This has been a long hard day. Unfortunately, it needs to continue well into the night. Maybe on Sunday he can rest.
How to be alone
This is a beautiful poem by filmmaker, Andrea Dorfman (FB), and poet/singer/songwriter, Tanya Davis (FB). I encourage you to watch the entire video. Consider watching it alone.
WordPress 3.4 limited to 90 menu items
I’m working on a WordPress site. The site is to have roughly 106 pages all accessible via the WordPress menu system so that the enduser can add and remove pages from the menu as they like. Unfortunately, WordPress currently only allows 90 nodes (ie. 90 menu items) per menu. I have not figured out if this is a memory limitation, a hard coded limitation, or a setting yet. This must be overcome!
Reference:
Possible solutions:
- Use add descendants as submenu items plugin
- Check error logs and make sure max post vars was not exceeded. If so, increase in either .htaccess or php.ini
- See if suhosin.post.max_vars and suhosin.request.max_vars are used with Dreamhost
Changing the behavior of WordPress’ Publish button
A long unrealized goal of mine has been to change the behavior of WordPress’ publish button when adding a new post. Today, I’ll spend a little time examining the underlying code.
obert- and pixolin in Freenode’s #wordpress gave me good pointers to the WordPress forum and the WordPress hook directory.
I narrowed it down to two functions: wp_insert_post() and wp_publish_post(). Turns out that the correct function is wp_insert_post(). The only thing that wp_publish_post() does is to transition the status. Looks like I should be able to alter wp_insert_post() in my functions.php file and achieve my goal.
Got it!
Relevant references:
Interviewing
In 1998, I began working for myself. Thirteen years later, on Oct 4, 2011, I left the basement, put on clothes (had to buy a wardrobe actually), and rejoined corporate America to work 8-5 in Cubeville (think Dilbert) with the understanding I could maintain a little freelance on the side to support my existing clients. Although I am a full-time, benefited employee, I am technically classified as an LDA (Long Duration Appointment) which basically means I am on a three year contract which renews annually. Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing for my position to reclassify it from LDA to a regular employee. The catch? Outside candidates have applied so if today’s interview goes poorly, or the other candidates’ interviews go exceptionally well, I may find myself out of work and trying to re-establish my consulting career. Am I nervous? Oh yes, totally wigged out.
Stranded
Before I was of age to drive, I worked at a bus company "cleaning" the buses. I really learned to drive the buses (everything from 21 seater buses to full size city buses) including sliding them around in the snow for fun. I also drove the cars of the employees of the bus company and the surrounding businesses as they would pay us to wash their vehicles.
In high school, I learned to drive in a station wagon then had the pleasure of rebuilding a Triumph Spitfire.
In college I walked and used the bus for 3 years then bought a Dodge D50 pickup which was estimated to have a year’s life left in it. I made it last 5 years.
My first brand new vehicle was a 1995 (purchase date Nov 1994) Jeep Wrangler. It ran until a few weeks ago when the head gasket developed a horrid leak and it now sits in the driveway awaiting evaluation and repair. The engine may be beyond repair.
My wife’s first brand new vehicle was a 1995 Dodge Neon. It ran until a couple of weeks ago when it finally just died on the Interstate and was towed to the house. It is either a) a timing belt problem which is internal to the engine and makes the car scrap metal, b) a head gasket repair similar to the Jeep, or c) (hopefully!) a bad water pump.
We’ve been through other cars including an Aerostar, a red Ford thing that I cannot recall the name of, a motorcycle, and of course our current primary mode of transportation, a Dodge Grand Caravan.
Today, the Caravan decided it no longer wanted to shift gears. The diagnosis? A transmission rebuild and the family eats ramen noodles for the rest of the month.
A family of 7, with 6 people still at the house, 5 of driving age, 3 with licenses and a 4th taking his driving test today, goes from 3 cars to zero in a matter of weeks. Knoxville really needs better public transportation! And I need a full-time mechanic at the house!
Reintegrating with society
I’ve been 7 nights in the Utah canyons (8 days) with 2 days in a hotel on either end for a total of 10 days away from the usual rigaramor (hmmm. can’t find a proper spelling nor definition). I swore to return with a clean mouth and even temper. I did return super chill but am finding my reintegration into society trying to drag me back into the pre-canyon temperament as strongly as the Sirens tempted ships to the rocks. I will not succumb!
Deep Thoughts
Finding peace is difficult when those around you cannot find it for themselves.
Today I saw two homeless people in a light drizzle that barely qualified for rain. She sat on a curb. He walked toward her. She looked up and smiled with a glowing happiness. They are in love. Those two with nothing but each other have so much to teach those of us who hustle and bustle and struggle to make ends meet within our materialistic world in misery. Time is so precious. How dare we waste one moment in anger, lament, worry or misery. Happiness comes from within.
200+ page bill, 15 minutes to review, finally a politician speaks for his people
This is what happens when you give someone a 200+ page legal document and 15 minutes to make a yes or no decision on that document. More of our representatives need to stand up like this. It would have been nice if the vacuous husks around him, aside for the one lady, had shown any sign that his message was being heard.
Packing Weight
Instead of waiting until the morning of our departure, I’m starting to pack early this time. Granted, I probably should have been packed by now. So, how much does my gear weigh? Let’s list it as we go:
- A 20 year old Osprey pack: 7 pounds
- Moonstone sleeping bag: 2 pounds
- Clothing: 5 pounds
- …more to come
That time of my life…again
To accomplish the mass number of things that must be achieved before I can go camping for 10 days with my son, I must start brewing coffee at both 8am and 8pm. Deadlines must be met! No slippage allowed.
Oh my!
There is indeed more than one way to skin a cat!
Happy Memorial Day
In case you are unclear, Memorial Day is the holiday we remember the fallen soldiers. Veterans Day is when we honor the living soldiers. Memorial Day has its origins from the Civil War in a practice called Decoration Day when people would place flowers on graves of the soldiers. May 30th was Memorial Day. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to increase the number of three day weekends for federal employees. Memorial Day officially moved to the last Monday of May in 1971.
Please be safe this weekend. The weather is beautiful! Relax some and be sure to take a moment to remember those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Yesterday / Today
Yesterday, I worked hard and found a good stopping point on my project. My reward was getting to take Cathy, Amy, and Evan to a friend’s house for a Memorial Day weekend cookout. What fun!
Today I have to continue working on my project, I have volunteer work for the Boy Scouts that must be done, I need to begin packing for the backpacking trip to Utah, I need to order our final gear, I want to work on Amy’s clubhouse, I have to clean the garage, and we will have more Memorial Day family activities.
Such a beautiful day!
Tis a beautiful Sunday
On a three day weekend
The sun shines brightly
And I think of working on Amy’s clubhouse
I imagine playing with my children
Riding bikes and swimming
Frisbee golf and adventures
Explorations and local attractions
I think of cleaning the garage
And improving the house
All while typing away at my computer
So that perhaps the next beautiful Sunday
I can make these things a reality.
