The Further Adventures of Captain SQL!!!!!!!

2012-01-16T11:32:00.001-05:00

Excellent weekend with daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Forgot entirely about shit at work. At this time I do not have even one shit to give about that.

A Very Techie Weekend

2012-01-12T15:00:00.002-05:00

Back home now, entertaining my daughter and her boyfriend. Enjoy chatting about tech stuff, football &etc. with the guy. Also a Midwestern Jewish conservative Republican. Pretty dang good. He's reading the Wall Street Journal now. A keeper, I think.

While being angry at the situation in my incumbent job I had a look at SQL Server and T-SQL, which I last investigated in 2010. Much better in Windows 7, not Vista. Following along in WROX Beginning T-SQL is suddenly easy. Much like long stale Unix skizzles, I am doing better after several years of not doing anything with the stuff. Anyways, this is going to be a leisure time activity while I sweat my nads off at work, but something to pick at as I go forward into the wonderful world of senility and getting my ass out of the current situation.

Girlfriend doesn't like me splitting my time between my house and work location, but will have to work this out in the future. She's a keeper too. Introduced me to NASCAR.

2012-01-10T04:10:00.001-05:00

Me again, already. Looks like job opportunities warming up a little. Looking forward to very long weekend with daughter and her boyfriend, and away from work. Starts tomorrow night.

2012: Is it over yet?

2012-01-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

Work in Columbus continues at levels of Suckitude not seen since the first three weeks of the Benjamin Harrison administration. I’m damn glad I’m turning 60 this year and can see the finish line for work as we know it within crawling distance, at least close enough to get my ass back up I-71 to the friendly confines of Cleveland, Ohio. And by that I mean the East Side proper, not the lilly-white stronghold of Erin O’Brien, as if any of color or Hebritude would venture into her vicinity West of the Cuyahoga. That is Injun Territory by the Treaty of Greenville, and give it back, I say.

My daughter is in the middle of her Junior year at Yeshiva U., merrily wrecking curves in Organic Chemistry and making our very own Princessi sad in the process. Even as I sit here watching a godawfull college bowel game I am filled with the intense wrath toward my employer that kindles the types of Mighty Oaths that only a talent of Acidman grade talent, or at least V-Man grade can adequately express.

Is any of this writing OK, or what?

Anyhoo, as said previously, hate the job, like Columbus, staying sober, kid doing well. And am looking for work back in Cleveland. Actually had interviews in person, after looking for about a year, so that is good. Worst case, to quote Mark Schaumberg, “There are few problems that can’t be solved by a clock tower and a high powered rifle”. I believe I can do the construction near the office, but may need to enlist local talent such as Redneck to assist with the ballistics.

Hope your year is looking up. If not, start construction on that clock tower.

2011-10-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

Sure can store a lot of corn in that state.http://www.thebuckeyeblog.com/

Still Here.

2011-10-06T21:24:00.001-04:00

Still the same shitty job. Maybe I'll spend some time here instead of FB. FB sux with Erica and Mike Wilson gone.

2011-05-31T03:13:00.001-04:00

Notified by asshole relative during my birthday lunch that I'm just a friggin' slacker, she trying to excuse her waste of oxygen boyfriend. Very nice. Something to remember during those 3:00 AM production installs.

Probably true

2011-05-10T20:58:00.001-04:00

My Conservative Identity:

You are a Freedom Crusader, also known as a neoconservative. You believe in taking the fight directly to the enemy, whether it’s terrorists abroad or the liberal terrorist appeasers at home who give them aid and comfort.

Take the quiz at
About.com Political Humor

2011-05-10T02:32:00.002-04:00

First (probably last) year anniversary on this job. This weeks deadlines; no training on the technology, not even a cheat sheet, no indication of which commands to run to test this shit.

Happy happy joy joy.

Worth a Look

2011-05-08T17:59:00.000-04:00

http://larryransom.com/2009/05/nuclear-tits-2/

2011-05-08T16:00:00.001-04:00

1st year anniversary of this job on Tuesday. More shitty test scripting with less training than ever. I know at some point I'll be loading up the jalopy and heading up I-71 and leaving this place. Looking forward to it.

So Simple Even Liberals Can Understand It.

2011-05-04T21:05:00.000-04:00

Maybe.
http://www.brutallyhonest.org/brutally_honest/2011/05/moral-obtuseness-on-a-staggering-scale.html

A Great Start

2011-05-02T02:49:00.002-04:00

to an otherwise crappy week:

Rot in hell, Osama.

2011-05-01T14:38:00.002-04:00

Weekend was good, getting together with the girlfriend both nights. Next weekend back to the Fortress of Database Excellence to pay bills, and mothball the place so I can sit through post-install hands-on for the following two weekends. Then at end of month my daughter comes home from college. for a few weeks. For some reason they absolutely trust guys halfway across the globe, but the in-house staff has to have ass-in-chair during critical installs.

Job market looks like it is opening up a little, and want to extend marketability to Data Analytics. A lot has changed since the days of me as a Statistician, and I estimate about 1/2 year of pretty intense after hours training to come up to speed in SAS and what not. Can't even tell if it will pay off, but sounds like the best bet to get off fucking test scripting.

