What I believe
Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is very important to me. Many times I have been asked if I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour? Or do you believe in Jesus Christ. Maybe this will help!
http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=eislHi_6Rbs&rel=1&eurl=http%3A//www.ldsmag.com/youtube/080731bread.html&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/eislHi_6Rbs/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskL8kWyTcXFZHNdP2USnK3hF&hl=
http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=eislHi_6Rbs&rel=1&eurl=http%3A//www.ldsmag.com/youtube/080731bread.html&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/eislHi_6Rbs/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskL8kWyTcXFZHNdP2USnK3hF&hl=
Comments
Happenings
Well it has been a busy couple of weeks. With my trips to Arizona for work. Nikole has graduated from High School (Oh Yeah!), we had Glenn Junior, Adam, Mindy, Brayton, RE and Weston here for the past few days. It has been wonderful too have them all here visiting. The Kids have all grown so much!
More to follow.
More to follow.
More on RW 4.0
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/04/23/exclusive-preview-rapidweaver-matures-with-version-4
Check out the above link! It show the slick new features of release 4.0 of my favorite web design tool for MAC! Most RW users are dying to get their hands on the new version! I have applied for the beta so maybe I will be picked! Then I will have more to say AFTER I GET TO PLAY WITH IT! Oh yes it is for Leopard users only!
Check out the above link! It show the slick new features of release 4.0 of my favorite web design tool for MAC! Most RW users are dying to get their hands on the new version! I have applied for the beta so maybe I will be picked! Then I will have more to say AFTER I GET TO PLAY WITH IT! Oh yes it is for Leopard users only!
iPod Touch
Well it has been a week or two since I have posted.
First I have updated the Family web site. We have also changed servers at Little Oak Hosting so we have had to redo a few things.
Second I have un-jailbroken my iPod Touch back to 1.1.4 firmware. I am working with the new iPhone SDK to create my own code for my touch. It is all based upon Xcode so it is not that bad to learn.
We got rid of the 1992 Ford Tararus since the transmission was slipping. Now looking for a another car for Nikki and Zach to drive. We got a 37 inch LCD panel TV in our bedroom, it is pretty cool. Working on a few large projects at work that look like they are going to close this year. Jason and Cam are talking about moving out of the house into their own place (roommates), so that will be cool.
First I have updated the Family web site. We have also changed servers at Little Oak Hosting so we have had to redo a few things.
Second I have un-jailbroken my iPod Touch back to 1.1.4 firmware. I am working with the new iPhone SDK to create my own code for my touch. It is all based upon Xcode so it is not that bad to learn.
We got rid of the 1992 Ford Tararus since the transmission was slipping. Now looking for a another car for Nikki and Zach to drive. We got a 37 inch LCD panel TV in our bedroom, it is pretty cool. Working on a few large projects at work that look like they are going to close this year. Jason and Cam are talking about moving out of the house into their own place (roommates), so that will be cool.
What I beleive
Thomas S. Monson Named 16th Church President
SALT LAKE CITY 4 February 2008 Thomas S. Monson is the new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced today at a news conference in the Church Office Building. President Monson, 80, succeeds President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died 27 January.
The new world leader of the Church has called to serve with him in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the 13-million-member faith, President Henry B. Eyring, 74, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 67, second counselor.
President Boyd K. Packer, 83, is the new president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be filled later.
SALT LAKE CITY 4 February 2008 Thomas S. Monson is the new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced today at a news conference in the Church Office Building. President Monson, 80, succeeds President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died 27 January.
The new world leader of the Church has called to serve with him in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the 13-million-member faith, President Henry B. Eyring, 74, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 67, second counselor.
President Boyd K. Packer, 83, is the new president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be filled later.
The loss of a great man
http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/beloved-church-president-gordon-b-hinckley-dies-at-97
Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97
SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.
The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.
President Hinckley was known, even at the age of 95, as a tireless leader who always put in a full day at the office and traveled extensively around the world to mix with Church members, now numbering nearly 13 million in 171 nations.
His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.
He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.
In recent years, a number of major developments in the Church reflected President Hinckley’s personal drive and direction. In calling for 100 temples to be in operation before the end of the year 2000, the Church president committed the Church to a massive temple-building program.
In 1999 — 169 years after the Church was organized by its founder, Joseph Smith — the Church had 56 operating temples. Three years later that number had doubled, largely because of a smaller, highly practical temple architectural plan that delivered these sacred buildings to Church members in far-flung parts of the world. Many more Church members can now experience the sacred ceremonies that occur only in temples, including marriages for eternity and the sealing of families in eternal units.
President Hinckley was the most traveled president in the Church’s history. His duties took him around the world many times to meet with Latter-day Saints in more than 60 countries. He was the first Church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid; and to the African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde, where he met with thousands of Latter-day Saints in 1998. In 2005, he traveled nearly 25,000 miles on a seven-nation, nine-day tour to Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
At a general conference of Church members in April 2001, President Hinckley initiated the Perpetual Education Fund — an ambitious program to help young members of the Church (mainly returning missionaries from developing countries) receive higher education and work-related training that they would otherwise likely never receive.
