It's been a busy couple of days here

Most of my free time over the last few days has been eaten up by trying to get the wifi on my Itouch to get fixed up. I opened up an ITunes account. I’m checking YouTube and the Forums and learning a lot of information on routers. My router did not come with a password when I got it last November. It’s a Belkin N150. For the most part it’s a decent router but has the tendency to suspend my Internet Explorer occasionally. I’m using my laptop to type this with my router on Wifi. I’ve tried all kinds of things and all kinds of password schemes. I tried admin, 1234, take my system off line for 30 seconds and reboot. Since my router didn’t come with a password, it allowed me to make one up. Nothing. I even went into the routers admin page and got the Wep key and typed that into the Itouch. I tried a dozen different things but still I can’t get onto Safari I even toyed around with changing the DSN settings. All I get is incorrect password for my network. The thing is the ITouch at least recognizes my network name but no matter what I do, I access the Internet from my Itouch. I got the 3rd gen version. I know this works because other people I’ve met and know, tell me it does and I‘ve seen the browser work on YouTube.

Other then that not much else is going on. Weather wise here it’s been very dry here in Northern Alberta and on the rest of the prairies. We really need rain. Back in the 1980’s we used to get a lot of rain. Sometimes it would last for 2 solid days or more, now we’re lucky we get a weeks worth of rain in a year.

Anyway, I’m going back to play around with this thing. Vinny from work says there’s a free says there’s a free program he wants me to download. He’s going to gain access to my laptop (the one I’m using now that he fixed for me last month) from home. I guess I’ll be plugging in my ITouch USB cable to call up ITunes and he’ll help me set things up from his location. We’ll probably do this on Sunday or Saturday night. I hope. Anyway, that’s about all for now.

I love Sundays, even though I

with a spitting headache.

Anne gave me an Adville and a few minutes later I felt a lot better.

Seems Boots had jumped off again over the balcony about dusk this morning. He loves doing stuff like that and most likely he will be doing a lot of this during the summer.

Anne and I were about how the Mp3 player I want to buy but the Pay Pal way/EBay might take a month or more to get here. So shes going to give me the $200 to go over to Future Shop when she comes back from the bank tomorrow and I'm getting the 8 Gb version. I mostly want this for the pod casts I subscribe to and listen to a bit of music and play a few games from the apps store. I discovered that the Itunes gift cards don't work here in Canada but are sold here. Go figure. I can access the app store and download content using one of those disposable credit cards anyway. Well I'm pretty sure I can. I'm almost certain that I'll be getting my Itouch tomorrow. I'm looking for ward to it, although I wont have much time to play with it.

An update on the UFO story from yesterday. Ian Punnet had Nick Pope on the show last night and the guest said that the video seemed to be a hoax. He sited the almost perfect condition of the trucks in the photo, the absence of people nearby etc.

The Penguins/Sens game wasn't bad. I was hoping for a Sens win so now the Pens lead the series 2-1. I'm happy that Phoenix is leading 2-1 in their series with Detroit.

Despite having too much hockey I had a good day. Anne made a nice breakfast brunch. I'm going to post this and get some of my music converted over to the Itouch for later. Anyway, that's all for now.

I love Easter weekends

Yesterday I got my pay check and was having a decent night. Gerry let us out at 8:30pm. I was hearing we were going to work until 10pm but I kept on hearing this voice in my head that this was April fools day. I got my check as right as usual but still no bonus money. Last year I made an average of $25/week in bonus money, now I’m down to about $16/week. In this line of work where its sales related you need a bonus structure of some kind to keep the staff motivated. Gerry’s been giving out $20/night in cash but of course we have heavy hitter Patrick who gets over $200/night in cards. I was lucky to get 2 cards last night for $45. But the $20 isn’t just for the night shift it’s for the whole day. But if you know how to get into the lists on the computer in the back, you can skim through the source and pick out the large taps that pay on card. That’s why I see so many blanked out names. Somebody’s been tampering with the lists to get the large credit card taps. You write down the information on an off sheet and then erase the name and then during the shift you use the land line phone to call the customer back and then you get the credit card # write everything down and then the next call you get on the computer say a 2006 $10 tap, you erase the screen info (F6=edit) insert the new info phone numbers etc and enter the credit card. I don’t have the capability to accomplish this back end stuff but I know the people that do.

