I'm getting lazy in my "old age" using GUI too much.
I am still setting up my HP (moving back over from the Dell), and I wanted to move all my various and custom fonts over.
Well, each font is stored in a separate subdirectory, and sometimes sub-sub-sub-directories.
The GUI way would be to tediously go through each directory one at a time (or run the GUi search) and then copy the files over.
But I _knew_ there was an easier way from the command line, but I couldn't remember the syntax.... Had something to do with using find...... Now if i can just _find_ what that was... ;-)

This should work for any/most/all UNIX, Linux, BSD variants. Of course, you must have working versions of "find" and "cp" installed, but that's (almost) certainly the case.

I didn't find the exact answer online, but found enough similar examples to piece together and refresh my memory.

I'm posting it up here in case I forget again (INCONCEIVABLE!), and/or maybe help others out.

Just finished (binge) reading a book called "The Cucko's Egg" by Cliff Stoll. He would have preferred to rename it to match his paper "To Catch The Wily Hacker", aka "Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage".

It's a true, very detailed story.

If I were (once again) teaching courses in information security, and it was a 101 introduction style class, this would definitely be the book I would recommend they read to start things rolling.  If nothing else, it would at least lay the groundwork for some awareness of what's really going on out in the (cyber) world that most are blissfully ignorant of. It would quickly determine if the reader has the mindset and interest for that world, and where they stand on the spectrum from white hat, grey hat, or black hat in the information security and espionage world.

If interested in such things, I think most readers won't be able to put the book down. It's a "whodunnit" page turner for techie and security geeks.

I have not read a novel that put me into "binge-reading" mode, in I don't know how many years.

It wasn't that very much of it was new to me, in fact it brought back a LOT of memories from the mid-80's. And I kind of knew (just because of my background) roughly who did do it, but the detailed, step by step progression was just addictive.

If anyone is wondering what technology and the (ARPAnet) Internet and computers were like circa mid-80's and the complete apathetic view of information security by people, government, NGO's, etc. This would be the single best introduction I've ever read.

If talking about astrophysics, UNIX, VAX, VMS, software development, ethernet, networking, information security, and other science and technology interests you, you definitely may want to check out this book.

Of course, if you're not into such things. You'll probably be bored out of your gourd.

Cheers for now!

This article and these photos are originally posted September 1st, 2004 or so. The date stamp on this article has changed from server moves and edits made later.

Finally, after all these years, and so many moves, we're at last settling in.

Before marriage, I moved over 30-40 times from when I moved out of my mothers home at 18, until marriage at 25. At one point I moved 21 times in a little over 2 years. Boy my furniture took a beating. :(
And since marriage, we've moved 8 times in 9 years of marriage. We plan to stay here for at least 5-10 years, if not forever. ;)



  The wonderful view from the living room/deck.

It's hard to really appreciate how great this view is with this cheesy old 1998 Sony Mavica Digital camera, but it'll give you a little idea of what a great view we have from up here on the edge of the plateau facing the hills and mountains to the north, all covered with so many trees, most of which are evergreens, so it's beautiful year round. ;)

The deck has two parts, long and skinny north part, and wide 16' wide, by 32' long east covered deck. The north deck is about 4.5' wide and 72' long! This shot is from the East side of the north deck. facing northwest.

 

This is from the north deck looking at the back yard to the northwest side of the yard.

click "Read More" link for more pics and descriptions....

Well today I finally broke out my motorcycle from storage in my garage.
I cleaned it up, topped off the battery charge, and started her up.
Cleaned and freshly lubed the chain, and washed the bike, including braking out a toothbrush to get some built up grit and such off the chainbars and frames.
Rode it around for a little while on my local streets (lots of grit/gravel alas), so rode very carefully.
I still need to change the oil, plugs, and adjust the chain, then get the Corbin beetle bags remounted (the Givi tail bag is currently on there just fine, it's the mix of trying to make them both mount at the same time that's been challenge).
I hope in the next week or two to get out on the open road for real. Maybe just a few hours at first. Anyone else in the area want to join in on a ride? I'm still relatively new to the area, to any suggestions around here (Spokane area) for the best back roads and sights to see, would be appreciated.
Oh, my bike is a "rice burner" sport touring 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200. It's been a great bike since I bought it brand new back in California for commuting and "lane splitting", I have ridden it in 13 states and just under 20,000 miles so far, and most of that was from 2001 to 2004.
So far I have ridden completely solo, I hope to finally find friends to ride with now that I've settled down in Spokane.

