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Posted

You too Dusty?

My household file and backup server (which also serves as my home desktop) went down hard yesterday. On attempting to start it, it throws machine check errors, kernel panics, and basically says "replace me". Motherboard, probably. I can't remember how old the various components are, so I guess it's time. I'll just go with the flow and replace the machine. Still, it's going to be a ton of work and some expense at a point where more of either is vexing.

<sarcasm> Maybe I should focus on how nice the desktop decorations must be now after after five OS generations. (Mandriva 2007 -> 2012) Yeah. A nicer looking penguin. That'll make it all worthwhile. </sarcasm> Grrrr!

Posted

Contemplated killing myself at work. Being indifferent to almost everything has its cons, one being you don't consider the routine minutia of surviving worth anything. I need someone cute and psychotic to cuddle me at night.

Posted

Contemplated killing myself at work. Being indifferent to almost everything has its cons, one being you don't consider the routine minutia of surviving worth anything. I need someone cute and psychotic to cuddle me at night.

It's usually more trouble than it's worth. Better to find a good hobby, or better yet, a sense of purpose in your life. Actually, those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

Posted
You too Dusty?

My household file and backup server (which also serves as my home desktop) went down hard yesterday.

You know, I didn't think of this until just now, but yesterday was the 4th -- I wonder if there was a virus that I missed? I hope not, I'd feel really stupid if I was taken by one of those things.

That said, I think it really was the hard drive, because the drive I was using was a "smart" drive, and was reporting imminent failure before it actually failed. But that said, I could see a virus spinning a disk to death.

Posted

Nice, Justin. I was still using my rower until about 3 weeks ago. I need to get back to it on the days I'm not on my bike. I actually like rowing (I don't go all out like in CF), and 1/2 hour in the morning really wakes you up.

Posted

So here is the final word on the 40 hours of paid time off, which my wife donated to her co-workers at the hospital she works at.

Step one - The PTO is added to tomorrows paycheck, with deductions for Medicare and PERA (No SS deduct because she has public employees retirement acct pension instead, so when she retires she gets a percentage of her last 3 years avg annual income). In this case they withhold almost nothing for fed or state taxes since it is being donated and won't be taxed. So we won't have to wait till next April for a refund on additional withholdings for the income.

Step two - The hospital has a charitable foundation for the needy and poor, which we have donated to twice this year already. They took our debit card number and tomorrow, after the automatic deposit is made tonight, the foundation charges the "charitable donation" for the take-home amount.

Step three - The Foundation distributes the money to the employees in need (who will have taxes withheld, but not SS and medicare because it's not earnings). The foundation's overhead is pretty low and not much is used to administer the funds.

Step four - We claim both the income and the write-off, which will be a wash.

Another benefit is that this will increase my wife's avg annual income when calculating her pension when she retires. She could collect almost $50/month additional income from her pension for the rest of her life, if she retires in the next 3-4 years. She is eligible to retire now, but has been holding off in order to receive the health insurance and to help pay college tuition. But there is no disincentive to donating more hours later if we want to.

Posted

One more thing that sucks this week and......well... actually since it's all stuff I can't control, it would just be more more bad thing.

Ordered a replacement machine for the former household server. I dial my trusted, long-time computer salesman's number. I get a youthful New Yawk-sounding fellow. There is social awkwardness and throat clearing. I'm not thrilled about this. It turns out that Gary has quit not just the company but the mortal coil altogether. RIP Gary. He was a solid guy.

Posted

Doing lights for a wedding reception tonight. The sister of a DJ I've known for years is getting married today. The mother of the bride has turned into Bridezilla meets Mothra and it sounds like nothing has gone right at setup today thusfar. I'm off to the event now.

kitty.jpg

Posted
Doing lights for a wedding reception tonight. The sister of a DJ I've known for years is getting married today. The mother of the bride has turned into Bridezilla meets Mothra and it sounds like nothing has gone right at setup today thusfar. I'm off to the event now.

kitty.jpg

Good luck with that. There's a reason I'm not in showbiz. Oh, hey, so that means the mother of your DJ friend since it's their sister, yah? Make them run interference if her wrath turns on you.
Posted

Hope wedding went well, Dan.....!

Last night, my friend Steve (living on West coast) came into town, we and a couple others we haven't seen in a few years went to a nice place with outdoor seating called the Lobster Shanty in Salem MA. Another HS friend was doing a partially-unplugged music set at the place; good food, drinks, music, and friends.

Today, Steve and I go music shopping, a pasttime we've done so many times in years past; and tonight is our 30th HS reunion.....

A great weekend so far, looking forward to more of the same.

post-1526-0-70566900-1341665384_thumb.jp

Posted

I went to college in Salem. Needs less stabbings.

Party across the street, mostly adults and vapid teenagers. Sat in a rocking chair next to the food table and wierded out anyone who dare notice me. For four hours, give or take.

Posted (edited)

Caught six fish on fly fishing gear including a nice 12" spotted (I think) bass. That was a blast.

Then I broke my fly rod in the door trying to stop the cat from escaping. Yay for a new rod and reel. Ordered a cheap one.... Now looking at more expensive ones. Maybe a more expensive setup would make the brown trout bite...

Edited by Dreadhead
Posted

Hope wedding went well, Dan.....!

This.

We've been at my in-laws since Thursday and we had the annual 4th of July picnic today. It was a nice day and was great see our daughter running around and playing with her cousins/uncles/aunts.

Now relaxing a bit and watching the Sox losing to Yankees with my father-in-law who is a Yankees fan.

Posted

I went to college in Salem. Needs less stabbings.

Party across the street, mostly adults and vapid teenagers. Sat in a rocking chair next to the food table and wierded out anyone who dare notice me. For four hours, give or take.

You almost made a haiku out of the first part. (it doesn't have to be 5-7-5)

Posted

At a circus-like wedding. Two men in Utilikilts. Unfortunately I can confirm one of them sitting in front of us is going Scottish commando. Yeesh.

Is anything worn under the kilt?

Nay, It's all in perfect working order!

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