tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-253917782024-02-22T01:52:27.136-06:00Toxic Shock SyndromeI speak for myself and those who like what I saygroovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-79701524051454726742014-07-07T12:46:00.000-05:002014-07-07T12:46:01.164-05:00Achieving Another Degree of Financial Freedom (again)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkZ-qu4CpvutSOOU1SYqzzfZuXl6PbhyphenhyphenDT2cmqHklf3uw9uLmJlurrm4rUQbKltDXT4fc2x-PrazGp4X8cq0p4fDybwzC9SlExplYbB7eqP5s8ZhMNGExf0tyNFD5MeHqQGs0/s1600/Debt+Free+Logo+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkZ-qu4CpvutSOOU1SYqzzfZuXl6PbhyphenhyphenDT2cmqHklf3uw9uLmJlurrm4rUQbKltDXT4fc2x-PrazGp4X8cq0p4fDybwzC9SlExplYbB7eqP5s8ZhMNGExf0tyNFD5MeHqQGs0/s1600/Debt+Free+Logo+small.jpg" height="75" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back in late 2010 <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2010/12/debt-free.html" target="_blank">we paid off all our consumer debt</a>. We bought our last new car along the way but we basically stayed debt free through 2012. Then we <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2013/01/on-move.html" target="_blank">moved to Austin, Texas in early 2013</a>. That move cost us some money and put us back into debt. I'm happy to say that we've done it again and paid off all our consumer debt for the second (and hopefully last!) time. The last two new cars we've purchased both were paid off early; each with two years to spare.<br />
<br />
There are two reasons the move put us back into debt. The first was exhausting our emergency fund in 2011 when I was laid off for a number of months. I wasn't able to build it back up before we moved. The second reason is that we short sold our house in Virginia, and that came at a cost - a substantial out-of-pocket cost. That forced us to rely on credit cards to finance the move.<br />
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The only debt we have left is a sizable student loan. We haven't even begun to figure out how to pay that off. For right now we are making the monthly payments. We have more pressing shorter term financial goals to achieve before we can make a dent in the student loan. Those shorter term goals are rebuilding the emergency fund, saving for a house down payment, and for a family Disney and Legoland trip.<br />
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We're celebrating our debt free(dom) by taking a family vacation. We booked a beach weekend in August.groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-64363813116653012542013-08-29T23:11:00.001-05:002013-08-29T23:11:20.408-05:00Sell Phones<i>In my ongoing series <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/search/label/ratm">Rage Against the Machine</a>, I explore my love/hate relationship with technology. In this post I discuss how we made our own "BOGO free" mobile phones deal.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I was way overdue for a new mobile phone. My Google <a href="http://www.android.com/devices/detail/nexus-s" target="_blank">Nexus S</a> Android smartphone was over two and half years old, it had outlived it's update lifespan and was definitely acting its age. I was waiting until my wife's phone plan expired in mid August of this year because we had never been on a plan together, I wanted to save some money being on a shared plain and be on the same phone hardware cycle as her. My wife had a iPhone 4, which is two generations older than the current iPhone. It was time we both upgraded.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiervCFbh405apIUz_rMiSyh-hVUCRQ9vpSVIZ-P6APWnQzKJsdASgJVwJnXPuU5PeCPbTXDSgTgJX24Pn795jmXzeVaOe_0MzRVYc5MJpEwRYC4kOMTGSr4QLgTinIcU-w_4Vd/s1600/Galaxy-S4-black-and-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiervCFbh405apIUz_rMiSyh-hVUCRQ9vpSVIZ-P6APWnQzKJsdASgJVwJnXPuU5PeCPbTXDSgTgJX24Pn795jmXzeVaOe_0MzRVYc5MJpEwRYC4kOMTGSr4QLgTinIcU-w_4Vd/s320/Galaxy-S4-black-and-white.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">black and white Samsung Galaxy S4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My dream phone was the current Google Nexus phone, the <a href="http://www.google.com/nexus/4/" target="_blank">Nexus 4</a>. It is sold on the Google Play store unlocked. Unlocked phones are pricey because they aren't tied to any carrier who can subsidize the cost of the phone when you subscribe to one of their plans. I love the Nexus phones because they come with the latest version of the <a href="http://www.android.com/" target="_blank">Android OS</a>, are the first phones to get Android updates and because it's sold unlocked directly by Google there is no carrier branding or preloaded apps. But my wife talked me into getting the <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/index.html" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy S4</a> on T-Mobile from Costco. They sells phones and plans on all the major carriers and were selling the S4 for $100 with a two year contract. The S4 comes with the newest version of Android available to locked phones, 4.2.2, which is only one version older than the newest available, 4.3. We chose T-Mobile because they were the only carrier with unlimited talk, text, and data. Overall we got a good deal. We bought his and hers phones-a black one for me and a white one for her.<br />
<br />
Then we had to figure out what to do with our old phones. We could recycle them, let them become toys for our boys or sell them. I figured if they were worth anything we should get some money for them. I was surprised at the value of our old, outdated phones. We sold the iPhone for $75 on <a href="http://www.gazelle.com/">Gazelle.com</a> and sold the Nexus 4 on <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/www.USell.com">USell.com</a> for $42. Both websites turned out to be legit and no hassle. You tell them what phone you have and rate the condition, then they give you the estimate. If you accept they send you a free shipping kit. After they receive the phone they review its condition. If they accept they send you the payment. Between the two sell transactions we recouped the cost of one S4. Essentially we made our own "buy one get one free" deal. It worked out pretty well.groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-4225281045367877302013-08-27T22:06:00.000-05:002013-08-27T22:06:07.368-05:00I could ride 500 milesAnd I have! Last week I passed the half millennium mark commuting on my bike. I started my bike commuting on January 20, 2013. Here are my aggregated stats as of August 27, 2013:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="159"></col><col width="120"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Total Distance</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">546.84</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Total Time</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">07:06:30</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Moving Time</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">04:19:21</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Number of Tracks</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">111</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Average Speed</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">9.92</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Average Moving Speed</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">10.45</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Elevation Gain</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">39,661</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Min Elevation</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">682</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: middle;">Max Elevation</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle;">1,014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I never forgot to record my rides, but a few times I had technical difficulties so the totals are give or take 10 miles.groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-69736823606912530852013-03-11T23:59:00.000-05:002013-03-12T00:09:59.140-05:00Far Out Dude - Lego VW T1 Camper Van<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQBGKVvNnUE/UT3h7QtZw-I/AAAAAAAABi4/2luEb2qrJ-w/s1600/IMG_20130310_224854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQBGKVvNnUE/UT3h7QtZw-I/AAAAAAAABi4/2luEb2qrJ-w/s320/IMG_20130310_224854.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">passenger side front corner view with pop-up roof</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We're blasting back to 1962 and cruising in psychedelic style with my latest LEGO build - a Volkswagen T1 Camper Van. This authentic model is a replica of the classic 1962 VW camper van. Every iconic feature is here! On the outside, the terrific detailing includes 'V' shape three-way color split at the front, rounded roof and window frames, opening 'splittie' safari windshield, opening doors, iconic pop-up roof with textile curtain surround, roof rack, rear side air intake vents and lots more! The detailing is equally impressive on the inside, from the authentic VW air-cooled flat four cylinder boxer engine, front cabin bench seat, gear stick, angled dashboard and iconic spherical speedometer, to custom LEGO® features like folding rear bench seat, folding dinette table, closet with mirror and even a painting!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RTGOAWgmUw/UT3iUmJ_HtI/AAAAAAAABjE/wtFV0cYFIjg/s1600/IMG_20130310_224649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RTGOAWgmUw/UT3iUmJ_HtI/AAAAAAAABjE/wtFV0cYFIjg/s320/IMG_20130310_224649.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">front view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Features 11 windows, authentic plaid-print textile curtains and wing mirror!</li>
