Saturday, December 26, 2009

Where did the time go?

It seems like it was only yesterday that I along with the vast majority of the Information Systems world were working long hours feverishly testing and retesting the program changes to accommodate the year 2000. For those who were oblivious to the problem, let me explain. I started my IS career in 1964 as a entry level programmer. Back then computer hardware was expensive and painfully limited in size and processing power. Programming techniques were honed to save space both in the processing memory and the storage available. The date fields were 6 positions packed. In the comparison depending on the requirements the year was compared and the next year was always a higher number. Even in the late 1960's it was known that when the year 2000 rolled around there would be issues. Many times we joked that we would retire in 1999. Besides, the year 2000, it was so far away.


That is the reason that 10 years ago I was working long hours. We had to complete all processing for the year 1999 and then set up the files for year 2000. We were in good shape, we had been reprogramming for the better part of 1999. I had taken all our files to a hot site in Philadelphia and loaded our system and files on their computer and completed a mandatory recovery to satisfy the auditors. Once that was accomplished I changed the date on the computer and processed as of 12/31/99 and continued processing for selected dates in January including the month end close for January 2000. Still harbingers fore casted that power grids would fail, along with other dire predictions. We geared up, the fuel tank for out emergency generator was topped off, backup mechanical systems were tested. We were ready.


The New years eve celebration for the new millennium promised to be a blockbuster around the world. The IS group were working. We monitored the New year arriving around the world. The power still worked in Australia. Our data centers in Europe continued to work as planned. The Canadian Maritime were OK, Our New Year came and we continued our testing. Every thing was going well. Needless to say we worked well into the early morning. We went for a few hours sleep and were back as folks drifted in from the various departments to do their testing. Over the next few months we encountered an occasional bump that was easily fixed.


So the biggest New Years celebration was observed by my wife home alone and I spent it with my colleagues in our Information Systems group. There are times that I wish I could have been home at midnight with my wife, Marie. At times I am somewhat bitter about missing that time with her.


This has been a decade of great change in my life. Seven grandchildren were born in this decade. My company went through change and I was retired a week after I turned 62 in 2003. My son went over my finances and it was determined that I need not work again unless I wanted too. Two weeks after retiring my wife discover a lump in her left breast. So began 10 months of surgery, chemo, and radiation. We had a little more that two good years before the cancer came back with a vengeance. we did use that time to good advantage traveling to the Rockies and national parks out west. We found out just before Christmas 2006. We kept the news to ourselves until after Christmas but the children knew something was wrong. Once again Chemo and after the first rotation cancer was worse. Eventually 6 different types of chemo were tried. Nothing slowed the advance and the chemo physically damaged her heart but not her determination. Her fight ended in August 2007.


We had been snow birds together for two years and I went to Florida alone later that year. My son urged me to place my profile on Yahoo which I did with little enthusiasm. I had a few first lunches and then quit the process. I did drive back to Rhode Island for Christmas to be with my children as best I could.


In January, I decided to send an "icebreaker" to a lady who was in the same city that I was staying in. The one thing I disliked was eating alone. I did not like it when I was required to travel on business. I was hoping to find someone who was a conversationalist to have lunch or dinner with. So I met Carol who made it quite clear that she wanted a friend for walking on the beach, an occasional lunch and nothing more. Well we became great friends exploring the Florida Panhandle. She had been in Florida over 35 years and yet, I took her to places she had never visited. I invited her to come to Rhode Island for a 4Th of July party. Apparently that made her nervous and she decided to end our dating. Our separation was short lived and she soon decided to come to Rhode Island for a week, then it was 3 weeks, then she decided to retire and come with me for the summer. We were married this past Valentine's day and we bought a home here on the Panhandle.


So in retrospect it was a decade of great change, great sorrow, and a new beginning with great happiness. Today at lunch we talked about our parents and how long they lived (my mom is 94 and going strong) and we each hope that we have at least two decades ahead of us together. I do know that time seems to be flying.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Ramblings from Panama City Beach

The weather has turned "chilly" by local standards. The sun is out but the temps only managed to climb into the high 50's today. I'm still in short sleeves and shorts. I will admit that the wind can bite the skin.

Carol and I are back riding our bikes. Riding into the wind today provided a good workout.

Gizmo - ahh Gizmo. A few weeks ago we came back home and found dark Hershey Kisses paper on the floor. Apparently Gizmo got up on the dining room table and ate some. We called the Vet and have been watching him closely. We figured we were out of danger when we discovered his morning deposit was bloody. We immediately called our Vet and we took him in this past Tuesday. Gizmo had colitis. We got him back today. He is on a strict diet and we need to watch him. It may not have been the chocolate. I may have caused the problem when I gave each dog a piece of cured ham. There will be no more table scraps. Even the doggy bone treats have to be a certain type. At least both dogs like the special dog food that that Gizmo must eat.

When we leave the house we must first Gizmo proof it. Bedroom doors are closed. Dining room chairs tilted towards the table. The breakfast bar stools are pushed in as far as possible. The butter dish, and any current fresh baked cookies are placed on top of the refrigerator. Laptops are folded shut. There are times when I think he is a mountain goat rather than a small Yorkie.

We renewed our yearly pass to the Florida State Parks. A bargain in my opinion. We regularly visit about five parks on the Panhandle and plan on seeing more this winter. We must go into St. Andrews State Park at least ten times a month.

