Tiffany was involved in a 3 car accident a few days ago. The person in front of her stopped on the interstate. As a result, Tiff rear ended the car and in turn was rear ended by a car behind her. Tiffany walked away from the accident with some bruises and soreness, but she was ok otherwise. The car, on the other hand, will not survive (It looks pretty bad).
It was very scary when I received the call from her. She had just dropped me off at work and I rushed to the scene with a guy from work. It was terrible getting through the traffic to get to my wife. I felt desperate and helpless. When I got to the scene, I rushed up to Tiff and held her close...
It is times like these that remind me what is important in life.... But I should not wait for times like these. It is scary to think about the accident and see the scene in my head. It is scary to think about what could have happened. The fact remains though- God is in control! He has a reason for this accident. He has a reason for totaling the car that we just bought... The questions should not be, "Why did you do this God?" Instead, the question should be, "How can we use this to glorify God?"
Friday, December 15, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Happenings as of Late
It has been a while since I made a post to the blog... Primarily, there has not been anything exciting to report. That being said, would you like to know what we have been doing?
Well, we traveled up to New York for Thanksgiving. On the way up, we picked up my mom. About 30 miles from my brothers house, our car died... The good news is that we were at the right exit, so we pulled off into a BP station. Upon examination, I discovered that the belt had come off the car. I called my brother and he came to the rescue. When he looked at it, the belt was ok, but the pulley had given up the ghost.
We left the car for the day and enjoyed the rest of Thanksgiving with Mom, my brother and my sister in law. It was a nice day and good to be with family.
The next day, my brother and I traveled back to the car and discovered... Just kidding.. The car was fixed in about 5 minutes. My brothers mechanical skills came to the rescue.
On Friday, Tiffany and I spent some time with a friend of mine from high school. It was great hanging out and catching up on Trumansburg news as of late. It is so much fun getting together with friends... Especially when you have not seen each other in years.
With the cold weather starting in Central Virginia, we are getting excited about our Christmas trip to Arizona. Tiffany's parents moved to Phoenix this year so we decided to have a warm Christmas (Not as warm as last years, but still nice).
Oh yeah... One bit of exciting news is that we had to replace our cell phones last week (They were getting a bit on the old side....). Upon further examination, we discovered that the best deal was the MotoRazr V3M... So, that is what we bought (After rebates, etc. they will wind up being FREE).
Well, I better put my nose back on the grind stone now so I can continue Getting Things Done...
Well, we traveled up to New York for Thanksgiving. On the way up, we picked up my mom. About 30 miles from my brothers house, our car died... The good news is that we were at the right exit, so we pulled off into a BP station. Upon examination, I discovered that the belt had come off the car. I called my brother and he came to the rescue. When he looked at it, the belt was ok, but the pulley had given up the ghost.
We left the car for the day and enjoyed the rest of Thanksgiving with Mom, my brother and my sister in law. It was a nice day and good to be with family.
The next day, my brother and I traveled back to the car and discovered... Just kidding.. The car was fixed in about 5 minutes. My brothers mechanical skills came to the rescue.
On Friday, Tiffany and I spent some time with a friend of mine from high school. It was great hanging out and catching up on Trumansburg news as of late. It is so much fun getting together with friends... Especially when you have not seen each other in years.
With the cold weather starting in Central Virginia, we are getting excited about our Christmas trip to Arizona. Tiffany's parents moved to Phoenix this year so we decided to have a warm Christmas (Not as warm as last years, but still nice).
Oh yeah... One bit of exciting news is that we had to replace our cell phones last week (They were getting a bit on the old side....). Upon further examination, we discovered that the best deal was the MotoRazr V3M... So, that is what we bought (After rebates, etc. they will wind up being FREE).
Well, I better put my nose back on the grind stone now so I can continue Getting Things Done...
Monday, November 20, 2006
Richmond Flood!
Wow! We had quite a flood last week here in Richmond. We had a ton of rain on November 16th. It was also very windy that day which added to the problem. The wind caused most of the leaves to fall out of the trees. Coupled with the extra water from the rain, we had perfect conditions for floods and flash floods. I was able to leave work early that day, so I decided to drive around to the low areas I knew of and take some pictures. I have posted them on Flickr under the "Weather" section of our page.
Water is amazing and this flooding was also amazing. I am glad I was able to capture some of it in pictures. I was not able to get down to the city of Richmond though. I understand that there was some pretty major flooding down there.
Water is amazing and this flooding was also amazing. I am glad I was able to capture some of it in pictures. I was not able to get down to the city of Richmond though. I understand that there was some pretty major flooding down there.
