Twev1701.net 2002-2012

It’s about 11:15pm, and after a full day of doing i/o Computers web work, I finally get to go to bed.

Although I do have to get up in less that 6 hours to go to my day job.

Sometimes weekends are worse than weekdays!

Sleepy time….. -_- zzzz

I’m over here at the i/o Computers shop, working on that infamous website. Actually, I’ve been here since noon, and aside from DHL being complete dicks and telling us that “they don’t ship on weekends” therefore we can’t get a quote and test out shipping module, things are going surprisingly well.

Going into hour 5 of this journey, we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We were having so many problems these past 2 weeks with everything on this site that we decided to just start all over today. I did a backup of all my custom files and code this morning while having my oatmeal, and when I came over here at noon, we wiped the enter server clean. Yes, the whole fucking thing. Then, we had to upload Joomla again, install it on the server, and then upload and install VirtueMart again. Once they were install, I uploaded my backup files and everything was working. Everything was going along at a good clip until we ran into our bane on this job –DHFuckingL. But, for now it’s cool with the clients to go with a flat rate shipping. For i/o Computers, we use UPS, FedEx, and sometimes, the USPS. But after this whole experience, I will never, ever use DHL for anything.

Ok, I think we have a clear understanding on DHL now, don’t we?

We should be wrapping things up here in an hour or so, and I can’t wait to get out of here and go play some World of Warcaft. I was a good little boy this morning and got right to work backing up files and avoided the temptation to load up WoW and play for an hour or two. Because anyone who has ever played an MMO will tell you, it’s never just “an hour”. That’s pretty much gamer code for “I’ll play until you kick me the fuck off of here kicking and screaming”. Hell, I was actually a few minutes late for my initial interview at Lowes because I was playing EverQuest. How sad is that?

But to rebut the critics, I was offered the job at that very interview.

Something shocking happened tonight. I actually got to play World of Warcraft for a few hours! All in all, I think I played about 3 hours, and it felt good. I gained to levels with my Human Warrior, who is now at level 13. In all the years I played EverQuest, the highest level I ever got up to was only level 16. Everyone else I played with got into the 30s and higher, but for me, I was more into the exploration of the world rather than the constant grinding. However, while I was at level 16 with my Human Necromancer Badashius, I was becoming limited in where I could travel without an escort because of my low level. However, by that point, all of my friends were at a much higher level, and did not want to take the time to PL me (power level). So, I started creating alts. And that’s pretty much how I played EverQuest. But with World of Warcraft it’s different. I’m the only one I know that plays. Ok, let back up there. I know lot of people play, I mean hell, that have 9 million subscribers. What I mean to say is that none of my immediate friends play, therefore I solo all the time. Like when I started playing Guild Wars, Joel and JP were playing with me for a while. Then JP quit, I got busy, and Joel surpassed us all. But this time, since I am playing alone, I need to push myself. I want to make it past level 16. Hell, right now I’m only 3 levels away. If I didn’t have to go to the shop tomorrow, I could easily get to level 16 tomorrow. As it stands right now, I would like to be at level 16 by the end of the week. I think that is a very achievable goal. I got really excited tonight when my 25dmg ax got it’s first crit and dealt 105dmg. It was awesome and made me want to grind even harder! (ok, that sounded a bit dirty…)

Ok, I know there should have been a few paragraphs there rather than one large dump, but you know what? I’m tired, so that’s what you get!

I only ended up going to work for about 2 1/2 hours today. I lost one of my coordinators, and since no one wants to take his place, I’ve decided to go to a 6 day work schedule to compensate. So, for the next how many weeks, I’ll be working four 8 hour days and two 4 hour days. Not too shabby considering I’ll be out of work by 10:00am on my four hour days. Take today for example, I got to work around 7:30am, and I left at 10:00am. Not too shabby at all.

Since I did get home so early, I decided to pick up where I left off last night on the new site design. And, as you can see, it is finished. It wasn’t that bad to do actually. That is, aside from finding more German I today. All in all, I think I like this layout. Then again, I always say that at first and then a few weeks later I grow to hate it and want a change.

With this new layout, I have gone to to an older style. I’ve made the site more ‘me’ and more fun. I’ve included a link to the current book I’m reading, something I haven’t done in God knows how long. I also decided to have a little fun this time with the header image. It reminds me of the headers I used to use on my old blue site from 2002. Also included is a new header saying. This one is blatantly stolen from myself. I had this on my pseudo-Matrix site from 2004, back when I was using Movable Type. I actually wanted to design a new site inspired by this design, and even though this isn’t even close, I think the feeling of that design is here.

I know I have said this time and time again, but I think that with this new design I will start posting a lot more. Ot be honest, the last design got stuffy really quick. Plus when I was putting it all together, I honestly think I coded myself into a corner. What I mean, is that because everything was laid out just so, and the site was dynamic (auto-adjusts to browser size), I really limited myself with any kind of content addition. Here, with a fixed width design, and 2 side-by-side sidebars, I think I have given myself quite a bit of wiggle room.

All in all, I’m pretty happy with the new look, and I hope you are as well.

Well, I finally found a new template for WordPress that I liked tonight for the site. I started ripping it apart, and I’m about 60% done with it right now. I think I would have been a bit further along if I didn’t have to translate all the German that it was originally written in. Ich bin, ich weiß gut.

I was thinking a lot today since I was home by myself, and I realized how much I miss that. Normally when I come home from work, I have to get some stuff done around the house, then start dinner before Jess gets home, we eat, maybe watch about an hour of TV or TiVo, and then it’s off to bed. There’s been no time anymore for me to just sit here on the computer reflecting on things, or, God forbid, me even read a book. I got the 2nd Penny Arcade book the other night and I have been enjoying reading it here and there. In fact, I really can’t wait for things to really calm down and I can start to digest all of the books that adorn my 2 bookcases. I used to read quite a lot, and for some reason when I was with my ex, I got away from it. Then when it was just me living here and I was single, I got back into the habit and read quite a bit. But now that I am married, I don’t seem to read anymore. Hell, I couldn’t tell you the last book I finished. I can tell you all the ones I have started but never gone back to, but no clue on the last one I finished. And no, I am not counting graphic novels in this list. They don’t count.

However, come hell or high water (lord knows it’s not snow this year!) I will be reading more books in the coming months. Give me about another month, and things should finally be calmed down a wee bit in my life.

And that my fiends, is a beautiful thing!