<li>Rear door opens to reveal detailed engine!</li>
<li>Interior also features rear bench seat that transforms into a bed, ‘Make LEGO Models, Not War’ T-shirt and rear shelf with plant!</li>
<li>Measures 11.8 inches (30cm) long and 5.5 inches (14cm) high!</li>
</ul>
Fletch helped me build this set. Sorting the 1332 piece set took 2.5 hrs and the build took 7.5 hrs for an overall 10 hrs. Growing up my family had multiple Volkswagens, including two vans (which we affectionately called a "bus") - a 1973 blue and 1975 tan models. So this set was extra special to me. I put it on the shelf alongside<a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2010/02/lego-vw-beetle-part-1-of-2.html" target="_blank"> my other Lego VW set</a> - a <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2010/02/lego-vw-beetle-part-2-of-2.html" target="_blank">1960 Beetle</a>. See all the pics of the camper van build <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/116358893474547697697/albums/5851315913853138113?authkey=CNThscrlj-XP3AE" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CoLX26w8oeo/UT3ibuoPgFI/AAAAAAAABjU/RlBUjDotWXY/s1600/IMG_20130310_230229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CoLX26w8oeo/UT3ibuoPgFI/AAAAAAAABjU/RlBUjDotWXY/s320/IMG_20130310_230229.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAXiFI3U8Sk/UT6q1dt52VI/AAAAAAAABnk/HFnGjJNFmqE/s1600/IMG_20130311_182012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rAXiFI3U8Sk/UT6q1dt52VI/AAAAAAAABnk/HFnGjJNFmqE/s320/IMG_20130311_182012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">drivers side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSFdjH-OixY/UT3itk7ZFfI/AAAAAAAABkA/mmRZZ8KufMg/s1600/IMG_20130310_225134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xSFdjH-OixY/UT3itk7ZFfI/AAAAAAAABkA/mmRZZ8KufMg/s320/IMG_20130310_225134.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">engine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPLpX_tptXg/UT3hp-5RoAI/AAAAAAAABio/UoR-IRsgoF8/s1600/IMG_20130310_224521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPLpX_tptXg/UT3hp-5RoAI/AAAAAAAABio/UoR-IRsgoF8/s320/IMG_20130310_224521.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">interior with pop-up camper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-76913014409946638502013-02-26T09:58:00.000-06:002013-02-26T09:58:54.019-06:00Adventures in Bike CommutingWild animals seen or crossed my path (sorry no pics):<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>deer</li>
<li>rabbit</li>
<li>fox</li>
<li>wild turkey (really, no joke!) </li>
</ol>
Mishaps:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Blown tire</li>
<li>Tail light fell off in the middle of an intersection and was run over by multiple cars</li>
</ol>
Weather/Environmental factors:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Ride in darkness in the morning. Part of my trip is on undeveloped and unlit residential streets.</li>
<li>Rain</li>
<li>Strong wind</li>
<li>30 to 40 degree temperature differences between my morning and afternoon commutes.</li>
</ol>
All this only after five weeks of bike commuting.<br />
<br />
<br />groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-92164890622739057772013-02-12T09:45:00.001-06:002013-02-12T09:46:46.761-06:00Bike CommutingSince moving to Texas, I've been commuting by bike to work. Partly out of necessity, partly due to the need for exercise. We still only have one car and Austin lacks the robust public transportation that the DC metro area has. Instead of buying a car, I sought alternative ways to get to work. I work for the <a href="http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/" target="_blank">Texas Commission on Environmental Quality</a>, aka TCEQ, which is about 12 miles from my house. I found a van pool that picks up at the <a href="http://www.capmetro.org/" target="_blank">CapMetro</a> Lakeline station about five miles from my house. No buses run in my neighborhood, so I had to find a way to get to the station. Waking up the family every morning at the crack of dawn to get to me to the station by 7am then pick me up in the afternoon was out of the question. I certainly wasn't going to call a taxi everyday, so my only other option was to ride my bike.<br />
<br />
I rode the route a couple of times the weekend before I was to start working. The route is mostly flat and part of the route has a bike lane. My biking Dad's group friends back in DC will be happy to know that I ride my bike as a single speed, not having to change gears on my route. The van pool picks up at 7am, so I leave the house at 6:15am. It takes about 30 minutes. After a week I found a short cut through an elementary school that cut a half mile off the route. Then a couple of days ago I found a residential road closed to traffic because it's still under construction that takes me off the busy, traffic filled main road. Now the route is entirely through residential neighborhoods. The closed road is paved but unlit, and even with a great bike headlight, it's scary riding down a dark, deserted road at 6:30 in the morning. Check out my route in the map below.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=201396294978563759093.0004d5868481a8f5e2e81&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=30.49158,-97.766819&spn=0.051772,0.072956&z=13&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=201396294978563759093.0004d5868481a8f5e2e81&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=30.49158,-97.766819&spn=0.051772,0.072956&z=13&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">2/12/2013 6:12am</a> in a larger map</small>
<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1986979703"></span><span id="goog_1986979704"></span><br />
<br />
The move cost us a bundle, so I haven't bought a commuter bike yet. I'm riding my mountain bike for the time being. I pack my work clothes, lunch and anything else I need in a backpack. Fortunately TCEQ has a gym with a locker room and showers, which comes in very handy for a bike commuter. I bought a quality headlight and taillight so cars will see me and I can see where I'm going in the wee hours of the morning. As we get settled in Austin and I free up some fundage, I'll buy a commuter bike, trunk bag, panniers, more bike clothes and rain gear. I've already rode in light rain twice.<br />
<br />
Austin is a bike friendly town. I see quite a few people bike commuting. I'm happy to be part of that community. Riding 10 miles a day five days a week is hard but fun. It only takes an hour round trip, and even with a 40 minute round trip van ride, my commute in Austin is still shorter than my DC commute. And I get a workout in to boot.<br />
<br />
<br />groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-89097727196116723692013-01-02T15:03:00.000-06:002013-01-02T15:11:44.506-06:00On the Move<i>Cross-posted on the <a href="http://www.shockfamilycircus.com/2013/01/on-move.html" target="_blank">Shock Family Circus Blog</a>.</i><br />
<br />
We <a href="http://goo.gl/zrZZf" target="_blank">announced our move to Austin</a> early last month. With that came a job search for me and house hunting for the family. I'm happy to announce that we've found both - a new job and a new house. I started my job search at the beginning of December. After three weeks I had four job interviews and received two offers. I actually cancelled one of the interviews as my schedule wouldn't allow for it and I had already received the offers. I'll be working for the <a href="http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/" target="_blank">Texas Commission on Environmental Quality</a> as a web developer. It's the same job I've been doing for the past 13 years, just with a new employer in a different part of the country.<br />
<br />
