Diary of a Network Geek

Just in time for the holiday!

So, we’re about to start Memorial Day Weekend, which for most of us means picnics and barbeques and parties.  And, at least where I’m from , that means drinks!  But, the thing is, I know a lot of people who don’t drink alcohol any more for any number of reasons.  For one, let’s face it, we’re getting old and fat and all those fine alcoholic beverages are just loaded with calories.  (And, after one too many, we all tend to make asses of our selves in a manner unbecoming our age!)  So, what’s a fun-loving party person to do?  Well, make one of these 15 Delicious Non-Alcoholic Spritzers, Sodas or Mocktails, brought to you via the Kitchn.

Sure, we may not enjoy that obnoxious guest at whatever party we attend, but, if we drink these fine, non-alcoholic drinks, at least we are less likely to BE that obnoxious guest!
Have fun this weekend and be safe!

It should be no surprise to the few, brave souls who still come and read this blog that I’m just a little obsessed with photography.

As I’m sure people have guessed, I’m not from here.  Here, of course, being Houston, Texas.  I moved here back in ’98 and, well, just stayed.  In fact, I like to say that I’m nothing but a damn Yankee carpet-bagger who’s only here for your money and your women!  But, all that aside, I’ve learned to love this town and all its quirks.  I’ve even learned a little bit of the history here, though, I have to admit, I’m surprised at how much Houston history is still around.  In Chicago, where my family is from, we have a long-standing tradition of preserving our historic buildings and there are quite a few.  But, I was quite surprised to find that Houston has a lot of historic buildings still standing, too!
So, you can imagine that when a friend sent me a link to a site that combined photography and Houston history, I was pretty impressed.  And, that’s what the HoustoricProject is all about; photography and Houston’s architectural history.  The idea is simple, they take old photos and photograph them out in the world, in front of the historic building that is in the original photo.  It does an amazing job of placing the old photo in both time and space, relating it to how things are now.  It’s quite an interesting project, in a number of ways.
For me, I just love the photography and the history combined in a creative way.

But, hey, don’t take my word for it, go check it out yourself!  Seriously!  I mean, it is Friday after all, and you deserve a creative break, don’t you?  Of course, you do!  So, hit the link and be inspired.

I mean, on a piece by piece basis.

Have you ever wondered just how much you’re worth?  And, I don’t mean that old thing about how much the various chemicals that make up a human body are worth, but how much are we worth, as assembled?  You know, on the basis of our individual parts.  I’ve often joked about paying off debt by selling a kidney, but, sometimes, I honestly wonder just how much I would get if I could actually do that.
Well, now there’s a handy reference chart to tell you just how much your body parts are worth.  No joke.
The chart is priced in UK Pounds Sterling, so you’ll need to convert it, but, still, it’s pretty fascinating.

Incidentally, this is theory only, since you can’t actually, legally,  sell body parts, as far as I know.  And, I would assume there are variations in price based on the quality of the part.  Also, since I’m a cancer survivor, I actually can’t even give away my parts.  No one would want them any more.  How sad for me!  There goes my “get out of debt” plan!

Anyway, it’s a fun, if somewhat ghoulish, way to spend a little slack time on a Friday, so enjoy!

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I love dragons.

And, clearly, I’m a “gadget guy”.  I mean, who in IT isn’t obsessed with gadgets, at least to some degree, right?  And, you may not realize it, but, well, I sometimes like to play with fire.  Nothing too huge, but, well, boys will be boys, I guess, right?  And, what boy hasn’t played with a campfire before, eh?
So, taking all that into consideration, you can imagine how cool I thought it was when I saw that someone had built a radio-controlled, fire-breathing dragon.
Yeah, you read that right.  Most of the linked article is in Italian, but the photos are still pretty clear and, honestly, the videos of this thing in flight and breathing fire are what everyone is going to want to see anyway.

So, yeah, it’s Friday, and you clearly have nothing better to do or you wouldn’t be reading my blog anyway, so you might as well go take a look at that link!
Enjoy!