Technology is a great thing

Took a big dose of technology over the last 12 hours.

Data...photos....documents....stuff. I have a lot of data. Sharing it between computers and devices is complicated. I have songs on my desktop computer at home that I would like on my laptop. My desktop is 1000 miles away. It would be nice if I could simply transfer the file wirelessly. Another scenario...I just took photos of my niece Haley.  My mother in law wants to see them. Wouldn't it be great if she could simply double click on a folder on her desktop and get them....without having to do anything? Well...both are possible.

Microsoft has a service called Live Mesh. Quite simply all that is needed is to signup for the service on a compatible computer (Windows XP/Vista/7 OR MAC OS X!). Then to share a file simply copy it into a special folder. That's it. No uploading, transfering, thinking. In the background the files are uploaded to the Internet. Now if my mother in law was part of my "mesh" the photos I just took would be accessible to her within seconds. No emailing...she just has to click on a folder on her desktop. That's it.

Pretty neat. I am using mesh right now to keep a central location for files between multiple operating systems on my laptop. I have 4 different operating systems installed!

I have Mac OS X. Inside of Mac OS X I have Windows XP and Windows 7 running inside of Parallels. In addition I have Windows 7 installed via Bootcamp. There are many files/documents I share between them. I used to copy them back and forth via shared folders inside of Mac OS X...but that would leave my Bootcamped Windows 7 out in the cold. I would use email or a USB thumb drive for those documents. Bleh. Now just one folder.

My plan is to install Live Mesh on Kelli's laptop,  my sister in laws Laptop and my mother in laws computer over time to allow much easier sharing of photos in their true format. Emailing photos normally requires them to be reduced in quality. With Live Mesh the files can be unaltered.

Eventually Live Mesh will allow my Zune, mobile phone and more to all have one central location for files. Pretty neat.

What else? Well I changed our car insurance provider this morning. I was watching Motorweek when they had a segment about Progressive Insurance and MyRate. MyRate is a program where a driver can save money on insurance by sharing driving data with Progressive. A driver simply plugs a device into the car...that's it.

The device records driving data and habits. I drive slowly and very little. I should save 10-25% on my insurance. For some reason Kelli's Prius isn't compatible. Our insurance coverages are way above the state minimum. Why? Just in case. With Geico we had $300K/$100K for each accident for example. Our rate was $660 every 6 months. With Progressive we have $500K/$250K and more for $500 every 6 months. Pretty decent savings. Another Perk....Progressive takes credit cards....Geico didn't.

Our next outing

Our next trip is planned in pencil. We plan on flying into Sacramento, staying with my sister in law (who stole my Iphone that was never promised or even mentioned for me....but stole it nonetheless) on night one. Then on day 2 head to San Francisco with my sister in law her girlfriend and my niece. We will park at the hotel we will be staying at on night 2 and take the BART to a San Francisco Giants game. After the game we will head back to the hotel and they will head home. On the morning of day 3 we will head back to DFW.

This should be a fun trip. I read in my most recent Maxim magazine that the ONLY stadium food in the country worth buying is the garlic fries AT&T park. Hmmm just checked the schedule. The game on Friday is at 7:15PM. The Saturday game is at 1:05PM. The above schedule had us going to the game on Saturday....not gonna work as we can't check in till 3PM. Friday might work. I would shoot a message to my sister in law on Facebook....where she has an account. BUT SHE DOESN'T USE FACEBOOK! Grrr. Bleh.

Shoulda used my easy button

It was REALLY windy the other day in DFW during the freak storm. Kelli and I are the only two people in our house. Things seemed normal after the storm. I took a shower that night and went to bed. The next day Kelli took a shower in the morning...all was good. Last night Kelli took a shower and the water as only warm. She didn't tell me this right away though. I went to take a shower...and THEN she said, "kinda cold huh?". DOH!

I went up to the attic...no pilot light on the water heater. I then spent a few minutes trying to light it. No luck.

I went outside...no gas smell. I looked for a shutoff valve. Nada. I asked Kelli to call the gas company. Hmmm. Back to the attic. I clicked the start button for the pilot light over and over. First this is so much better than the old fashioned using a match to light a pilot light. No luck.

Gas company said they are sending someone....TONIGHT. Wow.

