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Category Archives: Random

My little can of beans

27 Oct

So who would have figured that after a most challenging day of doing what I do best in our little existence here in Zeroville, that I would come home to relax, lie on the couch and have my ass kicked? Did you see it coming? I sure as hell didn’t.

So my nice comfortable tight little lid on my little can of beans was ripped from it’s place of false security and my ass was kicked so hard that my beans scattered everywhere for everyone to see. Actually it was an everyone of one! And actually the ass kicking was in the most mind blowing way possible.

How?

If I had to answer 3 seemingly easy questions and instantly failed to do so, my questions would be answered for me. Just as instantly. Answered in a way that no one could. No one has that information. Its my can. They’re my beans! Until now.

Have you ever had your story told to you in bullet points? Its really something else. Especially when the story teller keeps hitting the nail on the head.

How?

Alright, so for now forget the how. Its the reality that counts. I question too much. I analyze. Its in me. I’m a trouble shooter, solution provider and fault finder. I need to stop finding faults and focus on other talents.

Moving forward its time to rub my ass and scoop my beans back together but this time trying to leave the lid off. There are some amazing beans in there that I have to let breathe and soak in some sunshine.

Keep the faith

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2011 in Africa, Hmmm, Hoox... You're such a, Ideas, Life, Random

 

Remote support made easy

11 Dec

Being in the IT industry has it’s ups and down like any industry I suppose. Except everyone these days has a computer but not everyone knows how to use them so if you are an IT techie then you WILL be called on to help friends and family. Everyone needs to know at least one geek to keep the Facebook and porn streaming going full time. As much as I love to help (most times sometimes), it’s not always easy to understand what’s going on over the phone when doing remote support.

“Right click on the icon, select Manage, click X then on the right click Y and then tell me what you see”. “Right click WHAT?” Very annoying. A 10 second fix turns into a huge deal with both parties pissed off. Until now it has been very difficult to offer remote support whereby I can take over a computer’s control from anywhere in the world without installing some pretty invasive software.

NOW, check this out:

startpageTop_en

TeamViewer: – You can download this application and instead of installing it you just select RUN and take it from there. Check the documentation for help but let me assure you, it’s deadly simple and most importantly secure. You don’t even need admin access on either PC to create this connection and it can work through firewalls.

You can use voice and video, send and receive files, share screens and very importantly, the host can restrict control and kill the connection when they feel like it. I can’t think of anything further that can be required for this type of application. I shudder to think how much time I could have saved myself having access to software like this in the past.

It’s free to use as long as it’s not being use for corporate support and of course if you are feeling a little generous, you are welcome to pay them a visit and donate some change for further R&D

I’m LOVING it!

 
1 Comment

Posted by on December 11, 2009 in Contact, Family, Friends, Good News, Money, N.W.R., Random, Technology

 

Home Sweet Home? Albania

24 Nov

Well it’s been just a little over two weeks now since my return to Tirana, Albania. What can I say about it? Some ups and some downs. Both equally expected. To start off I have to say it feels a lot better to be back than when I was here working. Being somewhere out of choice makes a huge difference. How long am I going to stay here this time? Who knows? 1 month? 5 years? Each day at a time.

Being with Puccino is awesome! Listening to the radio or watching music channels it strikes a chord when hearing that overplayed hit “AAAAAoooo Im tired of using technologyyyooo”. Well we were sick of it. MSN, Skype, Text messages etc etc etc. The move had to be made. We have this great little apartment that she found for us very near the centre of town where all things happen. Bars, restaurants, clubs, coffee shops, etc. It’s a little more expensive than out of town but everything is so close. Walkable even in my standards. It has everything we need to live a normal life.