We are renting a four bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, two car garage, 2400+ sq ft <a href="http://goo.gl/OniGD" target="_blank">single family home</a> on a corner lot on a <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/T67bX" target="_blank">cul-de-sac</a> in the Round Rock suburb of North Austin. It's an awesome house. It's over a thousand square feet bigger than our condo in Virginia. We need the room as the family had outgrown the condo. The house has a fenced in backyard so the boys have a safe place to run around. There's also an outdoor fireplace and built in grill, so the adults can enjoy the backyard and we can entertain outside all year long. The garage is detached, which totally fascinates me but I don't know why. It'll be nice not having neighbors who share "common area". I'm planning on commuting by bike because public transportation in Austin isn't as robust as it is in DC, I need the exercise, and I want to maintain our single car family status.<br />
<br />
In other good news, The Mortgage Debt Relief Act was extended through 2013 as part of the Fiscal Cliff legislation. That means we won't be taxed on the forgiven debt of our short sale. We were hoping to close by the end of 2012 so as to avoid the taxation, since we didn't know if the MDRA was going to get extended. We haven't closed yet due to circumstances out of our control, but with the extension, the pressure is off.<br />
<br />
I was hoping to ride all this good fortune into a fantasy football championship, but that didn't happen. I have the highest winning percentage in my league over the last 5 seasons, I've been in the playoffs six straight years but have a 1-11 post season record. In the 12 years I've been playing in the league that I'm commissioner of, my best finish has been third place. :(groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-39996349424303883982012-08-08T11:35:00.000-05:002012-08-08T11:35:36.165-05:00I Still Social Network ManuallyMy religious background is well known to most of you. <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2009/04/losing-my-religion.html" target="_blank">I posted the story on my blog back in 2009</a>. But if you don't know it, here is the abbreviated version: I was born Jewish, then my parents converted to Mormonism when I was two years old, which is the only religion I knew growing up. I stuck with it until I was not allowed to go on my mission at age 19. I didn't attend any church for a while after that, until I felt compelled to join a Pentecostal church. I felt extremely out of place, but ended up meeting my first wife. We moved to Virginia in 2000, and didn't attend any church after relocating. Then I got divorced in 2005 and remarried to my current wife in 2007. When she got pregnant with our first child in 2009, we decided to go back to church to raise our kids in religion. She was raised Catholic but had a 'been there, done that' mentality about Catholicism so we decide to attend an Episcopal church, <a href="http://www.good-shepherd.net/" target="_blank">The Church of the Good Shepherd</a> in Burke, VA. I didn't really care, as I was disillusioned with religion anyway. We've been attending ever since. At the same time I started my study of <a href="http://www.dudeism.com/" target="_blank">Dudeism </a>and I became an <a href="http://goo.gl/euOHk" target="_blank">ordained Dudeist priest</a>.<br />
<br />
I remember my days of going to Mormon services and trying to figure out why people diligently went to church. There were a handful of people who believed in the Mormon dogma and was the reason they attended, but I felt most were there to socialize with like-minded people. There was an air of artificial credence. The kids were there mostly there because their parents made them go, but the social aspect also compelled them to return a couple times a week as many had church friends. I grew to despise the social aspect of church attendance. I felt people should go because they believe in the doctrine and not to hang out with their friends. I felt it was disrespectful to the institution and the leaders, like those socializing were wasting the true believers time and using up the church's resources. I felt it gave the church a bad name.<br />
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It took me a long time to get over my negative feelings about the social aspect of religion. The turning point was when I realized why I eagerly go to church now-I want to see my friends! I've made some great friends through the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/cogsyfm/" target="_blank">Young Family Ministries</a> group (YFM) at Good Shepherd. If the social aspect of church is what gets a dude like me to go to church, not to mention the primary reason why many go to church, then I say more power to it. It's better for me and my family to embrace the social aspect then to demonize it.<br />
<br />
The Dude Abides.<br />
<br />
Reverend Shockgroovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-74505740955141248072012-07-24T10:48:00.000-05:002012-07-31T14:06:40.383-05:00S**t is getting healthy up in here, a.k.a. Shock v13<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_En4Jo6gUs0/UAvnBYvqKnI/AAAAAAAABLk/AN4YIlYTuMg/s1600/IMG_20120721_162216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_En4Jo6gUs0/UAvnBYvqKnI/AAAAAAAABLk/AN4YIlYTuMg/s400/IMG_20120721_162216.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hers and his sick [running] kicks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>***UPDATE 7/29/12:</b> I'm officially calling this upgrade a hardware upgrade since I'm working on my exterior a.k.a my body, as well as my interior, e.g. my mind. Previous upgrades have been software updates, completely ignoring my hardware. <b>***</b><br />
<br />
Turkey burger on a wheat bun. Light butter popcorn. Meditation classes. Couch to 5K (C25K) exercise program. Why am I listing these things? Because up until recently, the author of this blog would never think about partaking of or participating in such things. I scoffed at "healthy lifestyle" changes. But I've turned over a new leaf. Shock version 13 (v13) is born! Some people know I jokingly refer to significant changes, or as I like to call them "upgrades", in my life as new "versions". I don't remember when I started keeping track, but it was 13 iterations ago. What was the catalyst to the v13 upgrade? I weighed myself and didn't like the number. It's as simple as that. I had been planning to take meditation and yoga classes to help me chill out and relax. My wife found a free meditation class at a local yoga studio that happened to coincide with the exercising and diet changes. The best part about my exercising is that Jennifer is doing it with me. It was actually her idea, and I unexpectedly jumped on board. To celebrate our completion of the eight week C25K program, we're planning on running in a local 5K. Jennifer has also embraced the dietary changes. On her last grocery trip, she bought wheat bread and buns. Her text to me was "bought wheat bread. s**t is getting healthy up in here". :)groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-40375985051574952552012-07-17T14:13:00.000-05:002012-07-17T14:13:50.411-05:00Happy Raging Against the MachineIn my ongoing series <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/search/label/ratm" style="font-style: italic;">Rage Against the Machine</a>, I explore my love/hate relationship with technology. This installment is in the love category. My wife's Macbook laptop recently died. I've seen how this scenario plays out-and the outcome is usually bad. She took it to the local Mac store for a quick and dirty (and also free) diagnosis. The genius said it needed a new hard drive. We had some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> credit and ordered a new HDD for the laptop. Low and behold replacing the hard drive fixed the computer! My wife was back in business. She didn't lose much since our important files are stored on an external hard drive. The OS and applications needed to be re-installed, but that was it. Happy ending.<br />
<br />
I'm a Google junkie. I use almost all their cloud apps and I even have some of their <a href="http://www.google.com/nexus" target="_blank">Nexus</a> hardware - a Nexus S smartphone. When they released details about their new 7" tablet - the <a href="http://www.google.com/nexus/#/7" target="_blank">Nexus 7</a> - I pre-ordered immediately. I actually ordered two. I can't have any gadget without my wife also wanting one. :) Two Nexus 7 tablets cost less than one iPad, so it was a no brainer. It's better than the Kindle Fire in my opinion - Nexus 7 has Bluetooth, Kindle Fire doesn't. It's supposed to ship in mid-July, which is now, but no word yet. The anticipation is killing me.<br />
<br />