I figure it would be hours. We get ready for bed. While watching the news we get a knock on the door. Gas man. I lead him up to the attic. He unscrews the gas line...stinky gas comes out.Hmmm there goes my theory. He states the wind has blown out a lot of pilot lights over the last day or so. The wind shouldn't be able to blow back through the exhaust....but it does every now and then. Sure enough he clicks it JUST like I did....and it lights. Nice.

The reason it took over a day for us to figure it out was because there are only two of us in the house using the hot water.

My experiment with the sheets and fan went better last night. Thermostat set at 78 degrees, fan on high. Just about perfect. I did get cold about 10 minutes before my alarm went off. Maybe I will try 79 degrees tonight.

I started my 401K late last year during the bottom of the market. Since I started I am up 19.27%!!! In the last 3 months I am up 24.97%! Not too shabby at all. This will be a nice nest egg for Kelli and our offspring after I kick the bucket in 8 years.

Speaking of years. Tomorrow marks 7 years that Kelli and I have been together. Seven years. A little more than 2,555 days. Yowzers.

Side note...by other blog made the news in the Philippines....a writer for a web magazine wanted to use a photo of my kit bag with my anti-Obama sticker...I'm amous.. here is the link http://www.liveinthephilippines.com/content/2009/06/positive-or-negative-where-do-you-fit/.

Here is an excerpt:
I had this driven home to me pretty solidly a day or so ago when I read the blog of a fellow I have been reading for some time.  He’s a former computer industry tech person who changed careers to follow his dream … he always wanted to be an airline pilot.  Quit his job, mortgaged his house to finance his training and is now in the ’big time’ … or semi-big time.  He’s a first officer flying small jets for a regional US airline … working long strange hours and struggling up the ladder in the face of continual threats of layoffs (‘furloughs’ in the airline industry), and making his way, in general, in the typical American Dream path so many of us are used to reading about … at least back in better time.





What set me off on today’s essay though was a blog entry he made about packing his suitcase where he used an illustration of his pilot’s flight bag complete with a prominent ‘bumper sticker’ advocating the defeat of President Obama in the next presidential election in 2012. (Photo by permission, Geek in the Cockpit)
Now don’t get me wrong .. and don’t sharpen up your political knives.  This blog isn’t about politics and I don’t want to discuss it (for those who just have to know I didn’t vote for either Obama or McCain and I have absolutely no interest here, in 2009 who might be on the ticket in 2012).
I did, though, fell saddened and a little sick to my stomach that this otherwise positive, hardworking and ‘with it’ person would figure it was worth his time, three plus years before the next election, to put his day-to-day efforts into carrying around ‘anti’ banners this far in advance.  It’s as if we, the US, his chosen and problematic airline industry, and the unsettled world, with many people wondering where they are going to live or where their next meal is coming from, would feel that anything ‘positive’ will be advanced by wasting time campaigning against someone who can’t even run for more than three years.  I mean what are we for?  Being against someone can’t change a thing.......

Windows 7 and under the sheets

I installed Windows 7 on my Macbook Pro and another desktop computer a month or so ago. It runs much better on my Macbook than my fairly current desktop. I think the main issue with the desktop is lack of RAM (just 1 GB). I might up it soon. Overall I am very happy with Windows 7. It loads fast....just as fast as my Mac OS X. Once loaded I can quickly get down to business....in someways faster than Mac OS X. I still am not happy how some of the short cuts I have used since 1995 were taken away with Windows Vista and continue to be absent in Windows 7. Would I buy Windows 7 ? Maybe. I bought Windows Vista Ultimate when it came out. I have had nothing but frustration since. I reinstalled Vista Ultimate a few weeks ago on my main desktop. I then installed all the updates. Still slow and I have many issues running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Flight Simulator X that I don't get with Windows XP. I installed all the latest drivers to no avail. I am in the process of wiping away Vista and installing XP again.

Sheets. Kelli and I have been using our comforter to stay warm a night. The thermostat is turned down to 76 degrees. The ceiling fan is on high.  The outside temp is no lower than 78 degrees. Then I got to thinking, what if we took off the comforter and turn the thermostat up to 78 degrees. We could save money and be just as comfortable.

After about 4 minutes Kelli couldn't take it and pulled the comforter back on her side of the bed. I was a little cold, but I slept much better than I had in a while. I think tonight I will reduce than fan speed by one pull and see if I can be a little warmer.

I got my steroid shot yesterday. Feeling a little better. Should be good to go by tomorrow.

