Ok, the poll on the “Very Plain Text” theme came in negative or uncertain. So, we’re trying another new one, and a new poll will be up for it as well. The theme for the next 24 hours is “Raindrops”. I kind of like it.

Once again, the poll for this newest theme is on the left. This one will be left up for 24 hours just so everybody can get a look. I’d left the last theme up for about the same amount of time too.

On to other items. Quiet day here. Not too quiet though. Did a little resupply, and some uploading of video to LuLu. More about that in an upcoming post.

For those of you interested in Prescott, the latest podcast interview with the Foolsewoode author is now up at Prescott Arts Beat. Check it out!

Little else super exciting is happening today.  A few folks will be stopping by to visit this evening.  Should be fun.  And I’m debating a small trip for a few days.  Rich Luhr and family will be leaving Tucson (eventually) as soon as work on their new home is wrapped up.  So, might hook up with them for a few days just for a change of pace.

I’ll be posting again soon once the Wordpress / Podpress Tutorial is available for downloading. 

Well, thanks to everyone in the area who commented on yesterday’s frustrated post.

Fortunately I went out and dealt with it as well.  What helps to alleviate frustration?

• Climbing the Perfect Idiot.
• Smashing my knee in the same spot over and over while climbing.
• The after effects of the smashing are very distracting.
• Some “retail therapy”.  Shopping.  LOL!
• Fillet Mignon (again, so yummy).

On to a few new items.  There will be a post later today regarding the retail availability of the first video tutorial on installing Wordpress and Podpress.  It will be available for download via LuLu.  I’ll post more later.

Also, if you look on the left bar you’ll see a little poll up now.  I’d like your input regarding the new layout of the site.  So, please vote.  I’ll be trying another theme tomorrow, so today is your chance to vote on this theme.  Pretend it’s an election, so vote early and vote often! 

Well, just got a response from the City of Prescott regarding their Network Engineer position. Got to say, I’m flustered!

Unfortunately, other applicant’s more closely meeting the needs of the city were selected for interviewing and/or testing.

What were they looking for exactly?

• Knowledge of principles & techniques of network and system analysis. Data and communication systems. Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks. Ok, I’ve deployed LANs, WANs, multi-state WANs, and run telecom switches that spanned New England, Louisiana, Texas, Puerto Rico, Mississippi, Arkansas and a few other spots….
• Knowledge of report preparation, research methods, etc. Effective project planning. Skills in identifying user needs, reading network blueprints, etc. When I hopped in with TeleCorp I was the only engineer on staff. Planned the New England network, calling areas, dialing plans, rate centers, created user databases for other departments, oversaw the installation of a $2 million switch, $500K DACS, Cell site deployment & maintenance, IT infrastructure, managed the build out of the regional network from the switch side, oh and conducted staff highering and training in telecom & IT.
• Skill in custom programming, communication, performing system analysis, etc. Maintain effective working relations internally & externally, etc. Instructing end users on use of technical equipment. Hmmm, I’ve created custom programs for data management while at Sprint PCS, TeleCorp PCS (part of AT&T Wireless), Atlantic Western consulting, & US Cellular. I’ve managed relationships with Lucent, TelLabs, T-Bird, Sun, Microsoft, and a few other fun companies. In those instances I was the primary point of contact, and the budgets were in the millions….. And I used to put together tech training documents for new employees to teach them how to effectively work with telecom switching equipment……

With all that, I don’t even rate an interview. Ok, this is a venting post, sorry gang, but you’ve got to be kidding! Reading through the requirements my first thought was this would be a boring job that’s beneath my skill set, but it would allow me an avenue to remain in Prescott.

Over and over I’ve been told by residents, business people, and folks who’ve recently relocated to the area that computer and network support personnel in the area are sub-par and maybe I should start a consulting business in town, as it is needed. Hmmm, looking like it might be my only option if I want to remain in the area and work in IT / Telecom.

Alrighty, my rant for the morning is done!  Lucent is still in the wings, but it just means I won’t be able to remain here….we’ll just wait and see.

Coyote Radio has recently posted the first interview from the Blog Fest I attended the other week!  The interview is with Granny J.  I really enjoyed visiting with her, and everyone else at the get together!  Want to hear her interview?

Click this link to go to Granny J’s interview!  Enjoy, more will be coming soon!

Here’s a different type of blog post. What was on the menu tonight? Hmm?

Several days ago while at Fry’s I found what looked like some really great Fillet Mignons. Haven’t had one in forever, so I thought I’d pick them up and give them a whirl. Wow, glad I did too! So, for tonight I dined in (nothing unusual there), and went all out for myself.

