Tech Tuesday: Introductions

I HAVE three blogs, but I can barely keep up with one! Soooo, I decided to use this one for all three. Does that make sense? Anyhoo. Tuesdays I want to concentrate on technology issues. I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer and thus have an abundance of knowledge (who am I kidding). Today will just be an intro to my field of "expertise". My paying job is as a Senior Instructor for Technician and Administrator students. They are studying to become certified as IT Technicians, Microsoft Certified Systems Admins and Engineers. I am lucky to have a job that combines my love for teaching and my love for computers. Teaching Computers is double the love! My side work includes working with friends and family diagnosing and fixing their computers. I might not really and truly enjoy fixing broken computers, but I do get a definite sense of accomplishment in getting the job done. I have said it before and will say it again... Computers are great... when they are working.

Content, content, content

I am one of those irritating people who believe that if you don't have anything interesting to say, don't say anything. Unfortunately, I think the EVERYTHING I say is interesting so I tend to ramble. Another unfortunate thing is that even though I am an extrovert, I don't lean towards the written work, but more the spoken word. That is why you see me start many blogs but never get more than a day or two in before it just fades away. Maybe something more like a video blog would be more my speed. Just a few minutes of rambling with some structure built in for consistency. I do have lots of webspace on my server so that wouldn't be much of a problem. So, as I garner up the words and possibly the future "voice" of larktown, you might see some fun stuff coming up in the future.

New Year, New Blog Entry

Well, as the geek of the family, you'd think I would be on top of this blogging thing. Apparently not. My wife does so much better at this (link to her blog above!). I guess I either don't think of things to say, run out of time to do them, or am just disinterested, or a combination of all three. I will say that, hopefully, in a week we will have closed escrow and own our first home. It only took me 43 years to become a homeowner! Being military for 20 years and moving every 3-4 years kinda makes it a bit hard to buy a house. We have rented, lived in military housing, and I did a 2-month stint in the barracks! That sucked. But now, we are on the brink of the biggest thing we have bought since the Relay. Kinda scary, but a jump in the right direction. Renting vs. paying a mortgage for us is the better way to go. We will be paying less than we did for rent even after some new expenses (insurance, gardner). It is an exciting time for our family.

Miscellaneous Musings

This has been an interesting week. New schedule at work, where we added school on Mondays and are now open 9-8 Mon-Thurs, and the regular 9-2 on Fri/Sat. This was an added bonus to the students who have been wanting Mondays. The additional 2 hours are good too on Tues and Thurs (we used to open at 11). It has relieved some of the overcrowding we have had as of late. Not that it isn't good, means we are still growing.

Enough about work. Lets talk about my car. Yes, the regular commuter is showing its age. Although that is only 7, the battery is in need of replacement. It is interesting that even though when I start it up it is dead, it will have enough to start the car after a few turns of the key. The other interesting thing is that the clock will always reset to 12:00, but my radio presets are saved. I guess that is most important. I think today is the day to get that fixed. It's hard to find deals on car batteries. Oh well, like my lovely wife said yesterday, regardless of whether you find a deal or not, you have to get a battery. She is a wise person for someone so young.

Random Ramblings

September 1, 2007 was the day that I officially retired from the Coast Guard, so this past Tuesday was my 2 year anniversary of my retirement. People are always asking if I miss the Coast Guard. In one way, I do. The friends I made, cool places I visited, awesome jobs I did, cannot be replaced by anything in memory. I left after accomplishing my goals, I left after 20+ years, as a Chief Petty Officer (full 3 years), and did all the things I set out to do during my career. I honestly didn't expect to do 20. It was going to be 4 and out, then college, and work. Plans change and the time I spent in the service of the country I love was more than worth the toil, strain, and tears. Spending 6 years in Washington, DC was a glorious ending to my time. You learn alot serving your country in the Nations Capitol. I got to work for the Executive Office of the President (George W. Bush), did time at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and topped it all of being one of the first ever enlisted Intelligence Officers supporting the Coast Guard Commandant. All in all, for someone as patriotic as I am (still get teary eyed when THINKING about "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood) I was honored to serve and honored to be a Coast Guard Veteran.

So, yesterday was Sept 2. It was Lourie's birthday. What exciting things happened? Well, my car battery is about to die and our middle child is still recovering from bronchitis. So, as far as birthdays go, it was pretty crappy for her. Good thing the party is on Sunday where we can all get together and celebrate. I'd like to go on record (since millions of people read my blog, right) and say how much my wife is appreciated by not only me, but by her children, even though we may not say so as often as we must. Being a maid, chef, bookkeeper, chauffeur, and all the millions of things she does isn't easy, but she seems to always do these things cheerfully and without much of a complaint. I respect her, I honor her, I love her, and I am grateful to have her as my eternal companion.