Still Here

2011-04-29T01:34:00.002-04:00

Work sucks and basically expect to get the hell out, damn near if I have to chew my arm off. Last weekend was extremely hard - daughter in from college while trying to work through shit on the job from home. Still seeing the girlfriend, and hope to continue. But this is pretty fucking bad at work.

Came to the job as big-time DBA, assholes shifted around the department, now doing test scripting. It's the soiled underpants of I.T.

2011-02-12T17:59:00.002-05:00

Have about 30 minutes out of my busy life to post more. Seeing this gal in the town where I work. We like each other a lot. Feel badly about some of her qualms, but gotta be at the hometown property every so often. Only have a one-br. apartment where I work. And all of my stuff is at the house. Also, really hate the new job, so want to roll out of there ASAP. Still, if I was back up I-71, could go down there frequently. Much cheaper than the other way around.

Still Here

2011-02-11T21:17:00.001-05:00

Joe in Indiana comments "Cappy - you're alive!". Dear reader, yes, it's true. Time more sliced up than ever before. Work still sucks major hose. FB sucking up more of my blogging time. Man, I must be King of the Road now, up and down I-71.

EOY Navel Gazing

2010-12-31T15:30:00.003-05:00

I hate navel gazing. A big waste of time ususally and there's lots more attractive things to ogle. But a couple of things have become more obvious since the big heave-ho earlier this year. Like Scotty said on Star Trek, ya canna repeal the laws of physics. So until time travel is perfected (my next project) a few things are more clear than a year ago:

I don't know of any full time in-house DBAs > 60 years old. I do know of one leading health nut doing a lot of contracting at that advanced age, but nobody charging up the hill as a full time FTE Carbon Based Programming Unit.
No full time DBA openings at homeBase city in last year in my technology.
What are all these kids doing in development? Shouldn't they be carded?

So, one way or another I figure the time to hustle my buns back to the house full time is limited. Maybe to about 18 months. Probably look to do more analysis/architect/curmudgeon work after that, more hands-off. That's just the way it be, as I sees it. Hell, listening to ZZTop while screaming down I-71 is still cool, but Eliminator came out over 25 years ago.

Next year still has some good stuff, and lots of shitty test scripting too. So I'll be along for the ride.

Listening to PPL and waiting for the festivities to start in a little while.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-25T20:27:00.002-05:00

As 2010 winds down, and 2011 rears it's ugly head, I sit here in the Fortress of Database Excellence ~~and Test Scripting Apathy~~ counting my blessings. Like having a healthy and smart daughter on the right track, and like, having a job, and it's somewhat related to what I do best. It could certainly be a lot worse.

Christmas lunch with in-town sister and crew today in Chinatown. Pretty good. Not even one hate-America statement. I think it may even be penetrating liberal skulls that the stupidity that reigns along the shores of Lake Erie and other Great Lakes may not be sustainable. In any case, we have a new Governor who is happy to provide a size 11 reminder.

Work has stepped away from the shit that was happening earlier in the fall. Still has exposed a nasty side I knew is always possible in I.T., but can lope along cantankerously until more opportunities arise at home. Life is just a little sweeter in Bustown for now.

SadOldGoth sent me the mp3 files for E. Power Biggs Plays Scott Joplin. On a harpsichord. One damn frozen day early in 1977 my 5:00 AM alarm woke me to the selection of The Maple Leaf Rag on the album. This was during the deep freeze of 1977, damn bitter cold. And I had a big hangover from the previous night. Took me five minutes to convince myself I wasn't dead.

As said in another place and time, FarceBook has pretty much taken the place of active blogging for me. Lots of I-71 time in my life, and the weeks are spent in my office-like apartment. Things slowed down just enough for me to post this one now.

2010-12-19T03:33:00.002-05:00

Survived my first annual review at the new job. In what universe is "be more verbose - your writing is terse" consistent with a request to get more vi edit proficient? Martinis last night helped. I think my back wants to seize up, again. Hope not.

2010-12-11T23:25:00.001-05:00

Turns out my daughter is a country music fan. 10 years of the finest court ordered Kumbiyah down the crapper! Yay!

2010-12-11T13:52:00.002-05:00

Now in the middle of big time testing @ work. Thursday was a really long, hard day. Pretty fucked up yesterday, even this morning.

2010-12-05T11:31:00.003-05:00

Back from NYC, seeing my daughter, meeting with the delightful Erica, and investigating my daughter's BF. He seems good. I shall let him live. Another year. On good behavior.

Noodled around NYC. Came upon this statue. I still claim he engineered the assanation of President Garfield.

And, best of all, Erica helped me complete the first poem since High School. Thus the dang grammar tag. Don't think Patty H is a reader of this blog, so I'm going to let fly with this baby:

There once was a girl from Yonkers

Whose tuches was driving me bonkers

She's sit on one cheek

and let out a squeek

And occasionally suprise me with honkers.

Thank you, Erica. If you want fine poetry or prose, just click on any of the fine blogs to the right. That's about it for my literary output.

2010-11-28T19:06:00.002-05:00

Looking forward to Chanukkah with daughter, and other favorite people this week. Thanksgiving was nice, weekend was good with same drinking buddy, same martini bar, and a pretty comfortable time. Except for the next two shitty days at work, as senior tester monkeys screech and fling poo trying to turn CaptainSQL into Captain.CSV. If hadn't hurt back a while ago would be interviewing by now, but that will come in good time.