Here is a link to the various adventures I've had on this bike in many states and weather ranging from -20f (with snow and ice) to over 100f.


My bike near a lake in Oklahoma, circa Fall 2002)

Well, I just "liked" my Prius previously, now I think I "love" it (only in the way one can care about an inanimate object of course, completely different). ;-)

It saved me from my own foolish self.

I have started working over in Post Falls, about 30 miles from where I live. This is not so bad with my 2006 Toyota Prius because it only uses a little over 1 gallon of gas round trip (60 miles). I typically get between 48-52 mpg driving moderately aggressively between half city and half hwy, that's the overall average. The worst I have ever gotten is around 40-42 mpg in the winters. That is a combination of the winter formula they put in, and putting on my studded tires with the heavier rims too. Also when my ex drove it, she has a nasty lead foot, and would get around 40-42 in the Summer driving like she thought she was Mario Andretti.

I have milked it in the city all day running errands, keeping it below 35 and lots of stop and go, and made it up 75 mpg average.

On a round trip from Spokane to Salt Lake City, Utah and back (using the I-90 route through Missoula Montana and all the passes), driving 65 mph, I ended up for the whole round trip getting 65 mpg!

So, I like the car for that, especially with the gas prices. And the fact that I can fit my tall frame comfortably even on long road trips is mind boggling some times.

But now, it has yet another "protect the user from himself" feature.
Since I'm working in Post Falls, I usually hold off on getting gas for when I'm over there, rather than in Washington. This is because Post Falls is 15 cents cheaper per gallon than in Spokane. That adds up.
So, I left work the previous week on Friday, and forgot to stop in, because I was in a hurry to get home for my kids. The "low fuel" warning went off about midway home. I figured I'd be ok. I then ran some errands over the weekend.

In the morning I was thinking I should probably stop and get gas, but I was  a little late leaving, and didn't want to be late for work, and figured I'd be ok.

I hopped on the freeway, and after a few miles, all of a sudden the engine stopped, a big red exclamation mark showed in my dash, and I was uttering various expletives.

I had completely run out of gas!

During Monday morning rush hour. Ack!

So I quickly maneuvered coasting through traffic to take an off ramp (which went up hill unfortunately). I coasted to the end of the ramp and stopped at the red light, figuring I would have to get out and push when the light changed. There was no gas station in sight.

When the light changed, I figured I'd just try pushing the gas pedal, in the wild hope that maybe the electric mode might kick in (though I've heard people tell me horror stories about running out of gas or battery power with a Prius). I stepped on it, and to my wonderful relief the car took off in pure electric mode no problem, and had no trouble keeping up with traffic (I quickly turned off the heater/blower and radio to conserve power)!

I drove 1.2 miles in pure electric mode to a gas station with still about 1/5th battery power remaining.

Now I was concerned that supposedly once you run it out of gas, you have to have the dealership make it work again. I filled up while crossing my fingers.

I hit the POWER button (that's how you start these cars), and voila! It started right up and immediately started recharging the battery.

I made it to work 5 minutes early too.

Thank you Prius for saving me from my own foolishness!

So, yet another sample of my space cadetness, not exactly impressive, but shows I'm all to human and flawed a mortal being. <sigh> For better or worse. ;-)

Ciao for now!

I figure I need to explain what the heck my "Got Root?" shirt is all about. Some of you may get it right away, but most will probably not. Plus, I have found there is an unintended double entendre for those from "down under".

First off, it's a nod towards the old 80's commercials of "Got Milk?".
Secondly, it's a techie (and hacker) joke in reference to "root" user. This is the administrator account on a computer system, usually a UNIX type (UNIX/AIX/HPUX, Solaris, Linux, Net/Free/Open BSD, etc.).

