Posted by Robyn on Feb 9, 2008 in
Technology I tend to mess with my computers quite a lot. I enjoy upgrading and tinkering, and it’s actually quite relaxing for me. As many of you know, I have a Windows Home Server that is awesome. It is no less than revolutionizing the way I store and access data. I am still tweaking it and adding storage, but it’s a fun project. 
However, tonight I learned a few things about myself.
Things I am good at:
1) Creating five units of work by attempting to skip a step that saves one unit of work.
2) Not taking even a moment to complete that skipped step, regardless of how much extra work it created.
3) Stubbornly completing the now overly complex task, even after realizing it won’t come close to solving the original problem.
I had begun to grow frustrated with my otherwise awesome Hiper 580w modular power supply. It did not come with quite enough molex and SATA attachments to connect all my drives and still route the cables in a non-insane fashion. So, I started to wonder if the Antec 500w PSU that came with my server’s case wouldn’t be a better option. After a quick check of the power specs and run-down of the connectors, I decide to swap it in.
Power supplies are big. To make a long story short, I ended up having to remove two hard drive cages and a CPU cooler to accomplish this. And I did so without ever breaking down and unhooking the server so I could put it on the floor. FYI, my server lives in the corner of our office, and I had about two square feet of work space.
My back hurts now. 
And initially, it created a bigger cable mess than I had before, but with the creative placement of a few twist ties, I resolved it, and like heck I’m putting the old power supply back in after all that.
It’s fine. 
Posted by Robyn on Jan 25, 2008 in
General Bear with me on this one. The title will make sense, I promise.
Video games. I love them, but I never have enough time to play them anymore. I got several for Christmas, some of which I haven’t even tried yet. I have played both Rock Band and Mario Galaxy, but I’ve barely scratched the surface of either. However, I am hoping I will have more time for them soon.
Books. I got a few of those for Christmas, too. Haven’t even cracked one. That makes me sad because I am a book person, and the only books I’m currently reading are the ones for classes I’m either taking or teaching.
Job. Speaking of which, I start teaching for this new online high school next week, and I have been crazy busy finishing up my training and setting up my virtual classrooms. As both a teacher and a computer nerd, this job seems just about perfect so far. I will have kids in the “classroom” starting next week, so wish me luck!
Time. I am learning more and more about time and how little of it there really is. Here it is almost 4:00 AM, and I can barely shut my mind off enough to sleep. My fiance thinks I’m nuts for staying up so late, but I guess I’ve been operating at full speed for so long, I’ve forgotten how to relax and unwind. Grad school is tough, and I have been at it full time for over three years. Two Master’s degrees later, I still need just a few more courses to add an endorsement to my teaching license. After that, I am taking a break. I need one.
Schedule. Full time work, half-time student, and planning a wedding. Crazy as it may be, that sounds refreshing compared to what my schedule has been like since before I can remember. If I can just keep up with my coursework, keep the kids engaged in the classes I’m teaching, and stay on top of this whole wedding business, this could be the least stressful time of my life! (No pressure, huh?)
Attitude. To help in this matter, my fiance has told me I need to insert two words into my attitude — “BITCH” and “NO“. The main reason I always end up busy and stressed out is that I am too nice and take on too many projects for other people. So, my New Year’s Resolution is to stop being a nice person. Well, not really. But you know what I mean. 
Posted by Robyn on Jan 13, 2008 in
General Well, we are almost halfway through the first month of 2008, and I just took a moment to reflect on how this year is shaping up so far.
1) I have a new job that I love — teaching for a new online high school.
2) I am taking two very interesting courses myself that seem like they will be fun.
3) I am finally learning a programming language (python).
4) I just upgraded the RAM and video card in my desktop and got a sweet new case.
5) I finished building my server, and it’s awesome.
6) I am finally getting a MacBook Pro this month after Macworld.
7) We found a location for the wedding that is absolutely perfect.
8) I think I have tracked down my videographer, photographer, caterer, and florist.
9) We are finally settled into our new apartment and loving it.
10) I have the best fiancé in the world, and we are excited about our wedding this summer!
So far, that’s an awful lot to be thankful for. Thank you, 2008!
<– me
Posted by Robyn on Jan 1, 2008 in
Technology Hey, everyone! Happy New Year!
I am posting this from a shiny new MacBook Pro.
I wish it were mine, but no, I’m just in the Apple Store. Justin and I are killing time playing with the cool toys before our movie starts. I’m being a good girl and waiting for Macworld. But that is getting harder and harder as the days go by…
Posted by Robyn on Dec 27, 2007 in
General I have the coolest parents ever. I am 29 years old, and they still gave me Rock Band for Christmas. It is so much fun!
Now, first of all, I would like to dispel the myth that everyone who plays games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band thinks they are “real” musicians. Just like most people who play Dance Dance Revolution don’t think they are “real” dancers, either. When I play Halo, I do not actually believe I am a real Spartan shooting real aliens. In other words, most people are not… you know… insane.
The idea is completely preposterous, and if you think you are an awesome guitar player because you beat Guitar Hero 3 on “freakin’ impossible” or whatever, then I have a news flash for you.
A somewhat guitar-shaped plastic controller is not real a guitar. You are ruining this for the rest of us. Just stop.
That said, Rock Band is an awesome game, and this is a really cool gaming genre. I recently got pwn’d at Guitar Hero 3 by a bunch of teenagers at the cast party for the play I directed this fall, so I started out in Guitar Solo Tour mode. I beat Easy pretty readily, and I am about halfway through Medium.
Here presents a problem, though. I now want to try Guitar Hero again, but the really cool guitar controller that Rock Band comes with, the Fender Stratocaster, isn’t compatible with any version of Guitar Hero! This is in spite of the fact that Guitar Hero controllers are compatible with Rock Band. It makes no sense.
So, my only choice is to purchase Guitar Hero 3 with the wireless guitar controller. But I am not allowing myself to do that until I beat Rock Band Guitar Solo Tour mode on Hard, which will probably never happen.
Posted by Robyn on Dec 22, 2007 in
General I have never lived in the Midwest. However, my dad grew up in Illinois, so I was raised to enjoy a fair number of Midwestern traditions. One of these is apple pie with cheddar cheese. My grandfather taught me a wonderful saying when I was a very tiny girl.
“Apple pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.”
I love apple pie with cheese. I was raised to love it. But since I have never actually lived in a place where people commonly enjoy apple pie with cheese, I routinely get strange looks when I cut a nice, thick slab of cheddar to go with my apple pie.
Now, I ask you, what is so strange about this? People drink milk with pie. People enjoy ice cream with pie. People scoop large dollops of whipped cream onto their pie. Plenty of other dairy products are perfectly acceptable to enjoy with pie.
Just not cheese. Except for those of us who know better.
So, I challenge you all this holiday season. Try this once. Cut a piece of quality cheddar cheese (not nasty cheese), and try this with your apple pie. You probably won’t be instantly converted to an apple-pie-with-cheese-die-hard like me, but you might be surprised at how well the flavors complement one another.
Yum.
Posted by Robyn on Jan 1, 2005 in
General Welcome to my blog! I figured it was about time I made one, so here it is. Enjoy.