Thanksgiving, 2010

2010-11-24T20:09:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back is largely better, but with this holiday followed closely seeing my daughter immediately followed by two weeks of testing hell, I'm babying it along slowly. Lots of anti-inflammatory meds, ice, and as much rest as possible. And stretching. The back that is, not necessarily the truth. I'll leave the latter to the professionals.

Things sure have changed a lot since Labor Day. I'm pretty far from the world of database on the job, astray in the stupid and rashly assigned world of writing test scripts. The bitch of it is nobody is stupid or lazy. It was just a sudden, rash management decision to switch assignments. When I get into an ill defined, undocumented assignment, I cannot help but want to complete it successfully. I can't seem to help it, but this time I don't take it home and worry about it all day and night, like when it first hit. Basically, I don't care much for writing test scripts and need to find another job. And while I'm at it, get one where I can come home to my house at night.

Time to meet the potential son-in-law in the flesh, he of the Hoosier persuasion. Also plan to see the lovely and talented Erica whilst in NYC. Then, like I said, go face down in heavy duty (doody?) testing for two fucking weeks.

Have started to read again. Finished up an autobiography of Eddie Rickenbacker while babysitting a production install. A decent read, and an amazing life. Thomas Edison and Sgt. York rolled into one. Now reading The Book of Lights by Chiam Potok. A much thicker, slower read.

Will have Thanksgiving at a friend's house in Bustown tomorrow. Overall, was going to start up meeting people in Bustown in October, but between being pissed off about work then wrenching my back I wonder if it's worth it. Overall, need to be back at the Fortress of Database Excellence about every other weekend, and next big objective is to shitcan this shitcan of a job an get one in my hometown. I get together with friends in Cleveland when I'm up there, and haunt the regular Martini bar then. Overall, making the best of a mediocre situation.

Anyway, enjoy the turkey, stuffing and assorte pies.

The annual beatdown of MeatChicken is coming up Saturday.

Happy Veterans Day

2010-11-11T11:56:00.002-05:00

And much gratitude to those that put their lives on the line to protect the United States of America.

Back on the mend, still, now in the third week of this crappola. Doing a little better every day. Now at about 50% of my time on database. Every 60 days the manure truck pulls up at work and dumps a fresh load. Once I get more mobility and after our big events at the end of the year I will seriously start looking to reside in the Fortress of Database Excellence (tm) full time next year.

Who Is John Galt?

2010-10-30T15:05:00.003-04:00

was on the sweatshirt of the friend that greeted me last night. It was guy's night at the movies, where I enjoyed The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, something I hadn't done in a long time. For an even longer time I hadn't seen a movie that was so thought provoking. Very refreshing. The guy's son got him the sweatshirt. Didn't know that he and son were big Ayn Rand fans. So is my daughter. Good to meet real live people who can actually think, 'specially in extremely blue climes.

The last week has been badly laid up on meds due to really bad back pain. Had something this bad four years ago. Steroids applied, and will follow up Monday. Much mobility is back but standing is really wobbly. I gotta get to the bottom of this.

Anybody know if getting up early every morning and kicking hippies is good exercise?

OSU stomp of Gophers tonight at Chammps.

2010-10-22T20:00:00.003-04:00

Work is still a bitch. I am still performing amazing acts of SQL greatness on spare time, while doing other shit a damn lot of the time. Very tired at the end of the week. Actually feel a lot better once I leave the place. Given the short horizon of my likely time left in the exciting world of technology, and that the place where I work likes to reorg and RIF, doesn't make sense to hit the road every weekend. It was fun up to a couple of months ago, so time to look for work closer to home.

Did meet an interesting gal down there. Claims to be friends with Jimmy Johnson. He's a race car driver, right? Also had Archie Griffin over for dinner a few times. You heard me right, you SEC guys. The ONE AND ONLY DOUBLE HEISMAN WINNER. Read 'em and weep.

The only upside of this shit work is that I am now a lot more proficient in two other technologies.

Betty White's Biggest Fan

2010-10-17T20:21:00.000-04:00

Had a nice weekend anyway. Saw some parts of town I hadn't seen yet. Saw Secretariat last night. Pretty good. Tip O'the CaptainSQL hat to Boudicca (not linked here) for this video.

Fuck

2010-10-16T12:46:00.003-04:00

the new shit. I'll stick to what Cappy does best. Keeping it up longer, with the biggest technology around.

2010-10-16T03:39:00.004-04:00

Yeah, it is on. Got snarky comment about "you guys are slow learners" from straw boss and I responded properly and legalisticly. Overall, not worth pissing match to go up and down the freeway on snowy weekends so will sniff around for something closer after the next spate of testing which I cannot avoid. Too bad, too. Did some CaptainSQL superheroics by lunchtime same day but the cost of weekdays out of town doesn't bear the measure of bullshit that can come on suddenly and rashly. I can get fresh bull-caca closer to home.

Friends are in from out of town and will meet 'em for breakfast, and meeting someone to see Secretariat tonight.

Also, why does everyone think the Ivy League is so great? Stupid Harvards can't program for shit.

2010-10-15T04:13:00.002-04:00

Cotinue to go up the learning curve on the new phooey at work. Still have a great amount of good stuff to do, but really want to minimmize the crud. Also, the initial exposure really was at a bad time - big time squeeze, near crisis at home. Never good. so this job may yet boil down to being a more average type job, instead of a fiasco.

