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Life’s Too Short (To Be a Muggle)

Since we started homeschooling our kids (it’s a long story, but at the time we were living in Orleans Parish) we’ve struggled to motivate our kids to learn, and to develop personal skills.

If you’ve never seen or read the Harry Potter series, a “muggle” is a non-magical person in a world of magicians. In the stories, wizards who are born of one magical and one non-magical parent are “mugbloods”, or half breeds. They are viewed with contempt by the pure-blooded wizards, but the fact is they are just as powerful. Their lineage has nothing to do with whether or not they’re good wizards.

So often in our life, we look at non-churched people with contempt, because, well, they just couldn’t be as holy as us. Cause you know, we go to church. The same goes for anything…. homeschooling, bike commuting, cars we drive, clothes we wear… other people are different. And we’re not.

Yeah, right.

As far as allowing my kids to read and watch Harry Potter, I did consider it carefully beforehand, and no, it’s not perfect. There’s a lot there that needs to be addressed, but that discussion is for another day.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. Homeschooling.

So we’ve always had normal behavior problems with our kids, for a variety of reasons. I decided to take advantage of my kids’ interest in Harry Potter by setting up a points system like they use at wizard school. Students can earn points for bravery, doing good deeds, following instructions, and being helpful. They gets points deducted for breaking rules, arguing, and being dishonest (we have to specify dishonest instead of lying because sometimes they will try to trick each other without words!)

We split our kids into two houses which happened to be the same as their houses on the website Pottermore.com and at the end of a predetermined time, whichever house has more points wins a prize, and the house cup. The other house will also get a smaller prize, because they earned points as well. For every point they earn, they add a bean to their house jar (white beans and red beans, because that’s what we had… the kids rolled them in glitter to make them “magical”) and after a couple of weeks, we add them up.

So far, it’s been fairly okay, but we’ve had a few meltdowns over points that we’ve had to deal with. Last night I had to take away points for the first time, and there was a major meltdown.

I guess the main thing about it is that for us to be able to assign house points, we have to be actively watching our kids. If they do something right and we don’t see it, but their siblings do the same and we catch it, then they get mad (and rightly so). It makes it very hard to be fair, so I’m required to equally spend time with all of the kids. Imagine that!

The truth I have to take away from this is that you have to meet kids where they are. You can say they need to learn something till you’re blue in the face, but when you speak their language, they listen.

And a little bit of magic doesn’t hurt!

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Corporate Emo Poetry Monday

flourescent flickering in the boardroom
forever humming, never going
the uneasiness hangs in the air
like so much moss on a tree
I think I may grow roots here

beneath the flaking veneer is rot
that cannot be stopped by conventional wisdom
centuries of knowledge washed away
by simple charts and graphs
and a bottom line that never goes away

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Why Windows 8 is Ahead of its Time (and Why I Won’t be Using it)

Yesterday, I set up and used a Windows 8 desktop computer for the first time. And I know what you’re thinking… you were a computer tech for 18 years, it’s been out for almost a year, and you’re just now getting around to it? I think there’s some validity to that question, but the truth is, I don’t like Microsoft. (This is not a secret, by any means.) I installed and set one up for some friends of mine, and I have to admit, I was both impressed, and frustrated.

I’m not going to go into what Windows 8 can do (there’s plenty of that around); instead, I’m going to try to explain why the infamous Win 8 user interface (or “UI”) is ahead of its time… way too far ahead.

windows8metro

The experience is… how shall we say… interesting. I’ve been a computer guy for close to 20 years, so I’ve seen almost every kind of UI there is. Not much fazes me, until I suddenly realize I can’t find stuff, not because it’s hidden, but because it’s not there… and since this is Windows, there’s certain things that should be there, and easy to find.