The total menu was pretty simple. A fillet, teriyaki rice, and french cut green beans. It got to the point while I was cooking I couldn’t stand to remain in the trailer (just making me way too hungry). Vent fan on, fantastic fan on, but still the entire trailer was filled with fantastic smells. So I paced around the trailer off and on while I waited for dinner. Things don’t cook any faster in an Airstream than they do in a house unfortunately!

I can safely say I will be getting some more fillets in the very near future. Way too good, and the Fry’s around the corner had a fantastic selection. Maybe a little shopping again tomorrow?

Now the sun is setting, there’s a breeze for the evening, and the temperatures are already dropping once more. Just looked at my thermometer and we’re registering 59 degrees. Ah, great temperature for sleeping if you ask me!

Honestly, another wonderful week here in Prescott, AZ! Oh yes, I still love it here!

Tomorrow you might see the site go through several changes. I’ll be experimenting with a few new themes. All the work on other people’s sites has inspired me to work on some theme updates for this site. Kept the same look for quite a while, it might be time for a change. Tomorrow I’ll post updates regarding the page style changes, and I’d love to hear from regular readers to see if the new styling works for you.

I’ve spent the bulk of the morning doing some web contract work, and thought I’d talk about it today.

Over the past few weeks it seems I’m doing more and more Wordpress consulting. Nice! Today for instance I’m working on a fun project for Airstream Life Magazine. I’ll tell you no more, and let it be a surprise down the road!

For readers who haven’t been following along with the chronicles too long, I thought I’d show you what I used once more. For regular readers, the photos just won’t be too exciting.

The first photo was shot in the bedroom area of my 25 foot Airstream Safari Six Sleeper (that’s a mouth full). The item mounted on the wall is the Kyocera KR1 EVDO WiFi router (another mouth full). A Verizon Wireless card is inserted in the back of the router, and that’s my primary means of connecting to the internet. My Airstream comes complete with it’s own WiFi hotspot with these two devices.

Ah, and the computer is my old IBook. Mostly these days it’s used as my mini entertainment center. You know, watching cartoons as you’re going to sleep….real exciting here, eh?

The next photo on the page is of my MacBook Pro 15 inch laptop. It’s the primary system I use these days for all of my work. What goes on this particular system?

• All of Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles Podcasts are created on the MacBook Pro.
• Digital RV’s Podcasts are created on it as well.
• Recently the system was used to create the first full length DVD tutorial on using Wordpress as a podcasting system. More about this when it’s available for sale.
• All of my network consulting work is done on this particular Mac as well.
• Almost every update of this blog is done from my MacBook!
• The great photography and video is all off loaded and stored here too (well, with the assistance of a few portable LaCie drives of course).
• And if you’ve ever gotten an e-mail from me this past year, probably written on my Macbook as well.
• Oh, did I mention the revisions for the second edition (coming very soon) were also done on this one too???

My computers are of course used for more than work and blogging. Both are also my entertainment centers, communications centers, and very rarely, video game consoles (haven’t played a game in forever). So, there you have it.

And what about my office space you ask? Good question. We’ve recently relocated from site 83 to 95 in Point of Rocks campground! Check out the new spot….

So, whenever I talk about doing web consulting, I’m normally spending my day in the Airstream in front of the MacBook. Yes, you can do a lot of technical work from the road. Makes for an interesting way to work sometimes.

Complete Gear Shift Now……

The remaining content removed regarding phishing and scamming.  Sorry folks.

Blogging has been pretty quiet. And where have the photos been? Well, this post will correct the lack of photos.

Once again, another fun and tiring weekend. My friend Lynn had come out from Florida for a visit. She’d had a conference in Phoenix that had gotten bumped out a few days, so she took advantage of the flight out for an extended weekend and rest.

Friday we explored around my favorite spots in Prescott. Groom Creek first, the Granite Basin Rec area, and some sites around the Dells. Saturday a quick ride out to Sedona. I decided to go up to Devil’s Bridge again. It’s a nice short hike in with an amazing end to the hike (the bridge).

Finally, yesterday we went out climbing with Andy again. Andy, Brooke, Todd (Andy’s brother), Lynn, & I headed out into the Dells again for some fun climbs in the Dells. I set up a top rope again, and we had fun on several climbs (sorry, no up to leading yet gang….working on it).

This was Todd’s first time climbing outside. I think he had a decent time. We did all the climbs Andy and I had hit last week, and an extra one as well. Additionally, we had two really nice guys climbing just a little distance from us. Fun to watch the two of them as well.

Lynn got to give a few climbs a try, and she got right up each of them. Glad she enjoyed herself! I think everyone who comes to visit me here is going to want to stay here. Just that type of place!!!

There are many pictures from the climbing, so enjoy!

