rebelpeon.com

More Taxes

Of course, I didn’t get all of Colleen’s forms when I did her taxes. Her’s is so much more of a pain than mine because of all her student loans. Needless to say, I forgot to include the 1098-T Form which can be used for educational credits. It turns out that she only needed to pay $29 in federal taxes last year, so she’s pretty much getting it all back. The “want it now” side of me is saying how that is grossly unfair, but then the “what the hell are you thinking” part of me knows better. I’d much rather have it my way, where I don’t have any debt, than having it her way, paying student loans but getting a big check from the gov’t this year. I doubt she’ll be able to get the up to $2000 tax credit next year because Cunningham should be paying for her tuition. That is a nice tax break though, and it can be used for any higher education learning whenever (unlike the Hope credit which is can only be used 2 years).

Well, it was 50 degrees here 2 days ago and yesterday morning. It’s unfortunate that it had to go back to normal. At least 99% of the ice and snow melted. I was getting sick of driving everywhere and hitting the ice from the tiny bit of snow that had melted during the day. I can’t wait till it gets warmer out. I can’t wait till I can go outside and actually do something without having to bundle up first.

For those of you that don’t know, Colleen is moving to days on the 29th. Both of us are very excited about that. She’ll be working 12pm-10pm on the weekdays, and 10am-10pm on the weekends. They will also be getting a new schedule so they actually get paid the full amount of time for the 2 weeks of pay. Unlike the way it is now, half of the paychecks they get paid for 36hrs, while the other half get paid 48hrs. I think they work 3 days, have 2 off, then two days, then two days off then 3 days, or something like that. I’m not exactly sure. She should also be getting a payraise. However, she has yet to get anything formal in writing about it. Hell, they just scheduled her for days without even really giving her the promotion or having her agree to it in writing. She doesn’t seem worried, but it doesn’t seem like the best practice.

Weee, talk about a bunch of garbled thoughts. Deal with it, I’m going to go shower.

Xmas, in February?!

Well, yesterday I got my center channel and rears from the ebay auction. Weehaw, now I’m just waiting on 200’ of 12 guage speaker wire that I ordered from partsexpress. Apparantly it shipped today, and since they’re only in OH, I figure it may be here tomorrow or Wednesday. I also recieved my valentines day gift today (a little late, but I’ll forgive you Colleen). I ended up getting an Arc’teryx RT 45. I’m definitely glad I went with the bigger size, because the bag doesn’t poof out that much, so there isn’t that much space. It will work great as a day pack when I start heading down South in the spring though. Plus, it’s waterproof, which I like a lot. It’s going to be fun getting gear to fill it 🙂

I’ve been going to the gym and climbing regularily, which I love. It actually hurts to type on the keyboard right now because I just got back from the climbing gym not more than an hour ago. One of the guy’s that works there, Arie, really likes to try and kill me. I guess it’s my own fault though, since I try to keep up. I sometimes scare myself on what I can keep up with though.

Yesterday I went to the fitness center and did my usual routine. Yesterday happened to be the midarms, legs and abs day. Needless to say the Jacks pizza I had before I left didn’t sit with me too well. I definitely think it’s because of the abs workout. I hate feeling nauseated while not at home. Well, at least I made it home before worshipping the porcelain god. It was definitely one of those times where I knew I didn’t have the flu or anything, because as soon as it was over, I felt fine. Needless to say, when I went climbing today, I didn’t eat anything before hand 🙂

Ack, I hate getting sick like that. I hate the way it feels like I have a sore throat afterwards. The scratchiness causes my mouth to salivate more than normal, and I just hate it. I guess I’d never be a good bulimic, or is it anorexic, or both. I always forget.

Anyways, my fingers are really getting sensitive, so I’m going to eat ice cream or something.

Taxes

Well, I finally got around to buying TurboTax and doing my taxes. I’m glad I did, since I’m getting back something like $750. I can’t complain about that. I also did Colleen’s and she’ll be more than happy with as much as she’s getting back. A whopping $840. Both of us are getting back $60 from the state too. I’m definitely taking my money and sticking it into either my Life Insurance plan, or into my savings account. I’m gonna need money for a down payment on a house, and this will help. I just can’t believe how much Cunningham had her overpaying. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t working there for the full year, but who knows. I mean, she’s getting back 6% of what she made last year. I just can’t believe how easy it is to do a return through the software solutions now. It’s just crazy. I did mine in like 20 minutes, and her’s didn’t take much more than that (I did it 2x because it seemed like she was getting an awful lot back). I suppose it also helps that we have like no deductions. Next years tax time will be a little different though. Especially since I’m planning on getting a house, and we have a lot of clothes to give to goodwill (well, it should’ve been included this time, but I totally forgot we had stuff), etc. Good times. I can never complain about getting my hard earned monies back.