Closer to his Salt Lake City home, President Hinckley announced the construction of a new Conference Center in 1996 and dedicated it four years later. Seating 21,000 people, it is believed to be the largest religious and theater auditorium in the world and has become the hub for the Church’s general conference messages to the world, broadcast in 54 languages.
Even before his term as president, President Hinckley’s extensive Church service included 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the highest presiding body in the government of the Church, and 20 years before that as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Hinckley was born 23 June 1910 in Salt Lake City, a son of Bryant Stringham and Ada Bitner Hinckley. One of his forebears, Stephen Hopkins, came to America on the Mayflower. Another, Thomas Hinckley, served as governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1680 to 1692.
President Hinckley’s first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City daily. After attending public schools in Salt Lake City, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the Church in Great Britain. He served with distinction and ultimately was appointed as an assistant to the Church apostle who presided over all the European missions.
Upon successfully completing his missionary service in the mid-1930s, he was asked by Heber J. Grant, then president of the Church, to organize what has become the Church's Public Affairs Department.
President Hinckley began serving as a member of the Sunday School general board in 1937, two years after returning home from missionary service in Great Britain. For 20 years he directed all Church public communications. In 1951 he was named executive secretary of the General Missionary Committee, managing the entire missionary program of the Church, and served in this capacity for seven years.
On 6 April 1958, while serving as president of the East Millcreek Stake in Salt Lake City (a stake is similar to a diocese), President Hinckley was appointed as a general authority, or senior full-time leader of the Church. In this capacity he served as an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles before being appointed to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 5 October 1961.
President Hinckley received a number of educational honors, including the Distinguished Citizen Award from Southern Utah University; the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah; and honorary doctorates from Westminster College, Utah State University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, Utah Valley State College and Salt Lake Community College. The Gordon B. Hinckley Endowment for British Studies, a program focused on the arts, literature and history of the United Kingdom, was established at the University of Utah.
President Hinckley was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award by the Boy Scouts of America; was honored by the National Conference for Community and Justice (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world; and received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 2004, President Hinckley was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in the White House.
In March 2000 President Hinckley addressed the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He also addressed the Religion Newswriters Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and twice addressed the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
President Hinckley wrote and edited several books and numerous manuals, pamphlets and scripts, including a best-selling book, Standing for Something, aimed at a general audience. In it he championed the virtues of love, honesty, morality, civility, learning, forgiveness, mercy, thrift and industry, gratitude, optimism and faith. He also testified of what he called the “guardians of virtue,” namely traditional marriage and family.
President Hinckley married Majorie Pay in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937. They have five children, 25 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren. Sister Hinckley passed away 6 April 2004.
Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97
SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.
The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.
President Hinckley was known, even at the age of 95, as a tireless leader who always put in a full day at the office and traveled extensively around the world to mix with Church members, now numbering nearly 13 million in 171 nations.
His quick wit and humor, combined with an eloquent style at the pulpit, made him one of the most loved of modern Church leaders. A profoundly spiritual man, he had a great fondness for history and often peppered his sermons with stories from the Church’s pioneer past.
He was a popular interview subject with journalists, appearing on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace and on CNN’s Larry King Live, as well as being quoted and featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines over the years. During the Salt Lake Olympics of 2002, his request that the Church refrain from proselytizing visitors was credited by media with generating much of the goodwill that flowed to the Church from the international event.
In recent years, a number of major developments in the Church reflected President Hinckley’s personal drive and direction. In calling for 100 temples to be in operation before the end of the year 2000, the Church president committed the Church to a massive temple-building program.
In 1999 — 169 years after the Church was organized by its founder, Joseph Smith — the Church had 56 operating temples. Three years later that number had doubled, largely because of a smaller, highly practical temple architectural plan that delivered these sacred buildings to Church members in far-flung parts of the world. Many more Church members can now experience the sacred ceremonies that occur only in temples, including marriages for eternity and the sealing of families in eternal units.
President Hinckley was the most traveled president in the Church’s history. His duties took him around the world many times to meet with Latter-day Saints in more than 60 countries. He was the first Church president to travel to Spain, where in 1996 he broke ground for a temple in Madrid; and to the African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Cape Verde, where he met with thousands of Latter-day Saints in 1998. In 2005, he traveled nearly 25,000 miles on a seven-nation, nine-day tour to Russia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
At a general conference of Church members in April 2001, President Hinckley initiated the Perpetual Education Fund — an ambitious program to help young members of the Church (mainly returning missionaries from developing countries) receive higher education and work-related training that they would otherwise likely never receive.
Closer to his Salt Lake City home, President Hinckley announced the construction of a new Conference Center in 1996 and dedicated it four years later. Seating 21,000 people, it is believed to be the largest religious and theater auditorium in the world and has become the hub for the Church’s general conference messages to the world, broadcast in 54 languages.