Hershey, PA
Tiffany and I own with Bluegreen Vacation Club. We recently discovered a resort they own in Hershey, PA. After doing a quick search, we realized that Hershey was closer than we thought. So, we packed our bags and headed up to Hershey on November 9 (Just a few days after getting back from Toronto). We had a great weekend relaxing and taking in the touristy destinations (Minus the theme park as it was closed). It is nice to be able to get away for a weekend once in a while. It helps set work aside and relax.
We had some friends join us on the trip and that always adds to the fun!
On the way home, we stopped in Maryland to see my mom. We called her when we were at her exit to tell her we wanted lunch! See was surpised and happy to see us.
We had some friends join us on the trip and that always adds to the fun!
On the way home, we stopped in Maryland to see my mom. We called her when we were at her exit to tell her we wanted lunch! See was surpised and happy to see us.
Another Trip to Toronto
I had the pleasure of traveling to Toronto again at the beginning of this month. I traveled for business this time as we were installing a new videoconferencing room in the city. The best part about the trip was the evening I got to take the client out to dinner. My company had me take the client and the installation team to the 360 Restaurant in the CN Tower. The food was pretty good, but the view was spectacular! The restaurant rotates once every 72 minutes. Final bill: $475 (For four people!)
Toronto is a great city and I am glad that I was able to travel there for work. I might be going again early in 2007. We will be moving a bunch of systems to a new building a few blocks away, so it will be a fairy major project! I hope I can go and bring Tiff with me.
Toronto is a great city and I am glad that I was able to travel there for work. I might be going again early in 2007. We will be moving a bunch of systems to a new building a few blocks away, so it will be a fairy major project! I hope I can go and bring Tiff with me.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Dilbert Has a Voice!
I have grown to love the Dilbert comics over the past year or so... Mainly because they are incredibly true in a twisted sort of way.
About 18 months ago, the creator of Dilbert lost his ability to speak. This month, he regained his ability to speak and has a very interesting post about it on his blog.
Stories like this just go to prove how amazingly intricate the human body is... God has created an amazing thing in us and this proves it. This story is so interesting to me.
About 18 months ago, the creator of Dilbert lost his ability to speak. This month, he regained his ability to speak and has a very interesting post about it on his blog.
Stories like this just go to prove how amazingly intricate the human body is... God has created an amazing thing in us and this proves it. This story is so interesting to me.
Orbiting the Giant Getting Things Done Ball...
(Please note: I began writting this a couple months back. I had a lot on my mind and heart and the time and I still feel it is important to post this now)
I have been learning a lot about myself and this world lately. Due to my desire to not sit still, I have experienced just about every piece of the VTC team at work. By constantly raising my hand and wanting to be involved, I have been able to experience more than my job description allows. Management has gone along with it for want of seeing work get done and lack of people wanting to get involved. The other day, a colleague handed me a book by Gordon MacKenzie titled "Orbiting the Giant Hairball." I was immediately engrossed in the book and I was not sure why. About half way through the book, I began to understand something about myself that I had not been able to articulate until now.
I have always had this unsettled feeling about the future. Where am I going? What am I doing? What steps need to be taken? But I constantly read that I should be entrusting my ways to the Lord and letting him direct my paths. I like that! But at the same time, not having direction has made me uncomforatble. Probably because we all have this comfort zone in the Hairball and want to feel secure in what is known. Pressure comes from all sides to make decisions and choose a path. Fit this mold. Do this. Don't do this. But I have this nagging feeling that there is more to life.
True, it is important to have some form and structure (We have a whole Bible filled with it), but there is the creative and artistic side that we tend to avoid (The Bible was also filled with that). Where am I going with this? Spirit of the Law, not letter of the law....
God has created each one of us with a mind to think. To grow. To be creative. Look at His creation! Amazing! Beautiful! Creative.... He didn't design robots to fit a certain mold. He didn't create the mindless machine of a corporation. He created beauty and intelligence. It fits within certain guidelines, true, but there is a freedom within it. We call it "Christian Liberty" or something like that. Nevertheless, it too has some guide posts, but is largely free. We squeeze into these boxes and follow steps in life. Go to college. Climb the ladder. And above all else, do NOT color outside the lines.
As I look back over my life, I can honestly say that I have not colored inside the lines (Most of time). My life has not been normal (If there is such a thing). I do know though that I am right where God wants me right now. How did I get here though? I could write a whole book tracing backwards and would still come up with the same questions. I took risks, I followed my heart which was guided by my mind and God. Luck? Chance? No way! God has a plan and He will see it through the end! I know that God wants to use me and He wants me to glorify Him. That's why He created me- To glorify Him. The best part about glorifying God is that it is incredibly fun! Sure, it gets hard at times and there are some bumps in the road, but it is awesome overall.