After work I took my bag of empties and went into Audrey’s and couldn’t find Trevor. He special orders my books for me. Apparently he left Audrey’s for other opportunities. I was in shock but I picked up C.S Friedman’s Book 2 of the Magister trilogy. I still have my Fantasy Rich Horton anthology there, nothing else came in for me. I also noticed a huge tick hardcover: George RR Martin’s “Warriors” anthology. I’ll wait until it comes out in Trade. Also, SF Signal released a table of contents Jonathan Strahan’s new anthology “Wings of Fire.” I guess Russell taking over for Trevor will order my books for me. He’s pretty good at doing this. Sigh, it’s the end of an era.

This weekend promises to be a pretty good weekend. I‘m off today as it‘s a paid stat holiday as long as I work tomorrow, which is penciled into my calendar anyway. Tonight the Oiler‘s have a pay-per-view game on TV in Dallas but Saturday night the boys will be playing in Phoenix. They have 6 games left to wrap up a disastrous season that (mercifully) ends Sunday April 11th on the road in Anaheim.

So, we‘re getting ready for bed earlier this morning. It‘s 4am and am I hearing this right? I already had one shocker yesterday and at the and on Coast they were talking about a major format change to a radio call in cooking show. WTF, am I hearing this right? I‘m thinking it has to be an April fools joke. So I went to bed with that. This morning in my Inbox I scanned for the Coast Zone email newsletter I get every morning that recaps the show from the night before. Apparently George said in the last hour of the show, he reminded everyone that it was April 1st. Relief. That was a pretty good April fools joke. I love this show and I’d really feel empty inside if the show was dropped or changed in any significant way.

Over the next several days Coast has some great shows: Tonight they are going to be discussing the return of “V” the TV series from the 1990’s. Saturday Ian has another boring show: Man’s brain vs. Women’s brain. Yeesh. Sunday: The Shroud of Turin. I love stuff like this Monday: Xenothon returns about spirituality 2012 black holes etc. Tuesday: TBA Wednesday: The economy and military hot spots: Thursday: Science and the Cosmos, Friday with Art Bell life on other planets. So Coast is pretty decent this week. Of course when we go to bed we listen to the first hour where we get the news of all things strange, weird and great.

And finally, say, if you need a laugh check out today’s SF Signal. There’s a funny YouTube video “Advice from Aquaman.” Lots of fun. Anyway, that’s about all for now.

I finally got my laptop back.

laptop back and in working order thanks to Vinny from work but I'm so cautious about downloading anything other then YouTube material and websites I trust. Just the thought of anything popping up with a "security shield" spooks me.

Yesterday when I left Vinny's place at 5pm (by NorQuest) after work with my laptop it was +14 out there. Very nice. I love this time of year.

Thursday night Anne ordered Wrestlemania 26 for me for this afternoon, excellent. I always look forward to Wrestlemania. I order 2 wrestling pay per views/year. Wrestlemania and Summerslam for my birthday.

Next month the City of Edmonton is going to open a new Light Rail Transit (LRT) line to Southgate shopping Center. This has been in the planning stages since the LRT first went across the river to the University. It's been the talk of the town for awhile now. As the Epcor tower is under construction the LRT extension from Churchill Square station to Grant MacEwan college is also under construction. Pending funding City planners timeline has the "Nait Line" as its called completed by 2014 at a cost of $850M. After that there's the West LRT line. Most people agree that this line should have been developed before the South line due to West Edmonton Mall. I don't know when the timeline for the WLRT is supposed to get completed. It wouldn't surprise me to see it out to WEM in maybe within 10 years.

I'm still reading Karen Traviss's "Crossing the line". It's not bad.

Last night's Coast show wasn't too bad. The topic was on cloning and human cloning. Art Bell was hosting the show for a change. Tonight Ian Punnet has another boaring show. "Adventures of an Undertaker." As soon as I get some extra cash, I'm getting Streamlink and the ITouch. I'm tired of missing the good shows in the middle of the week for the soft shows Ian does on the weekends. Anyway, that's all for now

I'm having computer mouse troubles

We’ve been getting this strange weather system in lately. Strange by meaning for the first few days of Spring, it’s sure letting us know it’s winter around here. Remember I predicted March came in like a lamb and out like a lion? That’s exactly what’s going on right now— except the snow had stopped falling. Weird.