Even before his term as president, President Hinckley’s extensive Church service included 14 years as a counselor in the First Presidency, the highest presiding body in the government of the Church, and 20 years before that as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Hinckley was born 23 June 1910 in Salt Lake City, a son of Bryant Stringham and Ada Bitner Hinckley. One of his forebears, Stephen Hopkins, came to America on the Mayflower. Another, Thomas Hinckley, served as governor of the Plymouth Colony from 1680 to 1692.
President Hinckley’s first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Deseret News, a Salt Lake City daily. After attending public schools in Salt Lake City, he earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Utah and then served two years as a full-time missionary for the Church in Great Britain. He served with distinction and ultimately was appointed as an assistant to the Church apostle who presided over all the European missions.
Upon successfully completing his missionary service in the mid-1930s, he was asked by Heber J. Grant, then president of the Church, to organize what has become the Church's Public Affairs Department.
President Hinckley began serving as a member of the Sunday School general board in 1937, two years after returning home from missionary service in Great Britain. For 20 years he directed all Church public communications. In 1951 he was named executive secretary of the General Missionary Committee, managing the entire missionary program of the Church, and served in this capacity for seven years.
On 6 April 1958, while serving as president of the East Millcreek Stake in Salt Lake City (a stake is similar to a diocese), President Hinckley was appointed as a general authority, or senior full-time leader of the Church. In this capacity he served as an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles before being appointed to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on 5 October 1961.
President Hinckley received a number of educational honors, including the Distinguished Citizen Award from Southern Utah University; the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah; and honorary doctorates from Westminster College, Utah State University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, Utah Valley State College and Salt Lake Community College. The Gordon B. Hinckley Endowment for British Studies, a program focused on the arts, literature and history of the United Kingdom, was established at the University of Utah.
President Hinckley was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award by the Boy Scouts of America; was honored by the National Conference for Community and Justice (formerly the National Conference of Christians and Jews) for his contributions to tolerance and understanding in the world; and received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 2004, President Hinckley was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in the White House.
In March 2000 President Hinckley addressed the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. He also addressed the Religion Newswriters Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and twice addressed the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.
President Hinckley wrote and edited several books and numerous manuals, pamphlets and scripts, including a best-selling book, Standing for Something, aimed at a general audience. In it he championed the virtues of love, honesty, morality, civility, learning, forgiveness, mercy, thrift and industry, gratitude, optimism and faith. He also testified of what he called the “guardians of virtue,” namely traditional marriage and family.
President Hinckley married Majorie Pay in the Salt Lake Temple in 1937. They have five children, 25 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren. Sister Hinckley passed away 6 April 2004.
What's up
Well we are in the second week of the new year already!
I have put up some new test web pages at http://www.masaweb.info/forms/ if you are interested! New flash pages, plugins and more.
I will be posting another review of a neat piece of software I have found for ripping DVD for iPods movies. more to follow.
I have put up some new test web pages at http://www.masaweb.info/forms/ if you are interested! New flash pages, plugins and more.
I will be posting another review of a neat piece of software I have found for ripping DVD for iPods movies. more to follow.
Happenings
Wow I got a new 16 GB iPod touch for Christmas, my first reaction was WOW this puppy is great. I really like this iPod. Then I tried it on my home airport extreme network ( for accessing the iTunes store via wifi) it took me a couple of tries but that works great as well. Okay I spend like 40.00 dollars on my first trip, got to watch that, My only complaint is the on screen keyboard that my fat fingers can't get the right letters to type. The video playback is great, the large screen is great as well. It has only been 3 days but I am hooked. I wish Apple would let it play games as well ( the other new iPod's can but not the touch except online ones..) having a email app would be great as well. Hopefully when Apple releases the SDK tool kit to the developer community that will bring a fair amount of add ons to the iPhone and the Touch platforms. Well back to the music, videos, and movies on my new toy.. Oh yes buy the screen protectors and a good case are next on my to do list. Oh boy another trip to the Apple store!
Thanks Susan, Jason, Chris, Cameron, Nikole, and Zachary for a great Christmas holiday.
Also I forgot to wish all of you a Happy New Year!
Thanks Susan, Jason, Chris, Cameron, Nikole, and Zachary for a great Christmas holiday.
Also I forgot to wish all of you a Happy New Year!
What I want for Christmas
Well it has officially started the 2007 holiday season.
Life is going really good for the Thomas's this year.
We plan a small Christmas get together this year.
We have gotten all of the kids Santa lists and they are not really to bad so that helps.
Here is my wish list *and I mean wish*
A 928 Porsche to find and restore (okay I have been asking for a older Corvette for years thought I would change it up this year)
A new iTouch IPOD (for the coolness factor 16 gig)
A happy and healthy 2008 for all of my family both near and far.
The right special someones for my son's to find and spend a lifetime with! (Okay boys you know to whom I am speaking too) LOL ;)
For my daughter to graduate from High School and decide what college she wants to attend (soon) so I know how much it is going to cost the Dad!
For my lovely wife of 29 years, for another 29 years together no matter what comes Sue I love you more than I can ever express!
For all of the rest of the world a true and lasting peace to fall upon us all.
That I can continue doing what I love and provide for all of my family both financially and spiritually.
