Just to make sure it is out there somewhere
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Life

I was fairly careful the whole time I wrote to this blog not to mention anything about personal info.  However, I think it is more than time to let a few things out there.  My ex-wife, Margarita Maria Guzman Doyle, who works as a Pharmacist at Walgreens now is a lying, cheating whorebag.

About a year ago she cheated on me with Ryan Therrien who is also a pharmacist who works at HealthSouth now.  He's from New England and is a Patriots fan...so yeah, he's a douchebag.

It's kinda funny how cheaters can justify what they did in their own heads, and can even see themselves as the victims.  An affair that lastts over 3 months is impossible to justify as a "mistake".  It woud be more like 3 months of constant mistakes....not the same thing. 

Still here, still training
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: PS2/Games

Out of the 700 pages in my programming book, I'm in the 200's.  Still have a ways to go, but this little project will be going on hold for a couple of weeks while we have company in from out of the country.

After that, we have a weekend long workshop we are taking to learn more about getting into real estate.  I'll pick back up after that.

I've been doing some research on other games and other game programmers and have been tweaking my design as needed.  I've also decided that it would be best for me to start with a much smaller, and easier to complete game.  I had been wanting to re-write a game from the early 90's that I loved, but have decided to start with a couple of newer types of arcade/action games until I have a little more experience in game programing.

Starting something new
Mood:  energetic
Topic: PS2/Games

 

It's been a little while since I posted anything, but I thought I'd start keeping track of a new journey I've decided to undertake.  I was thinking out loud last week and said that I wanted to write a game after I was able to 'retire' from my day job.  The wife asked why wait?  I figured it would take a lot of time and energy to do, and that would help keep me busy...

I started thinking about it, and I've already done some of the design stuff for it, although there is still a long way to go.  And I started reading a book on beginning Android game programing last year, but never really got very far.  Then yesterday as I was looking through a newsletter I get for a database/VBA forum, there was a link about people making money writing apps for Windows 8.  I started thinking that I should start working on the game, and figure out to redesign it for monetization using a free app/micro transactions/in app ads model vs paid app/micro transactions model.  Hell, I just might be able to 'retire' earlier!

So far, I have fleshed out a little bit more of the design stuff, and made it through the book far enough to get the SDK's (software development kits) and emulator installed and working.  And I successfully created my first "Hello World" app.

For a comparison of where I am in terms of say, running a marathon...I've signed up for the race.  Now I need to start training for it.  Got a loooong way to go still...

 

Back at it again
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Life

Wow, so ok...it's been over 3 years since I posted to this blog.  And I probably wouldn't be back here now if it weren't for my co-worker who recently remembered that she had started a blog account 3 years ago, but never even started posting.  When she got the bug to post, I think it jumped the cube, because here I am.

So, what all has happened in the last three years?  Let's start from the day after I last posted... ... ...yeah, like I can remember that far back that well.  Let's summarize instead...

• changed companies, but doing the same job
• changed jobs, but stayed at the same company
• got my MCP, MCSA and Security + certifications
• bought a house
• got two dogs
• bought a new car
• got a man cave (insert Tim Allen's Manly grunt here)
• built a number of projects for the new house including:
  • a platform for tiered theater seating in the man cave
  • a small little home for the cable box, under the Plasma TV in the man cave
    
  • a window bench for the guest room
  • a set of benches and island for the master closet
    
  • a tiki bar
• started playing MMORPGs (Currently playing Aion, Minecraft, and just pre-ordered and drooling over Star Wars: The Old Republic)

Most everything else is SSDD (Same Shizit, Different Day).  Now let's see how long this blog bug lasts again...

Let's play catch up.

Wow, has it been February since I last posted??  I guess so.

 Here's what's happened since then...we went on ski trip to Europe for two weeks in March.    We were in Paris for 4 days to sight see, then went to Switzerland for 6 days to ski, mostly in Crans-Montana...but we took a day trip to Zermatt.  And we ended the trip in Italy, two days in Florence with a quick stop in Pisa.  In case you added that up and don't think it equals two weeks...you'd be right....but when you add the two days to travel across the pond, there and back...it adds up.

