It’s been a while since I had a true ‘geek weekend’ where I just have a lot of fun playing with technology. My buddy Jason was kind enough to give me one of his extra Linksys WRT54G routers a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I’ve used it to replace my home-built linux firewall/router box. Being somewhat environmentally conscious, I’ve been concerned about the power I was wasting with the IT equipment that powers my home network (and this site). Up until now the Linksys device has been running a version of its original firmware modified by Sveasoft. While it was nice, it just wasn’t customizable enough for me not to miss the old linux box. To that end, I’ve flashed it yet again with another distribution called OpenWRT. My next project will be to get OpenVPN running on top of OpenWRT for secure remote access to my network.
I also decided to take the plunge and upgrade our copies of iTunes to the new version 7 despite Wil Wheaton’s experience with it. (don’t worry, he got it all back with a little help from Apple…) So far, no problems. I do have to say that I love the new cover art browser mode. It really is like a jukebox. (at least the kind that flip the album art…)
It’s been a while since I saw an action film that was actually fun and not just an excuse for bad lines and lots of stuff that goes boom. My friend Corbett and I watched a french film called District B13. It sounded cool, but I didn’t really know what to expect. Having seen it, I would definitely reccomend it. It’s a non-stop action ride that has fun being over-the top, but also surprises you with a few parts that actually make you think. Plus, the stunts are simply amazing.
Author Archives: Clay
The countdown begins..
For those of you who don’t already know, Nan and I are now parents to be! We found out about a month ago, but have been holding off telling everyone until we had our first appointment with the doctor. That happened last week, and everything is fine. The picture is the first sonogram. The baby is the small horizontally positioned object in the middle. At the time we got this image, the baby was only about the size of a grape.
I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this appointment. I’ve never been one to be afraid of the doctor, but I’m also lucky enough to not have a reason to go very often. I was fairly sure that everything would be fine, but I was a bit nervous. I have to admit I also wasn’t prepared for the probe they use to do the early sonograms. (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask someone who has kids already…) Once the sonogram was done, that was really about it. I think once we saw that there really was a baby in there it became a little more “real” and reassuring at the same time.
I think it’s always exciting to open a new chapter in your life. It’s especially exciting since the change is due to actually creating a new life whose care will be entrusted to you. Everyone has told us how much our lives will change, and I’m sure they will. So there it is, we’re parents to be. Wish us luck! 🙂
A trip down memory lane…
I found a link to this site while browsing the news this evening and reminisced about my early experiences with computers. This guy has a very nice collection. With the exception of machines like the Altair and IMSAI which were a bit before my time, I’ve actually used many of the machines in his collection. My first was Tandy’s TRS-80 Model 1. Ah, the days of ROM carts, cassette tape drives and hours in front of the tube.