Merry Christmas to all and a very Happy New Year!
Life is going really good for the Thomas's this year.
We plan a small Christmas get together this year.
We have gotten all of the kids Santa lists and they are not really to bad so that helps.
Here is my wish list *and I mean wish*
A 928 Porsche to find and restore (okay I have been asking for a older Corvette for years thought I would change it up this year)
A new iTouch IPOD (for the coolness factor 16 gig)
A happy and healthy 2008 for all of my family both near and far.
The right special someones for my son's to find and spend a lifetime with! (Okay boys you know to whom I am speaking too) LOL ;)
For my daughter to graduate from High School and decide what college she wants to attend (soon) so I know how much it is going to cost the Dad!
For my lovely wife of 29 years, for another 29 years together no matter what comes Sue I love you more than I can ever express!
For all of the rest of the world a true and lasting peace to fall upon us all.
That I can continue doing what I love and provide for all of my family both financially and spiritually.
Merry Christmas to all and a very Happy New Year!
New code and Comcast stuff
Okay I am playing with some new beta code for one of my favorite programs on my mac. the developers have made great improvements! Sweet... New plugin for RW to use. Oh what fun. It seems that Comcast has blocked all of the emails form my website's email server. That is really making me mad! those hosers. Well it is still in the hands of the great webhosting genie's in the sky
What's up
I have been really busy at work, in my spare time I have put out several snippets for rapidweaver. I am working on 3 more Jukeit snippet a cool juke box flash player, Tell-a-friend snippet a perl script and snippet for letting visitors send a link to your website, finally a Poll snippet a perl based script that allows you to make up polls and insert them into your website.
Family News:
Nikki and Zach are in drivers ed together! they had their first drive with the instructor and passed, they drive again on saturday (Sue is driving with them every day in the church parking lot, up at the Junior high parking lot and around the neighborhood.
Jason and I helped build playground equipment at our local park a few weeks back it looks great and the kids in the neighborhood love it!
Sue and Nikki surivied girls camp for a week...
Family News:
Nikki and Zach are in drivers ed together! they had their first drive with the instructor and passed, they drive again on saturday (Sue is driving with them every day in the church parking lot, up at the Junior high parking lot and around the neighborhood.
Jason and I helped build playground equipment at our local park a few weeks back it looks great and the kids in the neighborhood love it!
Sue and Nikki surivied girls camp for a week...
What's happening
Wow another month has gone by and only one post! Sorry. Here is what's new:
1. I turned 51 this past week.
2. Put a new car stereo in my wife's car, We just had a new pioneer deck installed (with a direct connection into an iPod) this is great ! Pioneer has built a great interface for the iPod! you can biring up all of your playlist, artist, etc, it is like having your iPod right in the car stereo, very cool (oh yeah it even charges your iPod too).
3. Broke the medicine cabinet on the master bathroom (yes it was mirrored anohter 7 years bad luck). So off to the Home Depot and buy another one!
4. Had a great birthday party with my wife and kids!
5. Got a new Navigation system for my car! (okay I went nuts here, XM radio with NavTraffic, Bluetooth interface, iPod connection, you can add a rear camera (okay I did not do that one, had to draw the line somewhere)), now I am still reading manuals to figure out all on the features, got the XM service turned on (I think you have to leave your car on for 20 minutes plus for this, with the price of gas what it is, not cool). They tried to give me another XM radio for 5.99 but that requires another subscription at 12.95 per month, that was too much.
6. Had to speak in Church this past Sunday on how we have taught our family to give service (okay I do a lot of service for folks, but the kids have just learn by Sue and I being good examples).
I am sure I have missed something, more to follow I guess.
1. I turned 51 this past week.
2. Put a new car stereo in my wife's car, We just had a new pioneer deck installed (with a direct connection into an iPod) this is great ! Pioneer has built a great interface for the iPod! you can biring up all of your playlist, artist, etc, it is like having your iPod right in the car stereo, very cool (oh yeah it even charges your iPod too).
3. Broke the medicine cabinet on the master bathroom (yes it was mirrored anohter 7 years bad luck). So off to the Home Depot and buy another one!
4. Had a great birthday party with my wife and kids!
5. Got a new Navigation system for my car! (okay I went nuts here, XM radio with NavTraffic, Bluetooth interface, iPod connection, you can add a rear camera (okay I did not do that one, had to draw the line somewhere)), now I am still reading manuals to figure out all on the features, got the XM service turned on (I think you have to leave your car on for 20 minutes plus for this, with the price of gas what it is, not cool). They tried to give me another XM radio for 5.99 but that requires another subscription at 12.95 per month, that was too much.
6. Had to speak in Church this past Sunday on how we have taught our family to give service (okay I do a lot of service for folks, but the kids have just learn by Sue and I being good examples).
I am sure I have missed something, more to follow I guess.