<br />groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-72356369742390015662012-05-11T17:29:00.000-05:002012-05-12T12:27:01.892-05:00In the Buffer Zone<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last month we reached a goal that at times and to many seemed unreachable - we stopped living paycheck to paycheck. We obtained our buffer. Our awesome budgeting software "You Need a Budget" commonly referred to as "<a href="http://www.ynab.com/" target="_blank">YNAB</a>" defines buffer as "Your YNAB Buffer is the equivalent of one month’s income which, once saved, will allow you to use paychecks received during the current month for the following month, removing you from the “Paycheck to Paycheck” cycle." It's part four of YNAB's four rule methodology. Rule four "Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck" is "A money management methodology that removes you from the paycheck to paycheck cycle and allows you to live on last month’s income. Income earned in the current month is not budgeted or spent until the following month." To learn more about YNAB's methodology, check out the <a href="http://www.youneedabudget.com/method" target="_blank">method</a> page. Rule Four will explain how to use YNAB to stop living paycheck to paycheck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Obtaining our buffer wasn't easy. </span>It only took 26 months! It took that long because of various reasons- I didn't understand how to use the software properly until I started taking the classes (YNAB has killer <a href="http://www.youneedabudget.com/support" target="_blank">support</a>). That put me on the right track after a few months. But my balances were off, until the error checking feature was introduced and that fixed my balances. Then I was unemployed for 5 months and spent all my emergency fund savings to pay my bills and feed my family. Finally, with a tax refund and three instead of two paychecks in March (thank you bi-weekly pay periods), I was able to finally get a buffer.<br />
<br />
Two months in and it ain't all flowers and kittens. We've overspent our budget the past couple of months. But we're still living on last months income. The best part is we never look at our bank account balance anymore. We use our budget to determine if we can buy something. However we are constantly moving money around categories to balance the budget, something YNAB users affectionately call "whack a mole".<br />
<br />
Few people like living on a budget. It's a struggle, but once you get in the "buffer zone" it's liberating. The monkey is off my back.groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-51490730455851880592012-04-12T12:05:00.000-05:002012-04-12T12:06:14.904-05:00Four years of car free livingLast Thursday, April 5 marked the fourth anniversary of being a one car family, give or take a <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2011/04/car-free-no-longer.html" target="_blank">couple</a> of <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2011/05/car-free-once-again.html" target="_blank">months</a>. ;) I look forward to marking the anniversary every year. This is one anniversary that is truly earned and I am proud of. Living in the DC metro region makes it easy, with it's ample <a href="http://www.wmata.com/" target="_blank">public transportation</a>. But it's not without its challenges. Having <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-of-dragon.html" target="_blank">gone back to school</a> to earn my certificate in Certified Financial Planning, my class meets on Wednesday evenings from 7pm until 10pm. The campus is right off one of the subway stops on my commute, which is convenient, but the class ending so late at night means I miss the last bus that I take from my subway stop to my neighborhood. On non school days, my wife picks me up from the subway. But my son is in bed by the time I get out of class. So I drive to my subway stop on Wednesday mornings to ensure I have a ride home. That leaves my family with no car. My wife has made the best of it, deeming it "pajama Wednesdays". She and my son make it a lazy day. Other than that, we are never really in need of two cars. We've made the best of the situation for four years. Here is to four more. :)groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-3272340788471821252012-01-26T09:54:00.000-06:002012-04-12T11:50:37.434-05:00The Year of the DragonEnduring a lengthy unemployment stint and the subsequent job search last year got me thinking long term about my career. I had become burned out working in information technology as a web developer but make a good living doing it. You hear lots of people saying they don't like their jobs for one reason or another. But you also hear about dream jobs and "doing what you love". Jennifer got a degree in a field that she loves - art education. It doesn't mean she's automatically going to find a job , but it got me thinking "what do I love and can I make a career out of it?" Back when I first started college I thought I wanted a job in broadcasting, but found out it's only fun as a hobby, not as a career. I jumped on the IT bandwagon and never looked back-until now. The reality is most hobbies don't translate well into careers. Having a family, being the sole income earner for the next few years, having a mortgage and facing the reality of paying Jennifer's student loan debt for at least the next decade presents a massive roadblock to a career change. But that doesn't mean I can't prepare for it. I read the free daily news publication <a href="http://www.expressnightout.com/" target="_blank">Express</a> on the subway on my commute. Most of the ads are for higher education institutions touting their graduate degree and certification programs. The majority are MBA or international relations programs that don't interest me. But one caught my eye - the University of Virginia's <a href="http://www.scps.virginia.edu/programs/program-detail/certificate-in-certified-financial-planning" target="_blank">Certificate in Certified Financial Planning</a>. It's a classroom instruction program taught during the week in the evening at their satellite campus in Falls Church, VA which is just a few subway stops away from my house. Personal finance is one of my two main hobbies (the other being poker) and the only one of the two that I could legitimately turn into a career. One of my close friends did it. The program is a pay-as-you-go program and reasonably affordable so I can pay for it out of my pocket and not have to get financial aid. The program consists of <a href="http://www.scps.virginia.edu/programs/courses-certified-financial-planning" target="_blank">seven</a> classes that can be completed in 18 months. I applied to the program and registered for my first course, the intro fundamentals class. I had my first class last night.<br />
<br />
To become a <a href="http://www.cfp.net/" target="_blank">CFP</a> one must:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Complete the education requirement - complete a CFP Board registered education program and have a bachelors degree from an accredited university. The UVA CFP program is registered with CFP Board. I have a bachelors degree from Georgia State.</li>
<li>Pass the CFP Certification Exam - that's what I'm taking the courses for!</li>
<li>Meet the experience requirement - At least three years of qualifying full-time work experience are required for certification. Qualifying experience includes work that can be categorized into one of the six primary elements of the personal financial planning process. I don't have any work experience in any of the six primary elements, but I hope to start gaining that experience later this year.</li>
<li>Pass a background check - It shouldn't be a problem for me as I've held multiple government security clearances over my career.</li>
<li>Pay the certification fee - of course!</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<div>
I'm looking forward to my new career in financial planning. However, I'm not letting my IT career fall by the wayside while I'm still in the industry. My company has a great education and training program. Every employee gets $3000 per year towards work related training. I signed up for two ColdFusion courses last year but both were cancelled due to low enrollment. Turns out I was the only one enrolled in both! This year I've signed up for a Java programming class. Hopefully that won't be cancelled. I'm going to be busy learning this year. I haven't been busy learning in a long time. I'm up for the challenge.</div>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-61706404322673277932011-10-16T20:44:00.000-05:002011-10-16T20:49:00.138-05:00Don't Call It a ComebackAs I've detailed in previous posts, I was having a very challenging 2011. I say "was" because the second half of the year is turning out to be great. Three things have shaped the rebound.<br />
