Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

I had the opportunity to play the Easter Bunny at the firehall this weekend. It really took me back to my Disney days and made me miss those.... We all had an absolute blast and I'm sorry for anyone that missed it. Here is a promo video that I put together from the event. I hope that we see everyone next year!

I Shall Believe

Come to me now
And lay your hands over me
Even if its a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe

Im
broken in two
And I know youre on to me
That I only come home
When Im so all alone
But I do believe

That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly you wont give up on me
And I shall believe
And I shall believe

Open the door
And show me your face tonight
I know its true
No one heals me like you
And you hold the key

Never again

Would I turn away from you
Im so heavy tonight
But your love is alright
And I do believe

That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly
You wont give up on me
And I shall believe
I shall believe
And I shall believe

"I Shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow

The Nagging Wife

When you hear so many men talk about their wives you generally hear a reference to her nagging. Its so often about the "nagging wife" that all of the good stuff is hidden. Our distorted views of reality are so hard to overcome and it gets worse and worse with every passing moment.

For me, one of the things that I want more than anything is a wife and kids to love but anytime I mention it I generally end up hearing about how I don't want to get married and how my life is over when I do.... and it goes on from there. I suppose it's possible that I'm just a single guy and there is no way that I could ever begin to understand but I tend to think the problem is not with me. We think that everything is supposed to be just perfect and we have the right to get angry when things are not perfect but the reality is perfection is boring. If everything was perfect, there would be no excitement.

Let me tell you about my life. I own my own house and I run my own business and I have no one to tell me what to do. I do what I want when I want. I have the life that most people dream of having but like almost anything that anyone dreams of there is no reality mixed in with that dream. When people find out that I run my own business and I own my own house they think that I must be the happiest person in the world, however, reality is that it's not the case. In fact, there are so many times that I seriously debate looking for a job and giving up this self-employed thing. People fail to see that things like health insurance are luxuries to the self-employed and that is just one of the many things that someone with a job takes for granted. I live alone and I don't have anyone nagging me and therefore, I must be happy. Reality there is that part of the reason I want to get married is to have someone that will keep me in check. If you walk into my house right now you'll likely be crawling over stuff. While I have free reign over my house I lack any kind of motivation -- and that's a disaster for me and I'm sure many other people as well. To top that off, I have no set time that I need to be at work. There is no structure and to make it even worse, with the way my business is set up, set schedules would be tough to do. It sounds great to be able to wake up and decide to sleep in if you still feel tired but, again, there is no motivation. Why should I rush to get myself up and moving when I can go to the data center when I want? The problem is the sun starts setting and I'm still in bed. And people laugh at me. Oh they laugh. Everyone seems to think that if they were in my position they could do it so much better than me. Some might. Of course, it is true that the grass really might be greener on the other side.

The problem just might be that we're all losing sight of structure. We've seen the checks and balances disappear from our government and we see the mess that has been created along with so many other examples. In the movie "The Matrix", the agent explains to Neo that the first version of the matrix was programmed to be a perfect world but the humans couldn't deal with that. We can't. We really can't. A big reason of this is the concept of ying and yang. How can something be good if we don't first know what bad is? Even if there is a constant hum of something in your house you stop hearing and acknowledging it after some time but if you have something that constantly makes a different noise, you'll never get used to that. I guess maybe that's the true definition of a "boring life"?

As a society we need to start looking at some of the negative things as good things. No one wants to see the bad things or to deal with pain in so many situations but we really need to start respecting those bad things as something that will make us a better person and help us live a better life. I'm pretty sure this is a big part of why God created Eve. God said that Adam needed a helper and I think that became true when God gave us our own free will. We make a mess out of it but at least if there is more than one person working together there is a much better chance of things staying in check so please stop looking at your wives as just someone who nags you but, rather, realize that she is a gift from God to help you -- even when it doesn't feel like it.

Yesterday's Glues

The stars are moving on and I am staying home and I can't help but ask myself where did I go wrong? It
had to be this way there's nothing left to say it never helps to hear that things will be okay.

You may not remember me but I remember you and years can hide your memories and what you used to do

If I could make this go away I'd wish that it was so,cause I should never have come here but I wanted
you to know time is harsh and won't forgive the way we have to live sometimes the only thing to say just
get in the way

I always knew that I could never live a lie and maybe if I'd let this go things will be alright I tried
again today to make this go away it never helps to hear that things will be okay.