Things that are missing:

We can start with the obvious. A software menu of some sort. Metro is not a replacement for the start menu, it’s a disgusting pile of “mystery Meat” navigation. No text titles? No options? What is this, Kindergarten? I can read just fine, thank you. Please put a logical list of the software I have at my disposal, so I can decide what I want to run. Or even know what I can run. With Metro, you don’t even know what the machine does.

There are plenty of other things it can’t do, and it’s obvious that Windows 8 is basically a tablet OS, based on desktop code. It doesn’t work well on a desktop at all.

It comes down to TXT.

So why did they do it? Because, on a tablet, it’s actually very slick. Touchscreen PCs are slightly less usable, but who buys those? Microsoft is basically hedging their bets that the traditional desktop PC will go the way of the dinosaurs. The sad thing is, it won’t, at least not any time soon.

I could see keyboards eventually going out of use, once the voice recognition of a PC can accurately dictate your voice in a room of other voices. I could see Xbox Kinect-like PCs using body motions to navigate (well, yeah… like the Xbox) but the technology for text input just isn’t there yet.

Ask any tablet user what’s the most frustrating thing to do on it, and the answer is almost always “typing.” Why? Because touchscreen interfaces just aren’t up to the task, and voice recognition isn’t developed enough to replace it. So today’s Windows 8 is firmly stuck smack in the dead spot of computer evolution. We still communicate by reading and writing, for the most part… even if you post a picture or video, you type a description of it. Even “txt spk” has to be typed, albeit horribly.

So Windows 8 was designed for something that doesn’t exist yet. It’s a desktop OS for a portable machine that isn’t there. Sure, you can buy a high-end tablet that will run it, but you can get a better experience (and better performance) from an OS that was designed for portable devices from the start.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Since I have no use for Windows 8 RT on a tablet, and I have 100% more flexibility and usability from free operating systems like Ubuntu Studio on a laptop or desktop, this is where Windows and I finally part ways.

It’s been interesting… since the Windows 3.1 days with floppies and DOS, to Windows 7 which was quirky, but usable… the run has been nice, but it’s over. My Microsoft days are officially over.

At least for me. How about you?

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How To Add Free Filtered WiFi To Your Network

Update: Untangle recently released a very affordable “home” complete package. I’m going to reevaluate it, and update as necessary.

Well, like the title says. If you have a business or church that wants to have freely accessible (and filtered) wi-fi for guests, it’s not as daunting a task as you think. In fact, I can show you how to do it yourself… with stuff you probably already have laying around! You’ll need some computer skills, but nothing fancy. If you can use a screwdriver and know how to hook a computer up, you can probably do this yourself. Interested? Read on! Much thanks to the file people at Untangle.com who made this software package freely available for people like us!

First, we put together a list of things we’ll need.

  1. An old or used (preferably functional!) computer. You want something with at least 512MB of memory, a hard drive (10GB or more is fine) and a CD-Rom for installing the OS. 
  2. Wi-Fi access point (you may be able to use an old router if it supports AP mode)
  3. Small network switch (only needs to be 4 ports, but use what you can find)
  4. Some Cat5 ethernet cables
  5. Two PCI ethernet cards (preferrably Intel or 3Com, but use what you can find)
  6. A blank CD-R (or a 1GB thumb drive)
  7. Another computer with a CD burner
  8. Someplace to set the computer up and work on it (keyboard, monitor, mouse, etc.)

Once you’ve assembled your stuff, you’re going to want to give the old computer a check-up to make sure it’s in good working condition. If possible, blow it out with compressed air. Make sure all the cables are connected. Make sure it has two open PCI slots for the network cards!

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Continue reading “How To Add Free Filtered WiFi To Your Network”

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Congress #Failing

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I saw this moron, in the span of about 10 minutes: run a stop sign, run a red light, tailgate, speed, and pass unsafely, all while talking on his cell phone. The license plate said “House of Representatives” and was plate number 052.

Just saying.