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The first thing is I won a charity poker tournament. The charity proceeds went to a relative of a poker league player that needed a kidney transplant. The top four players, me included, "chopped" the pot. "Chopping" is a poker term for splitting the pot. I made over three times my money. There were 40 players in the tournament. I then went on to win in my league nine days later. I also won a league game a month earlier. I hope my hot streak continues as I'm playing in two more charity tournaments in October and November.<br />
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The second thing is that I got a new job. I know what your thinking, "didn't you just get a new job in June after being <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2011/07/adventures-in-unemployment.html">unemployed</a> for a few months?" Yes. Back in June, I got a job with a defense contractor working on a contract with the Postal Service (USPS). If you watch the news, you know that the USPS is having major financial trouble. Their fiscal year ends September 30th and the contract was up for renewal. I was doubtful since every financial transaction was being scrutinized. The wife and I were concerned if I would be out of a job just a few months after being unemployed for 4+ months earlier in the year. I had other concerns as well. I was using outdated software and there wasn't much work to do. This job was not good for my career. At most it was a stop gap. At the same time, a company I interviewed with back in March contacted me about the same position. I never heard back from them after the March interview. It seems that they were having a hard time finding a senior ColdFusion developer. They went back to review all the resumes they had obtained and contacted me in September to see if I was still interested. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. The position offered me an opportunity to get into object-oriented programming using current technology and software that was new to me. It would be a positive challenge that would be good for my career. I was offered the position and happily accepted. And it turned out to be in the same general area of DC as the USPS job, so my commute would be the same. It was lucrative as well.<br />
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The third thing is the most exciting-Jennifer is <a href="http://www.shockfamilycircus.com/2011/09/coming-attraction-at-shock-circus.html">pregnant</a>! Shock Jr. number two is on the way. She is due May 18. We go from double coverage to man-to-man. Keep up with the family and the coming attraction at the <a href="http://www.shockfamilycircus.com/">Shock Family Circus blog</a>.groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-69451184953774372542011-09-29T13:28:00.000-05:002011-09-29T13:32:13.585-05:00Shock Family Circus: Coming Attraction at the Shock Circus<a href="http://www.shockfamilycircus.com/2011/09/coming-attraction-at-shock-circus.html?spref=bl">Shock Family Circus: Coming Attraction at the Shock Circus</a>: Oops! We did it again :) Another Shock baby is on the way! Our bundle-to-be will be arriving some time around May 18th, 2012. Fletch is ver...groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-5752210156583454512011-09-13T15:00:00.000-05:002011-09-13T15:00:32.964-05:00Chris Neild has memorable debut, big beard just had to share this. It involves my favorite football team and one of my favorite hobbies. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/chris-neild-has-memorable-debut-big-beard/2011/09/12/gIQAFRM1MK_blog.html">Chris Neild has memorable debut, big beard - DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post</a>. My favorite quote "It’s like <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bam_Bam_Bigelow" rel="wikipedia" title="Bam Bam Bigelow">Bam Bam Bigelow</a>, that’s the look he goes for”. Here's an earlier article about Neild <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/redskins-draft-pick-chris-neild-shaves-amazing-beard/2011/05/09/AFTJrJXG_blog.html">shaving off the beard</a>.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=59624519-00e8-4f7d-947d-79429ce90968" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-56581901970275690472011-09-02T09:45:00.000-05:002011-09-02T09:45:47.029-05:00Shout OutAs I mentioned in a previous <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2008/11/monochrome.html">post</a>, I am a <a href="http://flic.kr/p/48gUFz">member</a> of the athletic aesthetics <a href="http://www.uni-watch.com/">cult</a>. Although I've been a long time reader of the <a href="http://www.uni-watch.com/">Uni Watch</a> blog, I've never contributed until <a href="http://goo.gl/Rog8I">now</a>. That's right, I got a shot out in the UW ticker. I sent in three Redskins items to Uni Watch founder and writer, meat aficionado, and Mets fan <a href="http://search.espn.go.com/paul-lukas/">Paul Lukas</a>. He posted what I thought was the dullest of the three items I sent in. I guess the other two will get posted in future tickers or they will be part of the upcoming annual <a href="http://www.espn.com/">ESPN</a> <a href="http://www.nfl.com/">NFL</a> uniform article, which is also written by Lukas, or maybe they will be ignored. Regardless, I'm happy.<br />
<br />
I noticed after re-reading my <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2008/11/monochrome.html"><i>Monochrome</i></a> post from November 2008 that I foretold of things to come for the Redskins, at least in the uniform department- <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">Or bring back the yellow gold pants, like they wore in the '70s." The Redskins did that very thing last <a href="http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7604/2010washington.png">season</a>. Thanks to the <a href="http://www.gridironuniforms.com/">Gridiron Uniform Database</a> blog (another of my favorites) for the image. Hopefully they'll be wearing them again this season. </span></span>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-62802061825549119912011-08-26T09:20:00.000-05:002011-08-26T09:20:11.940-05:00A Very "Moving" PostCheck out the latest <a href="http://goo.gl/4eLAU">post</a> on the Shock Family Circus blog!groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-2882304586056127782011-08-15T10:35:00.003-05:002012-07-17T13:41:42.864-05:00Rage Against the Green Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ssNc_1hDO8iQjS5sQq18dNp1-166wxdTzPEoXYT4txPVdBIUy6DLcV6uyPFdRUNcZlsVkzuTCwlj-F7GGRrzfnC8r8v3zUbQGHp8yinNi_G-wKiFL2BAxPdRIqNI2bgPUIj3/s1600/ratm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ssNc_1hDO8iQjS5sQq18dNp1-166wxdTzPEoXYT4txPVdBIUy6DLcV6uyPFdRUNcZlsVkzuTCwlj-F7GGRrzfnC8r8v3zUbQGHp8yinNi_G-wKiFL2BAxPdRIqNI2bgPUIj3/s200/ratm.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
In my ongoing series <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/search/label/ratm" style="font-style: italic;">Rage Against the Machine</a>, I explore my love/hate relationship with technology. Earlier this year I detailed our string of technology <a href="http://goo.gl/6rqYL">mishaps</a>. Two of those dead devices are headed for the recycle bin-the <a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2008/07/rage-against-machine-pt-1.html">HTPC</a> and my XP laptop. Since going to computer heaven, their carcasses have been taking up much needed space in the closet. I didn't want to just throw them away. That's not the proper method of disposal. Having finally stripped them of their vital parts-hard drive, optical drive, RAM, peripheral cards-I took them to <a href="http://goo.gl/ROVX7">Best Buy</a> to have them recycled. Good riddance to the HTPC, it was more trouble than it was worth. Hopefully it's second life will serve a greater purpose. My "bachelor laptop", so named since it was the computer I bought for myself after I lost custody of my previous computer in my divorce to my first wife, will be missed. It was the first laptop I ever owned. Maybe both machines will be recycled into playground equipment or for use in prosthetic limbs.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=c4a5c1ab-65fd-424a-a0dd-fa37d8e5ac41" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-33525706521770749072011-08-03T18:18:00.001-05:002011-08-05T09:09:01.853-05:00The Dudeist Bible: Just Take It Easy, ManThis is about as religious as it gets for me: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathleen-falsani/the-dudeist-bible-just-ta_b_903996.html">Cathleen Falsani: The Dudeist Bible: Just Take It Easy, Man</a>. <br />
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If you didn't know, I'm an ordained Dudeist priest. I'm available for weddings and other official ceremonies.</div>
groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-41316499939156181432011-07-16T23:38:00.004-05:002011-07-18T10:40:51.088-05:00In The Right Place At The Right Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZqCsCVklOSBM9wu1YwGmUIns096GSlxWt5_boyKhHUPqswFIjh37TaLexdwzwuF30bX7M-ZtDjbKPXzn5_2N956qllOEux67AxcvOUWEf8-JS4rVTCYXqBkiBaO5u0vjW_uP/s1600/IMG_20110630_065138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZqCsCVklOSBM9wu1YwGmUIns096GSlxWt5_boyKhHUPqswFIjh37TaLexdwzwuF30bX7M-ZtDjbKPXzn5_2N956qllOEux67AxcvOUWEf8-JS4rVTCYXqBkiBaO5u0vjW_uP/s320/IMG_20110630_065138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I've recently been fortunate to take pictures of things that made me chuckle. The first thing is a car with a unique moniker- "Chode". It's actually a <a href="http://www.ford.com/">Ford</a> <a href="http://www.ford.com/cars/focus/">Focus</a>. It was parked in a residential neighborhood that I walk through on my way to the bus in the mornings. I'd like to ask the owner why they put that on their car. If the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://urbandictionary.com/" rel="homepage" title="Urban Dictionary">Urban Dictionary</a> definition of <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chode">chode</a> is any indication of what the owner thinks of his or her car, they should get a different one. Maybe it's an inside joke?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOTqvFhZt_lyya0Dz6HsCj3i5u562sE_E6Lvf6SBmkxZLJ8rmENRuVCHxZ4sNM88ObPdzGC2gX1DrXFl6ilV8rg2RY0u1G5U5ry8QsXFCOtx8P50Of7xJ8ZfK1qqleULjvPjP/s1600/IMG_20110709_183833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOTqvFhZt_lyya0Dz6HsCj3i5u562sE_E6Lvf6SBmkxZLJ8rmENRuVCHxZ4sNM88ObPdzGC2gX1DrXFl6ilV8rg2RY0u1G5U5ry8QsXFCOtx8P50Of7xJ8ZfK1qqleULjvPjP/s320/IMG_20110709_183833.jpg" width="320" /></a>The second thing is the name of this children's novelty train ride. It's called the "Du-Du Express". That's what they came up with? Seriously? It's hilarious but I'd like to find out the origin of the name. The Du-Du Train's <a href="http://www.dudutrain.com/">website</a> doesn't have any explanation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8aPTlYS9se3-MTjODXkW7nS3vgG_qYBU2tU8V-iWpQYnZ3YssZ1-hyywyxMwaJqq8bPYrX1P4V_AXnSRL1FKtLQwc_1HKSElG6oUBelgeKglP8p977M9jRwwRvx4U0J-Y0eU/s1600/IMG_20110716_170226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8aPTlYS9se3-MTjODXkW7nS3vgG_qYBU2tU8V-iWpQYnZ3YssZ1-hyywyxMwaJqq8bPYrX1P4V_AXnSRL1FKtLQwc_1HKSElG6oUBelgeKglP8p977M9jRwwRvx4U0J-Y0eU/s320/IMG_20110716_170226.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Lastly, I ran across this very unique mailbox today while out canvassing for a friend who is running for office. That's a manatee and her pup. It's made of concrete and stands about five feet tall. The neighborhood is not close to any large body of water but it's a bizarre mailbox to have regardless. I didn't get a chance to ask the owner about it.<br />
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groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-90561872356563022332011-07-05T11:11:00.000-05:002011-10-16T19:55:36.003-05:00Adventures in Unemployment<b>PROLOGUE</b><br />
2011 has been a challenging year for me. Challenging = being laid off from my job and all the things that come with it. My job search has also been tough. Before I get into the details let me give you the disclaimer- "Names have been changed to protect me from being accused of defamatory statements, to protect the innocent where applicable and to spice up this post with some humor". January 10 of this year was my eleventh anniversary of being in the IT industry. Two days later, I was laid off from my job at CrapCo after four and a half years. I knew it was bound to happen eventually because there were a lot of signs- two acquisitions, offshoring, new technology, lots of big changes, and budget cuts- but instead it happened suddenly without warning. I was planning on leaving CrapCo this year anyway after two acquisitions, low team moral and reaching my burnout point. I wanted to go out on my own timetable and on my own terms, but it was not meant to be. The new year was a great line of demarcation. I could start my exit strategy. I had discussed the idea with my supervisor so he wouldn't be blindsided. He knew I wasn't happy and neither was he. The first step was my resume. I thought one of the best things I could do to improve my chances of getting a job in this economy was to have a rock solid resume, so I had it professionally drafted. Ironically, I finalized my resume the night before I was laid off. Good timing!<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 1</b><br />
The lay off went like this - around 1:30pm on January 12, the new CTO sent me an instant message asking if I would call into his conference line. I had never talked to the guy, so I didn't know what to expect. When I called in, HR was also on the call. That's not a good sign. He told me my "position had been eliminated". The first and only conversation I had with him and he lays me off. Pretty shitty right? I pinged my supervisor and he told me he was told the night before that there would be lay offs, but he didn't know who. He gave me the rest of the day off. My new full time job became finding a new job. Dejected, I unwillingly entered the world of the unemployed.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 2</b><br />
Due to my paid grade and tenure at CrapCo, I was entitled to 12 weeks of severance pay and three months of subsidized COBRA medical insurance. I thought three months would be more than enough time to find a new job. I started my job search immediately. A fellow laid off co-worker, Turtle, and I registered for a job fair sponsored by the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/" rel="homepage" title="The Washington Post">Washington Post</a>. It was mainly focused on those with a security clearance, which neither of us had had for a long time. The fair was smaller than we imagined, so it was slim pickings. Not a good start to my job search. Ironically, we ran into an ex-coworker of ours at one of the booths. Small world. His company, Cup of Joe, provided 6 weeks of free training in the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/" rel="homepage" title="Java (programming language)">Java programming language</a>, then found you a job. Here's the catch-you had to sign a two year contract! The ex-coworker had left our company on bad terms and he wasn't a very good developer. So we didn't think much of a company that would hire him. Although learning an in demand programming language was appealing, I didn't want a contract job. They are finite and don't come with benefits which doesn't work for someone who has a family to provide for. Turtle and I made small talk with him, put our names on the Cup of Joe contact list to be nice, then quickly moved onto another booth. I talked to all the companies that had web development opportunities. I thought one or two of them had potential. I just had to wait to see if they felt the same way and would contact me for an interview.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 3</b><br />
The first website I posted my resume was the Washington Post Jobs website. A recruiter from a small government contractor, White Rock, saw my resume and contacted me regarding a web developer opportunity in DC. I was brought in for a face-to-face interview. It went well and for all intents and purposes I had the job except for one major detail - White Rock was the subcontractor and the prime contractor had to approve it. Meanwhile, it only took Turtle around two weeks to find a new job. He got a job with a different small government contractor in downtown DC. Turns out that company was the prime contractor to the White Rock position and instead of allowing White Rock to fill the slot with me, the prime went ahead and filled the spot with one of the candidates for Turtle's position. There was nothing White Rock could do. I got screwed by my friend's company! What a small world. I would have been working with Turtle but instead the prime contractor pulled the rug out from under me.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 4</b><br />
After losing out on the White Rock job I posted my resume on Dice.com because things were moving slow including networking with my friends in IT. I should have posted my resume immediately after getting laid off, not a month later. But once it was posted, the calls from recruiters started pouring in. I got a few phone interviews but mostly I sent my resume out to never be contacted again. But I know the game, that's how it works. Meanwhile Cup of Joe sent me an email inviting me to their next orientation. I had a couple of good job opportunities in progress but decided since I didn't have anything definite, there was no harm in going to the orientation. The least I could do was listen to their dog and pony show and get a free lunch. About a dozen people attended the orientation. Ironically I was the only developer in the group. Everybody else had IT related jobs but knew nothing about object-oriented programming. But that wasn't really a deterrent to getting accepted into the training program. I just had an advantage coming from a programming/web development background. Later that afternoon I had a face-to-face interview for a consulting job with one of the Big 3 accounting firm's government services division. I was really excited about this opportunity because the company had exceptional benefits, paid well, had good training and development, and it would be a good move for my career. It also started with a group orientation and included 3 separate one-on-one interviews with people from different components of the business. I felt I did well in those interviews.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 5</b><br />