Still, working out of town on my own dime carries a cost, and this has got me thinking more about that cost. It's not just dollars. There is road risk, 'specially in winter, property risk while I'm away from the house, managing communications, and the question of how to carry on a social life. More time away is not better.

And there is the everpresent risk of headcutcounts, and sudden death reorgs like what hit me with this. Overall, methinks I'd be better off doing unto others before they do unto me.

Early AM watching college football. Anyone else think WVU's new uniforms are schoolbus gay?

2010-10-13T18:15:00.002-04:00

Doing OK for now at work and no crisis at home. Still a big wad of not-so-hot shit instead of real Database, but not as fatal as before, I think. But am measuring what kind of other jobs I'd look at, at what pay would be better than this mix. Just sayin'.

2010-10-09T18:52:00.004-04:00

A good Buckeye day of football. OSU dominates the hapless Hoosiers as xpected. Dennard Robinson looked like a great choice for the Heisman. If throwing picks is a big factor. 'Bama gets schooled by the cocks. Don't know how they contained Ingraham. That's Tressel's homework.

Feel much better. Still a lot of wreckage from the last month, I think. Nobody's told me to get out. But not pleased with the velocity and direction of the non CaptainSQL type work. That shit does not get me up in the morning, let alone fuel driving halfway across the state on weekends. There is other stuff available at home. Right now, nobody's also told me to stop doing database so I'm not going to jump at the first opening just now. Say the word, tho, and I'll bolt.

Closed up The Mad Greek last night. Haven't closed a bar in many many years. It was a lot of fun. Helping a friend get through his wife leaving through booze. His wife was real matter of fact about it. He's been staggering around, really shocked. The STBX also is cutting down on time with their kids. It sucks. It always does.

2010-10-06T20:42:00.002-04:00

Got all my shit done for the deadline with one hour to spare yesterday, spoon-fed every step of the way. Gingerly went back to my regualr database work today, expecting at any time to be dragged back to the new shit. It'll be there in the future. I'm sure there will be plenty more rash changes of direction. Have seen a few of them there already. Anyway, slept well last night and am less of a wreck today.

Getting too old for this shit. Gonna look for something closer to home, and taking my own sweet time.

Whew...

2010-10-05T19:17:00.001-04:00

The team passed the first spell of our new assignment. Been rode hard and put to bed wet. About a month away from doing the good stuff at work. This weekend, perspective. In liquid form.

2010-10-05T02:00:00.002-04:00

This is the first time in my professional career I've considered quitting the job before lining up another one. Have considered talking to my manager but see no way to get back to what I was hired to do. And the top priority now is so far from my skill set I don't see any way to go but spoon feeding, certainly in the near future. It doesn't make sense they'd keep me and I don't see a future in this kind of work if I were to become proficient.

It made financial sense to accept this job. I have flexibility in looking for work since the house is paid off and the kid is pretty much on scholarship. Hate to throw in the towell, and I'm not doing that yet. But can't see the point in struggling along in a job that has obviously changed to the point where I never would have been considered for it if the current requirements were originally posted.

2010-10-03T17:56:00.002-04:00

Need to revise last couple of postings. It was important to be at home this weekend, even tho the daughter was in a snarky mood. The girl is under a lot of pressure. Some of it just sucks. Her mom was very sick the last week and this was very demanding. Once in a great while it strikes while I'm buried at work. It did this time for the first time in about 5 years. While working in town it was tough but managable. Working out of town it proved to be not so manageable. I don't want this one incident to drive where I work, but it is contributing mightily to a situation that went to shit over the last month.

Also pressure is that my kid is very smart, and very goal oriented. Trying to pick the best career path. She's researched it well and wants more math. Stupid literatre requirement is getting in the way. Overall, the pressure isn't fun but she is going in the right direction and has the smarts to pursue high level work. And I understand the frustration at wasting time with flower child wastrels whilst the thrill of mathematics calls. Sure, I've been harsh on hippies here and in real life. But really, folks, who is going to pay for those layabouts after the trust funds dry up? And for the yout of today, smoking weed isn't going to cut it in the competitive global marketplace. So despite the pressure now, the kid is going in the right direction.

2010-10-02T21:50:00.001-04:00

Daughter really surly and moody. I should not have busted my ass to get home to take her to the airport tomorrow. This weekend was a total loss.

Disappointment

2010-10-02T14:46:00.001-04:00

with major institutions grows and grows. OSU looks bad vs. The Illini. Goodbye #2 rating.

Tried remote connect today to work from home. Fail. Missing two services. Really sucks. It worked for months before this.

2010-09-30T19:51:00.002-04:00

I am not happy with the change in job. Not. One. Little. Bit.

Been a month since the reorg was announced, sundering the cool stuff from the alta kockers left behind (me, et. al.). After the usual BS assurance that database work remained #1 said kockers were dumped in a strange and inhospitable landscape. Along the way I ran smack dab up against commitments that I couldn't evade (legal, parental, religious). But those responsible for providing support for the remainder team (security, training) had no such restrictions. And yet, these support groups could not be moved to move faster. QED, FAIL!