Kelli wants to go on a cruise out of Barcelona instead of Tokyo. The cruise STARTS the day my vacation starts. Right now there is no way I can see this happening as we would have to fly in the day before. I have no idea if I will be working the day before my vacation starts. Maybe next time Kelli.

Cotton candy. I love the stuff. My niece Haley always gets cotton candy whenever I visit and am able to acquire the treat. I wasn't able to go to the wedding last weekend and felt really bad for Haley not having her Uncle Darren around to give her Cotton Candy. Soultion? Amazon.com ! I shipped Haley a case of cotton candy. How much is in a case? Ahhh...just 12 plastic buckets full. Enough for a week or so.

Bored on my days off

My choice of career has it's perks (unlimited travel, awesome view, controlling 74 lives with just one hand). There are also some negaerks (negative perks) such as odd days off, low pay (in the first few years) an lots of time away from home. Right now I am going to whine about odd days off.

This month I have had mostly week days off. Kelli has weekends off. Thus I am off Tuesday thru Thursday this week. I have been so bored lately that I have been cleaning! I cleaned up and reorganized my office two weeks ago. I am 90% done. The other 10% will happen soon.

Today I got so bored I dove into the room formerly known as Kelli's Office. It has become a respository for crap. I made a nice dent in it. Eventually it will be a room for our offspring.

In the past on my odd days off I took a day trip somewhere (Vegas and Washington D.C. most recently). Tonight we are watching this TV show all about fried food. This is making me want to take a day trip tomorrow. Eh.

Another check mark

There aren't many things I have left on my "to do" list. I have been able to do a lot thanks to my awesome wife. Last week I did something that wasn't on my list until the last minute, landing at the most secure commercial airport in the United States.

I was assigned a silly assignment. I was to deadhead to Chicago on American Airlines then fly a plane to Washington D.C for the night, fly back to Chicago and then deadhead to DFW on American Airlines.

During my initial training on my plane I was trained on the special procedures in place in order to fly into Washington Regan (DCA) airport. I thought for sure the Captain would take the leg into the airport, nope he let me have it.

The process of arriving into the airport was very busy. Lots of work on my part to descend the plane to the right altitude at the right time. The sky was a little hazy, but I was assigned an approach called the "Mt Vernon" visual.

The Washington Regan Airport is small and congested. The "longest" runway is only 6800 feet long,  1/2 the length of the runways at DFW, but plenty enough for my plane. The approach required me to follow the Potomac river for most of the way in. This was really fun. While heading toward the airport the tower offered me the option of swinging out and landing on a different....much shorter runway. The other runway was only 5300 feet long. The shortest runway I have ever landed on at my airline was 6000 feet long. The minimum required is 3900 feet. Hmmm no thanks....I kept the longer one.

My approach was beautiful. The plane kissed the ground right where I wanted to and very nicely. Awesome.

Beyond that, Kelli is doing new things of her own. She flew out to California over the weekend. She nabbed the last seat on a 767 to San Francisco on Thursday. The last seat happened to be a First Class seat on a 767 (a very large plane and a very large seat that will recline to nearly flat). On the way back she used my benefits to ride on U.S. Airways from Sacramento to Phoenix and then picked up an American Airlines flight to DFW. Kelli is getting quite adventurous with her travels. She used my benefits on Southwest and now U.S. Airways to get herself around. She pays a very, very small fee to fly on another airline. The only risk is she is the absolute last person to board. She said U.S. Airways was nearly as easy to "non-rev" on as Southwest.

We are all set to go to Tokyo in October for the Tokyo Autoshow...oh and to see the city. I have a week of vacation blocked off. Should be fun.

I have had a sinus infection for about a week. I went to CareNow...because I needed CareNow, last week. I was given an anti-biotic. I couldn't get a steroid shot because I had to fly the next day. The FAA is very cautious with medications/injections/treatments with pilots. Before I take anything I check the active ingredients against at FAA database.

My T-Mobile G1 phone keeps getting better. I kind new applications weekly that are amazing. I just installed one that I will use when I travel. The application uses GPS to see where I am. I then can search for anything and will not only get locations, but REVIEWS from other users. Finding food on some overnights can be hard, this will make it much easier. I also like the USA Today application for quick news.

I am up to $27K in my slot machine. I have that much in credits. I have put through over $100K and won $113K. Right now it's paying out more than it's taking in. I have won so much mostly because I was playing $25 credits.

In my 32 years of life I have been called for Jury Duty twice. Both within the 3 years. I go again July 9th. There is a free parking lot in Fort Worth that I could use, but there is no security and cars get broken into often. Instead I pay $15 to park next to the Court House.