Life is too short on this earth and I do not intend to sit still and let it pass me by. I want to glorify God and have a great time doing it too. I want to get things done for the Lord and see His kingdom grow. If I choose not to be part of that, I will miss out on the greatest joy of life. God's work will be done whether I choose to help or not. I'm diving in! I want to paint a masterpiece for God with this canvas of life he has given to me! Who am I? I am a child of God, placed on this earth for such a time as this. My interests are varied and change often. I have a desire to gather information and process it. When it all comes to an end though, the only part of my life that will carry on is what yielded true value. I want to get things done that glorify God. As a result, I will live a rich life of joy and satisfaction. At the same time, God will be pleased with His investment!
I have been learning a lot about myself and this world lately. Due to my desire to not sit still, I have experienced just about every piece of the VTC team at work. By constantly raising my hand and wanting to be involved, I have been able to experience more than my job description allows. Management has gone along with it for want of seeing work get done and lack of people wanting to get involved. The other day, a colleague handed me a book by Gordon MacKenzie titled "Orbiting the Giant Hairball." I was immediately engrossed in the book and I was not sure why. About half way through the book, I began to understand something about myself that I had not been able to articulate until now.
I have always had this unsettled feeling about the future. Where am I going? What am I doing? What steps need to be taken? But I constantly read that I should be entrusting my ways to the Lord and letting him direct my paths. I like that! But at the same time, not having direction has made me uncomforatble. Probably because we all have this comfort zone in the Hairball and want to feel secure in what is known. Pressure comes from all sides to make decisions and choose a path. Fit this mold. Do this. Don't do this. But I have this nagging feeling that there is more to life.
True, it is important to have some form and structure (We have a whole Bible filled with it), but there is the creative and artistic side that we tend to avoid (The Bible was also filled with that). Where am I going with this? Spirit of the Law, not letter of the law....
God has created each one of us with a mind to think. To grow. To be creative. Look at His creation! Amazing! Beautiful! Creative.... He didn't design robots to fit a certain mold. He didn't create the mindless machine of a corporation. He created beauty and intelligence. It fits within certain guidelines, true, but there is a freedom within it. We call it "Christian Liberty" or something like that. Nevertheless, it too has some guide posts, but is largely free. We squeeze into these boxes and follow steps in life. Go to college. Climb the ladder. And above all else, do NOT color outside the lines.
As I look back over my life, I can honestly say that I have not colored inside the lines (Most of time). My life has not been normal (If there is such a thing). I do know though that I am right where God wants me right now. How did I get here though? I could write a whole book tracing backwards and would still come up with the same questions. I took risks, I followed my heart which was guided by my mind and God. Luck? Chance? No way! God has a plan and He will see it through the end! I know that God wants to use me and He wants me to glorify Him. That's why He created me- To glorify Him. The best part about glorifying God is that it is incredibly fun! Sure, it gets hard at times and there are some bumps in the road, but it is awesome overall.
Life is too short on this earth and I do not intend to sit still and let it pass me by. I want to glorify God and have a great time doing it too. I want to get things done for the Lord and see His kingdom grow. If I choose not to be part of that, I will miss out on the greatest joy of life. God's work will be done whether I choose to help or not. I'm diving in! I want to paint a masterpiece for God with this canvas of life he has given to me! Who am I? I am a child of God, placed on this earth for such a time as this. My interests are varied and change often. I have a desire to gather information and process it. When it all comes to an end though, the only part of my life that will carry on is what yielded true value. I want to get things done that glorify God. As a result, I will live a rich life of joy and satisfaction. At the same time, God will be pleased with His investment!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Major Update to TheSnoopyPenguin.org
It has been a long time since we made a major update to our webpage. A couple of weeks ago, I decided that it was time to get down to business and update the page. What you will now see is a CSS based page that rocks! It looks great and will grow quickly. The pages fit well together and provide an excellent framework for what is to come: TheSnoopyPenguin.org
Monday, October 23, 2006
CVE
I just posted an article on our main page about becoming a Certified Videoconferencing Engineer. Since it is technology related material, I have crossposted to the technology section of our blog. Exciting stuff happening!!
Certified Videoconferencing Engineer
Well, after a couple of years of waiting, I am finally a Certified Videoconferencing Engineer (CVE)!!! The additional letters on my name will be nice, but the knowledge gained from this experience is even better. I have learned a ton about video, audio, networking and standards. Sure, the experience I have gained from day-to-day work has been great, but the cohesive bonding of the CVE course and exam has helped solidify what I have learned. It is great to see how this certification has and will directly affect my job as an infrastructure engineer! On top of that, I look forward to what the Lord has in store. I really want to use this for the Lord and we are very eager to see what lies ahead!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Goodbye Newsgator... Hello Google Reader!
I think that the time has come...
