Database Programming

I'm into Chapter 3 of Oracle9i: SQL with an Introduction to PL/SQL. I still have no idea what PL/SQL is, but I'm at least not running the other direction from the rest of it. Considering I found out after starting the class that I should have taken DB110 first, I'm actually holding my own, which is good. Though I can tell you one thing, its not something you want to be watching Oprah while working on. After reading the first paragraph of Chapter 3, I decided I needed quiet. And I'm taking notes. It borders too closely to math for my distraction zone. I decided to write my own query:

Select DosEquis
From beer
Where temperature = "cold";

In slight contrast, the CSS and XHTML are a BREEZE! A little too easy actually. So I"m happy to report, school hasn't killed me yet :)

Some Folks Shouldn't Breed...

I realize I live in the South. And with that comes certain hazards. This time, as opposed to complaining about the blistering heat or threatening hurricanes I'm referring to another inherent problem. That would be rednecks. Now the reason for this diatribe:

I was listening to the radio while doing some school research. Per usual a news brief came on air and the current concern was the water in a certain county that had been so bad it was coming out of the pipes the color of strongly brewed tea. The reason for this is that the water tables are extremely low due to the severe drought we've been experiencing. Now that isn't what has me disturbed The reason I'm shaking my head in disbelief is a comment made by a local citizen after the close of an emergency town meeting wherein it was requested that residence withhold from watering lawns until the situation improves. This idiot's response (which he wanted the entire public to hear since he voiced this opinion to reporters)... And I quote [Insert hillbilly accent here] "It's my house, I'll do what I want to do!"

Are you serious?

Incredible

Check this out: geek-squad-stealing-porn-from-customers-computer

Now, I can't say that I'm surprised that Geek Squad technicians at Best Buy, or any male techie for that matter would be caught stealing porn, photographs or private information off of computers they're supposed to be fixing. I mean, there is a reason geeks are portrayed a certain way on film and other media outlets. But I base my lack of shock mostly on the mentality I've experienced from many of my male counterparts. Thus this story only goes to fuel the public perception that the majority of techies are adolescent-minded, testosterone driven, nerdy, dateless males who find it necessary to achieve sexual gratification via the internet and other porn-rife outlets. I'm not saying this is true for all computer career males, however this video proves that there is a reason for the stereotype. And to stoke the fires of this stereotype further, the following comment:

I used to work for an independant computer repair shop. Believe me, this is nothing unusual within the industry at all. And all the company owners do it too. I worked for a guy who checked the pcs of every good-looking girl who came in to see if they had any interesting photos of themselves. Either learn to fix it yourself, or live with it. Be happy that most technicians are just geeks looking for porn, you could have gotten a guy who copied your Quickbooks file, stole your account numbers, and then drained your bank accounts.

Is that seriously your response? Would you say the same thing about physicians: Either learn to conduct surgery on yourself or don't complain if your doctor happens to snap a few pictures of you while you're lying naked and unconscious on the table, and then be happy that he didn't steal your wallet? -- What this person is saying, is that we should be experts in every single field know to man if we'd like to avoid getting ripped off, taken advantage of or violated. It's ridiculous. But thanks for making another point in the endless list of why companies should hire more women techs!

Who Loves You Baby

"Gentleman." I heard that word tossed around more than once during his funeral. "He was a real gentleman." they said. And, it's true - there are not many people like him left in the world today. He never had an unkind word to say towards or about anyone, and he'd give a stranger the shirt of his back if they needed it. He worked hard as a carpenter his entire life, and even after retirement he would mow lawns, do yard work, and handy man tasks. He was a devout Catholic and it brought him tremendous joy when any of his family would attend mass along with him. He was the epitome of an English Gentleman in look and mannerism with a strong accent and sense of propriety. His favorite past-time was watching sports, however my fonder memories include him kicked back in his lounge chair with me laying on the living room floor in front of him as we took in episodes of Kung Fu and Kojack on blistering Florida summer afternoons. He'd always greet me with an enthusiastic "Who loves you baby?" to which I'd gleefully shout "You do Gramps!" and a bear hug would result. Often he'd slip me an old-fashioned English toffee, Chicklets gum, or rise to retrieve a coffee can full of change from the hall closet that he'd been saving just for me. He loved his family and his wife tremendously, and even as death greeted him his main concern was that each detail of his Will, ensuring his wife would be properly taken care of, was covered to a T. He passed quietly with the majority of his family around him and his daughter holding his hand until the very end. A peaceful death if ever there was one, for a peaceful, kind and loving man. On the eve of his funeral the family passed around a glass of J&B Whiskey and we took turns sipping the lethal fluid--Honoring him by partaking in one of his favorite vices - a single belt of the amber-colored liquid after each evening meal. During the funeral a butterfly swooped in while my mom was doing her reading, it circled around her head, fluttered around the inside of the gazebo and remained throughout the service. "Gramps was here visiting" I said. My sister-in-law corrected me, "They say that whenever there is a butterfly around, there are angels around you."

Who loves you baby!

What a year...aka Kimmie's Absence

Okay I know I've been MIA, but this is through no fault of my own.

Not only have I been in the middle of getting organized for the fall semester (Yes, I've decided to go back to school.) but in between all this, my grandfather took ill, I went to Florida for two weeks to help out because they didn't think he was going ot make it and my mom has been having health issues of her own. I arrived to find out that my Nana had been sleeping for two days straight and when she came to she didn't know who she was, where she was, or who any of her family members were. We were informed by a Hospice doctor that she had dementia and that she didn't have long to live (Mind you no tests had been administered to discover this fact). Meanwhile grandpa started to do much better and his outlook was good.

Within a few days Nana was doing much better and her dementia was first explained away by a urinary tract infection, only to be informed later that she had a TIA (mini stroke). Meanwhile we find out that grandpa has an infection in his pacemaker, he only has 20% use of his heart and his options are limited.

After two weeks of up and downs similar to this, I came home to await the inevitable - My grandfather's death and funeral. After not having been home a week I was back on a plane the next day to attend his funeral on Friday.

It is now Wednesday (not quite a week later) and I'm just NOW getting caught up on everything that needed to be done around here (catching up on email, work stuff, laundry is still piled high and my suit case is yet to be unpacked... sad...)

So that's where I've been! Fun no???