As much as I am acutely aware of certain issues and thus try to not react, there are just some things that annoy the crap out of me but which are just day to day annoyances like irregular power outages, lack of water between 2pm and 7pm and the deadly slow internet speeds which we are trying to get upgraded now. People are the same. Places are the same. Driving is the same. Noise is the same. Nothing new there. Tirana is not an easy place to live in but can be relatively easy to adapt to the environment. It’s difficult to get comfortable and personal change and a level of acceptance is required. Even Puccino’s dad said over lunch on the weekend that he would prefer to live somewhere else cos he does not like Tirana.

Parking This is not an accident. This is parking Tirana style!

On a slightly separate note, there is now a new little devil eating at my soul. It’s name is Boredom! He has visited a couple of times in my past but his visits have become more frequent of late. There is not a lot to do during the day. There’s only so much of the internet to look at, only so many TV series to watch, only so much waiting for a contract to happen before you start knocking your head against the wall. I don’t get to talk much during the day and for anyone who knows me knows that is not a good thing! Even when I get  out and about on my own in town my communication is limited to ordering food, beer or coffee in English or Albanian. I had put the job hunt on hold again in the hopes of winning something up in Kosovo which should be announced in the next few weeks. Lately however I am getting that nervous edgy twitch to start looking further abroad again and that is what I am just going to have to do. Just in case I guess. Put it out there.

On the up side, I’m getting really good at Tiger Woods ‘10 on the Playstation 3 again. I had to buy a new one so as not to have the extra excess baggage carrying the old one. This meant though that I had to rebuild my profile! ARRGGGHH!!

I better get on with the dishes now while I still have water. Am I a bum or a well travelled house biiiaaattcchhh??

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2009 in Albania, Contract, Female, Friends, Music, Project, Random, Rant 'n Rave, Technology, World in 80 ways

 

33 000ft @ 33Kgs

04 Nov

When you travel on holiday it’s easier to fly within the regulations of 1 piece of check-in luggage @ 23kgs and 1 piece of hand luggage @ 7kgs. Seriously, all you need is enough clean skiddies, t-shirts and shorts to survive 2 weeks without having to do laundry. That and a sufficient supply of condoms to round off the bags and you’re done. When you are effectively relocating it’s a completely different story! Laptop, suit and other work clothes, casual clothes, shoes etc etc etc. How the hell are you ever going to get within those constraints?

ExcessBaggage

My problem is that I have an extra large laptop and at least 10kgs of photography equipment. I stand and stare at all this crap trying to shave off weight and no matter what I try I just can’t do it! So I get pissed off and declare that I hate the airlines and just submit to the obvious fact that I will just have to bend and get shafted by the airline at their ridiculous excess baggage charges! At the end of the packing and once the sulk subsides, enters the clever thought patterns! Here comes a lesson called “How to fuck the airline at their own game!”. Im not sure how long this will last as systems are being put in place to kerb this. But for now, go for it. This is how it works and trust me, I had 3 different airlines to catch all with the same baggage.

Checkin

Split your luggage into 3 pieces!

You need your main bag to weigh just a couple of kgs over at the check-in counter. This way their attention is on the main bag. When you approach you smile and be super friendly without looking fake. You don’t have to be fake. Just try being nice for a change! Ask lots of questions: Is this a full flight? Can I change my seat? Is everything running on schedule? When they mention that your bag is overweight just smile and say, “Yeah I know, but there’s nothing I can do about it unfortunately. Please go gentle on me”. [Insert a huge smile here]. If you are lucky they don’t charge you. If you are not so lucky you pay a few bucks at the ticket office. No biggie! That’s 26kgs.

Your carry on bag needs to look light. It can be over by a few kgs but don’t bring any attention to it. If they ask if you have carry on just say “Yeah, just the the one piece”. It’s best if it’s a backpack of sorts and act if it’s the lightest thing on earth. With the focus on the main bag there will be little concern for your small bag. That’s 10kgs

Now here’s the clincher. Have a mate at the airport with you holding your extra bag that’s 10kgs away from the check-in counters. The airline doesn’t know about it and it doesn’t get seen or accounted for. By the time you have your boarding pass, your passport and are ready to go, there are no more scales. All you are doing is passing through security where you stick both your bags through, passport control where they don’t care a hoot what bags you have, and usually duty free shopping where you are free to pick up whatever you want with no consideration as to the weight!