What I found out a few months ago, was that in Australia, these shirts have caught on for a completely different reason than oddball tech/geek humor.

Apparently "root" is more a reference to "a roll in hay" so to speak, So these shirts are now selling like hot cakes for a completely different reason than they were originally created for. Which, for anyone who knows the old school "hacker" and 2600 mentality (before the media perverted the term to be synonymous with computer criminal), which is trying to understand how things work and finding new uses for, and way to modify, technologies (also for "hacking" away at code to optimize it in the old PDP and mainframe days). So in a way an apropo irony that this "technical shirt" has found a new "use". Maybe I'm the only one who really appreciates that added twist?

Now just to be clear, I bought (and wear) the shirt because of the second (technical) reason. But the third certainly adds as a conversation piece.

Admittedly, I am now a little sheepish about wearing it sometimes (especially at work, though I do it anyway) in public, for fear I might cause someone visiting from Australia, with their child, to suddenly gasp in horror and dismay, and cover their child's eyes.

But then again, maybe I'm being overly imaginative there? And of course, most of the Aussies I've met are no where near as prudish as we tend to be in the "states".

;-P

Cheers!

Well. from my previous posting about my middle son, nicknamed by someone "The Mad Scientist", to his progenitor (me), that some have said I should become a professor, so that I better fit the cliche of "The Absent Minded Professor".

I have a very odd memory. Some things stick very well, especially complex concepts and ideas and how many pieces fit together (especially "big picture" and long term "vision"). As well as the 20-30 changing passwords I use for different levels of security (and which I completely replace most over time), or certain tcp/ip addresses and such. But I'm the kind of person who forgets my glasses all the time (even hanging in my shirt or once in my own hand), or my keys, or left the car running in the driveway all morning, or any number of "spacey" things. I get quite perturbed with myself, while most others are rather amused.

Prior to usable PDA's I was frequently completely forgetting appointments. I had a dayplanner, but kept forgetting it, or forgetting to look inside it to check my schedule periodically, since it would not beep at me to remind me. I don't think I would have ever made it to the executive levels in my career building days if it had not been for effective PDA technologies.. but I digress...

Well. today I "did it again". In a new form.

I wanted to take time to prep my motorcycle for the upcoming season, but I decided to be more "responsible" and take a load of odds and ends that accumulated during the winter, and piled up on my hauling trailer, to the dump. So I fired up the ol' '86 Bronco, hooked up the trailer and battened down the load.

I confirmed online that the North side solid waste transfer station on Elk-Chattaroy was open until 4:30 pm. I was ready to go around 3:30 pm, figuring I had plenty of time.

I made it there just a few minutes before 4:00 pm, and what to my wondering eyes should I see?

The gate was closed! And even a sign on it saying they close at 4:30 pm.
I was quite befuddled. I was about to turn around and leave, and thought to myself, "Now wait a minute, if they closed early, maybe they'll open up if I'm honking my horn." I didn't do that right away, First I grabbed my Treo and hopped online, and verified on their website the time. And so then I called the number only to get voicemail. So I left a message saying who I was, my phone number, and the time of day.

So then I started honking (albeit timidly at first, feeling rather rude to be doing so, but really not wanting to waste such a long trip in the 4 barrel V8 Bronco, not exactly the mileage of my Prius or my motorcyle, or even my minivan).

Well, I was about to leave when a small fleet of large black SUVs came speeding up from the closed side of the gate (I kid you not on the vehicles). I spoke to a person opening the gate to leave, and inquired as to why they closed early. He stated "Sir, it's 5:30 pm".

It then hit me. Oh crud! daylight savings time! DOH!!!!!

I felt like a total schmuck.

As they passed on, I called back the answering system on my phone, and left a short, but clearly apologetic message (I wasn't especially rude or anything, but just felt very foolish, and didn't want someone wasting their time calling me to reaffirm my error).

I then drove back with the full load to park it in front of my house until the next time I can find time to do another run.