Cruise Oh Yeah
Well we have just a few hours left before we go, Sue is still packing, I need to finish up a couple of things (pick up Tux and a cell phone for Nikki) pack the Tux then wait until 8:30 pm and head to the airport with our friends and luggage! Then We Are Off! overnight flight to our first plane change in Cleveland! Then off on Friday moring to Fort Lauderdale, where the adventure begins! I hope to post a few things during the cruise (yes I will try). Keep checking for updates!
We are getting close
Okay the excitement grows 3 days until the cruise, oh hurray up aready. It seems the cruise line has dsl connections (okay @ like .75 per minute but have to stay in touch some how right?), have to see what that is going to set me back.
Not yet
Well the excitement is building we leaves for our cruise in 4 days! Work load is stressful, getting the last minute items purchased, packing (and keeping it to 2 bags each (okay plus a carry on's). Making sure we have everthing covered with the kids. I will need to take a vacation from going on a vacation. we ent out to dinner last friday with one of the couples we are going on the cruise with, all for of us realized that the time is short. We talked about what we want to do on each stop. Then when we got home we finsihed booking our shore excursions. Wow this is going to be fun (if I don't get seasick).
We will be picking up things up and until we leave on thursday evening (my tux for the 2 formal nights). Sue has her list's for what she has left. I think I am amost done (except the tux thing) even got one bag sort of packed.
More to follow, including pictures.
We will be picking up things up and until we leave on thursday evening (my tux for the 2 formal nights). Sue has her list's for what she has left. I think I am amost done (except the tux thing) even got one bag sort of packed.
More to follow, including pictures.
What is happening
Okay it has been a couple of weeks since I updates the blog so here it goes.
We had a great time at Jon and Jen's wedding (fast trip but good). I have posted all of the pictures I took at the wedding on the web our website.
http://www.glennthomas.us
I redid the web site so all of the family things are accessable from the homepage (no more linking to a back end site). Also we have a new look (a comic book theme, since my life feels like I live in one). So tell me what you think!
I met with the TNLA (Totem Lake Neighborhood Assocation) President (Lynda) and we redesigned most that site's web pages as well.
http://www.totemlakeneighborhood.org or http://www.totemlakena.org
We are now trying to get the County not to tear out the play equipment in our only local park in the area (it has been red tagged and they are removing it without replacing it). So we are as a group of citzens trying to get it replaced, you can check out our progress at http://www.northcountparkscoalition.org or http://www.northcountyparkscoalition.com
Work is nuts I can't wait for the end of the month so we can go on our cruise (Sue and I) to the eastern carribean for 8 days! I am busy trying to finish up work before we go. Jason built up a new linux server for school that lives on my home network, so that is fun. Cam has started back to school and has a math class. Every one else is enjoying their spring break.
So back to it I guess, this is all for now.
We had a great time at Jon and Jen's wedding (fast trip but good). I have posted all of the pictures I took at the wedding on the web our website.
http://www.glennthomas.us
I redid the web site so all of the family things are accessable from the homepage (no more linking to a back end site). Also we have a new look (a comic book theme, since my life feels like I live in one). So tell me what you think!
I met with the TNLA (Totem Lake Neighborhood Assocation) President (Lynda) and we redesigned most that site's web pages as well.
http://www.totemlakeneighborhood.org or http://www.totemlakena.org
We are now trying to get the County not to tear out the play equipment in our only local park in the area (it has been red tagged and they are removing it without replacing it). So we are as a group of citzens trying to get it replaced, you can check out our progress at http://www.northcountparkscoalition.org or http://www.northcountyparkscoalition.com
Work is nuts I can't wait for the end of the month so we can go on our cruise (Sue and I) to the eastern carribean for 8 days! I am busy trying to finish up work before we go. Jason built up a new linux server for school that lives on my home network, so that is fun. Cam has started back to school and has a math class. Every one else is enjoying their spring break.
So back to it I guess, this is all for now.
What is happening
Okay it has been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. So here is what has been happening, Jon (Thomas) is getting married this weekend (3/24/07) so Sue and I are heading down tonight for that.
Jason and I did about 30 DVD's for our ward Relief Society Birthday party, of a slide show that I helped Sue and Kris Sather put together! I am told it was a hit.
Jason finished up his last quarter of school about 2 weeks ago and has started a new one. He has moved to a different group at his day job. He got another great reveiw at work. He has classes Wednesday through Friday this quarter.
Chris made the Dean's list again this past quarter, he hopes to has his AS finished in the fall!
Cam has had the week off from work and turns 20 today!
Nikole had a concert this week (she plays in the band and sings in choir), plus a drama production this week as well
Zach had WASL testing this week on top of being ill.
Sue and I delivered a PC that I built to one of the Ward members that needed a computer, (It is running Vista (YUK)) so that was fun, I just have to go back and get their network up (once the have something in place).
I am still buried at work on a bunch of projects. I went up to Victoria BC last weeek for a meeting that was interesting, the BC ferry system puts our in seattle to shame. They have massive ferries that hold hundreds of cars, passengers, seperate area for semi's, and they are not badly priced for passage, they run every 2 hours from BC to Victoria!
So We have been busy!
Jason and I did about 30 DVD's for our ward Relief Society Birthday party, of a slide show that I helped Sue and Kris Sather put together! I am told it was a hit.