This smells bad. Results rule. Have made suggestions to new manager to prove I'm not brain dead. It may come off as being a whiny little bitch. First few months here were great, actually exciting. September ate the big one, and don't see how I'll move off the new shit and back to what I was hired to do soon. Best thing to do is start looking for a new job. It's going to come down to that.

Also, it is hard work shutting the fuck up about it. Attitude leaks out. Trying not to have it do so. Go for long walks around the floor mid-morning and mid-PM. Keeps me somewhat cooled off. No point in beating a dead horse, or a live tiger, for that matter.

The good stuff is still out there, and pro-forma on my plate. I would love a great deal to get back to it. But really question if I can do that effectively. The sooner I get cracking looking for a better opportunity, the sooner I'll find one.

2010-09-25T19:06:00.001-04:00

Big Buckeye win today. Enjoyed every minute of it. BTW, how can anybody consider Notre Dame competitive in any way?

I Dunno

2010-09-24T21:33:00.002-04:00

Have made best effort at pitching in to support the rash decision. But it was so rash that nobody gave me permissions on the server to do the work. So all the effort for the last couple o'weeks was pretty much wasted. Meanwhile, things are warming up in terms of possible work in the homeland. I still think the application of amazing SQL skizzles is optimal where I am now, but if the rage of they who made this rash decision comes tumbling down on me due to the very rashness of it and unthinking misappropriation of talents, it won't be any fight or flight choice. I'd book it fast.

2010-09-21T18:36:00.002-04:00

Frustrated. A rash decision has thrown the entire department into a parallel universe, with impossible deadlines, and dependency on others as we are novice in the new tasks. Putting in the time as best applies but this has the stink of fiasco. I've been on my share of fiasci and death marches. I know from this.

All Your Base Are Belong To Us

2010-09-20T20:27:00.000-04:00

Another day working in UNIX.

Brutus gets Pwnd.

2010-09-20T18:18:00.001-04:00

MeatChicken fans love this. 'Cause their team can't do a dang thing to OSU.

2010-09-18T19:58:00.003-04:00

Easy fast today. Happy to say my congregation is sponsoring Dennis Prager. I wonder if the hippies on the board have any idea who he is? OSU rolls, as it better, over OU. Can't stay away from the Clemson/Auburn game. Clemson is simply dominating on offense. Damn good play. I'll bet those Auburn fans wish they had Woody Hayes.

Not jazzed about the switcheroo about skills at work but will put shoulder to wheel and play nose guard. For now.

True Story, Bro

2010-09-17T16:40:00.001-04:00

First job in IT, one day one of the programmers shows up with an accordion. Sez he can play any song on the thing. Operations Manager sez "Play 96 Tears".

This is How My Mind Works

2010-09-16T19:38:00.000-04:00

Doesn't everybody?

Bait and Switch, Almost

2010-09-16T01:02:00.002-04:00

Recent department reorg left the remainder of department (me + 3 other guise) without skills on a critical set of tasks. This is onging and this is serious. We will probably be slaughtered in the near term and if surviving I can hear the faint echo of "we need you to drop everything you were hired to do and clumsily fumble around to take over tasks we stupidly dumped on the unprepared" in the future, followed later by "you've fallen behind on the Amazing SQL contribution".

If so, I plan to look for other opportunities. Hope I'm wrong. I've been there before.

2010-09-14T06:59:00.001-04:00

You can't spell evil without vi.

2010-09-11T19:34:00.002-04:00

Yup, we won it. Good work by Pryor, et. al. Really beautiful time in town. Got together with friends at The House of Swing last night, Jazz/Blues/Dive Bar from way in the past. Last wall posting was from 1984, coincident with the last time they cleaned it. Cannot beat $2 beer.

OSU Leads Miami

2010-09-11T17:30:00.001-04:00

at halftime, 26-17. Terrelle Pryor is one cool dude.

Tomorrow is a Day of Rememberance Also

2010-09-10T15:41:00.004-04:00

The 9/11 attack 9 years ago. Neither forgotten or forgiven. Those that cheered the attacks and who currently defend the murderers are not forgiven either. It is too bad that it includes many people near to the current President.

A little unsettled by the recent reorganization, but this should totally satisfy any technical jones that should come up in the near future. Overall, the job is good and I'm miles ahead of sitting around the house and interviewing for work. Imploded Cleveland real estate market makes it pretty unlikely to move downstate, but plan to enjoy what I can of Columbus. Nice, easy Rosh Hashana and following weekend. Helps a lot. Actually, given the lifespan of my current technology, it's pretty likely I'll be moving back home in a couple of years.

2010-09-09T18:19:00.002-04:00

A beautiful Rosh Hashana today, one of the few perfect days we have. Rabbi weighed in on the GZM controversy, and as usual was talking sense. Very few of the Reform persuasion do. Recent reorg is going to put more non-database stuff on the plate. Will do my part and pitch in but the amazing SQL powers must be allowed to manifest themselves. Otherwise, I can get non-SQL work closer to home.

(no) Labor Day

2010-09-06T19:19:00.004-04:00

Good to have the time off after the two week test frenzy, but did lose a day due to upset stomach. Otherwise, pretty quiet. We had a reorganization at work last week so that's the latest uncertainty thrown in the mix. Overall, this commuting up and down I-71 seems to be OK. It sure beats the hell out of sitting around by the shores of Lake Erie without gainfull employment. Pretty soon my daughter will be in for Yom Kippur. Then later in the month I sit in judgement of my fellow citizens in Jury Duty.

