September 2004 - Posts

Holy Crap! It's coming back.....

Farscape was one of the best Sci-Fi series EVER! I absolutely loved it when it ran on Sci Fi. I have the first 3 seasons on tape.

Guess what? FarScape is coming back in a mini-series! I can't wait! I'll have to watch some of my tapes to get geared up for the show. There is an awesome preview trailer on the site that you've gotta see!

I can only hope that the folks at Sci Fi might consider bringing FarScape back as a regular series. There were so many of us fans who loved the show. Cancelling it was the stupidest thing that the network has ever done. I quit watching SciFi after they killed FarScape. It was sheer luck that a friend of mine told me about the upcoming mini-series. Now I'm stoked!!

Maybe now I'll have to go buy a Tivo!

-Eric.

Posted 27 September 2004 10:41 PM by eking1013 | no comments
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Helping some friends / giving thanks / random ranting
My wife received a phone call Monday night from a friend of hers. I was sitting in the floor with Katelyn coloring pictures with her crayons. She tells me what colors to use and then hands it to me.

When she hung up the phone she informed me that an old friend of hers was in need of help. Her husband has lost his job, and they had lost their home and were on the street. So since Tuesday night, they've been staying with us. We're trying to help them out until they can get back on their feet. They have two boys, ages 10 and 8. I know it must be rough on them.

It's been a very interesting week. In the least, I am reminded to appreciate the things that I have in life, and how fortunate I am. I thank God for the skills and abilities that He has given me, and the opportunities through the years to use them. I am thankful for my family, and how they've always been there for me. There is a lot that we take for granted in life. It is sad that so many people don't poke their heads up from the rat race to see that.

I see so many people who  spend way too much time worrying about "Faster, Bigger, Better", and "Keeping up with the Jones". (Don't get me started there) My wife and I saw a house for sale that we liked last weekend. We became excited, and contacted a realtor friend of ours who could show us the inside of the house. But today as I sit and look at where I am in life, I am just grateful that I have a roof over my head and a job that allows me to provide adequately for my family.

The media and culture in this country (US) seems to produce this competitive mentality. We are made to feel that we are in some way inferior or a lesser person if we make less money, wear the wrong shoes, wear the wrong clothing, drive an older car, or weigh more than the people next door (or the people in the television ads). It annoys the living crap out of me!! What does it take for people to see through that and realize that it's just marketing BS? One example that really annoys the hell out of me is the SUV craze. What the heck is that all about? "Gee I better go get an SUV because everyone else I know is getting one". Yeah. That's the right mentality to have. Sure it is.

I guess part of my perspective comes from the fact that I've spent so much of my life trying to be a non-conformist. My shirt may look very similar to yours, but be slightly different. The only real difference is that I spent 6 dollars at Wal-Mart rather than 36 dollars at Gap or Eddie Bower or whever-the-hell. So basically that's a 30 dollar logo your wearing because some marketing  person convinced you that you wouldn't be "cool" or "socially acceptable" without it. Yeah. Right. I don't buy into that one either. And believe me, I could afford the 36 dollar version, but I just see right through the bullshit screen on that. It's just nuts to me.

I guess that's one of the best things about non-conformity. You learn to not care what other people think and to think for yourself. When I find myself in traffic and see 6 SUVs in a row, I envision their drivers as mindless lemmings with their noses to the ass of the lemming in front of them. I learned a LONG time ago that the only person who is allowed to decide how I feel about myself is ME. And that's it. There is no committee, or board that deicdes this. Just me. Now if the rest of America can put down their Starbucks coffee and step out of their SUVs long enough, maybe they'll wake up and get the message, but I seriously doubt it. The folks in the marketing department won't hear of it.
Posted 24 September 2004 04:20 PM by eking1013 | 1 comment(s)
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Music to Code by
As I sit here and crank out code at work after being at Devscovery this week, I am pondering what everyone else listens to while they code. I have a nice set of headphones that completely cover my ears so I can block out external sound. I find that there is certain music that is good for "getting into the zone", where I am really focused and just crank out work. At the moment, I'm listening to the "Lobby Scene" track from "The Matrix" soundtrack. It's a good song for zoning out and just coding or whatever.

 I have fond memories of  junior high school and playing Super Mario 3 on the NES. I used to put on "Pump up the Volume" by Mars and just zone out. I would get totally into the game.

Anyway, that's my random thought and I thought I would share.

-Eric.
Posted 24 September 2004 10:12 AM by eking1013 | 12 comment(s)
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Going to an MSDN Event?
Have you been to an MSDN event in the months of August or September? If so, you received some of my work. All attendees receive a DVD that is packed with various material.

On the DVD menu is a section labeled "User Groups". It is full of great stuff about INETA. There is also a section labeled "INETA Videos". That is where you'll find my work. These are videos that I shot and produced. You'll see videos that I shot with Bill Evjen, Julie Lerman, Billy Hollis, Rocky Lhotka, and Jeff Prosise.

It's pretty cool to pop the DVD in the drive and see my own work on there. The funny part to the story is that MSDN events don't actually come to my town. We're a "Tier 3" market, so it just doesn't happen. The way I was able to get my hands on the DVD is because our regional DCC was kind enough to hook me up and mail one to me.

-Eric.
Posted 16 September 2004 02:53 PM by eking1013 | 3 comment(s)
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