I have been an avid user of the Newgator online RSS reader for quite some time now (Maybe as long as a year). It has been my one stop shop for all of the latest on the internet. In fact, I use it so much that I have it burned in my brain to visit http://mail.yahoo.com and then http://www.newsgator.com... I almost type the two addresses as one.
When Google first came out with Google reader, I did not really like it (And I love Google). Yesterday, Google gave me what I wanted and updated the google reader. It now has the features that I have longed for. The main feature that I wanted was the ability to mark an item as read (As if it were email)... After playing around with the reader today, I believe that I may be switching from Newsgator to Google Reader. I will keep both running for a while and see which one I like the best. First impression- Google rocks!
I have been an avid user of the Newgator online RSS reader for quite some time now (Maybe as long as a year). It has been my one stop shop for all of the latest on the internet. In fact, I use it so much that I have it burned in my brain to visit http://mail.yahoo.com and then http://www.newsgator.com... I almost type the two addresses as one.
When Google first came out with Google reader, I did not really like it (And I love Google). Yesterday, Google gave me what I wanted and updated the google reader. It now has the features that I have longed for. The main feature that I wanted was the ability to mark an item as read (As if it were email)... After playing around with the reader today, I believe that I may be switching from Newsgator to Google Reader. I will keep both running for a while and see which one I like the best. First impression- Google rocks!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Silicon Valley, California
Tiffany and I are settling back into real life this week after a visit to San Jose, California last week.
Our adventures began on Saturday, September 16 with separate flights to San Jose. My flights were all messed up going to California, so our luggage also got messed up... I think it finally arrived Sunday afternoon (Note to self: Never fly through Chicago again... Oh, never fly United either).
When we arrived in California, our "son" met us. Mark is a long time friend from college and he flew himself up from the LA area to spend Sunday with us. We call him our son because he practically lived with us for a year during college.. Good times!
Sunday morning, we took a trip on the Roaring Camp Railroad! We rode an old Shay Steam Locamotive up into a mountain filled with giant redwood trees. We will post pictures on Flickr shortly. After riding the railroad, we drove up the coast to San Francisco! We drove down the famous Lombard street, walked around the touristy places and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge... Again, I will post pictures soon.
Monday morning put a stop to the tourism as I began my week long intensive study of Polycom Certified Video Engineer training... The course is very intense but wonderful. While I was in training, Tiffany spent time in and around San Jose. She had a great time and did not want to leave.
Since we were in Silicon Valley, we made sure to visit a few of my favorite places: Google, Yahoo, Intel, Apple, etc... Those pictures will also be posted soon!
Friday evening, before getting a couple hours of sleep and flying home, we drove to San Luis Obispo to see my step brother and his wife (JT and Demetria). We had a great time with them and caught up on a few years worth of information (Yeah, time travels WAY too fast around here).
Once again, our luggage was lost on the way back from California, but it arrived shortly before I had to pick Tiff up from the airport.
Now we get to settle back into life and the rush. Hopefully, I will be able to take my cerification test soon and add "CVE" to my list of accomplishments. I am very excited about this certification as it is very comprehensive in the video conferencing world. It also comes at a good time and coincides with my recent promotion.
Well, time to get back to the grind stone!
Our adventures began on Saturday, September 16 with separate flights to San Jose. My flights were all messed up going to California, so our luggage also got messed up... I think it finally arrived Sunday afternoon (Note to self: Never fly through Chicago again... Oh, never fly United either).
When we arrived in California, our "son" met us. Mark is a long time friend from college and he flew himself up from the LA area to spend Sunday with us. We call him our son because he practically lived with us for a year during college.. Good times!
Sunday morning, we took a trip on the Roaring Camp Railroad! We rode an old Shay Steam Locamotive up into a mountain filled with giant redwood trees. We will post pictures on Flickr shortly. After riding the railroad, we drove up the coast to San Francisco! We drove down the famous Lombard street, walked around the touristy places and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge... Again, I will post pictures soon.
Monday morning put a stop to the tourism as I began my week long intensive study of Polycom Certified Video Engineer training... The course is very intense but wonderful. While I was in training, Tiffany spent time in and around San Jose. She had a great time and did not want to leave.
Since we were in Silicon Valley, we made sure to visit a few of my favorite places: Google, Yahoo, Intel, Apple, etc... Those pictures will also be posted soon!
Friday evening, before getting a couple hours of sleep and flying home, we drove to San Luis Obispo to see my step brother and his wife (JT and Demetria). We had a great time with them and caught up on a few years worth of information (Yeah, time travels WAY too fast around here).
Once again, our luggage was lost on the way back from California, but it arrived shortly before I had to pick Tiff up from the airport.
