Well, little brain’s internal battery finally wouldn’t hold a charge, so it was time to either spend the entire pda’s value replacing the battery, or to upgrade. I opted for upgrading, because I’ve had a hankering for some features my little device didn’t have. I picked up a Clie’ TH-55, because it was inexpensive, has wifi capacity, and will run all of my old palm software (including stuff I’ve developed for myself. WinCE lives up to the name it spells out. “Wince.”

In addition to wifi, there’s some other goodies built in… the package I got included a 256 meg memory stick, which will hold a **lot** of e-books, or a decent amount of mp3s (I figure 4 hours of regular cd music, up to 24 hours of old-time radio / audio books, depending on the recording quality. Room for more pictures, too. I still have a gallery in there that I’ve built over time. Pictures of Hala, Newtie, and other assorted goodness. I’m also glad I can still doodle, and that this one has a built in camera…camera wasn’t a real selling point, but if it’s good enough, I’ll use it.. if not, I’ll stick with my chunky, junky Olympus… big in my pocket, but takes decent photos.

The device is much sleeker than my old visor, though I still didn’t opt for the cell phone/pda combo because I have an irrational dislike for cell phones, and have a work-related cell I have to carry with me everywhere, anyway.

Side note… are public pay phones becoming scarcer, now that such a large chunk of the population has personal devices? I wonder if they’ll vanish completely over then next decade or two.

In other news, I haven’t seen my landlord for a long time. I was supposed to give him my rent on the last day of the month, and he still hasn’t been around. I’ve been taking in the front house’s mail, and noticed that there are two envelopes from the gas company. I hope he hasn’t gone on vacation or something, and that my hot water will be turned off as a result. I’d also like to pay my bills on time. The check’s made out, just waiting for him to claim it. I never did get a contact phone number for him, and he’s not listed in the book. We’ll see what the future brings… I’m still continuing on my quest for a condo.

Well, I’ve got to get rolling. Until later, dear journal.

Got to play a little CoH with Whims last night.. I wish schedules allowed for Sammy to join in more often, but he suffers from Pacific Rim Syndrome. I need to put him in a time-phase shift condenser for about 2 hours a day, just to hang out.

Fort Lauderdale Beach, right before sunset

Called Mother and the Grandmother yesterday… Gram sounds a lot more scattered since her trip to the hospital.

Have to swing by the ortho after work… a flexion test. I’m pretty bendy, so I think I’ll do well. [update: did just fine, going back in next Monday to see progress]

Big Kahuna cut me more slack yesterday, as well as Saturday.. tossed me another 4 hours to do what I will. I took the opportunity to go on walkabout and just enjoy the outside for a bit.

On-call should be pretty gentle this week. ADP on M,Tu,Th, MA on W,F,Sa. I just have Su. With any luck, maybe I can spend some time with ol’ Danny this week.

planty piccies from my reprieve walk on Sunday

http://home.bellsouth.net/csbellsouth/s/s.dll?spage=cg/Sys/111.htm&only=y&ck=&ac=http://consumer.bellsouth.net/system/main.asp?AirportCode%3dFLL

or, Bah, It’s been down since 6:30am… I think my report is what got them to sniff it out.

System Status: FL, Ft. Lauderdale

Subject: Fort Lauderdale, FL – FastAccess Outage

——————————————————————————–

Problem: What? Some customers may be unable to connect to the Internet or surf at this time.

Who? FastAccess customers are affected by this outage.

When? The outage began at 7:36 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 10, 2004.

Where? Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why? We are experiencing a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor outage. The estimated time of resolution is currently undetermined. We will update you when service has been restored.

Additional Comments: Additionally, FastAccess customers that have downloaded our Connection Manager Tool may see a yellow diagonal line, or a red X through the tool. The yellow line indicates which system is affected by the maintenance, and the red X indicates that the customer has no connection.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for choosing BellSouth Internet Services.
Status: Open — Updated: 5/10/2004 7:36:06 AM
[update] –

Resolution: Service was successfully restored at 9:13 a.m. EDT on Monday May 10, 2004.
Status: Closed — Updated: 5/10/2004 9:12:22 AM

http://home.bellsouth.net/csbellsouth/s/s.dll?spage=cg/Sys/111.htm&only=y&ck=&ac=http://consumer.bellsouth.net/system/main.asp?AirportCode%3dFLL

or, Bah, It’s been down since 6:30am… I think my report is what got them to sniff it out.

System Status: FL, Ft. Lauderdale

Subject: Fort Lauderdale, FL – FastAccess Outage

——————————————————————————–

Problem: What? Some customers may be unable to connect to the Internet or surf at this time.

Who? FastAccess customers are affected by this outage.

When? The outage began at 7:36 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 10, 2004.

Where? Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why? We are experiencing a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor outage. The estimated time of resolution is currently undetermined. We will update you when service has been restored.

Additional Comments: Additionally, FastAccess customers that have downloaded our Connection Manager Tool may see a yellow diagonal line, or a red X through the tool. The yellow line indicates which system is affected by the maintenance, and the red X indicates that the customer has no connection.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we thank you for choosing BellSouth Internet Services.
Status: Open — Updated: 5/10/2004 7:36:06 AM
[update] –

Resolution: Service was successfully restored at 9:13 a.m. EDT on Monday May 10, 2004.
Status: Closed — Updated: 5/10/2004 9:12:22 AM

To everyone who has acted as a caregiver and nurtured a living thing. Thanks! Guten Muttertag!

