average person is willing to go through, but I'll just throw the documentation in a file folder in my office file cabinet. Time will tell, but I'm guessing they won't last that long. It should be an interesting experiment to see if the warranty will hold up or not. All in all, I'm pleased with the investment.

Converting to Fluorescent

A couple of weeks ago, my father in law has converted his entire house to compact fluorescent bulbs. He made multiple trips to the store to get the various bulbs that he needed to replace every incandescent light to fluorescent. While I thought that might be a little extreme, it did made me think a little. I do have a few fluorescent bulbs in the basement and kitchen, but never really gave it much thought. Then, I decided to actually calculate how many watts of light we had in our house, and how much money would be saved if I converted my entire house to fluorescent too.

At first thought, it seems cost prohibitive to purchase the bulbs which are somewhat expensive. But, the bulbs have become increasingly cheaper and more readily available, and they supposedly last for up to 7 years. In our house, we have almost 6000 watts of available light. If I replaced every bulb with fluorescent bulbs, the total wattage drops to about 1600. Wow, that is an amazing difference. It all adds up pretty quickly. And, I think the savings could add up pretty quickly as well. For example, in our living room, we have a ceiling fan with a 5-light fixture, which is 300 watts. That light is on a lot, and with that fixture alone, we can save 230 watts. In our master bath, we have a 10-light vanity strip above our double sink. That's 400 watts, but drops to only 90 watts if using fluorescents. Wow. When you think about individual lights, it doesn't really make sense, but when you think about multi-light fixtures, I think the savings could be substantial. We typically leave the lights on during the night on the front of our house. That's 300 watts for up to 12 hours or longer. If using fluorescents, that's only 75 watts.

Of course, there's no easy quantitative way to measure the savings, but the qualitative savings should be very noticeable. The initial startup cost may be somewhat high, but I'm willing to absorb that for the significant savings we'll see in the long run. The lights do take about a minute to fully brighten, and are just a slightly different color than incandescents, but those are acceptable limitations.

Counting Coins

I cashed in $100 worth of rolled coins at the bank today. This is the amount of spare change that we've accumulated over the previous year or so. Typically, I roll a little bit at a time, and just keep adding the rolls to a shoebox that I keep in the closet. Today, much to my surprise, the bank now has a change counter, and rolled coins are no longer accepted. The clerk, acting somewhat perturbed, unrolled the 20 rolls of coins and dumped them into the machine. And, instead of $100, it came out to $101.27. The moral of this story, I don't need to roll my spare change anymore, which will save a lot of time and effort, and I gained an extra $1.27 that I didn't know I had. Wow, it's a great day. LOL