Am I Missing Something?

Yeah, I know it’s been awhile since I posted last, but I have excuses. Lots of excuses, bwahahahah. Let’s see, Monday I went climbing, Tuesday Colleen and I went to look at packs at Champaign Surplus and there was a climbing meeting, Wednesday we went climbing again, and Thursday we met her dad in Springfield for dinner. See, I told you I got mad excuses!

Anyways, on to the title. So, I went and worked out tonight (actually I just got home before I started posting this), and as I was driving home at night, it felt like I was missing something. Of course, the reason I’m sharing this with all of you is because I’m not quite sure what it is. It just feels like there’s something missing. I go to work, come home and either go climbing, go workout, or sit on the couch. I then go to bed, and then rinse and repeat. I’ve been trying to find hobbies to get into (e.g. marine fish aquariums), but who knows if that will fix my void. Maybe if I could go outside and do stuff. However, being isolated in the middle of a corn field can allow you to do only so much. Or maybe it’s the lack of a group of friends that I can call up and go do stuff with.

Works been decent, but I’d hardly call it fufilling. I’m pretty much just doing the same stuff over and over. I really need to take my MCP test, but I’m not a fan of tests. For the most part I’m ready for it, I just need to get motivated, put 2-3 days of review in, and go take it. I wish there was some way in which people (read, employers) could see that I know the material without having to take a stupid test. I mean, so many people that just user braindumps take the tests anyways that the waters are so diluted. I really want to get on the ball with the getting my MCSE over and done with. It’s not that I don’t find the material interesting, it’s just that reading about it is the worst. Now, when I was having DNS problems on my home network, it was great to go to a book, read about it and then implement the fix (or try to at least). However, just reading the book to read and take a test defeats the whole purpose. It just plain sucks. I just need to keep telling myself, once I get my MCSE, I’ll go back and get my master’s. I don’t know what yet, but it will definitely be something technology related, because LAS is a joke (no offense LAS people, but it is to me).

Maybe that will cure my hunger, but I doubt it.

Sunday I’m going to meet the guy that I won the speakers off ebay, somewhere in the middle of IL at a walmart. Should be a good time. I need to measure Colleen’s car to ensure that they’ll fit, otherwise, I’m going to have to take my truck, and I really don’t want to do that, since they may bang around in the back. I can’t wait to get them and try em out.

Man, the apt reeks of bacon. I must remember to do the bacon in the oven instead of on the stove. Our stupid hood over the stove vents back out into the room, instead of outside (who thought of that, I don’t know…). Needless to say, it was a nice smog fest. And I wonder why we don’t have batteries in the fire alarm. Oh yeah, if we cook anything on the stove it goes off…

Was Going to Post This Yesterday

Well, I was going to post this last night, but I was exhausted, so I thought it best to wait until today. I think it was a good idea. The reason I was so tired yesterday was because I went to Upper Limits with James again. I did 13 routes, he did 15. All of this in 4 hours, plus he lead 4 routes (which makes it slower). For those of you that have never been, it’s 4 silos and then a main area. The silo’s are ~60ft while the main area is around 40. So, that means, I climbed over 700ft yesterday. Granted we weren’t doing the more challenging stuff, but still. I think this is why I felt tired all over instead of just my arms, or my forearms.

The rebelpeon.com blog world is still expanding. Our latest edition is Joeyligs. Granted, all the people that have blogs here are friends of mine, but still, that’s not the point. Hopefully I’ll have a tape backup solution running within the next few days too. That way none of these wonderful creations are lost if something catastrophic happens. Just to recap, we have my site, Colleen’s site, Bree’s site, and now Joe’s site. To add to other blogging news, Aaron Binford (a guy that works with me), has gotten his site up to more than 95% functionality. It may look similar to mine, but that could be because he’s using my templates, modified a little, until he gets a better understanding of html. Nick may also move to a movabletype backend. Man, once one person goes, it’s like the domino effect. I’m taking everybody with me!

Colleen wasn’t happy about me putting off the saltwater aquarium until we move again. As she puts it, “I’ve wanted one for a long time, we need to get it now.” Needless to say, waiting an additional 6 months for her is going to be unbarable. All I have to say is, tough. There’s no way I’m setting it up 2 times, just so she can look at them for 3.5 months before we move. TOUGH!

I watched Lost in Translation Friday night. I liked it a lot (much more so than Monster). Also Friday night, I won 2 auctions. My surround sound home theater system is nearly complete. I got a KLF C7 and a pair of KLF 10’s for a center channel and rears. Thankfully the guy that was selling them lives in Monticello, IN, so I’m just going to pick them up instead of sending them UPS/Fedex. It’s a little bit safer this way. I wasn’t even going to bid on the KLF C7, but it had stayed fairly low. Almost got outbid in the final minute, but the other bidder didn’t set his maximum high enough. Hell, nobody even bid on the KLF 10’s (which made it very easy).