Now we get to settle back into life and the rush. Hopefully, I will be able to take my cerification test soon and add "CVE" to my list of accomplishments. I am very excited about this certification as it is very comprehensive in the video conferencing world. It also comes at a good time and coincides with my recent promotion.
Well, time to get back to the grind stone!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Promotion
I received a pleasant surprise at work on Friday, September 8th. A few posts back, I mentioned how busy we have been. Well, it has paid off at work. I was promoted to the position of Infrastructure Engineer/Project Coordinator!!
I am very excited about this new position as it gives me an opportunity to continue learning and developing skills. At the same time, I am in a position that places me on the cutting edge of video conferencing and audio/visual. I am not sure what my full responsibilities will be at this point, but I do know it will be fun! This is the height of geekdom for me!
I cannot help but praise the Lord for how he has been working in our lives. He is teaching us so much lately and opening doors that we would have never imagined. This new position will give me skills and experience that I hope we can use for the Lord.
I look forward to the new challenges that are ahead!
I am very excited about this new position as it gives me an opportunity to continue learning and developing skills. At the same time, I am in a position that places me on the cutting edge of video conferencing and audio/visual. I am not sure what my full responsibilities will be at this point, but I do know it will be fun! This is the height of geekdom for me!
I cannot help but praise the Lord for how he has been working in our lives. He is teaching us so much lately and opening doors that we would have never imagined. This new position will give me skills and experience that I hope we can use for the Lord.
I look forward to the new challenges that are ahead!
The Walk- Matthew 7:13-20
One of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs is "The Walk." As I was reading through Matthew 7:13-20 today, this song came to mind. Our walk with the Lord and our walk in life is why we are here. How we choose to walk through this life shows what we truly believe and what our goals are. On top of that, how we choose to walk through this life will also determine how our lives turn out. That may seem like an obvious statement, but we tend to live like our decisions do not have outcomes and consequences.
If we are walking on the narrow path, our goal will be to glorify God. That narrow path will be hard at times and we will be tempted to take the easy road, but the results of taking the narrow path are wonderful. The deepest and most rewarding pleasure in life is serving God and glorifying God. That should be our number one goal at all times.
This truth really hit home when Tiffany and I went to Bali, Indonesia in 2005. While in Bali, we studied "The Blazing Center" by John Piper. The material was more than we could take in during one week. Since that trip, the Lord has really impressed these truths in my mind and it has helped me know how to focus.
The Walk (Steven Curtis Chapman)
I've got a Grandpa Rudd
He gave thirty years to the lumber yard
Loving his family and working hard
Got a faith like a solid rock
He's just doing the walk
I've got a friend named Larry
He sends me letters from a foreign land
He moved there with his kids and his pretty wife Mary
To answer a holy call
He's just doing the walk
You can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down to the walk
There's a man I know
He said He'd come to show us the way
He died on a cross and He rose from the grave
And proved He was more than talk
He taught us the walk
And now I'm singing my songs
Standing up on a big, bright stage
And I do my dance while the music plays
But when the music stops
Am I doing the walk
You can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down to this
Do justly, love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
'Cause you can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down, down, down, down, down
To the walk
If we are walking on the narrow path, our goal will be to glorify God. That narrow path will be hard at times and we will be tempted to take the easy road, but the results of taking the narrow path are wonderful. The deepest and most rewarding pleasure in life is serving God and glorifying God. That should be our number one goal at all times.
This truth really hit home when Tiffany and I went to Bali, Indonesia in 2005. While in Bali, we studied "The Blazing Center" by John Piper. The material was more than we could take in during one week. Since that trip, the Lord has really impressed these truths in my mind and it has helped me know how to focus.
The Walk (Steven Curtis Chapman)
I've got a Grandpa Rudd
He gave thirty years to the lumber yard
Loving his family and working hard
Got a faith like a solid rock
He's just doing the walk
I've got a friend named Larry
He sends me letters from a foreign land
He moved there with his kids and his pretty wife Mary
To answer a holy call
He's just doing the walk
You can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down to the walk
There's a man I know
He said He'd come to show us the way
He died on a cross and He rose from the grave
And proved He was more than talk
He taught us the walk
And now I'm singing my songs
Standing up on a big, bright stage
And I do my dance while the music plays
But when the music stops
Am I doing the walk
You can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down to this
Do justly, love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
'Cause you can run with the big dogs
You can fly with the eagles
You can jump through all the hoops
And climb the ladder to the top
But when it all comes down
You know it all comes down, down, down, down, down
To the walk
Monday, August 14, 2006
Anniversary Trip to Toronto
We have just arrived back from our vacation to Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Tiffany and I had a great time celebrating our 5th anniversary and relaxing in Toronto. We visited the CN Tower, Casa Loma, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Ontario Science Centre, Paramount Canada's Wonderland, Toronto Island, Niagara Falls and more. We have posted pictures on Flickr from the trip.
