Category: Daily Life

To learn how to cook oatmeal on the stovetop without it boiling over.

I swear if I ever run a company again, everyone will have their own enclosed office space.

I use a standing desk but I have never completely lifted my keyboard to the ideal height. I think I’m beginning to pay the price. After extensive typing, my right elbow (my mousing hand) is so sore that I am not sure I’ll be able to type today. ugh.

How do you begin using the metric system? You just start using it! I use Waze as my navigation aid. Been using it since the very early days. Cathy and I were the original #wazedate people. Today, as I drove to work, Waze announced a turn in "1.6 miles" and I commented to myself that I didn’t realize that section of road was that long. Then it occurred to me that if Waze was going to speak distances and I was going to learn them that I might as well do it in metric…and now Waze speaks to me in kilometers and meters.

I use a tool called Redmine to help manage my projects. https://redmine.dougmccaughan.com/ My first task today is to upgrade it to the latest version.

Update: And here is an example of the day to day frustrations that drive a computer programming into the fields of construction and bartending…something that should take moments potential becomes hours as it evolves from a simply upgrade to a research project.

[psxxxxx]$ bundle install –without development test
Fetching gem metadata from https://rubygems.org/………
Resolving dependencies…
Installing rake (10.4.2)
Installing i18n (0.6.11)
Installing multi_json (1.11.1)
Installing activesupport (3.2.21)
Installing builder (3.0.4)
Installing activemodel (3.2.21)
Using erubis (2.7.0)
Using journey (1.0.4)
Using rack (1.4.5)
Using rack-cache (1.2)
Installing rack-test (0.6.3)
Installing hike (1.2.3)
Installing tilt (1.4.1)
Installing sprockets (2.2.3)
Installing actionpack (3.2.21)
Installing mime-types (1.25.1)
Installing polyglot (0.3.5)
Installing treetop (1.4.15)
Installing mail (2.5.4)
Installing actionmailer (3.2.21)
Installing arel (3.0.3)
Installing tzinfo (0.3.44)
Installing activerecord (3.2.21)
Installing activeresource (3.2.21)
Using bundler (1.2.4)
Installing coderay (1.1.0)
Using fastercsv (1.5.5)
Installing rack-ssl (1.3.4)
Installing json (1.8.3) with native extensions
Installing rdoc (3.12.2)
Installing thor (0.19.1)
Installing railties (3.2.21)
Installing jquery-rails (3.1.2)
Using mysql (2.8.1)
Using net-ldap (0.3.1)
Installing pg (0.17.1) with native extensions
Gem::Installer::ExtensionBuildError: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

/usr/bin/ruby1.8 extconf.rb
checking for pg_config… no
No pg_config… trying anyway. If building fails, please try again with
–with-pg-config=/path/to/pg_config
checking for libpq-fe.h… no
Can’t find the ‘libpq-fe.h header
*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of
necessary libraries and/or headers. Check the mkmf.log file for more
details. You may need configuration options.

Provided configuration options:
–with-opt-dir
–without-opt-dir
–with-opt-include
–without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
–with-opt-lib
–without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
–with-make-prog
–without-make-prog
–srcdir=.
–curdir
–ruby=/usr/bin/ruby1.8
–with-pg
–without-pg
–with-pg-config
–without-pg-config
–with-pg_config
–without-pg_config
–with-pg-dir
–without-pg-dir
–with-pg-include
–without-pg-include=${pg-dir}/include
–with-pg-lib
–without-pg-lib=${pg-dir}/lib

Solution (as I expected): commented out references to postgresql and sqlite in Gemfile

2015 has been an interesting year. As we reach the halfway point, I am not disappointed. However, I am unnecessarily stressed. Stressed to the point of near dysfunction. Starting today, I am focused purely on removing stress from my life. For me, a major part of that is putting finances on auto-pilot. This means that I will be working on my own websites, something I have ignored for 20 years. And I will be seeking more freelance work for evenings and weekends. And so it is written.

Udemy periodically has a $10 sale where most of their classes are simply $10. Their sale is similar to the Steam sales. I purchased one last time this came around. This time I had bookmarked about 6 courses. And waited. Then I fell asleep forgetting to make the purchase. Once course on sale was $10. Today it is $300. Oh well. I suppose I didn’t need that anyway. Next time.

After what feels like running a marathon for 6 months or more and surrounded by storms, I find myself looking out a window, at a clear sky and calm day, and I am at ease. I’ve been working my day job and then coming home in the evenings to deal with family business and client projects. The weekends have mostly been devoted to client projects. The work is still there. I have deliverables I owe to clients and I MUST drum up more work. The pace must not wane. However, I may take a brief pause to collect myself, mentally assess, and enjoy a single day.

That said, the lawn needs cutting, plumbing needs repair, cars need washing, the mosquito magnet needs troubleshooting, personal projects need completely, fun projects need starting, money needs to be saved, earned and spent, and so much more. Being the first Saturday of the month, I think I’ll take a trip to the solid waste facility downtown and get rid of some chemicals. Ah! And I need to buy some chemicals for my lab.

Today I shopped for a cheap, healthy lunch at Earth Fare and because I was starving ended up buying $10 of "WTF was I thinking!"

How shall Monday begin? Late on two client projects, late on one skills assessment, did not accomplishment a single planned personal task over the weekend, and the kitchen sink is clogged. And my calf locked up. Nothing makes a Monday like trying to get he kids ready for school while removing pipes and snaking the plumbing.

It’s a joke. It’s all a joke.

I’m so jazzed! I won a Narrative Clip 2! (a life journaling camera) Many thanks to @getnarrative @narrativeclip

Announced on Narrative’s blog.

I have decided to become a bit more thrifty. Once upon a time some blue moon ago I couponed. Not like Coupon Katie or the serious couponers but enough to make a difference. I am redoubling my efforts! Yesterday I used 2, count em, 2 coupons! Yeah me.