***Currently Listening To: Nothing. It’s too early, and since I’ll be cleaning all day, I’ll be listening to music then.

Monster

So, last night, Colleen and I went to see Monster. I didn’t really enjoy the movie, but it was quite good. I know, that may sound sort of oxymoronic, but I didn’t really care for the story much, but the way in which is was told, and the actresses that played the part did an excellent job. It was amazing how Charlize Theron played the part of Aileen. The way she was able to pull off the manerisms that weren’t her own were fascinating. Overall, I’d give it 3.5/5. If I would’ve rented it, I most likely would’ve turned it off before watching all of it.

I’ve been reading alot about marine aquariums lately. Colleen grabbed a few books at the bookstore the other day (not the ones I asked for, but decent ones none-the-less). And I’m not sure if I want to start doing it now, or wait until I have a house. I really want to get out of renting, and our lease is over in August. I really want to get a house, and stop throwing my money down the drain. Now, granted that it takes ~1-2 months to get the tank cycled, and running, that leaves about 3 months before I’d have to tear it down and move it (if we have a house…). That seems counter intuitive to me, so I think I’m going to keep reading on the subject and figure out exactly what I want to get, and then when I get a house I can start. That way I can get something that would maybe fit better with the house also.

I’m currently looking at getting around a 55 gallon tank, and then go from there. With everything hooked up, you can figure around 10lbs/gallon. That means I’d have to drain almost all of it, and move it. So, moving a 55 gallon tank in and of itself is a beast (without anything in it), plus I’d have to keep SOME water in it to not ruin the biological filtering. Then what do I do with the fish?! So, I definitely think I’m going to keep researching, and wait till I have a more permanent residence. I think it will be better for me AND the fish that way.

Lets see, lastly I’m finally on a “regular” workout interval. Colleen really likes to do the yoga class on Sundays @ 7pm at the Fitness Center (when she’s not working), so that is when my workout week starts. I go with her @7 on Sundays, run (2+ miles) and lift while she’s in her class for an hour. Then, to avoid the busiest day at the Fitness Center, I go to the climbing gym on Monday. Tuesday I again visit the Fitness Center and do my running and lifting, this time I concentrate on either arms or legs, whichever I didn’t do on Sunday. Wednesday I’m back in the climbing gym. Thursdays (when I want to, Thursdays aren’t mandatory, only if I’m bored) I can head back to the Fitness Center and run and lift. This way I have (Thursday) Friday, and Saturday to do whatever I want. I’m sure to visit the Fitness Center after 7:30 though, that way I’m sure to get a treadmill when I want, and not have to sit in line.

***Currently Listening To: Sarah McLachlan – Remixed I like this CD, it combines both Sarah McLachlan and trance. Very nice.

While at Work

Well, I’m at work, and I just finished testing the new Microsoft patches that were released today with out machines. Thankfully, once again, there doesn’t seem to be any problems with the patches affecting our machines (knock on wood). However, while I’ve tested the new patches on 3 different machines in VMWare (and installed all the software required for testing via GPO), I’ve been installing windows XP on a Virtual PC 2004 session. Needless to say, I’m working on 3.5 hours, and the basic install of XP still hasn’t completed. I can’t imagine how long it would take to do basic tasks inside of Virtual PC. This is just rediculous. Maybe it’s just the installation that takes forever. However, wasting 3+ hours on a simple install is crazy. Good thing I decided to use VMWare after I started install xp on the Virtual PC session, otherwise, I’d be here forever.

In other news, I really want to get a saltwater fishtank now. Hopefully Colleen will run by the bookstore today and grab a couple of books I want. Then I’ll think about starting the tank. I really want a reef tank, but I’ll start with fish, and after I get (more than) comfortable with that, I’ll move on to reef life.

*** Currently Listening To: Cake – Prolonging the Magic It’s just another classic Cake album. It’s fun to listen to, but even if you just set it as background music, it’s not loud or obnoxious or anything. Good stuff.

Here Fishy Fishy

Well, I’ve been thinking about getting a fishtank. However, I don’t want just bland, no color fix. What’s the point then? At first I was interested in glowfish, but after I went to see them at a local pet store last weekend, I’m just not so sure. The concept sounds great, they absorb the light, then reemit it. However, they didn’t look at that spectacular. It could’ve been the tank they were in. It definitely wasn’t very well lit, and the bottom didn’t have light colored gravel (which helps according to the website). So, instead, I’ve been looking and reading up on saltwater tanks.