Tangier Update
The DDXG had a great time on Tangier Island. We worked all 24 hours of the IOTA Contest this year and fun was had by all. I should be getting some pictures up on flickr soon, including the lightning bolt that I was able to capture with my camera!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
IOTA NA-083
After 4 weeks of hard work in Northern Virginia, I am beat... But, I am very excited about this weekend. Tiffany and I will be traveling with the Dominion DX Group to Tangier Island this weekend to participate in the IOTA contest. Many of the DDXG members will be present for the 24 hour competition.
I am particularly excited because this will be my first "real" DXpedition. I have participated in contests before, but not at the level we will be competing at. We will have one run station and one mult station. I plan to spend time working each station.
One of the radio's we will be using is my personal TS-2000.
It should be a great weekend!
I am particularly excited because this will be my first "real" DXpedition. I have participated in contests before, but not at the level we will be competing at. We will have one run station and one mult station. I plan to spend time working each station.
One of the radio's we will be using is my personal TS-2000.
It should be a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Busy Busy Busy
Work has been incredibly bust for us this month.
Tiffany has been driving for her dad everyday for the past few weeks. She get's up at 4:30 am everyday and it is really starting to wear her down. We look forward to the weekends to get some rest.
My work has been crazy as of late too. I work in video conferencing and have been receiving a crash course education in project management as of late. Don't get me wrong, I love the free education and I love what I am doing, but it sure drains after multiple high stress days! I am very glad that I was able to stumble into the video conferencing world. It has really given me an opportunity to work on skills that we hope to use on the mission field someday. I have also enjoyed learning how the corporate giant works. I am a very tiny part of a massive IT organization, but I enjoy where I am because I get to work with other groups that I have an interest in. I have been able to learn more about networking, servers and pc's as a result of video conferencing while learning about a highly speacalized field at the same time.
We don't know where God is leading all the time. What we do know is that we are right where He wants us to be now. We look forward to the next step He has for us and strive to work hard today!
Our greatest desire is the glorify God! God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him (John Piper)!
Tiffany has been driving for her dad everyday for the past few weeks. She get's up at 4:30 am everyday and it is really starting to wear her down. We look forward to the weekends to get some rest.
My work has been crazy as of late too. I work in video conferencing and have been receiving a crash course education in project management as of late. Don't get me wrong, I love the free education and I love what I am doing, but it sure drains after multiple high stress days! I am very glad that I was able to stumble into the video conferencing world. It has really given me an opportunity to work on skills that we hope to use on the mission field someday. I have also enjoyed learning how the corporate giant works. I am a very tiny part of a massive IT organization, but I enjoy where I am because I get to work with other groups that I have an interest in. I have been able to learn more about networking, servers and pc's as a result of video conferencing while learning about a highly speacalized field at the same time.
We don't know where God is leading all the time. What we do know is that we are right where He wants us to be now. We look forward to the next step He has for us and strive to work hard today!
Our greatest desire is the glorify God! God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him (John Piper)!
Rotation!
We have had a LOT of rain in Central Virgina this week. Storm after storm after storm... Last night, while Tiffany and I were eating dinner, the wind picked up and it was mildly strong. I decided to open a few more blinds in our dining room so we could see more outside. While opening one of the blinds, I noticed a particularly low cloud. As it passed in front of our house (Maybe a hundred yards or so), I noticed that it had rotation! I watched it for a few more seconds then ran to grab my cell phone. Although it did not touch down and turn into a tornado, we saw a definate funnel cloud!! I called the National Weather Service in Wakefield to report what I saw. Although there were no warnings or watches, he confirmed that particular cell looked a little odd to them.
There wasn't any damage, but it was amazing to see. The terrible part of the whole ordeal is that I forgot to grab my camera to take a picture... Oh well...
There wasn't any damage, but it was amazing to see. The terrible part of the whole ordeal is that I forgot to grab my camera to take a picture... Oh well...
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
500 Ghz Processor for Your 111 Megapixel Camera!
Two news stories have hit the web this week that I have to blog about.
First, we have been introduced to the 111 Megapixel camera from DALSA. Albeit, there are larger options available... This is just phenominal! Just a few years ago, I would have stuck my nose up to digital. It just was not ready for the world. Today, I have a digital camera with me all the time (My cell phone right now). We have taken over 17,000 pictures over the past two years as a result of digital technology. Sites like Flickr have made it possible for amateur photographers to thrust themselves into the public eye.
Second, we have been introduced to the overclocked 500 Ghz processor. Come again? That's right. Today, I am using a 1.73 Ghz computer, but tomorrow I could be using a computer that is over 250 times FASTER....
