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I decided today to get back into programming after being burned out from work for so long.  I work at UPS loading boxes every day.  Loading boxes all day is about the most brain-dead a job you can do.  You would think I would come home and want to programming just to use my brain. Yet, I just don’t feel like it.

I haven’t written a line of code since the middle of October.  So, today I made the effort to get back into coding.  I had started several programming projects a while ago and just stopped.  They projects were add-ons for the ExpressionEngine web publishing system that I’m using.

I really haven’t done any coding today.  Today was just prep and setup.  I’m making a FreeBSD 5.3 test server to do the development work on.  Right now I have the OS installed but I’m doing a buildworld on it in order to update everything and patch security holes.  Tomorrow I’ll get apache, mysql, php, etc installed and running.  The next day I’ll finally get ExpressionEngine installed and my special backup/rollback procedure configured and running.

Then after all that I’ll actually get around to start coding!

I’m sure I’ll have enough on my plate for a while but I’m already thinking of some other programming projects I’d love to work on so we’ll just see how much I manage to get done.

We got some more snow dumped on us last night.  Weatherman said 1 to 3 inches… but we must have had 6+!

Well after I finished getting the driveway cleared I made a little snowman for the front stoop.  He’s about 14” tall and hand packed as the snow is too fluffy to roll.  Aren’t snowmen just fun to look at?

The problem is, right now it’s about 34 degrees (f) outside and he’s starting to melt now.  His nose and mouth fell off.  That lump to the left of him was his little dog.  But like Mr Snowman the dog is also melting.  He had leafs for ears and a stick for a tail.

I guess I could have fixed it for the picture but I’m freezing cold from being outside all morning and didn’t want to go back out.  So, I just snapped the picture thru the window from the comfort of my warm house.

It’s only the begining of January and I’m already sick of snow.  We still have a good two months of this stuff.  UGG!

Originally, I didn’t really feel like making resolutions.  For the most part they’re always so cliché and pointless like loose weight or stop smoking.  However, it’s been a few days now and I’m starting to have ideas about what I want to make of this year.  So, I figure why not just make some resolutions and post them.  That way maybe I’ll actually do them.

Without further ado I give you Alan’s New Years Resolutions!

1) Get back into programming.  I’ve just been so burned out with work that I come home and even the thought of coding just makes me feel sick.  I’m going to try to ease back into coding and get working on projects I started and never finished.

2) Once the weather gets nice again in the spring get back to riding my bike 25 miles, 4 times a week.  It’s good cardio exercise!

3) Find a second job.  While working part time at UPS has it’s perks they pay is just not enough to cover my needs so I need to get a second job to help out.  I plan to stay at UPS because of the health, dental, vision coverage.

4) Update and add content to my website.  It’s getting a bit stagnant and there are some ideas I’ve been playing with that I should just go and do.

I guess that’s all I have for now.  Maybe I’ll think of a few more later.

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope your celebrations were all safe and fun filled.  It’s no way to start a new year with tragedy and sorrow.

My night was fun filled.  The girlfriend and I went out to dinner at TGI Fridays.  We got there around 6pm and waited about an hour to get seated.  We started out with some Atkins buffalo wings which were really good.  She had the Atkins New York Strip Steak and I had the classic Baby Back Ribs.  What can I say the Fridays Ribs are great!  We finished off with slice of cheese cake.

We headed back to my place to spend rest of the night.  Of course first stopping at the grocery store to get a bottle of the bubbly!  I bought Korbel Brut.  It’s pretty nice champagne for 12 bucks.

We watched the New Year’s shows and played some board games to pass the time.  It was fun just being able to spend the night together!

Come the countdown I ran to get the champagne from the fridge and we counted down to midnight.  We kissed and wished each other a happy new year then popped the cork.  We just had a small glass each and spent a while talking and watching TV.  I took her home a little after 1am. 

When I got back I figured there was no use in wasting a perfectly good bottle of the bubbly so I finished it up myself and headed off to bed.

Now that’s what I call a good New Years!