A few days after the Cup of Joe orientation I was contacted and told I was accepted in the training program. I hadn't heard back yet from Big 3 and didn't want to pass up the training opportunity, so I accepted. I negotiated terms of the contract, increasing my hourly rate and reducing the duration to a year and half. I also figured if it wasn't for me I would keep myself on the job market. During the first week of training I had a phone interview during my lunch break with a telecommunications company that started dabbling in government contracting. I went down to the vacant basement of the building to get some privacy. The job was six month contract-to-hire and paid lower than my salary requirements but the recruiter said the job was in Fairfax just a few minutes from my house so I decided to pursue the opportunity to have a very short commute in exchange for less pay. During the interview I learned the job was not in Fairfax but in Bailey's Crossroads which is not accessible by public transportation. I'd have to buy a car which I didn't want to do. The recruiter called me the next morning and said the TelCo company liked me and wanted me in for a face-to-face interview. I told him I didn't want to pursue the opportunity because it didn't provide me the work/life balance I was seeking. I figured one or both of my other opportunities would pan out.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 6</b><br />
On Wednesday the president of Cup of Joe called me into his office. He told me someone from his staff had overheard me on the phone interview. I don't know how that happened since I was in the empty basement of the building. I guess they had spies or something. I vaguely remember someone getting off the basement elevator during my interview. I guess that was one of the spies. He told me that he didn't want me looking for other jobs while I was in the training. He wants all students/employees to be dedicated to his program. He didn't want people taking the training then not working for them since the training is free and the company invests a lot of time and money into it. There was a financial penalty if a student left the training after the first week. I was still in the first week of training. I was pissed about them eavesdropping on my personal call and being all up in my business, but I didn't say anything about it. I told him I always have a contingency plan. I have a family to provide for and they couldn't guarantee me a job after the training, even though they say they have a 100% placement rate. That's just my typical paranoia. He gave me an ultimatum - stop looking for other jobs and stick with the training or leave the program. He wanted an answer tomorrow. Later that day, Big 3 called and said they lined up a final interview on Monday. That's just what I needed to hear! It made the ultimatum decision easy. The next day I told Cup of Joe that I was leaving the program.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 7</b><br />
On Friday I was back at home having quit the training program. I went out to lunch with the other members of my training class to update them on my situation and say goodbye. They wished me well and asked to keep in touch. Later that afternoon the Big 3 recruiter called to tell me that the final interview was canceled because the job they were going to assign me to didn't have any open spots. If that was the case, then why did they even schedule me for a final interview? The recruiter could have found that out prior to scheduling the final interview. This royally screwed things up. That was it for the opportunity at Big 3, I had quit the Cup of Joe program for the Big 3 job and I discontinued my pursuit of the TelCo opportunity. First thing I did was contact Cup of Joe and asked if I could come back into the program. I assured them I would be focused and dedicated solely on their program, but they declined. They didn't give a reason. I figure they felt scorned. I had hurt their feelings. I had to move onto Plan C. Despite my misgivings I swallowed my pride and called the TelCo recruiter back and told him I would like to be reconsidered for the job. I was desperate. I'd been job hunting for a month and a half and had suffered three major setbacks in my job search so I went back to what I felt was a sure thing. I was only a few days out from the TelCo phone interview, which went well, so the recruiter was happy to put me back in consideration.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 8</b><br />
I had a face-to-face interview with the TelCo company on Friday March 11, almost two months to the day when I was laid off. I asked one of the interviewers who lived in Fairfax how long it took him to get to work. He said about 45 minutes in the morning and around 1.5 hours in the evening. I worked for a large government contractor for 5 plus years to start my career, so I knew the environment well. I knew I wouldn't be working over 40 hours every week, so the commute would be during rush hour. DC metro traffic sucks so I know that most days it would be a terrible commute especially since I would have to drive it. I was right about the opportunity being a sure thing. A couple days after the interview the recruiter called and offered me the position. I accepted-despite my concerns-knowing that it would take three to six weeks to get my security clearance; time in which I could continue looking for a job that would provide me a better work/life balance and meet my salary requirements. I ended up <a href="http://goo.gl/ytGx0">buying a car</a> and mentally preparing to work a government contracting job again meanwhile continuing my job search.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 9</b><br />
It took almost six weeks for my security clearance to be processed. I was scheduled to start the TelCo job on Monday, May 2. During that six week period I had a few more interviews. Most notably was an interview with a large defense contractor (I'll refer to as DefenseCon). The timing came down to the wire as the interview was scheduled on the Friday before the Monday I was start at TelCo. DefenseCon offered me the job later that day. This job paid much better, the job location was accessible by <a href="http://www.wmata.com/">public transportation</a>, it was a three month contract-to-hire, and the benefits were better. So I had to accept it right? It had been almost four months since I was laid off and my severance was about to run out. Unemployment is chump change and we wouldn't be able to live off of it. I had started doing <a href="http://www.sofi.us/page/page/4568391.htm">field inspections</a> part time, but it was time consuming and not very lucrative. I used part of my emergency fund to buy the car, so we only had enough savings to last at most a month and a half. I would have to wait for another security clearance but there was nothing I do about that. That's just the cost of working for a government contractor. I accepted the job. Now I just had to break the bad news to TelCo. I didn't want to have that conversation over the phone so I drafted a simple email.<br />
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<b>CHAPTER 10</b><br />
I sent the email around 3 pm on Friday. I had gotten the job offer only a hour or so earlier and it took some time to figure out what I wanted to say and how to say it. I got a call from the recruiter very shortly after sending it. He was cool about it. He asked what happened and I told him that my original concerns about the job didn't go away just because I wanted to be reconsidered for and ultimately accept the job. But I made the choice that was best for my family. I felt it was better to quit before I started then go in on Monday and quit on my first day. It was just weird timing that the DefenseCon job offer came when it did. A few minutes after talking with the recruiter his boss, the client representative, who I had only spoken to once previously, called me up and chewed me out. He told me how unprofessional I was. He told me he the DC job market is "small" and that he held a lot of weight in the local recruiting community and that I would never find a job in the area again. He asked me what he was supposed to tell the client. I answered "that's not up to me." He told me how much the client spent on the security clearance process. My retort was that I spent the same amount buying a car to commute to that job. I told him I had to do what was best for my family. I think then he hung up on me or we conveniently got disconnected. He called right back but I didn't answer. That was the end of that.<br />
