personal
The New Year: 2010
Jan 01 2010 06:56 PM Filed in: Personal
Happy New Year! Can you believe another year has
passed us? I’m not going to do any year in review,
resolutions, goals, this time. Just saying 2009 was a
pretty good year, and I hope 2010 will be even
better.
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Clear WiMax Internet Service
Sep 20 2009 12:14 PM Filed in: Personal
I switched internet service providers when I moved
into my new loft. It wasn't something I set out to
do, but in the end I am glad I did it.
I've been using Comcast for my ISP for the past 3 years. I never had any issues, the service was usually always there, maybe dying during a storm; and the speeds were great. I never had a bad word to say about them, but I think that has to do with the fact that I never had to deal with their customer service.
When I moved to my new place, I had it set up so that in the morning, my old service would be shut off; and in the evening, my new service would be turned on. A technician showed up in the morning at my old place, and shut off the service. That evening a technician showed up at my new place to turn on the new service. I used my old cable modem, and the technician had everything hooked up; but I was not authenticating in their system. Of course the technician did his job, now it came time for me to sit on the phone with customer service trying to get my service hooked up. Long story short, I went back and forth between customer service telling me there had to be something wrong on my side; and technicians saying everything was fine on my side (which it was, I was hitting the internet fine, just couldn't authenticate so that I could use the service). After a couple weeks of this I said screw it.
I had heard of a new service in Atlanta called Clear. Unlike your usual options of DSL, FIOS or Cable, clear uses WiMax. The best way to think of this is to compare it to cellular phone service. Clear is sending out their signal, and my WiMax modem is picking it up. I signed up for the 6MB service, and so far any time I run a speed test I am getting up in the 5+ MB speed range. Clear also offers a mobile service, where you can plug in a USB modem to your laptop and have their internet service on the go, but I'm just not that big a geek. I can't think of any time I would need that, so I opted not to do it.
I'll admit that it's not as super fast as my cable modem service, but it's fast enough that I can surf, stream and upload photos with no problem. So far I am very happy with the service, and hopefully it continues.
I've been using Comcast for my ISP for the past 3 years. I never had any issues, the service was usually always there, maybe dying during a storm; and the speeds were great. I never had a bad word to say about them, but I think that has to do with the fact that I never had to deal with their customer service.
When I moved to my new place, I had it set up so that in the morning, my old service would be shut off; and in the evening, my new service would be turned on. A technician showed up in the morning at my old place, and shut off the service. That evening a technician showed up at my new place to turn on the new service. I used my old cable modem, and the technician had everything hooked up; but I was not authenticating in their system. Of course the technician did his job, now it came time for me to sit on the phone with customer service trying to get my service hooked up. Long story short, I went back and forth between customer service telling me there had to be something wrong on my side; and technicians saying everything was fine on my side (which it was, I was hitting the internet fine, just couldn't authenticate so that I could use the service). After a couple weeks of this I said screw it.
I had heard of a new service in Atlanta called Clear. Unlike your usual options of DSL, FIOS or Cable, clear uses WiMax. The best way to think of this is to compare it to cellular phone service. Clear is sending out their signal, and my WiMax modem is picking it up. I signed up for the 6MB service, and so far any time I run a speed test I am getting up in the 5+ MB speed range. Clear also offers a mobile service, where you can plug in a USB modem to your laptop and have their internet service on the go, but I'm just not that big a geek. I can't think of any time I would need that, so I opted not to do it.
I'll admit that it's not as super fast as my cable modem service, but it's fast enough that I can surf, stream and upload photos with no problem. So far I am very happy with the service, and hopefully it continues.
I've Moved
Sep 17 2009 09:25 PM Filed in: Personal
I've moved out of the house I was renting. This is
actually pretty old news, seeing as I moved into my
new loft back at the end of June. I'm living in a one
bedroom 1400 sq ft loft in a place called The
Warehouse. This is the same loft complex that my
friend Paige lives in. At first I was hesitant to
move into the same complex, seeing as there's no
better way to ruin a good friendship than to invade
each others space; but I think we both enjoy our time
to ourselves so much, that this hasn't really been a
problem. Even though I live up the hall and around
the corner from Paige, we can go days without
actually seeing each other. It's also great for the
times that we do want to hang out, because I can just
walk over and have a drink or two, and then leave.
Before I would have to drive 6 miles over to hang
out, and then drive back, after drinking.
