Beebe4

So I have purchased the components needed to update the wiring in the Den to be half as cool as I would like. It will have two ethernet (internet) jacks on either side of the built-in entertainment center and in-wall speaker jacks to plug audio out cables from the back of the reciever into.

Pretty cool what you can do when you take the walls and ceiling off a room.

My sister Leigh is going on the second part of their Lewis and Clark expedition Saturday. They have / will continue to bike most of the trail and ending this 2nd phase with a canoe section that will closely match the original trip performed by the Lewis and Clark corp so many years ago.

You can follow their adventures online!

Just to give further context… she works at Western Carolina in their Talent Search outreach department

Good Luck Leigh and Crew! Be safe.

Do you like to laugh at people being klutzes while on national TV?

Yes | No

We looked at this house when we were thinking about buying (Sept. 2003)… it was listed for right around $200k … talk about markup!

So I am going to try to write this entry so that my mother can understand the importance of the following article.

First… some definitions (well I think I will use analogies):

A protocol is like a language.

  Analogy Don can understand the words that Lois is speaking because they both speak the same language

  substitution Don’s cell phone can understand messages that Lois’s cell phone are sending because they both use the same protocol

Wireless communication is like radio communication

  Analogy I am able to listen to the radio because a radio station transmits signals over a set frequency and my radio has a receiver that listens on that frequency (I have a range of frequencies that I can choose from). The radio receiver has to also translate the signals into sounds (songs, talk radio, etc)

  substitution My cell phone is able to communicate with other nearby cell phones because the other cell phones transmit signals over a set frequency and my cell phone has a receiver that listens on that frequency (it listens on only one frequency per protocol). My cell phone has to also translate the signals into displayable text and instructions (“You are currently in my area… I am looking to sell a washing machine” or an instruction to the owner of the cell phone, like inform owner that a profile of a potential friend is available if they would like to check it out)

Given those two things and knowing that Bluetooth can be considered a protocol here is an article about a new service in Singapore that allows your cell phone to notify you of strangers in your proximity that are looking for friends or have something that they would like to sell or purchase.

Kent and I hung 12 pieces of sheet rock last night, and will be finishing up with the upstairs bedroom tonight… well finished with screwing up the sheet rock… then comes the tapping, mudding and sanding. For an overview of the process check out Hometime’s How To on the installed drywall (drywall, sheet rock, wallboard… all the same thing). It really isn’t that hard, but it is nice to have an experienced handy man helping me out. He has all the cool tools. For example, we get to use his panel lift versus have to use homemade T-Braces (or even worse balancing them on the tops of our heads).

I have to run the wiring for the new lighting in the den on Friday night and the speaker wire for the in-wall speakers that we are going to install. I also have finish caulking the new windows that were installed last week… they are insulated and caulked from the inside… just hadn’t found time while it is light to get to the outside, and luckily it hasn’t rained yet.

We have decided to have Kent create a built-in for the den with a desk on either side and a entertainment area in the middle. We are going to pimp it out with some back lighting and accent lights for the desks. Kent’s actual title at the Navy base is carpenter so it should be his specialty… will post pictures when it is all done so you guys can see how good he is.

Ripped out the celing in the Den tonight… and now more nasty carpet either… just need to wire the room for the new lights, getting excited about the progress.

Last night Kent didn’t show up for an hour and then called to say his daughter’s graduation was last night and they were taking her to dinner…. ummm couldn’t you have know that before an hour after you were to show up?!?

So tonight I decided, I am going to take a break and go to a work party (her work, not mine) so I can at least sample the cheesecake I made (I have made 6 in my relatively short life span,and only tasted 3 of them).

I also had to cancel the Tree removal guy until next Thursday, but oh well.

So Saturday we will be installing the windows. Last night I finished running the wiring in the upstairs bedroom, and hooked must of it up to the outlets and light switches… I really enjoy doing electrical work. After I got tired of doing that I wanted to lift heavy things, so I cleaned out the mess in the Den and carried it all out front to the trash container. VERY Exhausting. But the den is now “preped” for us to dry wall it.

Sherry has purchased the new carpet for the Den and we will be picking it up Sunday (or it will be delivered tonight if Mike Hunter is able to fit it into his trailer).

So at my work I am known as “the Java Guy” (for those of you that don’t know, Java is a computer language that I have been using to writting software for the last 5 years or so). They call me that because they are all C++ programers. I don’t mind, because I feel that getting good in both can only make me stronger, so I am learning my way as best I can. But something that is commonly said is that C++ is so much faster then Java… I found this interesting little article on the subject and although most of you could care less about it… it is my blog so I get to post whatever I want

Agua Caliente Race Track

Here is a picture that my sister Leigh wanted me to post (why she couldn’t post it on her own flickr page is beyond me??!?!). It is a picture of Aqua Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico. If I have the story correct, my grandmother aquired this photo while she was there back in the 30’s.

This track is pretty significant in the horse racing world, and is of recent signficance because of the movie Seabiscuit. Many of the greatest horses of all time competed at this track, namely Seabiscuit and Australia’s dream horse (Phar Lap). It is quite interesting how closly related these two horses are… I think I will go rent the movie Phar Lap this weekend after reading up on this race track.