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<b>EPILOGUE</b><br />
Although I had the job I wanted, I still had to wait. It took three weeks to process the DefenseCon security clearance. It was processed on my birthday, which was a great present. However it took another three weeks for the client, Snail Mail, to determine my start date! I didn't start working until June 15. We were on the brink of running out of money. Everyday I waited I got more depressed. I didn't want my family to see me like that, so I did my best to disguise my grief. I cried when I finally got the call from the recruiter telling me my start date. I've had other tough situations in my adult life, like being physically assaulted in a bar in 2001 and getting divorced in 2005, but neither affected my family directly. The missteps I took and mishaps I suffered during my job search can all be chalked up to bad timing.<br />
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I made constructive use of my down time. I digitized our entire CD collection and uploaded it to the cloud. I tried my hand at the <a href="http://www.sofi.us/page/page/4568391.htm">field services industry</a> but found that it wasn't for me. I took an investment class. I planned on reading a few books but that never came to fruition. :(<br />
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After all is said and done, it feels great to be a working class stiff again.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=89149712-b75a-4d07-b400-ce7dd157ec09" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-36173815327425038772011-07-01T10:23:00.002-05:002011-07-18T10:41:03.117-05:00Blog Facelift<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It was time for another blog facelift. I've changed the layout. The new look is simple and easy. The old design was too dark. I hope you like the refresh. Enjoy!</span>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-33165154597117590122011-06-02T15:07:00.004-05:002011-08-15T09:32:21.903-05:00Google Music vs Amazon Cloud Drive [UPDATED]UPDATE 6/6/11 @ 11:30am EDT - Google Music is limited to 20,000 songs.<br />
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I received my <a href="http://music.google.com/">Google Music</a> invitation this morning and immediately signed up. <a class="zem_slink" href="http://google.com/" rel="homepage" title="Google">Google</a> Music is a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing" rel="wikipedia" title="Cloud computing">cloud based</a> music service. Once you upload your music files they are accessible from any internet connected computer. There is also a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_%28operating_system%29" rel="wikipedia" title="Android (operating system)">Android</a> app for smartphones and tablets. <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reader-Wifi-Graphite/dp/B002Y27P3M%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002Y27P3M" rel="amazon" title="Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation">Amazon</a> also has a cloud music service called <a href="http://goo.gl/iW18T">Cloud Player</a>. The files are kept in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/clouddrive">Cloud Drive</a>. It also has an Android app. I signed up for it when it first became available a couple of months ago. Although the overall concept is awesome - the ability to access your music 24/7 from any web-enabled device without having to access a hard drive and making the storage of music on your iPod or smartphone obsolete - the two services are a bit different.<br />
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Amazon Cloud Drive allows for storing all types of files. You get 5GB of free storage, and if you buy an album from the Amazon digital music <a href="http://www.amazonmp3.com/">store</a>, you get an upgrade to 20GB free for one year from date of purchase. You can purchase additional storage at $1 a GB up to 1k. The cloud drive is separate from the cloud player. However, they are linked-your music files stored in your cloud drive are accessible in the cloud player. Amazon wants you to purchase from their digital music store and the incentive is music purchased from it doesn't count against your storage space, which is nice. The cloud player allows for all digital music store purchases to automatically be saved to your cloud drive so you can listen immediately after purchase. One disadvantage is that new music not purchased from the mp3 store is not automatically added to the cloud drive. You have to upload it manually. In order to upload music to the cloud, the free "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazonmp3.com/" rel="homepage" title="Amazon MP3">Amazon MP3</a> Uploader" app has to be installed on your computer. The cloud drive and player are free. All you need is an Amazon account.<br />
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Google Music is currently in beta and invite only, but should be available to all Google users in a few months. It's very similar to the Amazon service but with three key differences. First, Google has free but limited storage of music files. The limit is 20,000 songs. Although there is a limit, it is substantial. I doubt there are many people with a digital music collection containing greater than 20k songs. Second, Google doesn't have a digital music store. Third, Google's service is platform independent and allows for automatic upload of music files from <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Player" rel="wikipedia" title="Windows Media Player">Windows Media Player</a> or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/" rel="homepage" title="ITunes">iTunes</a>, so whenever you buy new music, it's automatically added to Google Music. It's part of the Google suite of cloud apps so if you have a Google account, you're good to go.<br />
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<b>The Winner:</b> Google Music by a narrow margin.<br />
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P.S. <a href="http://www.apple.com/">Apple</a> has a cloud based music service coming out on June 6 called <a class="zem_slink" href="http://icloud.com/" rel="homepage" title="Icloud">iCloud</a>.<br />
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_music_vs_amazon_cloud_drive.php">Google Music vs. Amazon Cloud Drive</a> (readwriteweb.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/05/18/deathmatch-google-music-beta-vs-amazon-cloud-player/">[Deathmatch] Google Music Beta Vs. Amazon Cloud Player</a> (androidpolice.com)</li>
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groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25391778.post-10994022157549715042011-05-31T13:03:00.001-05:002011-05-31T13:22:13.006-05:00Car Free Once Again<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Cross posted at the Shock Family Circus <a href="http://www.shockfamilycircus.com/">blog</a>.<br />
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As quickly as it arrived, it was gone. I no longer own my 2000 orange <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MX-5" rel="wikipedia" title="Mazda MX-5">Miata</a> I named "<a href="http://toxic-shock.blogspot.com/2011/04/car-free-no-longer.html">Orangina</a>". The job I bought it to commute for I quit before I even started for a job that is <a href="http://www.wmata.com/">Metro</a> accessible. Despite how much I liked the car, I didn't want to keep it if I'm not going to drive it on a regular basis. We lived with one car for three years before I bought Orangina, so I wouldn't be blazing uncharted territory. But we went a step further. We traded in the Miata and our beloved <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Xterra" rel="wikipedia" title="Nissan Xterra">Xterra</a>, a.k.a. "Ruby" for a "family" car. We bought a <a href="http://goo.gl/Jdoi4">2012 Mazda5</a> wagon. Known to car enthusiasts as the "minivan for those who hate minivans". And we hate minivans. We're back to being a one car family but with a 6 passenger family car. We've already broken in the car Shock family style by hauling our hairy dog in the back on our holiday weekend roadtrip. He definitely left his mark.<br />
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</div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=a3a7eccd-f2c4-494a-bd4c-e1e2a95e2647" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>groovesockethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com0