At this rate, if there aren't a lot of crises at work or at my house so far away I can continue OK, but will probably spend more time in Columbus over the winter. Snow can get deep up the highway. Social life is pretty much nil since the breakup a couple of weeks ago, and hope to get it going again after jury duty. Lots to do in Bustown. That would be attractive to staying longer term. But in the end I think Cleveland's collapsed real estate market will be hard to overcome. In the meantime spending a lot of time drinking with a friend who'se wife is giving him the heave-ho. Very strange thing: they're both in the same house; nobody's moved out. Maybe it will work out for him after all. I hope so.

Not too much blather at my sister's yeaterday. I'm pretty much inured to it. Know what she thinks/won't make a damn bit of difference in how I vote, where I worship, or spend my money, or drive, or eat, or wear, or where I live.

Later, dudes and dudettes.

Aw Geez...

2010-09-05T16:40:00.002-04:00

Going to visit my sister in town around dinner time. Talk about yer "learn from blah-blah-blah" liberal rant. Today was wasted - wanted to go to the air show, but a sneak attack of the runs about an hour after martinis last night put an end to that.

L'Shana Tova

2010-09-04T08:58:00.002-04:00

Less time to blog, as I ply the murky waters of I-71. But a New Year is coming up and it's time to wish all a good one, also a Happy Labor Day. Liberal relatives still, and always be in the "Respect for Third World Culture" mode, but I prefer to keep my head firmly attached on shoulders, without surrendering any rights as an American. For those always whinining "we can learn from opressed native peoples/welfare chiselers/winos/trustifarians/rocks/invertebrates/sacks of manure", I offer this.

Go Big Or Go Home!

2010-08-31T20:56:00.002-04:00

Tired from late night testing, but dammit, this is THE BIG TIME! How am I going to handle the big finale, during the OSU kickoff and last Browns preseason game Thursday?

First Reorg

2010-08-30T20:46:00.003-04:00

@ the job today. They say I'll maintain my area of high expertise, say they. Will keep an eye on things. Still need to get into next year in any case; property up there, me here during week. Lotsa travel, and the first snowflake hasn't touched down yet.

Anyways, Buckeyes kick off Thursday PM, simultaneously to last Browns pre-season game.

The Big Bang Theory - Raj and Howard Meet Sheldon

2010-08-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

Working with deep-fried techies, daughter's boyfriend is a math major. This, then, is the current life of CaptainSQL.

2010-08-28T08:56:00.003-04:00

Beautiful weekend ahead. Wrapping up code violations on the Fortress of Database Excellence. Tuckpoint of the front steps is in the works. Tonight, Browns vs. Lions. Last year would have been a snoozer, but I do like what Holmgren is doing with the team. Looming on the horizon; The Ohio State Buckeyes take the field.

Maria Muldaur "Midnight At the Oasis"

2010-08-24T00:11:00.000-04:00

Saw her a few years ago at Nighttown. A few more miles but held up well over the years. Pipes were pretty much intach.

Does This Make Sense to You?

2010-08-22T19:28:00.002-04:00

Quakers?

2010-08-22T12:28:00.003-04:00

Some of those Browns did beautifully last night. They've gotta clamp down on those turnovers. Young Colt has a lot to learn, but that's why he's 4th string. So is Sam Bradford.

'Bout time to shove off for major testing the next couple of weeks at work. Very exciting stuff. New job is great, exactly what I like to do. Get to display my amazing database skizzles, and also learn cool new stuff too. Enjoy the peeps I work with too. Getting pretty close to having to look at re-tirement. This technology won't go on forever.

Lotsa time at home in September due to holidays, et. al. Then will plan to pick up where I left off in babe magnitude in October. Later this year, the visit to my daughter in the Big City.

2010-08-21T18:09:00.001-04:00

Looking forward to Browns-Rams preseason game tonight.

2010-08-21T08:30:00.003-04:00

Daughter shoves off for college tomorrow bright and early, whilst I head back to work for two solid weeks of Buck Rodgers testing of the latest hot version of the DBMS. Damn, I wish I was taking her to college this year. The ex has engineered an ~~interrogation~~ meeting with the boyfriend and I want to be in on the festivities. Actually, working with our interns at the office, and with this guy being a Math major, Big Bang Theory has become a reality show for me.

2010-08-20T16:27:00.001-04:00

You Scored as Buck

Get comfy on the middle of the staircase and have your insults ready, Buck

Buck

75%

Peggy

69%

Steve

50%

Bud

50%

Jefferson

44%

Kelly

44%

Marcy

25%

2010-08-20T04:10:00.000-04:00

I write like
Kurt Vonnegut

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Retirement Hobby

2010-08-19T22:54:00.002-04:00

I'm gonna build this thing one day.

2010-08-17T21:42:00.000-04:00

Didn't post anything on VJ Day. This is a makeup:

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 from Richard Sullivan on Vimeo.

2010-08-17T21:18:00.000-04:00

Local Martini bar doubles as a diner. How cool is that?

2010-08-17T18:22:00.002-04:00

Busy at work, daughter shoves off for second year of College this Sunday. In last 24 hours of the big slow fade from the girlfriend. Too bad. Had a lot of fun together. But guess it didn't survive her surgery and my weekdays in Columbus. Still, feel some resentment over busting my ass to move up I-71 every weekend to spend time.