After we finished out on the bigger wall area, Andy and I felt up to taking another crack at “The Perfect Idiot” again. Gotta tell ya, we must fit with that name. At least I fit with it! Still can’t get the climb down right. Just a small section a few moves in that seem completely and totally impossible to do clean!

After failing to do the Perfect Idiot clean, we finally stopped climbing. Todd and Lynn gave the climb a crack as well. First go round Todd did get up! Lot’s of work though, and I wonder how sore his hands are today??? I know mine are sore!

Well, there you go. A photo heavy post for sure! Hope you’ve enjoyed it! This week will probably be quiet on the blog front. Unless you want to read about web consulting work (ooh, that sounds fun).

I forgot to mention one other item that happened on Friday that kept me from blogging, and made me not want to touch the computer…..

Digital RV.net got hacked.  Fortunately the issue was noticed rapidly, IX Webhosting shut the site down, and we had a one day outage!  So, what got hacked exactly?

The Digital RV’s photo gallery was the item compromised.  Friday morning prior to heading to Phoenix I noticed a new user had signed up to the gallery.  Friday afternoon the gallery was compromised, and a phishing setup was uploaded to the gallery site.  Apologies all, but the gallery is no more, and I will not be installing another.  The rest of the software I run is very stable, new releases all the time, and fairly bomb proof.  The gallery wasn’t, and because of that it was compromised and used.

I’m glad that the issue was identified same day.  This week I’ll be going through all of the sites, making certain everything is up to date, etc. 

So, the other day my friend Lynn arrived from Florida for a short trip to the area.  In the last installment, I’d mentioned the relatively tame ride into Phoenix.  To finish the story…..

The drive back was fine!  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Really, the traffic I experienced on a Friday morning in the Phoenix area was very tame compared to many places I’ve driven.  Maybe I hit it on the right day.  Maybe every metro area gets a reputation.  I’m not sure, but I’m glad it was an easy ride.

This weekend we did the “tourist” thing in a big way.  Sedona, Groom Creek, Granite Basin, and the Dells.  Lots of driving and walking.  But I think like many other folks who have passed through now, Lynn understands why I’m liking Prescott so much!  Just a wonderful place.  And yes, very tired each day, so little blogging. Plus I’ve written about all of these places, and don’t need to bore readers too much.

My one big complaint this weekend is the last 2 nights of sleeping.  I think I’ve messed up running the fantastic fans while I’m out for the day.  I don’t like leaving the AC running when I’m out, so I run one fan to keep the trailer cooler in the climbing temps.  But 2 nights in a row I’ve gone to bed totally clogged.  The fans get turned off when I come in, the hepa is on, etc.  I have the suspicion I’m pulling in something not so great.  Plus the last two days toward the end of the day I find my eyes burning outside.

Pollen.com claims things are pretty tame here.  Today’s experiment.  Leave the trailer buttoned up with AC on.  I’ll be driving Lynn back to Phoenix later on, and I’ll still leave the AC and HEPA on all day.  Maybe tonight I won’t totally clog.

This morning I had to take a trip into Phoenix to pick up a friend flying in.  I’ve only quickly driven through Phoenix once with the trailer in tow on my way to Anza-Borrego.  Traffic was a little thick that day.

In the past two months in the Prescott area I’ve talked to many people about working in Phoenix, living in Phoenix, and driving in Phoenix.  The concensus has been that I wouldn’t want to drive in the area.  Crazy traffic, drivers, and heat.  Basically, as I got all my goodies into the truck this morning a general thought ran through my mind about driving into the area…..

You’re gonna suffer boy…..

As I made my way into Phoenix everything was fine.  I did not need to deck the Titan in Road Warrior Fashion.  No need of cannons on the truck, putting spikes on the grill would have been clearly over kill, and everybody in traffic was driving happy and safe.  All psyched up for nothing!

Well, I used to drive on 93 and 495 in Massachusetts on a daily basis, so maybe that’s why I thought traffic here was fine, tame even.  Not one single finger salute from other drivers.  Wow.  No road rage incidents….  Wow again!  Finally, no flipped over tractor trailers anywhere (used to see at least one of those per week).

Ah, how often I’ve heard about horrifying traffic.  Here’s my top list of “freaky” places to drive:

1. Dallas Ft. Worth area.
2. Tampa (yeah, you guys rank 2, sorry).
3. DC / Arilington Virginia (why I always took taxis going to corporate).
4. Houston area.
5.  New England (MA in particular).

Maybe when I return to Prescott shortly I’ll experience freaky traffic and add Phoenix to the list, but for the moment, it doesn’t rank in my top 5.  Guess I hit the area on a good day!  We’ll have to wait until I write Part 2 of this one to know that I’m still satisfied with driving through Phoenix!