My place is pretty nice. It's basically like you would think a real loft is. It's one big room, with an upstairs area that's become my office. I have windows upstairs, and a sky light in the bedroom, otherwise my unit is on the interior, so I have no windows on the first level. I have a laundry room, a bathroom, and a decent sized kitchen. My dishwasher is one of those units you wheel over near the sink, hook the hose up to the faucet, and plug in. I was a little scared the first time I used it, because I didn't know if I would hook everything up to where there wasn't water shooting out all over the place, but it was painless and worked like a champ. It's not the greatest place, but it's good enough for a single guy that wanted to cut some expenses and move out of the house I was renting. I'm saving around $600 a month with the move, once you take into account the lower rent, no yard service, pest service or security monitoring service. I also live within walking distance of MARTA, which I take to work, so I'm not really spending any money on gas, and when the weather gets cooler I can walk to the station.
My place is pretty nice. It's basically like you would think a real loft is. It's one big room, with an upstairs area that's become my office. I have windows upstairs, and a sky light in the bedroom, otherwise my unit is on the interior, so I have no windows on the first level. I have a laundry room, a bathroom, and a decent sized kitchen. My dishwasher is one of those units you wheel over near the sink, hook the hose up to the faucet, and plug in. I was a little scared the first time I used it, because I didn't know if I would hook everything up to where there wasn't water shooting out all over the place, but it was painless and worked like a champ. It's not the greatest place, but it's good enough for a single guy that wanted to cut some expenses and move out of the house I was renting. I'm saving around $600 a month with the move, once you take into account the lower rent, no yard service, pest service or security monitoring service. I also live within walking distance of MARTA, which I take to work, so I'm not really spending any money on gas, and when the weather gets cooler I can walk to the station.
Time To Revive the Blog
Sep 17 2009 09:21 PM Filed in: Personal
I've been ignoring my blog for too long. Even if no
one except a couple friends read this blog, and maybe
the occassional developer stumbling across a post;
I've still found that when I am blogging I get
interested in side projects, which give me my fodder
to blog about. I've been ignoring my blog for too
long, and my site in general, and it's time to get
back into it.
Wow, it's been over a month...
Jun 21 2009 09:47 PM Filed in: Personal
Now that I participate in the ‘Social’ aspect of the
web (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) I kind of
forget about my blog. There are some friends of mine
that this is still the way they know what’s going on
in my life, so I guess I should bring them up to
date.
I got a new car. I lease my car. I know, not exactly the best thing to do financially, but I’m one of those people that likes a new car every 3 - 4 years, so for me leasing is good. The lease on my previous car, a 2005 Black Mini Cooper Convertible, was ending in September. I liked the car so much that I decided to look into getting another one. This time I opted for a red one, with the white bonnet stripes. I picked it up June 5. I have a 3 year lease on this one. Figure by then I will be 40 years old, and I can maybe look into getting my mid-life crisis car.
Next, I got a new place to live. I’ve been renting the house I am currently living in going on 3 years now. I figure that’s long enough. I really don’t like the house all that much, I just hate moving, so I’ve kind of stuck around here. One thing I really don’t enjoy about this house is that it’s surrounded by so many tall trees. I dread any time there’s a huge storm, because I am just waiting for one of the trees to fall on the house. One did fall last month, but it fell away from the house. Still, I heard it falling and ran to the window to watch it. My new place is a loft. It is a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom which measures 1400 square feet. It’s in the same loft warehouse as Paige, so that will save me some miles on my new car, since most of the miles I put on are from driving between here and there. The place is mine starting July 1, I need to be out of here by the end of August. I plan on moving over the course of July and being out of here by the beginning of August.
I’m still working at Turner. I guess with the economy the way it is I’m just happy to have a job. Work has its good and bad moments. I’m still working on the Silverlight project. It’s coming along nicely, but the project isn’t being run all that well. I’ve just kind of stopped caring, figure I’ll just come in and do the work. I hate when work gets that way, hopefully things get better soon, so I start enjoying it again.
Paige and I are taking a quick little vacation next month. We’re heading down to Florida. We’re both on a saving money kick. That’s one thing I am happy about with the new car and the new place to live. The new car is $100 less a month, and once I add in rent, yard service, alarm, and pest service, I’m saving around $600 a month getting the new place. It will be nice to not shell out so much money every month. We may take another South West trip in the fall, but otherwise we’re doing little getaways, and have been grilling out on the weekends to save money on eating out.
There hasn’t been too much else going on. I’m spending my free time going through all my stuff, finding stuff to donate and stuff to throw away. I tend to do that when I move. Since my new place is pretty much a huge room, I’m not going to have a place to just throw a bunch of boxes of stuff, so I figure I need to get rid of the clutter.