2010-08-16T22:18:00.001-04:00

Think I'll hang out here for a while. FB getting to be too big a mash up of RL friends and their blogging counterparts. Some of this is really weird. Scotty "CC" Wilson and Mike Wilson on the same page.

2010-07-22T22:41:00.001-04:00

I'm still here. "Requires Maintenance" flicked on at the 5K mark on the car, just across the Medina County line. Got-danged software. I can schedlue my own oil changes thank you very much.

2010-06-29T20:13:00.002-04:00

Not much time for blogging or anything else. My weekends have evaporated. May not be able to do as much work from home as originally thought, and also have some heavy duty work on the house that has to get contracted while I work out of town. Still, what kind of job can you get in Cleveland? The whole town seems ready to bulldoze itself into Lake Erie if LeBron leaves. Pretty sad.

2010-06-03T19:22:00.001-04:00

Very cool stuff going on at work. Bigtime Database Admin. Also, easy data visualization in only a few handy steps. I've wanted to do a lot more of that stuff for years!

Memorial Day, 2010

2010-05-30T19:49:00.003-04:00

In memory and honor of those that gave their lives for our freedom.

Also lit the memorial candle for my father tonight. 20 years gone. A good man, WW2 veteran, and proud to be an American. He was always grateful for the freedom he found in the United States. I miss him.

Nice long weekend. June will be choppy. Daughter is with me most of the month, and the girlfriend gets a new knee in the middle of the month. Still need to let this downstate commute settle in. So far, so good. Beats the hell out of sitting on my hands here.

2010-05-29T16:00:00.001-04:00

Got upgrade to Windows 7 and also Outlook, and am in the middle of installing Outlook. Always an adventure in retrieving ancient and long forgotten passwords.

2010-05-28T20:24:00.003-04:00

Not much blogging time in my life, and what little there is mostly belongs to FarceBook. Damn glad I took the job. Much of my time is really cramped: home to wash clothes and pay bills and see girlfriend on weekends, work during the week. It beats the crap out of sitting around doing nothing.

2010-05-13T18:22:00.002-04:00

So far so good at work. A little choppy in getting information from home. Lest I forget, here is the President's latest B.S. Well all you liberals out there, start your stupid excuses. Only those done in the voice of Chef from South Park and beginning with "Well, y'see Mr. Cappy..." will be acceptable. Not because you have any value, but it's funnier that way.

2010-05-12T07:07:00.002-04:00

OK. Onboarding at work now underway, with a variety of hardware, software and my ingenuity (and frequent false starts!) to put 'em all together. Ouch. Haven't done that in very many years. Some don't even use USB connectors! Finalizing plans for the daughter to be home for a month, then off to an internship during the summer. Work promises to be exciting, once one navigates the vagaries of Information Security.

2010-05-09T16:12:00.001-04:00

Car oil light went on as I edged off I-271 onto Cedar last Friday, after cat installation downstate. That was the third repair needed on the old thing in three weeks and the end of it. Driving the new one in to first day at work tomorrow. Have to have dependable transport for the weekend shuttle. Attended wedding last night in Mansfield with girlfriend. Man, that is one bombed out city!

2010-05-06T20:09:00.002-04:00

Cat installation was today, and it went pretty good. Have hit all the highlights of the new neighborhood. Will be seeking martinis later, after work that brings home $$$ is well underway and established. Big relief to be done with all the apartment setup.

The martini bar in Cleveland was politically correct to the end. Won't be seeing much of them; don't have the time in town. Very sad cases. After the November elections their rainbow unicorn dreams are shot to hell.

No Sheet (rock)

2010-05-05T12:14:00.003-04:00

One last minute he-man task here at the Fortress of Database Excellence before I go to CondoWorld full time. Settling causing sheetrock on basement ceiling to fracture, so I took hammer in hand and chunked off the piece threatening a duct.

I rule.

2010-05-04T20:15:00.002-04:00

Encabled and interwebbed at the apartment. Boy, this shift is really kicking my home tech into the 21st Century, where it belongs. Cat goes down there on Thursday. He's been a big concern and hope he will adjust to not inhabiting the man-cave, like at the house. Can't really see doing heavy duty poo patrol full time.

2010-05-03T16:19:00.002-04:00

Furniture delivered to the SQL pad bright and early, and finished up putting away stuff and returning stuff that didn't work as advertised. Happily located between Easton Center and Polaris, which means easy getaway to Cleveland for the weekends (is this the first time anyone's said this as a good thing?) and also easy access to two nice areas. Very quiet here. Woods. Birdies. Corn Storage.

2010-05-02T16:40:00.003-04:00

Saw Dave Frischberg at Nighttown last night for the girlfriend's b-day. An excellent evening, had to hop from this to the Cavs game which was doubleplus excellent. Man, just too much to do! But it's all good. Today unloaded all basic necessities at the apartment, just in time for a power outage.

Head 'Em Up! Move 'Em Out!

2010-04-27T18:16:00.003-04:00

Rawhide!

Actually, me. Lease signed, cable scheduled and furniture delivery planned. Yee-haw! Was actually getting a little melancholy about being in RedTown most of the week, but lately (as in, the last hour or so) feel a shitload of a lot better about it.