 When I came back to work that first day...I had a strange feeling that the guy from a couple of posts below would be gone.  And he was, but I heard the story...which has kinda taken on its own life in the call center.  Apparently he had some racist asshole on the phone who was being a real jerk to begin with...now, our boy is Turkish and is named Mustafa (and is extremely defensive about his name)...anyway, after a while, the caller asks him what his name is.  He replies 'Mustafa', and the caller starts laughing and says "No really...no one would name their kid that."  So Mustafa replies "Up your's asshole!!" (And really loudly apparently!)  Surprisingly, he was walked out later that day.  I don't know if anything happened to the caller - he should have been fired as well.

It's a picnic error.
Mood:  happy
Topic: Work

Had a lady today that just kept asking "why?"  She wanted to know how, why and what kept causing all of the errors she was getting.  I first gave her my normal reasoning of "it's impossible to tell...it could be anything."  And really it could be anything, and since we don't really audit or log much, it would be nearly imposible to tell.

But I was very tempted to tell her that I could only see one commonality to all of her issues...and that would be the user!

Wasn't me...but funny.
Topic: Work

Got a quick story about the new guy that sits next to me.  I was in between calls typing up a ticket when I hear:

 "Sir....sir?  Please bow your head...  Are you bowing?  Ok, now say a prayer....because your computer is dead."

 I looked over the top of the cubicles to the guy on the other side...then we both just busted out laughing.  This new guy really lays it out there for users...I honestly think he's been picking some stuff up from the guy on his other side and me....but I'm not sure he realizes that when we bust on users...we have the mute button pressed.

 We got in this morning and started talking about starting up a pool to bet on how long he lasts....then he didn't show up today.  I asked if anyone had yesterday on the pool, but I guess we'll see if he shows up tomorrow or Friday.

Your choices are "A...."
Mood:  d'oh
Topic: Work

Ok, so I had a brainiac on the phone yesterday, some woman in MD.  Let's jump into it mid-call:

Me - "Ok, since the system is taking this long to boot up, let's kill the power to it and start it in safe mode...do you know how to do that?"

User - "Yes...  ...  ...ok, it's asking which mode I want to put it in."

Me - "Safe mode with networking."

User - "Ok, now it wants to know which operating system to use."

Me - "What options do you have?" <Almost confused, because none of these systems are dual boot.>

User - "Windows XP Professional."

Me - "Any others?"

User - "No...what do I do?"

Me - "I'm thinking that you pick the only choice available."

User - "You need to be nice to me...I'm not a computer person."

Someone please tell me how choosing the only available option has ANYTHING to do with computers?  Isn't that just plain common sense?  Like if she drives into a gas station and all they have is regular...what does she do?  Go inside and ask the clerk which one she should pick...and then tell him that she isn't an oil exec...so he needs to be nice to her?

You think I'm what?
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Work

I had a ticket the other day that I would have let go with just a warning, but the user decided to be an ass.  The guy had a personal laptop plugged directly into the company network...which is a major violation of company security policy.  Anyway, this kind of thing happens a couple of times a month...at least I usually have a couple a month.

Anyway...I usually tell the user that it is a violation of policy and they shouldn't do it any more...most of them play dumb (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on this one).  After I tell them that they shouldn't be connected and that I can't continue the call knowing what I now know...they move on with their lives.  Not so with this guy...after I told him that it was against security policy to do what he was doing...he dangerously tells me "Wrong!"  To which I replied "Sorry, not wrong."

Then this company gem rolls over on his boss by not only telling me that she knew he was doing it...but gave me her name.  I inform him again that not only do we not support home computers beyond basic troubleshooting (and even then mostly for VPN)...but I can't work with him if he is going to have it plugged in.

He tells me that his computer is registered to be on the network.  Which doesn't really mean much, and I tell him that even a home computer that is connecting through VPN has to be registered...he pulls out the "what part of my computer being registered didn't you understand?"

Anyone that knows me...can probably guess how it went from there.  Well...not this time...I didn't respond right away, took a deep breath and then told him that apparently he didn't understand what I said.  Then he tells me that he can't waste any more time with me, and that he calls up all the time to get help.  I calmly asked him if he ever told the other help desk consultants that he was on a personal system....to which he didn't respond.  That means "no" for those of you scoring at home.

Anyway, communication was pretty much dropped at this point so I closed out his ticket...then reported him and his boss to my boss for the security violation.  Like I said before, normally I'd just give them the warning and let it slide...but if they want to tangle with me...I have more power than they do...I also have a recorded call to back me up.