You have just climbed on board with 46kgs and a small (if any) excess baggage fee. Get in the front of the line at the boarding gate! You will need the extra space in the overheard compartments!

ONLY try this if you have a friend at the airport with you! If you think you can leave your bag at the coffee shop while you quickly go and check in then think again! It WILL either get taken by the airport police which are rightly required to be ultra sharp these days or at the very least it will be nicked (stolen). I suppose this way you don’t have to worry about the extra KGs!

An obvious disclaimer: I am not responsible for you or anyone else taking excess baggage or any consequences whatsoever that may result from this including loss or extra expense. Always consult the airlines official website or travel offices for their specific rules and regulations.

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2009 in Friends, Good News, Hmmm, Ideas, Interesting, Random, Technology, Travel, World in 80 ways

 

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And now we have a cat!

20 Aug

I don’t really know what’s going on but one thing I can assure you is that I don’t have a sign that says Dr Doolittle outside on my front gate. Can people please advise the neighbourhood animals of this.

A few days ago, early Tuesday I think it was, a cat roamed in off the street and promptly made itself comfortable in my house. It’s a gorgeous cat so I guess I didn’t have the heart to kick it up the ass and send it packing. I probably should have though since three days later it’s still here. Gorgeous little thing wouldn’t you agree?

Cat00

Only problem now is trying to find it’s rightful owner. I have been to all the local shops and checked out the notice boards. I have even looked at all the vets and vet accessory places for “lost cat” signs but so far I have seen nothing. I am sceptical about putting signs up with a photo cos I’m worried that some arb person, upon seeing this gorgeous animal, calls to claim it when it’s not theirs. Everyone agrees. All the advice I have received so far is telling me that this is quite normal and that it could hang around a few days and then bugger off home. If after that it’s still here, then it has decided to move house and we have a new pet. That isn’t kewl. I mean it really is an amazing animal so as runaways go this is a great one to get but I can’t help but feel heart sore when I think about some poor kid that had just lost it’s beloved cat. Hopefully these people will care enough to start putting signs up or contact the vets dammit! If they don’t care enough to do that then I can start to see why it bailed on them in the first place. Anyway, I will continue the hunt tomorrow.

Wish me luck. Here kitty kitty! Pssst Pssst

 
5 Comments

Posted by on August 20, 2009 in Family, Life, Random, Rant 'n Rave

 

Off The Hoox – Going Offline

08 May

Going Offline 01I have given it a bit of thought and have decided to shut down, or should I say, just leave dormant, Off The Hoox. At least for now. At least for a while.

I have a few reasons and again most of which I don’t care to discuss but I guess the biggest reason is that I just don’t get the kick out of it that I used to. Things change. People change. Some things stay the same while people change and I guess visa versa too! Cryptic as hell I know but that not important. As you can see I have posted less and less over the past little while and now it’s going to stop.

My life is changing too and I guess living it out on the internet is also losing it’s appeal. Perhaps a life with a bit of privacy could be a good thing. Just like everyone else.

I don’t know if I will be down forever. This might just be a sabbatical. I really don’t know. Thanks to all that have been so supportive and commented through all the ups and downs. To hell with the people that weren’t. Hahaha. We can’t please everyone in life now can we? But it’s ok. The world needs you too! :-)

Hasta la vista, baby! Stay kewl. See you around. Hopefully in the real world.

Going Offline 02

~Hoox

 
5 Comments

Posted by on May 8, 2009 in Hmmm, Life, Random, Technology

 

Life vs Movies

14 Jan

SUPPOSEDLY if you’ve seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 239 films listed (feel free to count and verify this – I couldn’t be assed). Copy this list somewhere that you can paste into like Word or an Email or something. Then, put X’s next to the films you’ve seen, add them up and click comments at the bottom to post your results. Have fun.

