Spilling The Beans...

Still Here, Take Two...

2009-05-22T17:49:00.003-04:00

Hello all...

(Sound of Crickets chirping)

I wrote a post a while back explaining that I haven't dropped this blog. Now, by gosh, I have to post another one.

In short, life's been pretty up and down lately, but finally starting to level off to the point that I feel I can begin writing again.

Be looking for more content in the days and weeks ahead, as I...spill the beans!

~David

OSU vs. Michigan - A Cold Saturday Well Spent!

2008-11-23T00:17:00.019-05:00

If you were looking for me Saturday, you would have found me right here at "The Horseshoe" in Columbus Ohio. My wife, Janis, and I attended the Ohio State / Michigan game which is just about the biggest rivalry in college football. Also, it was the last game of the season.

Our seats were up a little higher, but under an overhang which keeps you cooler in the summer, but not warmer in the winter. We froze! (Note the photo of me freezing.) But after an awesome game with an OSU 42 to Michigan 7 score...

...it was DEFINITELY worth "spilling the beans" over!

File Servers for the Small Business...?

2008-11-17T22:54:00.005-05:00

Ever heard of NAS or SAN?

NAS stands for "Network Attached Storage," and SAN stands for "Storage Area Network." The latter is a high-speed fiber-channel network storage solution that, honestly, is a little too much sophistication for this System Admin and his budget.

Although, the NAS, now that seems to be what I've been thinking about the past couple of weeks. Allow me to explain...

As the data on my [weekly newspaper] network seems to grow, despite constant archiving and purging of aging and impertinent info, I've been having problems with my 80 GB file server getting filled up.

Adding more storage directly to my existing server, along with following a stringent backup and recovery scheme, proved to be too costly for the time being. That alone, coupled with the fact that I only have one (count 'em...one) file server on our network, means that I have one single point of failure if it ever decides to bite the dust.

Enter NAS. A NAS server is basically a hard drive that has file-serving and backup software embedded right into it – a stand-alone server if you will.

Long story short, I've decided to add one of these nifty little turn-key storage solutions to my network in order to share the file-serving load at my place of business. Coupled with my existing server, I would have essentially two (count 'em...two) servers in case one would fail. The point here, is that this "server" would be quite a bit less expensive than a full-blown file server, thus allowing me the low point of entry.

It should arrive tomorrow, and I will follow up with my findings shortly thereafter.

Regards!

God, Cancer, and Cell Phones...

2008-11-01T15:46:00.014-04:00

GOD IS AWESOME!

My wife, Janis, had a tumor removed from her thyroid on April 21st. After testing it for cancer, and looking as though it was benign, the other half of her thyroid was left in.

The kicker was, when we went to the doctor for the follow-up, we were informed that the pathology report showed that cancer cells were present in the tumor. We were speechless. The surgeon told us that she needed a second surgery to remove her remaining thyroid and then take radiation treatment to ensure that all cancer cells were killed.

So, all is said and done, and today Janis has a clean bill of health! God provided healing to His beautiful creation and strength to her and her family. "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him — my father’s God, and I will exalt him!" Exodus 15:2 NLT

As a side note, I was amazed at the disrespect of people who blatantly used their cell phones at the hospital in areas where they were prohibited. I even heard a ring tone as I was sitting in the waiting area only to see a patient being wheeled down the hallway in his bed...talking on his cell phone!

So, tell me...Do you have a problem with using cell phones in hospitals in patient rooms and other areas where they don't belong?

Log on and..."spill the beans!"

Still here...

2008-10-20T20:42:00.002-04:00

Hey, guys!

I've had lots of readers asking about my absence (I didn't even think anyone was reading this thing...) so I thought I'd better jump on here and prove I'm still around.

Things got really busy at work, but now are starting to get better. I'll be back soon with some post or another that hopefully will foster some discussion among us!

Cheers!

David

Burning The Candle At Both Ends...

2008-09-28T23:26:00.003-04:00

As the title of this post suggests, I've been burning the candle at both ends lately. I've been working many extra hours at the office to keep up with my current work load. Needless to say, I'm not getting my beauty sleep. (Okay, let's see how many comments I get from that one.)

It reminds me of a commercial I've seen on T.V. lately that says most people get only 6 hours of sleep. What?....What happened to 8 hours? Actually, I've been averaging only 5 hours of sleep.

Anyone out there burning your candle in this way? Let the rest of us know about it and share your thoughts. Log on, comment, and...

spill the beans! =)

What will they think of next?

2008-09-25T22:52:00.007-04:00

Isn't technology awesome? Here is a video that I found regarding the future of newspapers.

It is an interview with the talented folks from The New York Times Research and Development department showcasing a prototype of a new vending machine that will grant you access to the paper on your mobile phone.

The video is low quality, but it gets the point across.

Indeed, what will they think of next?

Any Coffee Lovers Out There? Try Single-Serve!

2008-09-19T22:10:00.018-04:00

Many who know me, know that I love coffee. Although, unlike many in my area (I live in a smaller, rural town), I've become very unsatisfied with the watered-down stuff that is usually served around here. I guess I've turned into kind of a "coffee snob."

When I'm not traveling to my favorite coffee house, Stoked Coffee, in Marietta, Ohio, I prefer to make my own, but that can be tricky also. I've slurped down many pots, trying to develop the perfect recipe.

How have I rectified this problem? Single-serve coffee! I love the brewers that make only one cup of perfectly measured coffee that release heavenly aromas that waft from the machine to my nostrils within the 60 seconds that it takes to brew the cup. There are many varieties.

One such brewer is the Keurig. I have their entry-level model called the Elite B40.

It contains a little water heater that keeps your water hot and ready when you are. The coffee is packaged in it's own little "pod" called a K-Cup. It's a mini-brewer in itself. Pop in the K-Cup and push the button. One minute later, you're enjoying a fresh, aromatic cup of coffee – no more bottom-of-the-pot sludge for me.

Oh, and there are tons of brands and varieties of specialty coffees, teas, and hot chocolate to choose from – even gourmet decaf! You're bound to find a K-Cup with the flavors and strengths that you prefer.

So, if you like coffee and don't seem to get the consistency right, or you just don't want the hassle of making it yourself, try a single-serve brewer such as the Keurig. Maybe you'll love it as much as I do.

Learn more about single-serve coffee (tea and hot chocolate, too!) at singleservecoffee.com!

Update: For those of you interested in espresso, check out singleserveespresso.com. Also, check out the espresso K-Cup varieties here.

Don't Know Beans About Blogging...

2008-09-17T16:27:00.006-04:00

Hello, World!

This is my first attempt at blogging. In the realm of social networking, the world has become REALLY SMALL. We have instant communication with anyone around the world – as Apple, Inc. says about the iPhone – "the internet in your pocket." Some embrace it. There are others, like myself, who just seem to want to stay in the dark – oblivious to the goings-on of the world.

So, what will I blog about? Time will tell. Stay tuned as I...
spill the beans.