DOH! (slaps forehead).

Worse yet, I looked then at the little time indicator in the upper right corner of my phone, and of course IT was correct due to the auto updating of the network.

Anyhow, I am fervently changing the times on my various devices that did not auto adjust (especially with the congressional change implemented last year).

Anyhow, I thought I would just share a little flawed human experience there. ;-)

Cheers!

Wow, bio logging more in the past couple of days than I do in months usually.
Just had a funny phone call. My middle son, Brennan, spent the night at his friend's house. His dad just called me to get the approval for something.
Apparently Brennan and his friend Connor dug up his father's (Paul) old laptop that was "Dead". and were managing to breathe some new life into it. So my son asked if he could take the laptop home to try to get it fully recovered (including recovering old data on the flaky hard drive). So his Paul asked if "The Mad Scientist can take the laptop home to work on it". LOL!
Fitting title in some ways though. My middle son loves astronomy and biology and computers. He's 9 and teaching himself Java and C++ programming languages, and teaching himself German as well.
That's why, when I was buying "techie/geeky" humorous t-shirts for my kids, I bought him the "Science is Fun" shirt from jinx.com:
http://www.jinx.com/men/shirts/geek/science_is_fun.html?catid=1#bigdesign



Note they two children ore genetically modifying a rat (see the ear on it's back?). LOL!
Very apropo. ;-)


School is waaaaaaay too easy for him, even now with him in the most advanced classes they can offer him. It's good that he's not totally bored with school (yet), and finds ways to stay engaged.
Anyhow, that was the first I had heard someone refer to him with such a title, and thought it funny enough to share. Maybe not of interest to anyone though?
Cheers!

W. A. Hawke Robinson (c) 2007-2008

Recreation Programming

RCLS-385-01 (2007-01-17)

Creative Program Ideas & Trends

Virtual Reality for the Disabled.

Goal

    Use Virtual Reality technologies to help those with various disabilities (except blindness) to engage, in a 'virtual' way in activities that would normally be very difficult, if not impossible for them in the 'real' world.

Technology is quickly catching up to make this a more and more viable option for recreation opportunities for people that would otherwise be extremely limited in their recreation choices. It could quite literally open up an entire 'new universe of possibilities'.

As the technology becomes less intrusive and more transparent, as well as the costs less prohibitive, it will likely become a very effective tool both in recreation and rehabilitation, and the probable trend is that it will become more and more mainstream and adopted by a larger segment of the population each year, including both those with disabilities and those without.

'The goal of a virtual reality (VR) system is to place the user in a synthetically generated three-dimensional environment, that he or she can directly manipulate. Ideally, users cease to think of themselves as interacting with a computer; they think of themselves as interacting with the environment it has created. Special input and output devices allow a user to interact with a virtual environment. These capture the user’s motion and gestures and produce the sensory feedback from the synthetic environment to the user’s vision, hearing and touch.'

'VR technology is of inherent interest to those with disabilities for four reasons (Lanier 1992, Middleton 1992):

• It allows them to perceive what they might not otherwise be able to since it can gather information in a sensory modality in which they are impaired and deliver it to one where they are not.

• It can render a world in a customised manner - this can help people to start learning activities in a simplified form before transferring their skills to the more complex real world. This approach has been used with children who have learning difficulties (Burns 1993).

• VR technology has to be adaptable to the individual senses and capabilities of the user if it is to provide a satisfactory illusion of reality. This means that well-designed VR devices are inherently adaptable to a wide range of individual needs.

• Users of networked virtual environments will have control over the way in which they project themselves to others. This means that those with special needs can interact with other users on an equal footing.

Virtual Reality techniques can also be used in rehabilitation technology through compens-ation of motor and sensory deficits, allowing a disabled person to explore and manipulate new environments. It therefore has the potential to be used as a training aid for skills such as spatial co-ordination and orientation.„ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1810779,00.html Mind power allows disabled to take a virtual stroll

Jo Revill, health editor
Sunday July 2, 2006
The Observer

'A new 'virtual helmet' which harnesses the power of brain waves is allowing severely disabled people to feel as if they can walk and move again, opening up the prospect of using the mind to help them control wheelchairs, computers and even false limbs.

