Yes I’m still alive. I haven’t posted for months now but I really do have a good excuse. So let me try to catch the one reader that we have left up with what has been going on.
We completed our Windows 2003 installation at the TAX division here in DC, and as that was ramping down my boss asked me if I was interested in managing a group of engineers. I responded with a “yes” thinking that sure, thinking that hanging around in a lab all day with computer geeks would be cool. Well guess again. Now I’m the Manager of Network Systems managing about 12 people for the Antitrust Divsion (yes the ones that busted Microsoft). Well it sucks from the moment I walked in the door I have been so busy. They had a failing NAS installation that I have had to take over and keep afloat, plus getting all the other people trained on how to use the new hardware. They recently migrated from Veritas Backup Exec to NetBackup and NOBODY knows how to use it. Once again I’m responsible for making sure things are working. Basically what it comes down to is I’m going to step in front of a train before to much longer, this job is driving me crazy.
Lets move on to our house. We bought our house back in Sept/Oct or whatever it was, and we made tons of improvements, new carpet, new tile, new appliances… you get the picture. Well our excitement to get a house blinded us from the fact that it’s in the middle of Egypt (might as well be). I commute no less than 2 hours each way now. On some days it can be 3 hours. When I get up in the morning, I get ready to go to work. Wake Kelly up and she drives me to the VRE (Virginia Railway EXPRESS…laugh) which takes about 15-20 min. I then climb abroad the train and ride that into the city that takes about an 1hr 20 min at a minimum then I have to walk to the Metro and take the Metro (subway) to the stop near my office, this probably takes 10 min. Then I walk to my office from the Metro (about 5min). I do this ritual twice a day. So as of late I leave my house at 6-6:30 in the morning. I then get home about 7:30 or so in the evening. Then its up again at 5:30 or so the next morning to start it all over again. Its taking its toll to say the least.
On a lighter note I think I’m going to purchase an iPod w/ video for my morning commutes, watching Family Guy or Lost on the train will make the ride go by faster…probably. I have already downloaded Handbrake and began ripping DVDs in anticipation of purchasing one in the near future. Also I think I may purchase an XBox, not an XBox 360 just an original XBox. Ever since our was stolen I have been anxious to replace it. Not for playing games but for XBox Media Center. That application alone makes owning an XBox worthwhile.
I’m sure I have more to say since its been so long since I have posted anything but I can’t take any more time out of my day… I really need to get back to work, I have a conference call with NetApp in 15 minutes that I need to prepare for.