The best part of the whole story??  The idiot works in my building...I may need to run by his cube in the next couple of days and see if he's gone.  If not I'll probably just start laughing and keep walking.

Started working in some ground fighting
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Life

We started doing some ground work tonight in TKD.  Ouch...that is a whole different world.  I'm gonna be a hurting puppy tomorrow.  I was kinda surprised that my wrestling stuff came back so easy...I remember doing spin drills till long after it hurt in high school...tonight I was able to recognize a few times to spin...and was able to get into a better position...and would have gotten a few chokes in, but since it was the first night, we were going light.

Granted, I outweigh most of the people in my class by at least 20 pounds...so I 'm sure that works in my favor.  But still.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to learning more ground techniques.

Another one for the books
Mood:  d'oh
Topic: Work

I had a ticket yesterday...the last one I did for the day...this was the title  --  "User cannot open Real Player and listen to music on a website (www.undergroundhiphop.com)"

I broke out laughing...then I posted the title in a couple of the chat rooms we have up during the day...everyone was laughing and poking fun at this idiot user who actually called this ticket in.

 So I called the user and played a little dumb (that's always fun to do):

 Me - "I have a ticket here that says you are having trouble with Real Player..."

User - "Yeah...it gives me an error when I try to play some music at a website."

Me - "Hmm...ok, what company website are you trying to play the music?"

User - "Ummm...www.undergroundhiphop.com"

Me - "What?  ...  This is work related right?"

User - "Oh, yeah...  ...I like to listen to music while I work."

Me - "Sorry, not only do we not support what you are trying to do...but it is a blatant violation of company policy."

Just makes me wonder how dumb some people are...I can see maybe calling it in to level 1 helpdesk...but when you are told that it is being escalated...and you say ok.  You don't think that level 2 is gonna know you are breaking policy and report you to company security??  Give me a break...I'll have to monitor her account this week and see if it is removed...sometimes I love my job!

Interesting times
Topic: Life

So, I started Taekwondo again...last Wed.  I was a hurtin puppy last Thursday.  I also went on Saturday, but felt better.  Luckily I'm doing the same form that I ended on when I stopped going 10 months ago.  I've picked it up again in a matter of minutes practically.  Kinda nice.

So anyway...I left practice today and was heading home.  Just as I was turning on the main street that leads to the interstate...the car behind me starts flashing his lights at me...the red and blue kind.  At first I was like 'he must want to get by me, cause I haven't even had a chance break any laws yet...that comes on the interstate.'  The street I'm on has a newly made turn lane for a store that just opened not too long ago...I hit my turn signal so the guy knows that I'm trying to get over...but apparently I didn't get over fast enough because Mr. Cool in the cop car flipped his siren at me a couple times.

 I finally get over after like 5 seconds or something, and stop...and then turn off the car and the headlights and yank up the emergency break.  And I'm thinking 'this should be good...I haven't done a damned thing.'  I had my windows down cause I'm still sweating like a pig...after about 30 seconds, the cop gets out of the car and approaches my window.  I'm practically leaning out my window to see him...he says 'I pulled you over because your tag is expired.' (Here's the funny thing...my wife got pulled over for same thing last year...and got a warning.)  So anyway, I'm like 'really??'...cop says he needs to see my license, insurance and registration...I told him my wallet was in the trunk.  He said fine and backed up...had his hand hovering about 1cm above his weapon...then I got out of the car, and this cop wasn't that big...maybe 6'...maybe.  So when I got out he backed up another step.  The look on his face was pretty funny, I don't think that he expected 6'4" to get out of my little car.  I very slowly and deliberately opened my trunk and grabbed my pants that were in the bag with my Taekwondo stuff.  I pulled out the license and insurance and went to the passenger's door to look in the glove compartment for the registration...but after a couple of seconds, the cop said he'd just look it up.

 So then he goes to the car and does his thing...now I'm just standing there sweating...so I sit on the trunk of my car and wait for him to finish.  He comes back after a few minutes and gives me a ticket!  (Now, I haven't had a ticket in over 10 years...my wife just recently had the same thing happen to her, and she got a warning...I've been nothing but nice and respectful to this guy...and it's not like it's a serious offense...it's a paperwork issue for God's sake!)  So I sign the ticket, and he gives me back my id and insurance card...and then for some reason I said 'thanks' (still not sure exactly why...although I was a tiny bit sarcastic - very unlike me I know).  He had another strange look on his face...but walked back to his cruiser...it was about this time that I flipped the ticket over and saw the fee...$76.50!!  Now I'm a little steamed...but I just want to get on the road and get home...take a shower and relax a bit.