Good times.

Kelli is becoming a Guru at Non-Rev travel

Kelli is trying to go to California today. She has to work until 2PM. She would have made the first two flights to Sacramento if she didn't have to work. Now the remaining flights are very full. Last night she was working on backup plans. Right now I think she is flying to San Diego on American and then Sacramento on Southwest. She flies using my benefits on American and uses a ZED (Zonal Employee Discount) pass to ride on Southwest. A ZED pass is a type of ticket used by airline employees to fly on almost any airline. They are pretty cheap, but they are still standby. On American ZED riders board after every other employee standby.

A few weeks ago Kelli was flying from NY to DFW. She sent me a text stating how the MD80 she was on came from TWA. Most people would have no idea what kind of plane they are on, much less where it came from. Kelli has learned quite a bit about aviation over the last few years. Some of it willingly (like how to fly using my benefits) or others by chance (like how to tell the difference between an American MD80 and a former TWA MD80). Funny.

Right now I am thinking she will end up flying to San Francisco and having my sister in law or her girlfriend pick her up. Who knows how she will get back.

I am currently sitting in the bowels of DFW on airport standby. Tomorrow I will bet money I will be sent to Chicago to work. There are four open trips. Two of them have 30 hour long overnights in Northwest Arkansas. Most of the time I complain about how short overnights are....this one is too long, mostly because of where it is. If the overnight was in Washington, D.C, New York or Boston I would have a great time. Northwest Arkansas? Nothing too do but eat and complain. Booo.

Ugh...sick

I have another sinus infection. Had one last year. Annoying. I went to "Care Now"...because....well I needed Care Now! Same Doctor as last time. I think he hates his job. I won't go there again. I was given an antibiotic and sent on my way. Almost better.

Time for a new lawn mower. The current one has served for 5 years. It's getting worn. This time I have been given permission to get a cordless mower! Woo hooo! The price is the same at Lowes and Amazon. Amazon has free shipping and no taxes. Lowes has 1 year no interest. Eh.

Kelli is going to Sacramento this weekend for a wedding. I was supposed to go. Can't get off work...booo.

I think I have my sister in laws computer up and running. My brother in law erased all of her photos a few years ago when he reinstalled Windows. This time I asked him several times if he backed them all up. My final question was, "Would you bet your marriage on this?" He said he would. I walked him through reinstalling Windows. Then a few days later he called back with Internet issues. He could connect via wired but not wireless. I figured out it was a driver issue. Bad thing for him was he called about an hour after I took a sleep aid as I was tired of being awake and sick. I walked him through setting up remote assistance through Windows Messenger. This is a product/feature Microsoft did right. In order to connect I launched Windows XP inside my Mac OS on my Macbook. After about 30 minutes I had him fixed. Just in time for me to go to bed. Next time he should by a Mac. I've never had a driver issue on my Macbook, even when I installed a 4 year old printer!

Tokyo is still a go. American Airlines is reducing their international flights after August. I doubt Tokyo will be affected. We will likely have to plan two vacations...one west...one east.

I hate being sick.

Don't want to be like Kelli

Kelli hasn't updated her blog in a while. Her last post was, "it's been a while."

I've been working a lot more than I used too. Kind of annoying. I spent 3 months getting full pay while being home most every night. Now I am getting full pay, but am gone 3 to 4 nights a week. Annoying! Yeah I know it's my job.

Last week the Prius had a breakdown. Kelli was almost home when she called saying the "red triangle of death" was illuminated. I told her to pull over.

Thankfully she was just up the road. I drove up and tried to help. In addition to the red triangle, her 2004 Prius had a skid control error. I used my phone to search the net. The skid control error could be caused by low brake fluid. I checked the level. Looked good. I had her pump the brake several times with the car off. When she turned it back on....the skid control error was gone, but the triangle remained. Time to call for help.

I told her to buy a true Toyota Manufacturer warranty years ago before her factory warranty ran out. She paid $990 for it. Not too bad. The warranty would be a 6 year,75000 mile bumper to bumper "Platinum" warranty.

About a year ago her air conditioner system had to be replaced. The car was making a funny noise (that it has been making since she bought it) during a service visit. While there she was told of the issue.

