Some place to visit this summer

The wallingford-Back Mine

Might be fun to go there on a hot summer day!

Getting itchy feet, want to TRAVEL!!!

Earlier this evening I watched 2 documentaries. One was from 2011 done just around the time the Burj Khalifa was set to open. I'd seen it in 2007, just partly done. It is still as we speak the tallest building in the world.

Part of me is disappointed because I never got to see it finished and I doubt I will ever travel to Dubai again, part of me knows I hate heights and elevators and I'm not sure I'd want to go to one of the viewpoints where the view is spectacular.  The building sets fear in me. However it is still an engineering feat. Since the documentary was produced in Dubai of course they showed everything going perfectly planned. It amuses me to no end having been there.

The other documentary I watched was on Petra.   I would still love to go back and spend a minimum of a week wandering around the Petra site, choosing a different area of this old Nabateaen city every day.  While I had read a fair amount about Petra around the time I visited it, I still learned much from this documentary. It is spectacular what a desert nomadic tribe accomplished that long ago in terms of both architecture and plumbing considering Petra is in a desert that is one of the driest places on Earth.

Since going in 2010 to Petra, a short 3 hours, where we tried to see and absorb the most, at least when they showed all the different areas of the old city I could recognize the buildings and the tombs. Also since I've always been fascinated by old buildings and architecture, it was interesting to see how all the different styles from the Romans, the Egyptians and the Assryrians, all blended into one to make a unique style for the Nabateaens.

While I want to go back and visit Petra, I was thinking I couldn't just go to Jordan at this point, with all the conflict in the region just to visit. If I went to Jordan, the only thing I could see myself doing in good conscience would be to go offer my services, whatever I have to offer to the Syria refugee camps that are undoubtedly occupying most of the bordering territory between Jordan and Syria.  I could not visit one of the worlds oldest wonders and not feel the suffering of the millions of displaced Syrians, and also the Iraqis.  How humans can do this to one another escapes me.

Beautiful Sunny day

Today was a beautiful sunny day. I left the townships around 3:15, gassed at the Petro-T in Drummondville, and drove straight home. The 55's passing lane did have a bit of snow in some parts of the left most side, but the  right lane was clear. The 20 was clear the whole way as was the 30. A bit of wind and drifting snow in some areas but nothing compared to my drive down.

I arrived home at 5:30, and pulled straight in the garage. Toby did not say meow the entire trip home. He slept, with his face near the exit of the cage. I always put it so that he can see me and he knows I'm with him.  He was found sleeping earlier in his usual spot at this time in the evening. Jethro and Pixie greeted him, Ziva hissed, sniffed him and told him he smelled funny. Females!

I didn't mention that I went to Rockaberry on Sources, on Wednesday night. I went to meet a new POF guy. I hope, the first and the only for 2015.  This new one messaged me the Wednesday before, and I responded the morning before leaving for my interviews at ETS downtown. We exchanged around 15 emails that day, starting with silly banter and ending with much deeper and intellectual topics. By the end I was actually wanting to meet him. Usually it takes me a week or two online to feel out someone. However what kept me from the impulsivity was my sore back.  It wasn't well enough before Wednesday to attempt meeting anyone.

We met around 7pm, I decided at 9:30 to put a 10pm end to the meeting otherwise we would have talked all night. I got a good feeling, like this one might be a friend for a very long time. He actually speaks my language.  Time will tell as is usual with such things.We're still exchanging emails but nothing like the frenzy of the first day.

My back is still a bit stiff but I can still bounce around a room, and that is a good thing. My back stays stiff too if I don't move around enough. Another few days and it should be fine. Just have to make sure not to lift much this week at work.

Long week before release.

Most who read this blog know I was shipped to Toronto Monday July 21st and came back on the Thursday. I was sent to Toronto because the company I work for is producing a product based on an AMD chip.

In some ways it was a thrill, because ATI technologies, has been my favourite graphics vendor for over 20 years.  It was too bad that it wasn't before the merger with AMD. I suspect the company mentality was different before being bought by AMD

The products I've been working on are out as customer samples and I have to get a release on our website by Monday morning.  I've been working on this project for easily a year and it's been a long year. This project has by far been the most confusing, with the least possible documentation.

Usually I get some form of specification which helps me understand the software and drivers. This time, nothing. Trying to get information is like pulling teeth.  Also because those responsible for drivers aren't in our building or even in the same city,  and the guy who is our go to guy at AMD, while being an outstanding human being, is a lousy tester. He tries, he really does. But it means I get to revisit scenarios over and over and over again.  To prove to my bosses, that yes, the problem is still there. Why they aren't seeing it at AMD... your guess is as good as mine.

Some time ago, I ranted about Eyefinity cards. I talked about how much more congenial our software and interface is then theirs, but how their graphics engine was far more awesome then any of ours. Well we will now have the best of both worlds. Our very user friendly, configurable software interface with their kick-ass hardware.

I have to say, I've been validating the AMD version for 8 months and our spin-off since mid july, my specialty is to find catastrophic fails in display drivers.  Their driver is reasonably well validated, as I found very little display driver issues per say.  Most of the issues I'm finding are communication issues between their driver and their low level interface which talks to our interface. 

