The Halls

So most everyone who would ever pain themselves by reading this blog knows that this area was hit hard by big storms. We had two big storms of wind and rain, and this second one ripped off a bunch of shingles. I've already been arranging to get the roof redone anyway, now I'm going to try to make an insurance claim out of it.
The thing you noticed, I'm sure, was that the server went down. Lost power during one of the storms, and I couldn't turn the web server machine back on. I feared the worst, but after letting it sit for a day to rest, apparently, it turned back on. But then it seemed that the ethernet was dead. So I had to install another network card, and get all that setup.
But all seems ok now.

I am now seriously considering moving the site to a professionally hosted blog, such as bloggar, mobilepress, etc. There are a million choices, but few that area free.
Setting up and running this machine and website has been a good exercise, it allowed me to learn linux and linux server setup issues. I could probably fake my way as a linux server guy if I had to.
But it does require work, so if I could find a free professional service to run this site, it would be nice because the downloads speeds of the video and photo content I like to post would be much better as well.
Something to consider for later, as I revived this one yet again, so I'm good til the next storm now...

Posted by Aaron at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Been a busy weekend, and it's only half over. Played some cards last nite and watched BJ Penn beat the crap out of Shawn Sherk. The UFC fight was great, me being completely card dead for 6+ hours, and was really, really tired since I went to a judo practice in the morning, and then we went out for lunch and a few beers. This made me crazy tired as it got later and later.
I wilted pretty hard as it got late.

Now I'm off to a bbq memorial day bbq, but it's just me, as Ann and kids went to columbus for the weekend.

Posted by Aaron at 4:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nearly this exact same experience happened to me at our softball game sunday. This scene from WKRP was the first thing I thought of.
No one even seemed to know what WKRP was, let alone know the episode I was referring to.


I remember thinking that scene was hilarious when I was a kid.

Posted by Aaron at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Now back in Lincoln, for a crazy busy weekend.
Saturday, the girls had their last soccer game of the season.

Then we went to our niece's college graduation party for awhile, until all the professional drinkers started getting there. Watched some TV, and worked on my current project, a judo competition software scoreboard. You know, cuz I don't have any projects to work on right now...

Today, I got up, fixed our front door door latch, which mysteriously broke for no reason. I love that.
Then we had a softball game, which went much better than our last one. We actually won, which makes it much more fun.
While we were pulling into the lot, the girl's asked if they could go play at the playground while we played our game, and we said "yes, but be sure not to talk to strangers, or go with anyone, no matter what they tell you. Help them find their lost dog, nothing."
"ok, ok. we know"
So we're in the middle of the game, and I see the girls running towards us with some weird bright things in their hands. Turns out, they have popsicles they got from god knows who. They said that someone they didn't know bought them from the ice cream man (as they watched) and them gave them to them. So they were at least asking first if it was ok to eat them.
To my shock, Ann initially said yes!
I said "Hell no!"
I made them throw them away, and told them, "I'll buy you ice cream on the way home"
Which I did.
I'm sure it was all probably fine, but it all sounded a little weird to risk it.

Today was also the girls' birthday so we had a party for them and their friends at a local indoor playground place. They seemed to have a very good time.



Oh, all that, and I was working off and on on a judo montage video, since I got a cool new piece of video editing software, which allows me to make some halfway decent videos.
At least I like them, even though they are pretty amateurish.

Posted by Aaron at 1:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, I've been in Chicago working since wednesday. There have been rumors of layoffs for some time, and as I write this, people are being fired around me. Not too many here in chicago, but a few. Mostly, it's remote offices, but thankfully not ours. I will not be getting much work done today, yet I kindof need to, otherwise the trip was a waste...
So I need to get my stuff done, don't want to be seen as a person who doesn't accomplish tasks...

Posted by Aaron at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kind of of funny thing happened to me yesterday, only now.
I spent all sunday changing the oil in the van, and then my little corolla. I've only changed the oil in my corolla once, so I was a little foggy, but confident.
I unscrewed the plug and drained the oil. After the oil was done draining, I changed the filter.
All totally normal.
I could not remember how much oil the engine held, but I did remember that I thought it was quite small. So I went through the owner's manual, and it was little help. In fact, it seemed to suggest that the oil capacity was 1.4 quarts, which I knew couldn't be right.
So I put in ~3 quarts, and checked the level.
It showed overfilled by almost a quart.
You've got to be kidding me.
Stupid japanese cars.
So I pulled the drain plug again, and watched as the oil drained again.
Then I put in 1.4 quarts of oil, and the dipstick showed it overfilled again.
I can't believe this.
Ok, sanity check. Drain the oil, again.
Watch until no more oil comes out, replace the plug, check the oil level now.
Shows 1 quart overfilled, still.
Ok, dipstick is broke or something. However that's possible.
Whatever. I put in the 1.4 quarts, and start the engine.
No oil light, so I decide all is well.

5 hours later, I need to run to the store. I start the car, all is well, put it in gear, nothing.
Parking brake is off, park works, but no go when in gear.
Weird.
So I get in the van, and drive to the store.
Halfway there I realized what you probably realized on the 9th sentence in this story, I was not draining the oil, I was draining the transmission fluid. So now I had a car with 3 times the amount of oil it needed, and no transmission fluid at all.
So today I stayed home and drained the oil, and refilled the transmission fluid, so all works well again.

If it hadn't I would have never admitted any of this ever happened.

Posted by Aaron at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Happy mother's day to all the moms!
Mostly to my mom and my wife, Ann.
Hope you guys have a good mothers day!

Posted by Aaron at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The offspring have a new album coming out in June, and I am very stoked to get it. The first single, Hammerhead, is quite good.



In more insane news, Ann came home yesterday with another dog. Yeah, we still have the first dog, Daisy, and she's great, so I'm not sure why we now have another one. This dog is comically tiny, so I have dubbed him "Thor".

Posted by Aaron at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So I finally got the judo match video up and running, I have found that the player only handles flash video, so I have to convert them from the format the camera records to to flash video.
but now I know, and here's the second match I had that day.

Posted by Aaron at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

watching the office right now, still the best show on.
Working way too hard on things other than my real job.
I haven't done a lick of work on my thesis for several weeks, because I decided to just wait for my adviser to come back, so I could, you know, actually talk to him for feedback.

My parents were just here for 3 days, which was great, and in fact, way too short a time. many times when you have visitors, when they leave, you're all ready to go back to a normal routine, but they weren't here long enough for that to happen.

Now y dad is soon to have yet another surgery, hopefully the last. They seem to already have plans to move back here in the beginning of next year, so that will be great.

Now I go back to working on stupid extra-curricular activities.

Posted by Aaron at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Had a good weekend, and it was every bit as busy as expected.

The girls lost their soccer game, but they played a nearly flawless game, and did everything I expected, so I cannot complain. I mean, when you're the only team out there running plays, actually passing, and playing positions, yet the other team gets a lucky shot in because they don't play positions, well, I'm not going to feel bad about losing that way.

The UNL judo tournament went great, although Kyle and I were literally the only senior level players. So we decided to have an exhibition match against each other.



Just as a point of reference, Kyle weighs 260 lbs, and I weight 180lbs. I was pretty hesitant to do the match, as I really was the only one who could come out looking bad, but I guess I didn't let that stop me.
Oh well, it went well, and I we went out after words and had a good time.
Now my parents are in town for a few days, and we're hanging out with them.
Then I leave for chicago for a few days after they leave.
It's non-stop around here...

Posted by Aaron at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)