Just by imagining their feet moving, patients using wheelchairs can again experience what it feels like to stroll down a high street, thanks to the work of British scientists who have found a new way of using the power of thought. They have devised the helmet which can link brain wave patterns to a virtual reality system, allowing the wearer to enter an illusory world of movement.'

'I found it exciting, very exciting,' he said afterwards. 'At first it all felt strange, having the cap on and being asked to think about moving my feet, but gradually I felt as if I was in that world. At one point I completely forgot it was a virtual world and that I was part of this experiment. It was really interesting, and much more enjoyable than I expected.''

http://www.tiresias.org/reports/hdti4.htm

http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/kuhlen95virtual.html

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/1999/proceedings/session0031.htm

Virtual reality boosts rehab efforts Life-sized, 3D video game allows patients to ‘be the joystick’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16266245/

I recently recounted to someone via text chat, my "run in" one Summer afternoon around '91, with some pretty foolish decisions on my part nearly giving me the "Darwin Award".
I thought I would copy most of my side of that conversation here. It shows how foolish I could be in my "youth", but also how bloody lucky I am to be alive (and I have been fully aware of that)!

I'm just grateful I've survived this long
with all the foolish things I did when younger! Now I
look forward to getting to enjoy a "ripe old age".
From around 15 to 23 years old, the list of foolish things is long, some silly, some rather serious.
Though I had a few more recent foolish things like my motorcycle trips between '01 to '03 (see postings under Travel and Motorcycle categories for those).
Silly - or more just "what a stupid way to die" (Darwin Awards) type:
I was hiking the back of Mt. Timpanogos. oh wait. there's two parts to this....
Part one. The trip to the hike.
I was riding  motorcycle then (my first street one) a 1974 Kawasaki z900 with headers and souped up by it's previous owner (long story on the acquisition of this bike). I was following some friends from Salt Lake City, Utah, down to north of Provo towards the Mt. Timpanogos area
( http://www.utah.com/nationalsites/timp_cave.htm )  It was Summer of '91.
A. No helmet law in Utah, so did not wear one.
B: Came over "point of the mountain" a small sort of pass-like section between the Salt Lake Valley and Utah Valley, and there is a rock and sand quarry there right where the freeway (I-15) passes by.
It was a sunny, hot summer day. So I was only (stupidly) wearing shorts, hiking shoes, and sunglasses, with my shirt tucked away.
As I cam over  the hill, the wind kicked up all the sand into a little micro sand storm.
YEEEAOOWWWW!!!! Sandblasted my chest! I lost visibility as sand went into my eyes, and the pain made be flinch so much I almost laid down the bike.
I should have taken the warning from that for an omen as to the rest of the day.
Finally we arrived at the hiking spot, on the "back side of Timpanogos" (East side). it was around 90's to 100 degrees or so.
We were hiking up the trail, it was hot, there was a nice cool waterfall beckoning.
So  at a point where the path was right by it, I stetched out my head to cool off under it,
And promptly sllipped on the moss and algae, falling down in a free fall, head first!
It was around an 80' or more drop to the pool  at the bottom. I could see a broken tree on some
rocks sticking up out of the pool, and I was heading straight there, to be broken on the tree and rocks.
This was one of those "time suspended" moments. lots ot time to think, and berate oneself for one's foolishness, but I decided this was just too dumb a
way to go. s
Somehow  I managed to flip around right side up (probably thanks to either my past with Kung Fu or Aikido). Then I saw a small cleft in the rocks just to the right of where I was falling towards, i managed to reach out my hands behind me and claw the rocks enough to divert my fall just enough to that mini-pool cleft in the cliff (which was only about a 30' fall instead of the higher terminal velocity option I was on).
And successfully landed in the cleft.
I NAILED my shins on some of those rocks, and had torn off my all my fingernails on both hands (that lead to the longest
period I've ever gone without playing my guitar every day, that I've ever gone since I started playing guitar, it was for a couple of weeks or so for my fingers to be usable again on a guitar without extreme pain).
But I survived. I was so elated!
I let out a loud WAHOOOO! of relief,  and even thought strangely in that moment "that would have been fun if it had been intentional!" (sheesh!). Meanwhile my friends, above, who could not see whaere I fell, thought it was my death scream!
It took a while for me to work back sideways on the cliff to the path, but we were all relieved.
I did not finish hiking the rest of the way up (could not have).
My motorcycle ride back was taken VERY SLOW, and with my shirt back on.