Jason finished up his last quarter of school about 2 weeks ago and has started a new one. He has moved to a different group at his day job. He got another great reveiw at work. He has classes Wednesday through Friday this quarter.
Chris made the Dean's list again this past quarter, he hopes to has his AS finished in the fall!
Cam has had the week off from work and turns 20 today!
Nikole had a concert this week (she plays in the band and sings in choir), plus a drama production this week as well
Zach had WASL testing this week on top of being ill.
Sue and I delivered a PC that I built to one of the Ward members that needed a computer, (It is running Vista (YUK)) so that was fun, I just have to go back and get their network up (once the have something in place).
I am still buried at work on a bunch of projects. I went up to Victoria BC last weeek for a meeting that was interesting, the BC ferry system puts our in seattle to shame. They have massive ferries that hold hundreds of cars, passengers, seperate area for semi's, and they are not badly priced for passage, they run every 2 hours from BC to Victoria!
So We have been busy!
What is happening
Okay we had yet another snow storm here in the northwest, the kids got a day out of school, the roads were a mess! Thank good ness we did not have to drive in it. Well Chris and Nikki had their birthdays this past week! Chris is 21 and Nikki is 17! On Saturday we all went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (178.00 later) everyone had a great time the staff sang Happy Birthday to all of our March birthdays! Then off to the mall too walk off the meal. We got Nikki some sheet music! Chris a new cell phone( a snowflake took his last one out). Cam bought his own upgraded phone. We came home Nikki had a few friends over and watched movies!
What is happening
Okay I did all of this on top of answering a huge RFP for one of our customers in Canada for work.
Well it seems that it is finally time to lay the new carpet in our downstairs family room. so we move everything to one side and rip out the old carpet and padding, guess what we find, a huge crack in our basement floor that someone filled with silcone caulk! Okay I have done that for small cracks but this puppy was a big one! The boy's and I have to clean all of the old crap off of the floor (left over glued down carpet backing, old floor tile, etc.) with some really nasty chemicals. Zach got weirded out on the fumes, then the floor scraping began! Then the mopping to neturalize the chemicals, then vacuuming up any thing that was left. Laying out of chaulk lines (which Sue did not agree with), so we laid them out again, then we started putting down the glue! It was blue so at least you could see it and not step in it (or so you would think). This started at like 8:00 am in the morning and we got the last of the carpet tiles layed at about 10:30 pm. Oh yea we could only work in about a 6 foot square area at a time and had to let the glue set for 45 minutes open time. So it was alot of bending and using a carpenters square to layout and make sure the carpet was put down correctly. By the way our house does not have a square room in it (meaning built using a square, level or any other technical tool). Man I was beat I could barely move on Sunday morning for church!
So we let the carpet set until Monday morning then I moved all of the furniture from one side of the room to the newly carpeted side of the room, and started the procedure all over again! That took most of the the day on Monday (Chris and Zach did most of the work and I supervised since I was working) I only needed to spread the glue for them and layed some of the squares to get them started! So my breaks and lunch was used up laying carpet. It took about an 2 hours of my time during the day. We finished off the project about 6:00 pm.
Tuesday we moved all of the furniture back and rearranged the room (ok a couple of time because I did not get the proper input from my sweet wife Sue). But now I spend my time running in to things in the dark.
Well this weekend we get our grand kids to come over and stay with us from Idaho! Hurray I miss them alot.
Well it seems that it is finally time to lay the new carpet in our downstairs family room. so we move everything to one side and rip out the old carpet and padding, guess what we find, a huge crack in our basement floor that someone filled with silcone caulk! Okay I have done that for small cracks but this puppy was a big one! The boy's and I have to clean all of the old crap off of the floor (left over glued down carpet backing, old floor tile, etc.) with some really nasty chemicals. Zach got weirded out on the fumes, then the floor scraping began! Then the mopping to neturalize the chemicals, then vacuuming up any thing that was left. Laying out of chaulk lines (which Sue did not agree with), so we laid them out again, then we started putting down the glue! It was blue so at least you could see it and not step in it (or so you would think). This started at like 8:00 am in the morning and we got the last of the carpet tiles layed at about 10:30 pm. Oh yea we could only work in about a 6 foot square area at a time and had to let the glue set for 45 minutes open time. So it was alot of bending and using a carpenters square to layout and make sure the carpet was put down correctly. By the way our house does not have a square room in it (meaning built using a square, level or any other technical tool). Man I was beat I could barely move on Sunday morning for church!
So we let the carpet set until Monday morning then I moved all of the furniture from one side of the room to the newly carpeted side of the room, and started the procedure all over again! That took most of the the day on Monday (Chris and Zach did most of the work and I supervised since I was working) I only needed to spread the glue for them and layed some of the squares to get them started! So my breaks and lunch was used up laying carpet. It took about an 2 hours of my time during the day. We finished off the project about 6:00 pm.
Tuesday we moved all of the furniture back and rearranged the room (ok a couple of time because I did not get the proper input from my sweet wife Sue). But now I spend my time running in to things in the dark.
