Author: Mike

The Next Big Thing

I’m working on writing code for a brand new website for my aunt and uncle’s church.

It’s a big project. I suffer from the pretense that a church website HAS to be better than most other websites out there. I’ve thought about it a bit more and realize that I’m approaching this from the wrong angle.

Because it’s a foursquare church website. Because it’s my aunt and uncle’s church. Of course, it’s going to be a great website.

Silly programmer.

A Day Off

It’s true.

At least, as far as I know it’s true.

Last Sunday I was eating breakfast with my folks inside Wal-Mart at the McDonald’s literally minutes before church was supposed to begin.

The phone rang. It was work asking me to come in.

Maybe this Sunday I’ll actually make it to church.

Amen.

Update: The phone NEVER rang and I did make it in to church. The only problem was that I had so much to do that going back to work on Monday will seem like a vacation. Sheesh!

Ode to David Weber

David Weber.

He writes books.

He writes very good books.

I tried Off Armageddon Reef from Audible. It was a gamble. The story sounded like a good one although it seemed heavily based on something like a medieval type time period. Not my thing. I tried it anyway. I loved the story.

The story didn’t end and I quickly found out that there was another book.

By Schism Rent Asunder. I bought it.

This book wasn’t quite as long but it was even better.

It’s still not the end. Now, I have to wait for another book.

David Weber. I will wait for your book. I will complain about the wait. I may even curse your name.

I will still buy your book because your books don’t suck.

At Home…Sick

Stuck at home today. Taking medication and hoping that it clears my congestion away.

It’s hard to do the job I have without being able to walk around. The congestion is making that task amazingly hard and difficult.

Hopefully, I’ll be up and around tomorrow morning. In the meantime…

…let’s catch up on blogging, shall we?

Michael Crichton: R.I.P.

One of my favorite authors has passed.

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from The Chicago Tribune…

LOS ANGELES – Michael Crichton, the doctor-turned-author of bestselling thrillers such as “The Terminal Man” and “Jurassic Park” and a Hollywood writer and director whose credits include “Westworld” and “Coma,” has died. He was 66.

Crichton died in Los Angeles on Tuesday “after a courageous and private battle against cancer,” his family said in a statement.

For nearly four decades, the 6-foot-9 writer was a towering presence in the worlds of publishing and filmmaking.

“There was no one like Crichton, because he could both entertain and educate,” Lynn Nesbit, Crichton’s agent since the late ’60s, told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. “His brilliance was indisputable, and he had a grasp of so many subjects — from art to science to technology.

He will be missed.

A Blessing

I’ve been sitting at my desk in Hershey PA watching friends and co-workers getting laid off due to the slow economic conditions and due to the fact that Hershey Gifts isn’t really selling as much as they’d like to.

I’ve been wondering when it was going to be my turn to get laid off. This afternoon, the radio squawked as my boss asked me to join him in his office. I expected really bad news. It didn’t come.

I got really good news instead.

My boss requested that I be transfered to our corporate headquarters. It’s a step up and I am still a little taken back by it. In a move to keep key personnel, my company has decided to move people around rather than to remove them. It is a part of their core beliefs and philosophy.

I’ll be moving from the Hershey location to a brand new office building in Lancaster, PA. (Amish Country)

This is nothing more than a complete blessing to me and my family.

This election night, I really do know what I am thankful for.

Update (11-05-08): Obama winning the Presidential election…not so much of a blessing.

Car Trouble

I went to leave work today and the unexpected happened…

…car trouble. My car sounded and felt like I was missing a few cylinders.

The frustration.

The “I’m not sure what I’m going to do right this second because my car JUST stopped working and I didn’t have time to write a dissertation before I called you for help” thing.

I saw you drive by me Christina while I was walking back to work so my ride could pick me up! You snickered. I saw it!

No. I don’t know what’s wrong with it.

What does it sound like? Not sure. It sounds bad to me.