Granted, both of these stories speak of technology that is still unobtainable by the general public, but it still neat to see innovation like this. Now, we just need to boost the RAM, build bigger hard drives and get that bus speed up!
First, we have been introduced to the 111 Megapixel camera from DALSA. Albeit, there are larger options available... This is just phenominal! Just a few years ago, I would have stuck my nose up to digital. It just was not ready for the world. Today, I have a digital camera with me all the time (My cell phone right now). We have taken over 17,000 pictures over the past two years as a result of digital technology. Sites like Flickr have made it possible for amateur photographers to thrust themselves into the public eye.
Second, we have been introduced to the overclocked 500 Ghz processor. Come again? That's right. Today, I am using a 1.73 Ghz computer, but tomorrow I could be using a computer that is over 250 times FASTER....
Granted, both of these stories speak of technology that is still unobtainable by the general public, but it still neat to see innovation like this. Now, we just need to boost the RAM, build bigger hard drives and get that bus speed up!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Weekend Update: Radio, Radio and Busch Gardens
Wow! Tiffany and I just finished a very busy, but fun weekend.
Friday night, we had Charles come over to spend time with me on the radio. Charles is interested in radio and I really wanted to spend time showing him as much as possible.
Hope, Pacey and mom also came over for dinner.
Saturday morning, we went to a radio event with the DDXG. A more detailed report can be found on my radio blog.
Saturday evening, Matt and Julie came over with Evelyn. Terah, Blaine and Hope also came over to see the baby and eat pizza.
Sunday morning, we went with Peter and Sara to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Sara had $15 tickets from work. After arriving, we quickly converted those tickets into Silver Passports. It acutally wound up costing us less than a days ticket to buy a season passport! Thanks Sara! We look forward to many trips this summer. BG is so much fun and a great way to relax. It's only an hour from home, so it makes for the perfect day trip.
Links: TheSnoopyPenguin on Radio: DDXG Radio Event (Young Eagles)
Friday night, we had Charles come over to spend time with me on the radio. Charles is interested in radio and I really wanted to spend time showing him as much as possible.
Hope, Pacey and mom also came over for dinner.
Saturday morning, we went to a radio event with the DDXG. A more detailed report can be found on my radio blog.
Saturday evening, Matt and Julie came over with Evelyn. Terah, Blaine and Hope also came over to see the baby and eat pizza.
Sunday morning, we went with Peter and Sara to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Sara had $15 tickets from work. After arriving, we quickly converted those tickets into Silver Passports. It acutally wound up costing us less than a days ticket to buy a season passport! Thanks Sara! We look forward to many trips this summer. BG is so much fun and a great way to relax. It's only an hour from home, so it makes for the perfect day trip.
Links: TheSnoopyPenguin on Radio: DDXG Radio Event (Young Eagles)
DDXG Radio Event (Young Eagles)
I am a proud member of the Dominion DX Group in Richmond, VA. This weekend, we organized a special event station at the New Kent County Airport near Richmond.
The EAA put on a Young Eagles event at the airport. They had over 80 kids come to the airport to get a free flight and an introduction to aviation. The weather was perfect for such an event.
The DDXG also had a special event station setup for the event. I had the privelege of talking to kids about radio. I began by sharing some purposes of amateur radio including the emergency aspect of radio. I then showed them APRS so they could "see" the benefits of radio.
We also had an HF station setup in which the kids could see us talking to other radio operators in the US and Canada. Many of them seemed fairly interested in what we were doing.
I think that events like this are very good for kids today. It is a great way to expose them to something other than video games and TV. Too many kids do not have active minds today and it is a shame. Radio and aviation are both very challenging to the mind, but there are countless stories of children succeeding at both!
I enjoy sharing my hobbies with other people, especially kids! I wish that I had been introduced to radio and aviation at an earlier age than I was. Both have been fun for me and have definetly played a role in my life!
The EAA put on a Young Eagles event at the airport. They had over 80 kids come to the airport to get a free flight and an introduction to aviation. The weather was perfect for such an event.
The DDXG also had a special event station setup for the event. I had the privelege of talking to kids about radio. I began by sharing some purposes of amateur radio including the emergency aspect of radio. I then showed them APRS so they could "see" the benefits of radio.
We also had an HF station setup in which the kids could see us talking to other radio operators in the US and Canada. Many of them seemed fairly interested in what we were doing.
I think that events like this are very good for kids today. It is a great way to expose them to something other than video games and TV. Too many kids do not have active minds today and it is a shame. Radio and aviation are both very challenging to the mind, but there are countless stories of children succeeding at both!
I enjoy sharing my hobbies with other people, especially kids! I wish that I had been introduced to radio and aviation at an earlier age than I was. Both have been fun for me and have definetly played a role in my life!