Well this weekend we get our grand kids to come over and stay with us from Idaho! Hurray I miss them alot.
What is happening
Okay, I really hate this. You pay for a service you schedule an appointment and the service provider blows you off reschedules you again and blows you again. We have been trying to get Farmers Insurance to replace Jason's windshield since last week (okay it is not Farmers it is Safelite Auto Glass), they told us that Safe Lite would be out between 1 and 5 that day (wow I was thinking GREAT), time passes and Safe Lite is a no show! So I call back in and get the lame excuse of our computers are down and we did not know we had to come out story, and can we reschedule you for first thing Monday morning (8 to 12) I said okay fine they did offer to knock off 25.00 our co-pay (that was cool). Monday comes no one show up I called back and was told they would be out between 10 and 12, okay 12 comes and goes no one shows up. So I call again and get told someone will be out by 1:00 pm! Get a call from the tech (saying he is having a presonal issues and will be out by 3:00 pm) okay fine personal things happen, but I called back to Farmers and told them our story. They said that it should not happen they called the local manager at Safe Lite he said that the guy would be here in 15 minutes. They missed that too by another 10 minutes. They did log a complaint but then the tech says there where damages to the car. (I was mad) because Jason keeps his car perfect! So We are now looking to change insurance company's!
What is happening
Okay at about 6:30 am a loud boom was heard and Jason's car alarm went off. We both ran out side to see the transformer vault on fire, flames shot up about 5 feet in the air. The fire department came but the could not do anything until PSE crew showed up to turn off the power! About an hour later PSE crew shows up (by then the fire had burned it self out) they said yep there has been a fire! When asked when it might be fixed (just before the crew left) oh we can't fix it we don't have the right tools! They had to have a special crew come in! So on goes the generator! We had to run it for about 10 hours before the Special crew got the power back on (Hey it took them 4 hours to get here and about 4 hours to replace the transformer or so) to make a long story short we got power back around 5:15 pm. Needless to say all the things that needed to get done in the house this weekend did not get done. Well maybe I can start laying carpet during the week! 
What is happening
Boy am I glad that January is finally over! It has been a tough month, Snow storms, furnace failing, traveling to the annual sales conference for my job, being swamped with work, I can go on and on. Well the weather is still very cold up here, but we are suppose to hit 50 over the week end. We are still moving things and kids around in the house (Nikki got new bedroom furniture out of the deal), I still need to replace the family room carpet (I hope to get that started this week end), move Jason and Chris in to a different bedroom (they get new bedding as well, wow this is getting expense). On top of clean out the garage running things out to the dump it will be a fun weekend for me! Have a great week end all!
What is happening
Okay we had the furnace go out during the snow storm (that was bad) for 4 days before Thomas Heating could get our new 92% eff. furnace installed (Thomas heating guys are no relation that we know of)! Joe Thomas and his partner Andy came in and did the install themselves for us. They did a great job we have heat! We even could use a smaller BTU furnace, that is nice as well. We now have a 2 inch PVC pipe to vent out the flue gases (really just steam) Cameron calls it dragon's breath.. Now we have no other gas appliances that need to vent out the old 6 inch vent pipe that runs through the middle out of upstairs closet. So on Saturday I took it all out and patched the hole in the floor and ceiling re ran some telephone and data wiring upstairs and now we have a big linen closet!
This week I have been out in Las Vegas at the annual Nortel Global Sales Conference (Monday till late Thursday night), I got to play a short 9 holes of golf with a few of the other engineers I work with ( Okay it was Tony J and JP, and a really good guy Dave from one of our vendors, PS I am really bad at golf!) but for 42.00 it was good fun! Dinner on Monday was great we ate a a Irish Pub inside of the New York New York hotel it was great food (I don't drink so I can only comment on the food).On Tuesday we started our meetings at 7:30 am.. and went on until Thursday evening. They where very long and drawn out! we did have a great speaker on Wednesday afternoon about how to control stress and make our selves better leaders and employees! It was great. But I did learned a lot and had a good time.
Well I hope next week won't be so hurried! Have a great weekend.
This week I have been out in Las Vegas at the annual Nortel Global Sales Conference (Monday till late Thursday night), I got to play a short 9 holes of golf with a few of the other engineers I work with ( Okay it was Tony J and JP, and a really good guy Dave from one of our vendors, PS I am really bad at golf!) but for 42.00 it was good fun! Dinner on Monday was great we ate a a Irish Pub inside of the New York New York hotel it was great food (I don't drink so I can only comment on the food).On Tuesday we started our meetings at 7:30 am.. and went on until Thursday evening. They where very long and drawn out! we did have a great speaker on Wednesday afternoon about how to control stress and make our selves better leaders and employees! It was great. But I did learned a lot and had a good time.
Well I hope next week won't be so hurried! Have a great weekend.