When she brought the car in, they said she had no extended warranty. The whole southern part of the United States is controlled by ONE Toyota Distributor, Gulf States Toyota. No matter which dealer one buys a Toyota from in the south, it comes through Gulf States. Gulf States is like it's own little world. When they ran her VIN number it only searched THEIR databases for a warranty, not the national Toyota database. After our continued persistence that we indeed had a Toyota warranty, they fixed the air conditioner. The charge would have been $1400.....with the warranty no charge or deductible.

This time the same thing happened. In addition to the red triangle and skid control issue, she had a failing water pump. They told Kelli nothing was covered as she was out of basic warranty. The service adviser later "talked Toyota" into covering the water pump. The $2400 skid control ECU though was not covered. Kelli told the dealer to check her history for the previous repair. Tada! They found the warranty.

Kelli's warranty covers a rental car. She was given a base 2008 Nissan Sentra. I was going out of town for 4 days. She hated the Sentra and instead drove the hell out of my poor car. My car is normally driven 100 miles or so a week. She put 100 miles on it in 3 days! Poor thing!

She picked her car up Saturday. All fixed.

My last trip was interesting. Due to the thunderstorms in DFW on Friday I was majorly delayed. Might schedule was to fly from Lubbock, TX to DFW then to Amarillo and back before going to Amarillo again for the overnight. We left the hotel at 5AM. The flight was to leave at 6AM. We boarded up and fired up an engine. When I called the tower to taxi we were told DFW airport was effectively closed for at least an hour. Ugh.

I made a PA and told the passengers we would keep them on board for just one hour. If we were not cleared to go, we would likely let them off. At 7AM DFW airport was still closed. We were told the next update was at 8:15AM. Off went the passengers.

Over the next 8 hours we were given hourly updates. The airport was full as there are hourly flights to DFW from Lubbock. The airport ran out of food around noon. Finally at 2:55PM we took off. It would have been faster to drive to DFW airport.

Also during the trip I had a few bad landings....real thumpers. Finally my last one in Cleveland was REALLY smooth and soft. I made a self serving PA ,"ladies and gentleman, after that amazing landing by the First Officer I just wanted to re-insure you that we did indeed land. Have a great day". The flight attendants I had on board have a real since of humor. Right after I hung up, I saw the PA light go on again. When I opened the cockpit door and people were leaving, several stopped and shook my hand and said how wonderful my landing was. The flight attendant likely prodded them into doing so.

I am sick. I think my Captain was sick and got me sick. This sucks. I called in sick for the first time on Sunday. I was tired anyway. Between Wednesday and Saturday I worked more than 45 hours and flew 19 hours.

Kelli is going to Sacramento this weekend. I have to work.

Loving my slot machine. Eric & Angela brought their daughter Marin over a week ago. They all (including Marin) had fun playing it. Good purchase.

My vacation was moved to October. Tokyo is officially on.

My brother in law is getting close to being called by the local police department for a job. It will be very nice for him to move here. Having someone we can dump abandon drop out offspring with and not feel guilty will be nice.

I hate being sick.

Day at the Museum

I made it to the National Air & Space Museum yesterday.  With all the information and tips I received from my other blog, I decided to fly into IAD and just visit the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

The flight out was nice. I was able to score a first class seat. Sitting in first for me is more about the leg room than anything else. Getting a free breakfast was nice as well.

IAD is an interesting airport. I have flown into it before. The huge passenger transport vehicles remind me of some kind of futuristic military transport.

I found an information desk and asked how to get to the museum. They handed me a flyer and pointed me to a lower door and stop 2E. While walking I misread the schedule and thought the bus left at 30 past the hour. This was great as it was 20 past the hour. Nope....it left the Museum at 30 past the hour...it leaves the airport at 15 past the hour. Doh!

While waiting I was talking with Kelli who was in NY. She was trying to get on a 1:40PM flight. Problem was several revenue paying passengers who were on a 2:10PM flight wanted to go standby on the 1:40PM flight. They all got seats. None left for my wife. Well then the 1:40PM flight was delayed due to a minor mechanical problem till 2:30PM. Guess what? All those passengers now wanted back on the 2:10PM flight. My wife had quite the entertainment watching all of these passengers getting all upset of 20 minutes!

Eventually she got on the delayed 1:40PM flight.

Eventually the bus came. The ride is a cheap $0.50 each way.

The Museum was very nice. There are many more planes here than the National Mall Air & Space Museum. The other museum does have more exhibits though. After about 2 hours I was content. I checked the flight schedules to see a 4:30PM flight that had a few open seats. The time was 3:25PM. The shuttle for the airport left in 5 minutes. I rushed to get my bag all the while listing myself on the 4:30PM flight. The shuttle left right at 3:30PM...they don't mess around.