I always get gilbert.

To everyone who has acted as a caregiver and nurtured a living thing. Thanks! Guten Muttertag!

I always get gilbert.

Today’s been quite the hectic one for missing kids… fortunately, the majority of them have been recovered right away. (one 15 year old who got into an argument with his grandparents is still out and about, but from the description given, he’s not going to be messed with, or a danger to himself or others.)

Big Kahuna was kind enough to take call from 4:30-9pm, giving me at least a little window of freedom this weekend. I celebrated by going to cheeburger cheeburger, getting a chocolate malted and a grilled portobello sammich, no fries, and enjoying a little fresh air.

The pleasure was welcome, because once I got home, I had another couple of calls smack me all at once, including 3 missing kids with a babysitter in Tombs County Georgia… those folks are sweet as pie, but the accent is *very thick* and I had trouble with the dispatcher girl’s descriptions. While on the phone with her, a Hialeah call came in., so i got to multitask as best I could. Not too bad, but it was moderately stressful at the time. I don’t think ADP could’ve handled it at all, though MA would have dealt with it well enough, I think. I plopped into the website and made a few adjustments for time constraints that I think will make working the system even more automated than it already is.

People are still asking me questions about rules regarding inmate visits from entries I made nearly four years ago (back when Suzy was put in the clink). Since that person was asking from Santa Clara, CA, I could only give a limited answer about Broward, Florida.

Disneyland photo tour from the 50s and 60s. I’m glad that the parks went to all-day passes, rather than Lettered tickets.

Hmm.. ravenblack changed the way links work in the vampire game… I’m glad my daughter managed to help me get to thievery 3 before that point!

Naked Mole Rap Lyrics, for my own ref later.

and I wear the laser belt.

Best Bumper sticker seen lately :

In my mind, it’s recited with a emphasis on the *Ahhl KEEL JOO*

Friday was mostly nice. Spent a chunk of the afternoon working with VS and CB, while the hen party took place in CC’s office.

I got a 3:30 am call from Comanche County, (Oklahoma), thus the early morning entry.

MadTV on in the background… Robert Smith sounds as good as he ever did, but spinning around to look, age has taken a bit of a toll on him. Now I know what Jerry Garcia would look like if you shaved and gothificated him.

Quiz of Dooooooooooom!

and I wear the laser belt.

Best Bumper sticker seen lately :

In my mind, it’s recited with a emphasis on the *Ahhl KEEL JOO*

Friday was mostly nice. Spent a chunk of the afternoon working with VS and CB, while the hen party took place in CC’s office.

I got a 3:30 am call from Comanche County, (Oklahoma), thus the early morning entry.

MadTV on in the background… Robert Smith sounds as good as he ever did, but spinning around to look, age has taken a bit of a toll on him. Now I know what Jerry Garcia would look like if you shaved and gothificated him.

Quiz of Dooooooooooom!

From the Sun-Sentinel:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cbeating07may07,0,4464869.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

A group of guards at the Broward County Main Jail kicked and stomped on a handcuffed, naked inmate Wednesday night until he was unconscious, according to several inmates who said they witnessed the beating. Continue reading 6643 – Not Just In Iraq →

I am not air-tight, freezer-safe, or easily shipped in brown packaging.

Yum. I had a lovely dinner of Quorn cutlets last night, with a side of green beans and carrots with dill in beer.

I’ve never had the troubles these guys mention.

Sunset clouds from last night… I prefer the orange.

Nobody told me Rod Roddy Died!

A French site mapping out all the covers of Astounding Stories from 1930 – 1971. The name changed over this period from Astounding Stories to Astounding Science Fiction to Analog in 1960.

Too much spirit kills sorcerer

A Sri Lankan magician killed himself during a black magic ritual to harness evil forces after he was overwhelmed by the spirits he had drunk, rather than those he was trying to cast spells on, a press report said today.

The 71-year-old man had used his full force to dash a coconut on the ground as part of the ritual on behalf of a customer, but lost his balance and ended up hooked on the trident, a weapon of Hindu gods, the Sinhalese-language Lankadeepa said.

The paper quoted the victim’s son as saying he had been drunk at the time.

Doctors said his death last week was due to excessive bleeding and shock.

from Coconut blog, a site that gathers “News, Notes, and Dispatches From Wherever Coconuts Grow”

You know, dear journal, things like this make me happy that I was born in 1969. Honestly, would the draft work, these days? Wouldn’t the *majority* of people come up 4F? (At least for being overweight, or on some sort of medicine.. isn’t everyone on one sort of medical track or another, these days?)

Times have changed a lot since the last draft. Or are we just more out of shape?

ldy pointed out in the coloringbook community – Celestial Seasonings Coloring Book! How nifty! if anyone colors any of ’em, please let me see!

It seems that you can get to my LJ website via – http://evilurl.com/lickboobdie How Naughty! I wonder how long that’ll last?

one year ago – creaky owies (after the accident at work), kartoo, getting into There.com, star wars kid,

two years ago – good smells and duties, links to great books and classics, puppyfrog! and a big ol’ survey

three years ago – Newt middle name poll (It’s usually Jellybean/Jalepeno these days), fiction writing ex’s… (I think I’ll work on those again soon), possibly tmi