We are starting to see more cars from Quebec, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. I even saw one from Maine today. We stopped at the Condos and visited with Jay and Dixie from Michigan who came down for December 1st.

The waitress at the Pickle Patch referred to me as a "local yokel". Carol assures me my Northern accent is intact y'all.

I need some gift cards and I will be done Christmas shopping. The Christmas cards are mailed!

Tonight is the HOA monthly meeting. This will be our second. I'm sure Palm Cove will continue on in spite of the group that is in charge. They are nice folks trying to do good. . . but you can't please everyone. It seems most people who are there have an agenda of their own. I have no agenda. I like my street, my neighbors and when I go to bed it is quiet here. My lawn is nicely groomed and the trash is picked up twice a week. Soon my house will be power washed. They are one street away this week.

As the crow flies, I am less than a half mile from the water. Yesterday we could hear the surf from our driveway. We went to watch the power of mother nature. With the dark stormy sky and the pounding water, just awesome.

The time is flying, I can't fathom that we have been here two and a half months already.

My son and his girls will be at Disney a week from tomorrow. I am planning a quick trip to see them for an afternoon. Carol will spend the time with her daughter.

I love all the palm trees that are decorated for Christmas and NO I will not miss snow.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Tilting at Windmills - Cable Company Woes

I have had a devil of a time this year with Cable providers. It began in early spring when I called Cox Communications in Rhode Island to reactivate my connection there. Cox is finally facing competition from another provider and has created bundled packages at a reduced price with a long term commitment. I did not want a long term commitment as I did not plan on staying in Rhode Island that long. I had to say I would cancel the entire package before I got my way. The phone rep had a hard time understanding why I would not buy in. You see, I would save $9.00 a month but the penalty was over $150.00 for an early out. I had been experiencing problems with the digital cable. I would get "tiling" gaps in the audio and occasionally the picture would disappear. I had many techs come to the house. At one point they rewired the house and then charged me for that service. I refused to pay because the problem was still there. I did cancel my land line as a form of protest. I was not going to change my Internet connection with only a couple of months left before I left for my winter home. A few days before I left, I saw the Cox truck up the street. I walked over and asked if he was fixing the aforementioned problems. He asked me how I knew. I told him that myself and my next door neighbor had the same problem. He then called his supervisor. I don't know if they fixed it.

Once in my new home in Florida, I arranged for Knology to connect me with digital cable and inter net. I opted for no land line as I found out how peaceful it can be without a land line. My choice was simple, I live in a private residential community with all utilities underground and Knology is the only choice save Direct TV a company that I have no use for. I have a DVR in both locations. Almost immediately I started having problems. There would be a loud noise and the screen would fill with snow and loud static. A few seconds later the picture and audio would return. Then we would experience the picture just freezing. I placed a call and the cable guy came out. The first thing he did was criticize the installer. He made several adjustments outside and pronounced the cable as it should be. I asked what caused my woes and he said it was normal and attributed the interruptions to either the U S Air Force flying overhead, or the position of the satellite. I was skeptical. Later that night the little interruptions returned and over the next several days it got so bad that it was unwatchable. I called, the phone person told me that the DVR box was bad and it should be changed. I was scheduled for 8 AM the next morning. Shortly after 8 AM the doorbell rang. I opened the door and the same cable guy tersely said, "it's fixed, its a problem in the center". I said the phone person wants the box changed. Nope it's fixed. I said I wanted a new box or I would cancel Knology. He said, "fine go get Comcast". Hmmm, we both know I can't do that. Once again the trouble started that day. I was able to tolerate it until it got so bad that I was almost ready to get a dish as several of my neighbors had done. I placed a service call and they said I would see the repairman later that day. The doorbell rang and it was a different man (horay). He asked what was going on and I related the history from day one. He said this is a new box never been in service before here. First he checked the signal and told me that was not the problem. He went to the truck came back with a black box and connected to the DVR. Hmmm, its a bad box. This cable guy changed the DVR box and it has been over a week now with no troubles. Imagine the aggravation on my part and the added cost to Knology that could have been averted if the first cable guy did his job right instead of blaming the Air Force jets. etc.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Cape San Blas Lighthouse

Driving East from St. Marks Lighthouse, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse is the fourth one along the Florida Panhandle. The lights at Cape San Blas have not survived without difficulty. The first two lights built were destroyed by storms. The third lighthouse was damaged by military forces during the war between the states but survived only to be toppled by beach erosion in 1882. Below is a picture of the shore area near the existing lighthouse.





In 1883 the light was replaced by a 98 foot skeletal lighthouse comprised of eight cast iron legs that support the watch room and lantern at the top of the tower. The tower initially stood 1500 feet from the shore and in 1894 a powerful storm left it damaged and standing in water. In 1918 it was moved a quarter of a mile inland to its current location. The light was lit in 1919. Today the light stands no more than 200 feet from the waters edge. The current keepers quarters were completed in 1905. One of the buildings was restored in 1999 by the Air Force for their use. The second visible above was restored in 2005 and is now used as a gift shop. The selection is minimal but it is worth a visit.
This is a beautiful location and although there is precious little beach left, it is worth the time to walk along the waters edge. The fallen tress and large pieces of driftwood demonstate the power of the sea.