This week and next week are going to be killers, with many hours of overtime. Hopefully what gets posted on the web Monday as a beta for customer samples is going to be a success. We worked really hard like headless chickens in the past few months, would be nice to see some results.

Of course while all this is going on, this is when I start going through CVs and am doing interviews for hiring interns that would start in January. I started yesterday with 3 CVs and it's going to continue. The timing is so wrong but if I miss the deadlines I miss having interns and that would be a bad thing. 

Also our June equipment budget  only got approved in July and while the purchaser was on vacation, so while I'm trying to get this release out the door, I've been flooded with new equipment . Most is unpackaged but I still have a huge box of items to tag before distributing it.  I have LCD's that are doubled on shelves because I don't have the bandwidth to re organize my benches and my teams work benches. And if this wasn't enough, we got maintenance to postpone waxing our floors THIS week-end. That would have meant that all systems are shut down for week-end, and all cables rolled up otherwise EVERYTHING gets caked in wax.. That's going to be next week-end.

Toronto....Markham

I've been joking for years that after dark they should roll up the side walks in Toronto, and well, I'm still feeling it 30 years later.

We are in Markham which seems to be more like an industrial area. In fact around AMD, there is mostly other large companies, hotels, and restaurants and very little else.

For some reason it reminds me of Dubai. Between the smog, the wide open spaces and the high rises, and even the heat today...  The only thing is that it's never humid in Dubai. Thank God!

People at AMD have been very nice to us. I'm somewhat thrilled to visit ATI technologies even though I doubt anyone will give us a tour.

Sitting in their IT training room next to the Atrium, you hear the fountains running, it's kinda pretty.

Went for a walk last night and well this shows well the endless nothing.

Thrilled... not..

The idea was first thrown at me Thursday mid afternoon, that we were going to be driving down to Toronto, to visit one of the AMD offices.   It was confirmed Friday at noonish, that we were leaving at 6AM, now 6:30 AM on Monday morning.

We're hoping to travel with 15 LCD's, 2 PC's and various related peripherals and we're driving there..

So tomorrow morning I need to wake up at the crack of dawn and get my ass to work at 6:30 AM with estimated departure time from Montreal 7 AM.  Will probably be spending a lot of time online on my phone.

I wasn't really asked either, I was volunteered, and it was so short notice, that I don't even have the time to become incredibly anxious. Though the feeling is starting to hit me... AHHHHHH

Now have to pack, [made a list at least], dye my hair... it reddish blonde at this point, with too much grey/white and black showing.  I also want to shave my legs and look semi human.

I   want to bring patterns to cut out and dresses to hem. I just have to iron & pin the hem of one dress tonight, and then I"ll have plenty  to do to keep me busy at night. Dunno what TV show I want to bring so I have stuff to listen to.

ANd the worst part of going on this business trip is that I'm going to miss Tobias seen below on the top of the back of the chair where I stack my sweaters.

What do you mean I can't stay here?

It's been strange.

I'm realizing that despite spending some time chilling in front of my laptop, I also seem to have a reasonably active life.

Two weeks ago I was in Ottawa, Ontario on the Monday and in Fredericton, New Brunswick on the Friday [Well early Saturday morning].  With side trip in the townships before the trip to Fred to get a trailer.

I think the funniest part of the trip was the car we first spotted when you get off the 20 at Riviere du Loup and end up on the 185 I think?   He was parked on the side of the road with his 4 way flashers, and we noticed the car was so full of stuff, and the most noticeable was the large bin on the hood, that was duck taped to the hood.   That send us in a long series of bin jokes. "Bin there done that, got the tshirt"... I don't need to expand.  The funny part is that we must have passed the car 4 times and they passed us easily 3 times. They had an Alberta plate. We were willing to bet we'd run into them the next day someone around Gagetown and we would have gone up to them and said "Bin here before?

When my eldest realized I was in Fred, and it's not that far from Halifax, she and her bf decided that a road trip was warranted.  Also I've realized this young man is defacto my son in law.  I know my daughter and I can tell her mind is made up. Comments like would I be able to make her a medieval wedding dress, or she'll be having babies within the next couple of years lead you to that conclusion. It was nice I got to spend 5 hours with them.   I was beaming the rest of the day.

This past week-end I returned the trailer to it's owners in the townships. And though it was just a short stay I enjoyed spending time with my friends.  I'm happy and in a good space after leaving them.

It's made me realize that I'm in a good place in my life.  I spend most of my time seeing the negatives, but the positives are there too. I have really awesome friends. 

My babies are spreading their wings

This morning my youngest daughter chatted me a bit on Facebook. She's considering going to teach aboard next year.  I know she was toying with going to teach in a remote location in Canada, most likely on a native reserve, but then she changed her mind because she was thinking she's going to get an internship in one of the institutions in Montreal and that would be more beneficial. 

Today she's mentioning she's considering going to teach in England next year.  I encouraged her.  She's young and unattached, it's the best time for trying out new stuff and traveling. By teaching in England she'll be able to travel around Europe on her week-ends and get a chance to experience a whole new continent. 

As far as my eldest daughter is concerned, as soon as she finishes her last semester at Concordia, in May she's moving to Halifax and joining the Navy full time. She's extremely enthusiastic about it! 

So come next year I will have one daughter in Halifax and one daughter in England!