I stepped off the shuttle at 3:45PM and made my way into the airport. Initially I walked past the Dulles employee line as I wasn't in uniform. When I walked up to a regular security line I was told to go back to the employee line. Nice.

I cleared security and rushed to the gate. I walked up to the gate at 4:10PM flight expecting to see boarding in progress. Nope. Delayed a bit.

If I had checked in earlier I would have had first class again. because I checked in less than an hour prior to the flight, all the first class seats were taken. I got a seat....very last row in coach. Oh well...still a seat.

My visit to the museum was pretty low stress. If I had waited until today to go I would still be waiting to get there. All the flights are full today going to Washington, D.C.

Some of the photos I took can be seen below.

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Kelli is going to pass me at 1000 MPH

I am in Pittsburgh right now. My home away from home. I am flying back to DFW at 3:25 EST. Kelli is flying to NY leaving at 1:10 CST. Both of our flights are delayed. In theory we should pass each other somewhere over Tennessee. I think. I told her I would wave. I can hear the call signs of other flights and see where they are. Ha!

My current project is working to get my Windows Home Server to back up my Macbook Pro using Time Capsule. Some people have had some success. I have had none. I found an HP Home Server product that does it. I installed the software from HP. No go.

Windows Home Server is the best software product from Microsoft I have ever used. It runs and does it's job without a fuss. Configuring the options is idiot proof. I love it.

My Microsoft Zune MP3 player is the best product Microsoft has ever released. I have had mine for 1 1/2 years. I have had zero issues. The battery last forever between chargings. The software is much better than it used to be. I am able to connect it to my car stereo and use my stereo screen to view the Zune software. Love it. I am looking forward to the Microsoft Zune HD coming out soon.

I'm not going to be able to go to Kelli's cousins wedding. Work won't let me off.

Flew from Chicago to Atlanta for the first time two days ago. I hate Chicago. Atlanta wasn't bad at all.

My Macbook Pro is still the best computer I have ever owned.

My new casino game is craps. I have been practicing. I almost have my game down tight. Vegas is calling.

Sometime between Sunday and Tuesday I am going to Washington, D.C. for the day. Anyone want to go?

Time to eat Tuna Fish. Yum!

It works

I have a crappy work schedule this month. Most of my days off are on days where Kelli works and vice versa.

Next week I might take a day trip to Washington, D.C to visit some museums. Kelli might fly to New York this weekend to see her brother.

Just 9300 miles on my Mazda5. It will be interesting to see what vehicle is replaced in our garage first. Kelli's Prius is almost 6 years old. By the time my Mazda is due to be turned in, her car will be 8 years old. Not terribly old. But close. Will we turn in my car and keep hers for my use (since I don't drive much). Or buy my car (as it's more family friendly) and keep her car. Or buy my car and buy a new car. Or...eh....we will see.

Kelli took me to the new Night at the Museum movie. Ugh. I didn't care for the first one. The second one however.....didn't care for it either. I honestly couldn't recall any part of the movie beyond the scenes at the Air & Space Museum. No big deal, Kelli was bored out of her mind (and fell asleep) when I took her to Alamo. Even.

I bought a new Wii Fit game called EA Sports Active. This was supposed to be better than Wii Fit. Amazon had it for $60, Fry's had it for $50. I meant to buy it while in Oregon to save taxes. I couldn't find it, so I bought it here.

When I first played it I was very frustrated. After watching the videos and thinking about what I was doing I am happier. EA Sports Active is a little more exacting that Wii Fit. In EA Sports Active there is a lot of focus on doing the exercises correctly. Also the exercises can easily be put into a routine so they flow non-stop. I designed my own workout and am very pleased with the results. So far so good. We will see what I think in a few weeks.

My slot machine is teaching me a lot about how big of a rip off slot machines are. My machine is set for 98% payback. Now that is 98% payback over the life of the machine. I have put $400 in during a session and lost it all!

I flew with a Captain last week that really turned me on to craps. He has a system where he plays just 20 minute sessions 10 times a day. He stops playing when he wins $100 or reaches 20 minutes. He told me how he bets, and I remembered some of it. I am going to help him out with some computer stuff soon and will get more information. His average is winning 8 out of 10 sessions. Not bad at all.