Muttering about my task list

I managed to fix the issue quite easy, I still can’t believe it was that simple… I wonder though, if this is what will hit me in the next fix-it task to come up:. I’d also love to punch people that don’t check errorous return codes in the face!

I remember the 6th commandment of C Programmers,

If a function be advertised to return an error code in the event of difficulties, thou shalt check for that code, yea, even though the checks triple the size of thy code and produce aches in thy typing fingers, for if thou thinkest “it cannot happen to me”, the gods shall surely punish thee for thy arrogance.

Especially since I’m the one being punished for anothers dickheadedness!

I really wish PHP had exception handling, WAIT !!! (a quick google of the reference manual later), PHP 5 added them, YKYMF! I smell a few additions to my utility library… unless what I need has already been universally implemented by someone hehe.

And in likewise reflection upon The 10 Commandments of C Programmers:

Thou shalt check the array bounds of all strings (indeed, all arrays), for surely where thou typest “foo” someone someday shall type “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”.

Some people just don’t know how true that is!

Thumbing through the annotated edition, I can’t help but chuckle at this… And hope such a thing befalls the bastard that did this to me lol.

verily there be many, many ancient systems in the world, and it is the decree of the dreaded god Murphy that thy next employment just might be on one. While thou sleepest, he plotteth against thee. Awake and take care.

Ok, so maybe I am a jerk sometimes ^_^

Anyway, I got a little bit of time before bed. I’ll use that to take care of a few odds and ends, and I’ll finish the other work I need to do tomorrow night.

The long and tiring road

I’ve been very weary of late,

Perhaps even more so now that I’ve been off work for a bit. I don’t think I go back to work until Wednesday, hope it’s not tomorrow lool. The only time I generally know what day it is, is when I’m at work. What I really need is something like Lothlórien. When the Fellowship of the Ring stopped in the beautiful Lothlórien, they were able to find a time of great rest before continuing on with their quest (after just losing Gandalf the gray in the mines of Moria and a long march to flee from the orcs).

I’ve been very busy, little sleep, no real R&R,and it’s almost time to go back to work :-(. I really need a dang gum vacation !!! It seems that no matter what I do, the things I seek are always on the edge, just beyond my grasp.

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old,
This knight so bold,
And o’er his heart a shadow,
Fell as he found,
No spot of ground,
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength,
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow;
“Shadow,” said he,
“Where can it be,
This land of Eldorado?”

“Over the mountains
Of the moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,”
The shade replied,
“If you seek for Eldorado!”

— Eldorado, Edgar Allan Poe, 1849.

I Always did like that Poem

Why is the sea of troubles never ending?

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover’d country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.–Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember’d.

— The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act III, Scene I, William Shakespeare.

Hmm, different problems, (surely different ends), but still.. a “sea of troubles” without an end in sight.

Writer’s Block: Meaningful Words

What is your favorite quote? And why?

Live Journals Writer’s Block

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

This is one of my favorite quotes, I remember when Rand used to do training on [SAS] TG#1. He always tried to get it across to everyone that you always take care of your element. You wouldn’t want to finish the mission a couple of friends less if it was a real-op would you?

Be it virtual or real world, it is a concept worth taking heed of.

I remember some thing I read once about lend lease.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, eager to ensure public consent for this controversial plan, explained to the public and the press that his plan was comparable to one neighbor’s lending another a garden hose to put out a fire in his home. “What do I do in such a crisis?” the president asked at a press conference. “I don’t say… ‘Neighbor, my garden hose cost me $15; you have to pay me $15 for it’ …I don’t want $15 — I want my garden hose back after the fire is over.”

If your house is burning to the ground in front of them, you’ll either see your friends and neighborers helping or sitting around waiting on the fire department while you fry like bacon.

A bit more context to the original qoute:


Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

King Henry V, Act IV, Scene III, William Shakespeare

I do have a bit of a soft spot for Shakespeare’s plays, I usually find them utterly boring or very enjoyable :-). I remember I was once working on a poem and a good friend of mine pointed me towards Romeo and Juliet for inspiration. It didn’t help worth a darn but it was a fine play !

Any thing remotely classifiable as poetry from me, usually comes from very strong feelings… For better or worse as the case may be. I find it helps from time to time to use words in such a manor as what most people would probably consider as having a poetic or psalm like flair to them.. Some times committing it to file rather then leaving it in my mind is a great way to order my thoughts.

This particular bit of work I’m thinking of was like the blood flowing from the stone so to speak but love can do crazy things to a mans heart. I keep a copy of it stored in my home directories ~/Documents/Personal folder but it is still a one-issue’er, for none other to receive. Some day perhaps I’ll post it but not this morning, fuuy… been installing programs so long it’s after 5am :

Hmm… this brings back tender memories, I think if I had a word processor installed on PC-BSD yet I’d read it before I go to sleep.

When surrounded and no way out but surrender, facing being ‘roasted alive’ at the hands of a tyrant.

I have no pride left in me. What I do, now I do for my people and for Camelot. And may they forgive me. This is my last act as your king. Do not be afraid. All things change. I am Arthur of Camelot, and I command you now… all… To fight! Fight like you’ve never fought before! Never surrender! Never Surrender! Fight as you never…

/* crossbow bolts strike him across the chest */

Camelot lives!

— First Knight, 1995.

As Arthur lay dying, the people and his knights resist Malagants men. Even the unarmed civilians engage the enemy as a fighting mass and repel the enemy from Camelot by sheer force of attrition.

Given the choice, to yield to tyranny or fight for ones freedom who could resist? As some of my country men once said when our nation faced the same decision: Give me Liberty, or give me Death!

I don’t think the idea will ever be allowed to die, while people hold breath.

Remembering

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now, and at
the hour of our death.
Amen.

daily fortune cookie

Nothing is faster than the speed of light.

To prove this to yourself, try opening the
refrigerator door before the light comes on.

To days date is: Mon Nov 26 04:24:21 UTC 2007
Terry@Dixie$ 4:41

That so reminds me of some thing Lake posted xD

“Betty Davis advised to know who your friends are and also know your enemies. When asked how one can identify ones enemies she said “anyone who interferes with your work”

I’m beginning to agree…

In search of Eldorado

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-
This knight so bold-
And o’er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow-
“Shadow,” said he,
“Where can it be-
This land of Eldorado?”

“Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,”
The shade replied-
“If you seek for Eldorado!”

–Edgar Allan Poe, published 1849

I always liked that poem.