I got a new car. I lease my car. I know, not exactly the best thing to do financially, but I’m one of those people that likes a new car every 3 - 4 years, so for me leasing is good. The lease on my previous car, a 2005 Black Mini Cooper Convertible, was ending in September. I liked the car so much that I decided to look into getting another one. This time I opted for a red one, with the white bonnet stripes. I picked it up June 5. I have a 3 year lease on this one. Figure by then I will be 40 years old, and I can maybe look into getting my mid-life crisis car.
Next, I got a new place to live. I’ve been renting the house I am currently living in going on 3 years now. I figure that’s long enough. I really don’t like the house all that much, I just hate moving, so I’ve kind of stuck around here. One thing I really don’t enjoy about this house is that it’s surrounded by so many tall trees. I dread any time there’s a huge storm, because I am just waiting for one of the trees to fall on the house. One did fall last month, but it fell away from the house. Still, I heard it falling and ran to the window to watch it. My new place is a loft. It is a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom which measures 1400 square feet. It’s in the same loft warehouse as Paige, so that will save me some miles on my new car, since most of the miles I put on are from driving between here and there. The place is mine starting July 1, I need to be out of here by the end of August. I plan on moving over the course of July and being out of here by the beginning of August.
I’m still working at Turner. I guess with the economy the way it is I’m just happy to have a job. Work has its good and bad moments. I’m still working on the Silverlight project. It’s coming along nicely, but the project isn’t being run all that well. I’ve just kind of stopped caring, figure I’ll just come in and do the work. I hate when work gets that way, hopefully things get better soon, so I start enjoying it again.
Paige and I are taking a quick little vacation next month. We’re heading down to Florida. We’re both on a saving money kick. That’s one thing I am happy about with the new car and the new place to live. The new car is $100 less a month, and once I add in rent, yard service, alarm, and pest service, I’m saving around $600 a month getting the new place. It will be nice to not shell out so much money every month. We may take another South West trip in the fall, but otherwise we’re doing little getaways, and have been grilling out on the weekends to save money on eating out.
There hasn’t been too much else going on. I’m spending my free time going through all my stuff, finding stuff to donate and stuff to throw away. I tend to do that when I move. Since my new place is pretty much a huge room, I’m not going to have a place to just throw a bunch of boxes of stuff, so I figure I need to get rid of the clutter.
Safety Razor
Jan 18 2009 10:49 PM Filed in: Personal
My gift from Paige this past Christmas was something
I had been wanting for a while, but have never gotten
around to purchasing. Since I am cursed with a beard
that grows in fast, I have to shave often (it should
be daily, but that doesn’t always happen). I’m not a
fan of all the new disposable razor blades, with 4
blades on them and costing a lot for refills. I was
always a fan of the shaving kits you would see in the
old movies, where you lather up a badger hair brush
and use a safety razor to shave. This was my gift
from Paige, and I love it. She got me the following:
Omega Shaving Soap
This comes in its own handy bowl.
Old Original Badger Hair Shaving Brush
Parker Safety Razor
I purchased a 10 pack of double edge steel blades at CVS for $4.99; which is a lot better than the price of those disposable blades I used to buy for my Mach 3.
The first time I shaved with the safety razor was a scary experience. That’s a pretty freakin’ sharp blade, but I made it through unscathed. Once my face was lathered with the shaving soap, the blade just glided across my face. I made sure I didn’t apply a lot of pressure. At first I couldn’t even tell it was actually removing my beard it moved so effortlessly, but I stopped and looked and ran my hand across it, and it was super smooth. If you want a manly shave, get yourself these products. After the initial investment, which isn’t all that bad, you only have to get yourself the blades; so in the long run you will save money. The shaving soap lasts a while, as will the brush, as long as you take care of it.
Omega Shaving Soap
This comes in its own handy bowl.
Old Original Badger Hair Shaving Brush
Parker Safety Razor
I purchased a 10 pack of double edge steel blades at CVS for $4.99; which is a lot better than the price of those disposable blades I used to buy for my Mach 3.
The first time I shaved with the safety razor was a scary experience. That’s a pretty freakin’ sharp blade, but I made it through unscathed. Once my face was lathered with the shaving soap, the blade just glided across my face. I made sure I didn’t apply a lot of pressure. At first I couldn’t even tell it was actually removing my beard it moved so effortlessly, but I stopped and looked and ran my hand across it, and it was super smooth. If you want a manly shave, get yourself these products. After the initial investment, which isn’t all that bad, you only have to get yourself the blades; so in the long run you will save money. The shaving soap lasts a while, as will the brush, as long as you take care of it.