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Corporate Emo Poetry Monday

A plastic surgeon of words
I craft and shape raw flesh into appealing curves
But when I drop the scalpel,
no matter how pleasant the poem appears,
the inner poet remains the same
They are simply free to express themselves anew
without the constraints of preconcieved predjudices
Will they go on to shake the very foundations of the world?
Only they can answer that question
More coffee?
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Chopper Trike Done

Finished rebuilding the Chopper Trike for a friend… here it is! Only have to put the basket back on once the paint dries.

2013-04-20 14.55.04

 

Closeup of the brake bridge we added:

2013-04-20 14.55.19

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Emo Poetry for Corporate Lackeys

Flummoxed by the emptiness, Raging into the corporate abyss
Only to be answered by a complete lack of an answer
Urged to continue on by an unseen taskmaster,
Which is my own mind forcing me to comply
I take a swig of coffee, bittersweet as life
And I smile to myself
As my spirit slowly withers
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Let’s Do the (Next Big Thing) Blog Hop!

Much thanks to Deborah B. for inviting me to the Blog Hop party! I’d love for you to check out her work at DeborahBaudoin.com. So you’re asking, “What’s a blog hop?” and of course, I will give you an answer. It’s a cool way to find out new authors, read a few cool articles, and generally keep you from wasting too much time on Facebook.

As part of this exercise (yes, there’s exercise involved) we were asked ten questions about our upcoming works. For me, the best part of watching a DVD is the behind-the-scenes special features, because I love to get to know the cast and crew behind the movie. This is the literary equivalent, more or less. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I do!

1. What is the working title of your book?  Ummm…… heh. I’m working on that.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book? I’ve been a fan of techno-thrillers since I was a young teenager. I can remember the first time I saw the Matrix, and I knew I was sucked in. It’s sort of a combination of Hackers and Swordfish and The Matrix… to name just a few! My ideas of Cyberpunk are also heavily influenced by the tabletop role-playing game Shadowrun.  As in The Matrix, there will be plenty of social, philosophical, and spiritual ramifications for our protagonists.

3. What genre does your book come under?  Action Adventure for people who like to think.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?  I wouldn’t pick Keanu Reeves, simply because he’s so closely associated with the character Neo. Maybe Jesse Eisenberg as the main protagonist, or maybe Wil Wheaton, or Shia LeBouf. Somebody who seems naive at first, but has a bit of a crazy streak under the surface. The main character’s girlfriend could be someone like Olivia Wilde, or Gwen Stefani… as in the book, she actually fronts a punk-rock band. I wouldn’t want an actress to have to do that scene with voice-overs. That’s lame!

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Boy lives a carefree hacker life, gets framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and has to decide whether to turn in his friends and get whacked by the mob, or turn himself in and never see his life (or girlfriend) again.

6. Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?  I self-published my first book, and it was a great learning experience. I’m planning on self-publishing my books until I can devote enough time to properly have them edited. Or unless somebody offers to publish it for me… yeah, I’d consider that.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  First draft of my last book took 30 days (yes, it was for NaNoWriMo). The first re-write added another 10 months, so overall, it took about a year to have a usable manuscript. This was on top of a full-time job. I know professional authors who only write a book a year, and that’s their job!

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? As I said, the main characters are similar to The Matrix‘s but that’s where the similarity ends. I can’t say I’ve even read any books like it, but movies like The Net, Swordfish, Hackers, and a little bit of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Yeah… all that’s inside my brain.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? I was encouraged to write what I know, so I wrote about a young, naive computer programmer (who plays music at night) who gets caught up in the wrong crowd. I know a lot about that kind of thing.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Well, besides the action and drama, there’s this really great scene where they try to escape from the FBI… I guess that counts as action? I don’t know, it’s just good. I tend to write weird characters, and as random as my brain is, you never know what’s on the next page. There’s always something interesting that grabs you when you least expect it. That’s just my ADD kicking in!

Who’s next on the NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP?

You should check out my good friend (and excellent comedy writer) Blake M. Petit. I love his stories!