I have been finding the more time I spend in Spokane, the more fondly I remember my days in the Silicon Valley / Bay Area of California.
Do not get me wrong, I think Spokane is a great place to raise my sons. I am just feeling a little frustrated with how far behind this town is related to technology and other modes of thinking. Even the local Linux user group seems to be years behind what I am used to dealing with.
This reminds me of the days I spent in Utah and Oklahoma, but even more so. People here are so uninspired. It's all very steady, plodding and "getting by with good enough" approach to life, rather than invigorated, creative, high quality approaches.
Salt Lake City, Utah always felt about 2-3 years behind where I was at when I lived there. When I moved to Silicon Valley I felt "A ha! At last!! Everyone here is at the same level, thinks in similar fashion to where I had been at, and wants to make a difference in the world. I felt as though I was (finally) among kindred folk that I could relate to after so many years of not finding people to connect with in Utah and elsewhere.
Whereas SLC, UT was about 2-3 years behind, Oklahoma City, OK, seemed to be about 3-4 years behind. But Spokane, so far seems to be a painful 5-7 years behind in it's thinking related to technology (pre 9-11), and maybe 30-40 years out of date in it's approach to business and employment attitudes!

More thoughts to come later.

I am currently refreshing myself on the software development side.
I have been involved with software development since 1979, and lead great teams. Much of this reading is either review or "filling holes" that I am finally rounding out. I am always looking to improve my skills and comprehension, so I've recently undertaken reading a handful of books simultaneously. Not all are "technical", some are just "betterment".

Technology specific:

• Head First Java (5) (review)
  
• Java 6 in 21 days (finished, to bring up to speed on new Java 6)
  
• Effective Java Programming Language Guide (new)
  
• Head First Servlets & JSP (review)
  
• Head First EJB (Enterprise Java Beans) (review)
  
• XML & Java - Developing Web Applications (review and new)
• Teach yourself XML in 10 minutes (review)
• Unit Testing in Java (review and new)
  
• SCJA Cert Guide (review)
  
• SCJA Mock Exam Questions (review)
  
• Python in a Nutshell (new)
  
• Python for Dummies (new)
  
• Beginning Rails (new)
  
• Eclipse Second Edition (although I've been tending to use Netbeans more lately) (review and new)
  

General Software Design (not so technology specific):

• Head First OOAD (object Oriented Analysis and Design) (review)
• Design Patterns (Gamma, Helm, Johnson, Vlissides) (new)
  
• Head First Design Patterns (new)
  
• Refactoring (review and new)
  
• Refactoring to Patterns (new)
  
• The Best Software Writing I (new)
  
• Beautiful Code (new)
  
• UML for Mere Mortals (bridging 1.x and 2.0) (review and new)
  
• UML Distilled (2.0 updates) (new)
  
• Regular Expressions (review and new)
  
• SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) - Principles of Service Design (review and new)
  
• Writing Effective Use Cases (review and new)
  
• Best Software Writing I (new)
  

General "Betterment" of self and/or entertainment:

• Managing Humans - Biting and Humorous Tales of a Software Engineering Manager (new)
  
• Peaceful Mind (review and new)
  
• Programming Interviews Exposed (new)
  
• The Mythical Man-Month (new)
  
• Cryptonomicon (new)
  

What is do is read one chapter from each book each day (usually). This seems to work really well for me, it helps me think about different challenges from different perspectives, and how I wold resolve them from the various approaches.