"Yesterday's Glues" by Eleventyseven

Singles Awareness Day 2009

It's upon us again.... Singles Awareness Day. This is the day that all of us single people are made fully aware of our single status. Some enjoy this and celebrate this day and others are just painfully reminded that they are alone, typically those of us "Nice Guys" who happen to fit what women say they are looking for only to be left behind those guys that women "can't stand".

I actually have a lot that I don't like about "Valentine's Day" and my main opposition to it is that it's a false holiday. What I mean by that is we are supposed to love one another all the time but yet we have to have a holiday to celebrate this? If you look at many relationships you'll find that Valentine's Day is a day where the fights stop and "love" is put in the air which shows a falsehood as to what the relationship really is based upon. Using this same logic I propose that we declare one day a year as "Golf Day" and that day every man goes out to golf. Sounds like a great idea right? What happens in the month that leads up to that day? Those wives that don't like their husbands going to golf will say "hey, you have golf day coming up, wait till then". Sure, this is a humorous look but the same line of thought seems to sneak it's way into Valentine's Day as well, although in a slightly different manner.

Another horrible thing about the holiday is commercialization. Around Christmas there is always the thought of the Jewish kid that doesn't get to enjoy Christmas like everyone else. That thought wouldn't even exist if Christmas wasn't so commercialized. Everyone's beliefs and feelings are the most important thing but when you commercialize something you end up putting the focus on something else. Society makes Christmas a day when EVERYONE has to give and receive presents and the stresses that go along with that are added to everyone so much to the point that no one seems to remember what Christmas is really celebrating. Because Valentine's Day is such a commercialized holiday, the same thing occurs between couples. Now the pressure is on to find the perfect gift or make the perfect moment happen that it's forgotten about what the holiday is supposed to be celebrating... then you add to that those that are single and made to be left out of the commercialized idea of what the holiday is.

I guess, all in all, there really isn't anything that one can do. Valentine's Day is going to continue to exist and people are going to continue to live the way they live. We can only hope that more people would start to realize the importance of love all year around and stop feeling the pressures that mean this day has to be something different. Sure, love really is in the air on this day -- just not any more than any other day of the year. There's just a little more pressure to be something that you may not really be.

Dude, don't get a Dell

I have gone from loving to hating and loving and hating Dell servers for quite some time. A couple years ago Dell announced they were becoming more "open" with things and allowing customizations and Open Source solutions. I just had a conversation on LiveChat with a sales agent that, well.... just check it out for yourself:

17:23:46 Customer Bob Mertz
Initial Question/Comment: I wnat to know if I can replace the PERC controllers in a 2970 with another controller of my choice?
17:23:56 System System
You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
17:23:56 System System
Connected with SMB_Mary
17:24:06 Agent SMB_Mary
Hi, this is Mary Wade from Dell Small Business Sales. I'll be the representative assisting you today, how can I help?
17:24:21 Customer Bob Mertz
I am currently investigating server solutions for a client of mine and I am looking at the PE 2970
17:24:34 Agent SMB_Mary
I believe this server requires a particular PERC card
17:24:39 Customer Bob Mertz
however, I would like to install a 3ware controller card
17:25:17 Customer Bob Mertz
Do you offer any similar servers that could accept a 3ware SATA/SAS RAID controller?
17:25:36 Agent SMB_Mary
well technically you can install it, however Dell does not support 3rd party parts therefore it would void your warranty.
17:25:51 Customer Bob Mertz
For the entire server?
17:26:23 Agent SMB_Mary
yes
17:26:37 Customer Bob Mertz
My client likes Dell servers but I think that's enough for me to advise against Dell on this purchase then
17:26:40 Customer Bob Mertz
thanks for your time
17:26:56 Agent SMB_Mary
okay thank you, did you want the Dell part number?
17:27:07 Customer Bob Mertz
Dell part number for what?
17:27:21 Agent SMB_Mary
PERC card
17:27:25 Agent SMB_Mary
for 2970
17:28:20 Customer Bob Mertz
No. I have had bad experiences with all of Dell's PERC controllers. My client is asking for my recommendation on a project but if I can not replace the PERC controller without voiding the warranty on the entire server then I have to advise him to look at another vendor.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS!!!!!!

SIX SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONSHIPS

I'm so proud to be from Pittsburgh.... I always am, but it's so much more fun in times like this!

Stimulus

Important info on the Stimulus Payment

"This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:
"Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
"A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

"Q. Where will the government get this money?
"A. From taxpayers.

"Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
"A. Only a smidgen.

"Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
"A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

"Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
"A. Shut up."