Since this kicked off a lot of peeps at home have used the opportunity do dump their agendas on yours truly. I've bitched about said agendae before. Guess you could say they're assholes. This afternoon had to put my sister here off FB feed. Don't really care to hear how spiffy CastroCare is. For the love of Murgatroid, won't they ever shut up? I mean, they've got Obama, and still it is not enough!

Also the ex is hassling me and my daughter for some bullshit with Child Support. This ended in January. The agency had a prosecutor at the hearing. The hearing declared it finished. I don't know what the ex wants, but in no ways should she drag my kid into it. WTF: how much more kangarooey can the process be in her favor, and still it is not enough!

So, I continue to gobble down local delacacies. Today I demolished enough beef and grilled onions at Eat at Joes to make a half dozen vegans weep. But as far as leaving the abovementioned drek behind, no regrets.

2010-04-25T13:50:00.002-04:00

Established, or at least applied for a lease on the weekday location downstate. Very busy coordinating all the setup and logistics and whatnot. Whatnot is a lot easier than it used to be with the internet and all. FarmBook is down to minimmum. Really connected a lot with elementary school classmates. A lot of fun. Mix of bloggers and liberal relatives has pretty much cheesed off said realitives. Too bad. It may have finally sunk in what I think of stupid hate America rants.

2010-04-20T19:10:00.001-04:00

Busy now getting all the paperwork together for the new job, and apartment hunting down there. I remember doing this many years ago when finishing up college. It wasn't fun then, but can handle it better now. My daughter is taking this remakably well. Good for her.

2010-04-18T04:23:00.002-04:00

I am going to accept a job offer downstate. It's a two hour drive from here, but here has nothing and this offer cannot be found anywhere around here. This is going to be a very busy time, uncomfortably so for the first month or two. Will keep the house up here, my daughter probably inhabiting it this summer, and plan to spend weekends here. Pretty damn intimidating. Sticking around here and not working is not an option.

Don't know if the girlfriend is ticked or not. Had to bring it up last night, and she knew I was looking at this job. She had just gotten back from a vacation and it seemed like I was taking a healthy poop on her mellow, but she needs to know the score.

Like I said, intimidating. Will need to set up a local Fortress of Database Excellence down there and be here on the weekends. Watch for a lot of Cappy's dollars take wing over the corn kissed fields of Franklin County real soon.

2010-04-16T18:55:00.002-04:00

Things looking better on the job hunt, and busier! May be time to head to redder pastures.

2010-04-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

Nothing so far in the job hunt. I continue to network.

What Would Obama Have Done?

2010-04-10T22:20:00.000-04:00

7:30

2010-04-08T21:12:00.001-04:00

No job offer today but did unlax at the MartiniBar. Any day you can flip off a Common Pleas Judge in BlueVille is a good day.

FarmBook

2010-04-08T14:52:00.002-04:00

Why do liberal absolutely go ape-shit against Farmville? I mean, WTF? So it's a big waste of time. So big deal. None of they bidness. Every single goddam one of 'em are as ticked off against this thing as they were against Bush.

Help me out to unnerstan this.

2010-04-06T16:01:00.002-04:00

Crazy holiday randomness continues. Daughter goes back to the big city bright and early (too early) tomorrow AM. Girlfriend off to see family for a week on Saturday. Man, the job hunt is one thing. I've really gotta tamp down on this randomness. And am now enjoying golden SQL goodness.

I Has Spoken!

2010-04-03T15:05:00.005-04:00

The people have made their choice! Mainly, the local GOP primary ballot has been cast (me) 'cause that's all, folks for Cleveland and here are the decisions:

Voted for a High School classmate for Domestic Relations judge. Never met her, was part of a class > 1000 kids. Anyway, her name ain't Russo, Celebreeze, Sweeny, Corrigan or McMonagle so she's in.

Voted for best fit to two minor state offices. Peeps, you gotta take a chill pill! All candidates for Secretary of State and Auditor were good, and it ain't gonna make a big differenced which ones get in, if at all. None of 'em will personally guard the State Line from Obamacare, et al. Beating each other up over who is the truest conservative means squat in these cases. Both have to be honest, and my pick is the candidate with the best fit to the office. Unless we can clone Josh Mandel. Once we can do that, we need him to take all the offices.

As expected there was a no show to take down the aptly named Congresswoman Marcia Fudge. I did one of my kid's High School friends a favor and got him that job. Actually, he's the guy that got her away from the hippie B.S., and moving toward religion and a clearer view of politics. Also, he came here from a part of the former CCCP, beloved of liberals. Man, you never see a former Soviet subject and flaming Obamanite in the same room. The Dohrn lovers never will face up to what their Russian pals inflicted on regular people, or why said people fled to the USA and not the other way around. I tells ya, it clears the Commos out of the room like a ripe, juicy fart.

You're welcome.

2010-04-03T10:45:00.004-04:00

A lot of the awkwardness re: working around the Passover schedule for my daughter, and Easter for girl friend is gone. Since I'm now job hunting I've ditched a lot of those services that enabled me to don the tights and cape and attend to Strategic Air Command level database emergencies, which means I'm getting up earlier on weekends to tend to stuff around the house.

Fooled around with settings and setup on the new Toro this morning. Hank Hill would approve. Except I don't need ass falsies, like he does.