I know from conversations with others this is not exactly a "normal" approach, but I find it great for get a very complete, holistic, whole picture approach, which is how I like to delve into things.
Anyhow, back to reading and coding.
Cheers for now!
-Hawke

More info later.

Alas, the youngest son, Drake, has caught the nasty flu that we've each been taking turns with since Christmas visit down to Nampa/Boise Idaho. This is a nasty bug that seems to have at least a week long incubation period.
It then means between 1/2 to 3 days (in my case) on terrible stomach flu.
Then it leaves a lingering weakness and dizziness for 1-3 weeks, with the potential for relapse (as happened with Brennan last week).
Poor little Drakey is miserable, feverish, and so sad.
And he made a mess in the middle of the night, ALL OVER his bedroom, his bed, pillows, floor (carpet), stuffed animals on the floor, clothes, toys....
Ewwwwww. It took 45 minutes just to clean it up (slowed down by my dislocated ribs of course).
I will be glad when this is all gone.
Ciao for now.

I just realized it had been a while since I posted here, so thought I would bring it up to date a little. Who knows how long it will be until I decide to post again.

Well, things are picking up and getting a little hectic for the next few weeks, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as lots of things get done, and nothing important gets dropped. ;-)

Let's see, for the university classes, I have scores of pages to read and report on.

For my never ending endeavor at technical improvement I am simultaneously reading:

• Python in a Nutshell
• Python for Dummies
• Refactoring to Patterns
• UML (refresher)
  
• Head Start Object Oriented Analysis & Design (refresher)
• I am also debating brushing up on my old C++ skills.

I am also learning about the Django python-based system, it appears to be an excellent compliment to my current years of use of Zope/Plone (including what this website is running on).

For self-improvement of a more personal nature, I am reading and going through the exercises for:

• Peaceful Mind
• Talking & Listening Together
• Managing Humans (Biting and Humorous Tales of Software Engineering manager)

For fun I am reading the Cryptonomicon (still), and of course more and more of anything related to J.R.R. Tolkien.

I am also in the final weeks of working with the staff on the magazine Other Minds Issue #2 due out on February 1st. www.other-minds.com

Also in the early stages of getting MerpCon IV organized. www.merpcon.org

The way I do this simultaneously is to read about a chapter in a book, then set it down and digest it while doing various chores/activities, then pick up the next book and read a chapter or so, then lather, rinse, repeat. ;-)

This means every day I am advancing in each area incrementally. Which not bad, since many of them have interdependencies, and it constantly pushes me to look at everything from multiple perspectives.

I have slowed down a bit on my Suite GM software project (but am improving my skills that much more to keep it going in a quality fasion).

I am also planning to get back on task with my Python-based project for creating a Zope/Plone "Product" that allows listeners to view lots of relevant information from the audio streaming broadcasts, as well as make requests to queue up from the existing playlist. I have been using various PHP and Java kludges that came from Spacial Audio for this, but it had various security and usability issues, and even with a wrapper does not integrate nicely with my Zope/Plone sites, so I am trying to make a product that does this effectively for various broadcast steaming sites:

• Tech Talk With Hawke - www.techtalkhawke.com
  
• The Synthetic Zen Show - www.thesyntheticzenshow.com
  
• Middle-earth Radio - www.middle-earthradio.com
  

I am also planning on checking out a "Reader's Theater" Shakespeare production in downtown Spokane on Sunday afternoon.

Also, my son has been begging for months that I start a "Computer Club" at his elementary school. I spoke with the principle and administrative staff about that today, and so will be drafting a proposal in coming days. This is in addition to the other user groups I've been trying to get off the ground or keep going:

• Spokane American Sign Language study group - www.spokaneasl.com (Saturdays 2-4 pm)
  
• Spokane 2600 - www.spokane2600.org (First Friday of each month from 5-8 pm)
• Spokane

Also, I have started getting back up to going to Kung fu after my lengthy bout of flu brought me down a few notches, at Kung Fu For Life (www.spokanekungfu.com)

Plus I have been meeting some very nice, intelligent, enjoyable people increasing my social network in the area.

So, all in all, just an average boring week for me.  ;-P

Cheers!