I know what you all are thinking, “Is this guy nuts? Saltwater tanks are a pain in the ass to take care of.” Well, from all the reading that I’ve done so far, it’s not THAT much more of a pain. In order to have a good freshwater tank, you need to do the exact same things as a saltwater tank. The main difference being that you need to worry about the salinity (not that big of a deal because most fish can cope with a swing in salinity, just like in the ocean) and that salt water fish are more susceptible to pH, nitrate, etc levels. So, in essence having a saltwater tank is exactly the same as a feshwater, only the fish cost more and you have to keep a better eye on your water chemistry. I think I can handle that. From everything I’ve read so far, it doesn’t seem like it would be that hard. And even if it took 30 minutes more a day or week, the returns on having beautifully colored fish, instead of bland freshwater fish, would be well worth it. Hopefully, if I decide to leave the apartment today, I’ll go get a book that would help me decided yay or nay more, but I think it’s going to happen.

Well, in other news, I think Colleen is going to start up her own blog page. Now, in reality, that means, I’m going to set it up, and she’ll juts fill in the entries. Just another thing to use up bandwith, that we’re not currently using, and wasting. I’m sure they’ll be others that start to use my domain for their blogging too. I’ve got a few friends that have seemed interested in the idea. Maybe it will be the next blogger.com! 😮

It Lives!

The latest incarnation of rebelpeon.com has hit the streets. Time to eat it up! With this new iteration, we have searching, rss, comments, a real archive, etc. There are just too many features to list here. Lets just say this “little” upgrade will make me a lot more motivated to update the website. Just being able to update it anywhere that I can access a web browser, makes me drool with anticipation. I even have all the archives from the old (hand-done) way of doin it in the system. Just remember kids, databases are your friend!

Holy crap, it’s late though, and I’ve been working on this WAY to much in the last week. I’ll post a better update on everything tomorrow (after some sleep).

Weee…It’s done.

***Currently Listening To: Frank Sinatra – Duets II How can you go wrong with Sinatra? I mean, he’s singing with other people, so that just adds to it. Good quality listening enjoyment.

Did Everything Die Today?

BLEH. Somedays I really hate being a “computer guy.” Well, actually, it wasn’t just a day, it’s been the last 4 days. As you can see, rebelpeon.com is finally back up (entirely). That’s about the first time since, what, Saturday? Let’s just say, it was going smooth until I started moving stuff back to my main server. DNS can be one of the nastiest things around. Then again, so can microsoft’s software. Between all the errors that had no solution and just crappiness all around, I stayed up way to late the last 3 nights pulling my hair out. Needless to say, it’s working now. By doing this, though, I’ve essentially started from scratch on my server without having to destroy my active directory domain. By not destroying it and starting over, I saved myself a lot more nightmares. I’ve also setup mysql and movabletype on the rebuilt server. This will allow a “real” comments section, and by having the blog database driven, I can have searching, a true archive, etc. I just need to muck around with the templates more to get everything the way I want it. Hopefully the new site will go live this weekend, but I make no promises 🙂

This weekend was our first actually snow fall of the year. I definitely wasn’t missing the lack of snow, that’s for sure. The people driving, the plows that don’t come out till its finished snowing, the car covered in salt, the people driving (oops, did I already say that?), etc. Plus, it’s decided to go from decently chilly out, to down right cold. I’m not a fan.

Today work was, well, interesting. Let’s start with last night, shall we? Well, last night I was talking to a guy that works for us (soon to be located at aaronbinford.com), and I noticed that our, the university’s, exchange server was down. No big deal, maybe they were doing patches etc. This was at 11. At around 1 when I stopped trying to fix my stupid servers, I noticed that it was still down. Oh well, didn’t really think anything of it…that is till this morning, when I arrived at the office to find that exchange was still down. Well, needless to say, we had about 4 phonecalls when I first got in. However, there’s absolutely nothing we can do, because we (at DIA) aren’t in charge of the exchange server. Well, the server stayed down the whole day (actually, it’s still down as I type this). Apparantly 3 harddrives failed last night, taking down most of the mailboxes with it. A 500GB restore from tape can take awhile. PLUS, we just implemented a new Point of Sale (POS) system at the Armory track and Atkins Tennis Center. Well, the software that was purchased had no way of differentiating between the stuff inputted in at the Armory as opposed to Atkins (or at least the users were trained on how to do that). So, the person in charge of the Armory, for whatever reason, started deleting records out of the database. Needless to say, he was on crack and started deleting everything, including the stuff from Atkins. Well, then later, after we told him what he had done, he apparantly did it again!!! Thankfully we had some of the stuff from tape backups (backups that had just started running last night). Let’s say that it didn’t surprise me what this particular user at the Armory did. *sigh*

Off to work on the new website templates…