More Software Defined Radio...
Hmm... Looks like we may be on the bleeding edge here. I have found another article about Software Defined Radio (SDR). I have not taken too close a look at this page yet, but it looks very interesting. I think it is neat to see how technology grows and changes. More importantly though, it is great to see amateur radio operators at the forefront of these changes.
Amateur radio operators are putting time and energy into a HOBBY that is changing the world and electronics and software and computers and... I personally love amateur radio for this very reason. I learn so much from radio and it pays off in life!
Amateur radio operators are putting time and energy into a HOBBY that is changing the world and electronics and software and computers and... I personally love amateur radio for this very reason. I learn so much from radio and it pays off in life!
Vista ISO
I finally fought my way through the line and have downloaded Microsoft Vista! The massive 3.5 Gig .iso file is setting on my desktop at home. Now I need to burn it to a disk and find a computer to install it on!
Never Get Lost Again!
I love Google and I love Google Maps! Both have served as invaluable tools many times.
At the same time, my cell phone has also become a great tool. Since Tiffany and I have PCS Vision on our phones (Samsung A740), we are able to "surf the internet" at blazingly slow speeds... It's great being able to jump over to google and do a search while away from my computer. Now, Google has introduced an application that lets you view Google Maps from the cell phone! Now I can lookup directions, satellite views, etc. from my cell phone (As long as I have a signal and enough battery).
Keep it coming Google!!
At the same time, my cell phone has also become a great tool. Since Tiffany and I have PCS Vision on our phones (Samsung A740), we are able to "surf the internet" at blazingly slow speeds... It's great being able to jump over to google and do a search while away from my computer. Now, Google has introduced an application that lets you view Google Maps from the cell phone! Now I can lookup directions, satellite views, etc. from my cell phone (As long as I have a signal and enough battery).
Keep it coming Google!!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Vista! Vista! Vista!
The beta of Windows Vista is now available to the public!
Unfortunately, the Microsoft servers are dying as a result... The ISO image is a massive 3.5 Gig! I already have my key code for the software, but I am going to wait a few days until the hype dies down.
Looks like you have to have a pretty good computer for it (So I have no idea which one I will load it on...), but that's ok. When XP came out, it was a resource hog too, but now it is part of daily life. Someday, we will look back and say, "Wow, I remember when Vista was still called Longhorn, now it is a dinosaur!"
Eagly awaiting my turn in line...
Monday, June 05, 2006
The Future of Radio... Today!
Engadget has posted a very interesting article today about software defined radio! The long term implications of this technology are limitless. Imagine having a laptop with a built in HF radio. All you would need is an antenna, coax and your laptadio!
Engadget Article via Wired News
Buy one for Jim!
Engadget Article via Wired News
Buy one for Jim!
Friday, June 02, 2006
Outlook 2007 Calendar
At work, we often have a lot of meetings simultaneously scheduled on our team calendar. The other day, we discovered that Office XP can only have 6 simultaneous meetings scheduled for any given time of the day. After 6, they drop off the screen!!
When I got home from work that day, I discovered that Office 2003 had a limit of 10 simultaneous meetings.
Now that I have installed Office 2007 Beta, I have yet to find a limit! I scheduled 25 meetings at one point, but ran out of time and patiences...
Bottom line, it looks like Microsoft really does listen to its users. If you do a search on the internet, you will find many people complain about the limit in XP and 2003... So, let's see where the limit is in 2007!
When I got home from work that day, I discovered that Office 2003 had a limit of 10 simultaneous meetings.
Now that I have installed Office 2007 Beta, I have yet to find a limit! I scheduled 25 meetings at one point, but ran out of time and patiences...
Bottom line, it looks like Microsoft really does listen to its users. If you do a search on the internet, you will find many people complain about the limit in XP and 2003... So, let's see where the limit is in 2007!
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Unwritten
Here I am at the start of blogging. I have tested a number of blogs and beat around the bush long enough. Today, I am going to begin blogging various thoughts that I have. I have broken the blog down into a number of smaller blogs that all link to each other. When I think about blogging, the song "Unwritten" comes to mind. Natasha Bedingfield captures the thoughts fairly well, so I feel compelled to begin with this:
I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your INHIBITIONS
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, oh
I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines
We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way
oh, oh
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
(x2)
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live you life with arms wide open
Today is where you book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
the rest is still unwritten
(she chuckle's)
I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your INHIBITIONS
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, oh
I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines
We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way
oh, oh
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
(x2)
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
drench yourself in words unspoken
Live you life with arms wide open
Today is where you book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
the rest is still unwritten
(she chuckle's)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Now That's a Bright Torch!
One of our most popular pictures on Flickr right now. As we were walking away from the statue, this idea popped into my head.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)