(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
(X) Boondock Saints
(X) Fight Club
(X) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane

Total: 10

(  ) The Princess Bride
(X) Anchorman
(X) Napoleon Dynamite
(X) Labyrinth
(X) Saw
(X) Saw II
(X) White Noise
(  ) White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
(  ) The Princess Diaries
(  ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Total so far: 18

(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
(X) Scary Movie
(X) Scary Movie 2
(X) Scary Movie 3
(X) Scary Movie 4
(X) American Pie
(X) American Pie 2
(  ) American Wedding
(X) American Pie Band Camp

Total so far: 28

(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
(X) Resident Evil 1
(X) Resident Evil 2
(X) The Wedding Singer
(  ) Little Black Book
(X) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch

Total so far:37

(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
(X) The Grinch
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
(X) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(X) White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
(X) 13 Going on 30
(X) I, Robot
(X) Robots

Total so far: 48

(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(X) Universal Soldier
(  ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
(X) Deep Impact
(X) KingPin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet the parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(X) Joe Dirt
(X) KING KONG

Total so far: 58

(  ) A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
(  ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
(  ) Passport to Paris
(X) Dumb & Dumber
(X) Dumber & Dumberer
(X) Final Destination
(X) Final Destination 2
(X) Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
(X) The Ring
(X) The Ring 2
(X) Surviving X-MAS
(X) Flubber

Total so far: 69

(  ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(  ) Chicago
(X) Ghost Ship
(  ) From Hell
(  ) Hellboy
(  ) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
(X) The Whole Ten Yards

Total so far: 74

(X) The Day After Tomorrow
(X) Child’s Play
(X) Seed of Chucky
(  ) Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
(  ) Just Married
(X) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
(  ) Sixteen Candles
(  ) Remember the Titans
(X) Coach Carter
(  ) The Grudge
(  ) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
(  ) Son Of The Mask

Total so far: 82

(X) Bad Boys
(X) Bad Boys 2
(  ) Joy Ride
(X) Lucky Number Slevin
(X) Ocean’s Eleven
(X) Ocean’s Twelve
(X) Bourne Identity
(X) Bourne Supremacy
(  ) Lone Star
(X) Bedazzled
(X) Predator I
(X) Predator II
(X) The Fog
(X) Ice Age
(X) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(X) Curious George

Total so far: 96

(X) Independence Day
(X) Cujo
(X) A Bronx Tale
(  ) Darkness Falls
(X) Christine
(X) ET
(X) Children of the Corn
(  ) My Bosses Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
(X) War of the Worlds (old)
(X) Rush Hour
(X) Rush Hour 2

Total so far: 106

(  ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(  ) She’s All That
(X) Calendar Girls
(  ) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
(  ) Event Horizon
(  ) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(X) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3

Total so far: 115

(X) X-Men
(X) X-2
(X) X-3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
(  ) Sky High
(X) Jeepers Creepers
(  ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
(X) Reign of Fire
(X) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
(X) Cruel Intentions 2
(  ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2

Total so far:130

(  ) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School
(  ) The Notebook
(X) K-Pax
(  ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
(  ) A Walk to Remember
(  ) Ice Castles
(X) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin

Total so far: 135

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Total so far: 141

(  ) Baseketball
(X) Hostel
(  ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
(  ) Devils Rejects
(  ) Elf
(X) Highlander
(X) Mothman Prophecies
(X) American History X
(  ) Three

Total so Far: 145

(X) The Jacket
(  ) Kung Fu Hustle
(  ) Shaolin Soccer
(  ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(X) Shaun Of the Dead
(  ) Willard

Total so far: 150

(  ) High Tension
(  ) Club Dread
(X) Hulk
(X) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(X) 28 days later
(  ) Orgazmo
(  ) Phantasm
(X) Waterworld

