Darth Vader... what he might have said.

C8H10N4O2

For those who recognize this set of alphanumeric characters... you will understand why I am celebrating this enigmatic series this morning. I've not had it for three weeks... and as I type... well in between my typing at any rate... (you could assume that immediately following each and every poorly placed ellipsis...)... ... I am enjoying a C₈H₁₀N₄O₂ filled sip of goodness. It is a molecule you see...

C is for the consciousness this simple thing provides...
H is for the happiness it's liquid base engenders...
N is for the nasal joy that just precedes indulgence...
O is for the 'OMG' I've missed my freaking coffee!!

*Normally I am of the opinion that all poetry should rhyme, but... well... I only just started my cup and I didn't want to wait for the creative portion of my brain to fully awake. Maybe the Muse will appreciate it.

11... right across the board

DOS 2008 (warning: moderate techspeak below)

OK well that is misleading... but I am excited about the new Microsoft Powershell.

It is a command line shell much like the old DOS shell which is going to be integrated with Windows 2008 but can be installed on WinXP and later OSes. It is a shell and scripting language designed for admins. As I understand it, server 2008 will actually be able to be installed WITHOUT the GUI and run completely through the powershell interface. Also (again as I understand it) all new Microsoft server products like Exchange 2007 for example will integrate with powershell. It seems to me that Microsoft finally gets that admins can do more and faster with a command line than with a GUI and are moving towards the linux model which can also exist completely without a graphical environment. Of course the GUI will always be there and available; otherwise the name 'Windows' becomes apocryphal. But just imagine being able to telnet into your domain controller and do everything you need to do without a bandwidth crunching, time consuming remote desktop application...

That said, I am even more excited that Layne is sending me to a three day powershell class at New Horizons next month.

Wow it has been an interesting week!

I am winding down here after a busy day of cramming my head with as much information as possible. To catch you up... this job ROCKS!!! I have virtually no spare time and I imagine that will be the case more often than not, but I love being busy with technology and the day just zips by. I am being given the responsibility of Enterprise Admin over the entire Network infrastructure which is currently expanding rather quickly. My immediate project is to collaborate with the network operations manager and two of the tech support guys to establish a detailed plan to migrate our current somewhat sloppy Windows 2000 Active Directory structure into a clear organized and most importantly scaleable Windows 2003 Domain. Enterprise admin for a large network like this is both intimidating and immensely cool. Most of what I am implementing and planning are concepts I know well in theory but have never gotten to experience hands on so I am refamiliarizing myself with the theory so that the reality will fall into place as smoothly as possible.

Sorry if I just bored or confused anyone. On a personal side... I am doing the Atkins diet which is going well. In another week I get to have coffee again, which to be honest is almost going to compensate for the grievous lack of carbohydrates. I actually miss coffee more than I anticipated but the 'diet' stipulates no caffeine during the first few weeks which are called the induction phase. Anyway it is almost over and the diet will become much less irksome.

That is all I have time to say because the 5:00 bell just rang and I am going home!

I am now the ultimate short timer

...for a short time that is. My last day at MPIA is well underway. Basically all I have to do is reimage my computer (uninstall all of my games and other illegal software and remove any evidence of corporate espionage, then reload the standard Windows image we use here). I've already removed most of my personal affects, so I should be leaving with only a small box of other odds and ends. Then I suppose I will clean my desk off and be done. After that I will probably wonder around saying bye to people and whatever else you are supposed to do on your last day. Seven years is to me a long time to work in one place but that is merely because until now I've never worked in one place for seven years.

When I came here in January of 2001 the company had only one server. It was running Novell 3.12 (a dinosaur even back then) and sitting on the counter in the mailroom hallway. Today as I leave, MPIA has a Windows domain with multiple domain controllers, an Exchange 2003 server, Terminal services box, Cisco VPN remote access, a closed circuit TV camera system with 7 cameras (which I installed by myself), better entry security, locked offices with a master admin key for those areas that have sensitive data or equipment, ummm... what else?... Oh they have a decent website. All in all I feel like I am leaving the place much better off than when I came. Of course the hospital is going to take over and probably get rid of all my improvements as the center is integrated into the Saint Luke's corporate infarstructure. Nonetheless is was a great learning experience and I certainly owe my current level of knowledge and experience to MPIA and it is only because of said knowledge and experience that I was sought out and hired by Layne Christensen.

So this is my last post from the Medical Plaza building 3. I may not blog for a while; it just depends on how busy I am learning the new position and I am anticipating it being extremely busy... so until next time.

ADIOS!!!!!!!!

3 days to go

Well here I am on my last humpday at Medical Plaza building 1. Driving in was fun with all the snow and ice. People are, generally speaking, idiots. You should know if your car can handle ice/snow. Now granted my car can make it over about anything but a solid smooth sheet of ice, so if it is a case of hitting that one smooth spot I can forgive a car getting stuck. BUT I am seeing these big rear wheel drive sedans 1/3 or less of the way up a hill as if the driver has EVER gotten their car up an icey hill. I mean are they from Florida and this is their first snow storm? I used to own a big Oldsmobile cutlass and I knew that if there was snow on the ground in almost any form, an incline greater than say 3 degrees was pretty much out of the question even with good snow tires and sand bags in the trunk. So guess what I did when it snowed. I DIDN'T TRY TO DRIVE THE OLDSMOBILE TO WORK!!

Yeah yeah I know, some people feel they have no choice... one car... gotta feed the kids... whatever. That doesn't stop me from fruitlessly yelling and/or mocking them as I wait at the bottom of the hill for them to come back down with their tail between their legs and get out of the way so I can get to work.

Neufonzola... this is for you!