Anne’s going into do our taxes tomorrow and because we file our return electronically to Revenue Canada, I should get my tax return around the end of April if not earlier. If my return doesn’t end up going towards going rent, then I’m getting the Itouch. I don’t ant to be locked into a bill for 3 years.

While I was in the office just as shift was changing one of the relatively new guys heard from somewhere that I was a Mason and that he is very much interested in joining. I’m not very comfortable with this fellow. The first question I ask that shy younger people away from the craft is when I ask them if they believe in God. He had to think about that one. He asked back the question that he thought Masonry isn’t a religion. It isn’t. A belief in God doesn’t have to mean you believe in Jesus. This bloger doesn’t. There is no requirement in any Masonic body’s constitution or bylaws that stats a candidate had to be involved in some sort of belief structure. We call this organized religion. Most Messianic Jews don’t believe in the New testament but they believe in God. My Spider senses immediate red flagged the guy. Then he said after the break that he was in jail that he needs some direction and asked me if we do a criminal record check. I was more or less ok with this guy. He seems like a nice sort. Then I mentioned our Lodge fee. No problem. What’s the first thing that happens next? He asked. I bring this to the attention of the investigating committee and they call the candidate to set up a meeting in their home. “I’m living in a situation that won’t let me have visitors.” Then my Spider senses were really tingling. I’m not really comfortable with this guy. So I’m going to mention that he should go down to the Masonic Lodge and ask down there for a tour and meet with somebody. I’ll just say I don’t really like to sponsor people I work with, something like that. Who’s ever the manager at The Freemason hall will direct him. Or maybe I should talk with our current WM and seek advice from him. I’ll do that this evening after I leave the office.

I’m still having trouble with this computer mouse. One of the guys at the office said they have a bunch of PC equipment that isn’t being used and that there could be a mouse he might have he can donate to me. Anne said they have computer mice at the dollar store across the street. Any PS/2 mouse is all I need, we’ll try this out first.

I’m still plugging away at the sequel to “City of Pearl” “Crossing the line.” The chracters are more defined even if their goals are not clear at the moment. 63 pages into the book the plot isn’t that defined yet but the writing sure is good.

Hey-hey, the Oiler’s won their 3rd game in a row at home last night against Vancouver. Anaheim Ducks are here Friday and I have the night off. I’m putting in my full day Thursday after Anne comes back from doing our taxes. Then I go in for 3.5 hours Friday get my pay check and home, have a nap and get ready to watch the Ducks/Oiler game, if it isn’t on PPV that is.Anyway that's all for now.

I had a nice weekend.

Anne's going to her Doctor this afternoon. This frees me up so I can work my 5-9 shift. Anne's going to facilitate for me moving my files from my old Doctor out in the West end to the new Doctor downtown. Then we're going to order Pizza and watch Monday night Raw. this way I can sleep in for a bit.

I finished reading "City of Pearl" by Karen Traviss about an hour ago. I gave it 3/5 stars but I'm going on to read "Crossing the Line," book 2 in the series.

Other then that, not much going on today. I'll post a "review" of "City of pearl" later today on my website. Anyway, that's all for now.

Today was not to bad

I went to the job this morning with no complications. The shift began ok but went South on me in the 2nd half. I got my pay check and a 6/49 ticket for Saturday's $30M draw and up to my bank. So far today's holding out alright, except for a slight hic-cup with Pay Pall but I'm working on it.

I have this evening off and with no hockey or other distractions, I plan on reading "Pearl" and maybe even finnish the book off this weekend if all goes well.

Speaking about books, over there at Pat's I put my name in for 2 more book give-a-way's: Peter V. Brett's "The Warded man" and Col Buchanan's "Farlander." I like the cover of Farlander. It has a kind of Steampunk/Goth feel to it. I entered both contests. I hope I'm not un eligble for winning again because I won a book last November.

Tomorrow I'm in the office for a full 6 hours. That's alright the day goes by fast. It's just the last 2 hours that drag. Anyway, that's all for now.