But once I hit the interstate I couldn't stop laughing...I kept thinking how I just thanked a cop for giving me a ticket.

More moronic goodness
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Work
With us going out of the country, and then me just being lazy, I haven't written much about work other than the lusers I have to talk to daily. Well...I was on the floor answering tier 1 calls for 4 days...and then got called up to the big leagues...Tier 2. Then I went on vacation for two weeks and promptly forgot most of what I had learned. (just kidding, with a mind like mine you just don't lose that kind of information that qui...what was I talking about?)

Anyway, I like T2 much better...I make the calls out to users to work on the issue...the T1 folks have already gathered most of the information (hopefully) and I get to research it before I even call. So when I call, the user is generally glad to hear from me (I'm going to help with their problem or something) and I'm already armed with facts and possible solutions. This process doesn't eliminate all of the idiotic conversations that I used to have on T1...but with FAR fewer calls, the number drops dramatically.

Anyway, today there was a training class canceled so there were too many T2's around...and since you-know-who is at the bottom of the totem pole...I got to answer T1 calls for the last half of the day. So on to the story:

Caller - "I can't login to the VPN with my token." (In case you aren't hip to corporate security features...a token is a little device that displays a 'random' string of numbers every minute. This string is incorporated into the user's passcode, and an algorithm on the server checks to ensure the codes authenticity.)

Me - "Ok, do you have the token with you?"

Caller - "No, I don't."

Me - "Then I'm confused how you are trying to login to the VPN?"

Caller - "I put in my username and passcode."

Me - "But if you don't have your token, how can enter your code?"

Caller - "Oh, I have my token."

Me - "You just told me that you didn't..."

I actually had about three calls this afternoon that went along the same lines...I ask the user for something...they tell me they don't have it...then they turn around and tell me they do. If only people would pay attention!

The Pirate Master
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: TV
The last season of Survivor was a good one...and the next one looks to be interesting as well, being in China...not on an island...I'm interested in seeing how it is adapted.

But in the meantime, we have The Pirate Master!! At first I didn't know what to think about it when I saw the teaser trailer for it. But I have now seen two episodes and I think it is a pretty good show. Another reality show for me...to go along with TUF5 right now. As it stands right now, the captain of the ship needs to stop acting like a stuck up snob, or he is gonna be cut loose pretty soon. Each week, the crew (split into two teams) hunts for treasure, the winning team picks the captain and he picks two officers. Later, the captain chooses three crew members to be marked for elimination an the non-officer, non-marked crew get to vote for one of the three marked crew members or they can mutiny against the captain. If they mutiny, it must be unanimous, and the captain is cut loose.

Did I mention that the captain takes 50% of the treasure they find, and the officers split 25%? Yeah...kinda adds to the tension. Good show.

Another misconception
Topic: Work
To go along with the last work post...

I've had a couple of people recently call me with another flawed view on computing. They both swore up and down, in fact one woman started arguing and then screaming at me, that they could only receive their Internet email on one and only one computer.

Conversation went something like this:

Me - "I can send you the VPN file if you have an external, Internet email address."

Caller - "I have a Yahoo account, but I can't check it from this computer."

Me - "You don't have Internet access at that computer? If not, you won't be able to use the VPN anyway."

Caller - "I do have the Internet on here, but I can only check my Yahoo from my other computer."

Me - "And why is that exactly?"

Caller - "Because my Lotus Notes email comes to this computer, and my Yahoo mail goes to the other one."

Me - "You can check any Internet based email from any computer in the world, provided that it has Internet access."

Caller - "No you can't!" <--And they were both very serious about this claim.

Me - "Ah, yeah you can...that's kinda the whole point of it."

Anyway, as I said, one of them argued with me for a while and even screamed at me that I was wrong. Then I'm like..."Ok, prove me wrong, open IE and go to yahoo.com, click mail and sign in...thank you."

Then she calmed down and even thanked me later for setting her straight. That was fun!