What is happening
Okay which one of you ordered up the snow for Washington? I know it came from somewhere, we got about 6 inches overnight! We had cars sliding all over! Jason had class last night up in Everett he said it was a mess! The schools are closed today for the kids. They are either out in the snow or downstairs by the fire keeping warm. I got to drive a neighbor to the airport in our 4 wheel drive, she was not sure that she could get out of our neighborhood. Accidents were so bad they closed a couple of the roads leading up to our area (including the one that the Hospital is on, a bus slid down the hill sideways) and a couple of folks left their cars down the hill and walked up! We are all safe for now. And I will find the person that ordered up the SNOW! Have a great rest of the week.
What is happening
Okay in case you don't get information about the weather up here in Washington, we have been hit yet again. Today it is snow! All of the schools are open (and the roads are like an ice rink). On a happier note I got a call from my son Jon last night saying he is getting married on 3/24/07 to a young lady named Jennifer! So as soon as I get more information I will post it. Work is going well, Sue is working at here new church job and seems to like it. Well this all for this week! 
What is happening
Okay the last couple of months of 2006 where interesting up here in the northwest. November was the wettest one that we have had in years, we got a snow storm that knocked out power for a couple of days (not heat is not fun so I order up a generator just in case). In December we had wind storms that knocked out the power at the house for 6.5 days (thank goodness that I bought that generator). We started up the generator and ran extension cords to the fridges and the freezer, as well as a couple of lights! Not only did the generator provide power for us but 2 of our neighbors as well (yes we ran cords to their homes as well! we only had to fuel it twice a day (7 gals of gas each time). I had about 10 gallons on hand plus 7 gallons in the generator so the first day we were okay. Finding a gas station with power was fun, trying to find gas cans in stores was even more fun, but we did it (3 5 gallon jerry cans, 4 2 gallon plastic cans, 2 5 gallon plastic cans later, which are for the most part filled and ready to go for the next time). I spent 2 hours in line at Costco to fill them almost daily. I finally found a station that had smaller lines (more cost per gallon) so Jason and I started filling up there. I bought a pump so I could pull gas out of the car tanks if needed as well. It was costing us about 40 to 60 dollars every other day for gas. I did wire up our furnace to the generator so we got forced air heat back. We opened our home to ward members so they could come down and be warm, have a hot meal and just visit. Things I learned about being prepared:
1. I am glad that the LDS church has been teaching us to store food and fuel for a year (Okay we aren't there yet but we are getting a lot closer).
2. Make sure you check on all of your neighbors, (we found out that some had been staying in their homes with no heat or power for 4 days before we saw them).
3. Make sure all of your cars are full of gas and are ready to go.
4. Call all of your home teaching families and see that they are okay.
5. Be willing to serve others (we cut down trees, cut up fallen trees, help hauled out debris out of storm drains, etc.)
6. Open up your home and share with others.
7. Gas appliances are a good thing to have when the power is out.
8. Keep a good supply of fuel for your fireplaces (we have 2) so you can keep warm, and share that supply with others whom may not have any.
But we did have power for christmas! two days later we had driving rain and our basement had water come in ( I found that the chimney and the house lost the cement that the builders put in to seal up the gaps had fallen out over time) so pulling out wet carpet pad is not fun, dry out the carpet was no small task either. So we are changing ou the carpet to carpet squares that can be pulled up and replace easily.
1. I am glad that the LDS church has been teaching us to store food and fuel for a year (Okay we aren't there yet but we are getting a lot closer).
2. Make sure you check on all of your neighbors, (we found out that some had been staying in their homes with no heat or power for 4 days before we saw them).
3. Make sure all of your cars are full of gas and are ready to go.
4. Call all of your home teaching families and see that they are okay.
5. Be willing to serve others (we cut down trees, cut up fallen trees, help hauled out debris out of storm drains, etc.)
6. Open up your home and share with others.
7. Gas appliances are a good thing to have when the power is out.
8. Keep a good supply of fuel for your fireplaces (we have 2) so you can keep warm, and share that supply with others whom may not have any.
But we did have power for christmas! two days later we had driving rain and our basement had water come in ( I found that the chimney and the house lost the cement that the builders put in to seal up the gaps had fallen out over time) so pulling out wet carpet pad is not fun, dry out the carpet was no small task either. So we are changing ou the carpet to carpet squares that can be pulled up and replace easily.
What is happening
Okay it is official Rapid Cal plugin has been released! You can try it for FREE! downloaded it at http://www.rapidcal.com 
What is happening
Yes I have been testing a new Beta theme called Clouds ! It is great! Thanks Adam at Elixir for letting me be part of the beta testing.
What is happening
Okay it seems that RapidWeaver is getting a couple of new plugins! RapidCal (I have been testing on this site and will be out on 10/28/06 for purchase)!
WebYep a PHP based CMS engine, I am still playing with the beta code on this one! I will have a page up soon!
I have some other beta stuff on the site now as well! (but if I tell you I will have to send out the hit men!)
WebYep a PHP based CMS engine, I am still playing with the beta code on this one! I will have a page up soon!
I have some other beta stuff on the site now as well! (but if I tell you I will have to send out the hit men!)
What is happening
Okay I have been playing with the site theme again let me know what you think.
