UNIX Fun - Dependancy Hell

Ahh.... Phase one:
Install all the required software to begin developing on a Macbook Pro
1. Install XCode to compile other code
2. Install Ruby
3 Install MySQL
4. Decide that you would like to play with PHP as well
5. Upgrade to PHP 5
6. Upgrade Apache
7. Break Apache
8. Find out MySQL 5 "updated" where the libraries are stored and so apache is now pointed to the wrong mysql libraries.
9. After generous web searching find out where the libraries are supposed to be and link them
10.  Apache now works as well as Ruby and Rails
11. Time to get my hands dirty after hours of compiling software.... I now instantly remember why .Net is my favorite ecosystem.

.Net is my favorite because it doesn't take me a day and a half to set up a dev system, hoping that it will all work together and wondering if I'm missing something that will cause me to recompile everything later.

Phase Two:
1. Write hello world apps in ruby and PHP...

Ruby on rails

The dilemna of ecclectic is that your passions can vary greatly.  I love photography, I always will, but I also love a challenge and logic.

Sometimes I hate being a programmer and wish I could only do photography, but I don't think that photography would give me enough brain challenge to really keep me occupied.  So, every once in a while, I distract myself by trying to learn something completely new.

I have no real reason to learn RoR, but it has been around for a while and people keep talking about it so it's time for me to jump in headfirst and see if I can't sort out the fuss.  Normally, I program in .Net with C#.  .Net is comfortable for me and I've managed to wrap my head around it to get some serious tasks done.

No, the only reason for me to learn RoR is to expand my portfolio and keep my brain working.  So, my new project will be to redesign my web page using RoR and hopefully store it on the CPI web server.  We'll see how it goes.

Portrait Work

Gary Smith at Independant Bible has asked that I provide some portraits of people for a photo montage intertwined with a song that talks about God's mercy and opening your hearts to those in need.

Gary is the same person I travelled to the Philippines with and is the Executive pastor at said church.

Portraits have never been easy for me, there is always this sense of intrusion.  The only time I have ever really felt comfortable with portraits is while in the Philippines.  I think most of that stemmed from the filipinos utter willingness and joy at being photographed.

So, now, my challenge will be to respectfully portray people as being in need while not creating cliche photos that make a person like me roll my eyes.

To the death? No, to the pain!

I've been working out for the last few months and aside from riding lots of hills on the road bike, I haven't been able to really feel the pain in the gym...  Until a few weeks ago anyway, a long time friend of my father's started working out with us and showed me what self inflicted torture feels like.

On monday's we do a burn out set, where you start with regular weights and keep lifting until you can go no more, then your partner takes some weight off, rinse, repeat.  This ends up being five or six sets of ten (roughly).  By the time you're done you can barely lift the bar and it takes a near herculean effort just to lather your shoulders in the shower.

The good news, though, is that I can already start to see progress and muscle growth.  I'm not going for full on hypertrophy to look like the hulk, just not the scrawny programmer guy. 

Oooh, Yay, another day at "work"

Good weekend, despite the Seahawks losing due to a stupid fumble.  Oh well.  I've got the new MacBook Pro mostly setup the way I want it.  Also, I'm looking into Google's hosting options and they are now hosting my email, although most people will never realize.

Now that I have a mac, I'm thinking about looking into the .Mac setup.  Kind of pricey for what I want to do but the integration is killer.  I would have google host my email, as they will allow my to use my domain name, and have .Mac host my web page.  The hurdle will be to get my exposure manager site integrated and seamless.  The good news is that .Mac can host a blog, photos, web site, etc. so it will allow me to reduce the number of systems my online presence resides on.

Back to work.

Rainy day - Football thoughts

Olympic northwest rainy day, like usual and welcomed.  Without the rain, this area would not be as green as it is.

I've had time to play with the new macbook pro and I love it.  Much faster than my hp dv1000, a bigger screen, etc. etc.  I'll need a few more days to really know how much better this system is, but I can already tell that lightroom responds much faster.

Today, me and Isaac wear our football shirts supporting the Seahawks.  As much as I like to support the Seahawks and all things football, I get a little frusterated at the attitude the NFL takes towards it's customers.  More on this some other time.

Brand spanking new macbook pro

finally broke down and switched back to the Mac.  Lots of reasons including the dashboard, of which I am posting this update from.