Total so far: 156

(X) Kill Bill vol 1
(X) Kill Bill vol 2
(X) Mortal Kombat
(  ) Wolf Creek
(X) Kingdom of Heaven
(  ) The Hills Have Eyes
(  ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
(  ) The Last House on the Left
(  ) Re-Animator
(  ) Army of Darkness

Total so far: 160

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(  ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(  ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor

Total so far: 166

(X) The Matrix
(X) The Matrix Reloaded
(X) The Matrix Revolutions
(  ) Animatrix
(  ) Evil Dead
(  ) Evil Dead 2
(X) Team America: World Police
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal

Total so far: 173

I clearly have no life! Hahahaha. Work yours out and just leave me your scores as a comment. Might make me feel better. Or worse?

 
13 Comments

Posted by on January 14, 2009 in Interesting, L & J, Life, Movie Review, Random

 

Uncle Kracker – Follow me

10 Nov

Here’s a little summin summin I saw on Facebook that my cousin JaneH completed. I did however remove her answers and got my iPod all fired up and ready for the challenge.  There really are some cracking responses. Feel free to use and abuse to your hearts content. It’s quite simple really. 3 easy steps:

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question.

NO CHEATING! EXACTLY WHAT IT LANDS ON NO MATTER HOW WEIRD IT SOUNDS!

Q: What does next year have in store for you?
Hayseed Dixie – Corn Liquor

Q: What does your love life look like next year?
Alanis Morissette – Hand in my pocket

Q: What do you say when life gets hard?
U2 – Sweetest thing

Q: Song that reminds you of good times?
Placebo – 36 Degrees

Q: Song that reminds you of your first kiss?
Pink – M!ssunderztood

Q: Favourite place?
Bowling For Soup – Two-Seater

Q: Most Missed Memory?
Annie Lennox – Why?

Q: What song describes your ex?
The Smashing Pumpkins – Ava Adore

Q: What song describes yourself?
The Doors – Riders on the storm

Q: What is the thing you like doing most?
Blondie – Rip her to shreds

Q: The song that best describes the president?
Crash Test Dummies – I think I’ll disappear now

Q: Where will you be in 10 years?
Pink Floyd – Another brick in the wall

Q: Your love life right now?
Fatboy Slim – Build it up, Tear it down

Q: What is your state of mind like at the moment?
The Doors – Touch me

Q: How will you die?
Hoodoo Gurus – Miss Freelove ‘69

Q: How would you describe yourself?
Green Day – Hitchin a ride

Q: What do you like in a guy/girl?
Billy Joel – Goodnight Saigon

Q: How do you feel today?
Avril Lavigne – Basketcase

Q: What is your life’s purpose?
Kasabian – By my side

Q: What is your motto?
Kaiser Chiefs – I predict a riot

Q: What do your parents think of you?
Nirvana – You know you’re right

Q: What do you think about very often?
Green Day – Boulevard of broken dreams

Q: What is 2 + 2?
The Game – Dreams

Q: What do you think of your bestie?
Paul Simon – Loves me like a rock

Q: What do you think of the person you like?
KT Tunstall – Another place to fall

Q: What is your life story?
Queen – I’m the invisible man

Q: What do you want to do when you grow up?
Def Leppard – Two steps behind

Q: What do you think when you see the person you like?
AC/DC – Touch too much

Q: What will you dance to at your wedding?
Blur – Beetlebum

Q: What is your hobby / interest?
Coldplay – Twisted Logic

Q: What is your biggest fear?
The Goo Goo Dolls – Full forever

Q: What is your biggest secret?
Spin Doctors – Jimmy Olsens’s blues

Q: What do you think of your friends?
Bob Marley – Three little birds

Q: What will you post this as?
Uncle Kracker – Follow me

 
7 Comments

Posted by on November 10, 2008 in Family, Friends, L & J, Life, Music, Random

 
 
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