Someone must have upgraded my Father. Not only has he joined Facebook, but he started a writing blog about his childhood. Go read his first story. Great stuff. Welcome to the internet Dad.

I really enjoyed writing my 2007 Year in Review. So I am doing it again!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Ran a 15K.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Despite saying I was going to set better goals for 2008, I cannot think of one single goal I made and kept. I am going to make goals again for 2009. I plan on making more short term goals and having frequent reviews.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No. But my little sister is pregnant with her 2nd child.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Financial Freedom.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 25th – We had a 30 Hour Famine for our Youth Group. 30 hours is a long time to go without food.

October 25th – 15K race in Tulsa.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Training for and running in a 15K. The training was probably harder than the actual race.

9. What was your biggest failure?

My blog?!? It really sucked this year. Only 18 total post for 2008 (300% more post than supercodepoet.com, but who’s counting). And a third of them were Guild Wars related… wait what am I saying? It sucks every year! Going to try to change that… 2009 the year of the blog!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No. Pretty healthy year for me!

11. What was the best thing someone bought you?

Not sure.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Cannot think of anyone…

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Sometimes my own….

“Search others for their virtue, and yourself for your vices.” – Buckmister Fuller

14. Where did most of your money go?

Paying off debt. My wife and I have been working hard to get out of debt.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Nothing much….

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Unwinding Cable Car by Anberlin.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? About the same.
Thinner or fatter? Holding steady.
Richer or poorer? Less debt… should be a little richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Socializing. Spending time with my wife and kids.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasting time.

20. How do you plan to spend Christmas?

Going to Texas to visit my parents and family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Still in love with my wife of eleven years.

22. How many one night stands?

None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

LOST… Can’t wait for Season 5!
Other shows, Heroes and The IT Crowd.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is such a strong word…

25. What was the best book you read?

I did not get much read done… that is going to change in 2009.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Anberlin

27. What did you want and get?

Nintendo Wii

28. What did you want and not get?

Jeep Wrangler

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Dark Knight.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 33. Played Paintball with my brother and friends.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Guild Wars 2…. it’s coming out soon or so they say

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Fashion eludes me. Ask my wife.

33. What kept you sane?

My kids. They are a continuous source of delight and surprise.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Celebrities do not impress me, other than Chuck Norris and Frederic Doss (my brother in law).

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

The election, I guess…

36. Who do you miss?

My extended family, and old friends.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

Ric Stiegman from my church. He is so joyful it’s un-natural.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008?

The ability to control one’s own attention is an incredibly valuable skill.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Give me wings,
Give me peace.
These are the things that I need.
I’m tormented, broken and shamed
Are you listening? (Are you listening)?
Give me shelter from the storm,
I know it’s a lot to ask for,
Considering how recent I’ve piled the dirt on your name.
Are you listening? (Are you listening)?
Are you listening?

I have heard that winter’s cold
Will give way to summer’s warmth
Oh no! Like salt in the snow
I’m melted and left all alone on the side of the road.

In this where I am for your sake,
Stuck between sleep and awake?
My mind is dreaming of things.
Are you listening? (Are you listening)?
I took you for granted again
And threw you aside
And pretended for one minute that I had control of my life,
And direction it seemed to be in
I was wrong again, (I was wrong again),
Are you listening?

Salt in the Snow – The Classic Crime

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Here’s to an awesome 2009!

I ran a 15K race in the Tulsa Run today. My time was 1:37:45 and placed 2368 of 3362 runners. The race result can be found here. It was an awesome experience. I plan on doing it again next year.

I created a new set of navigation icons for anyone who would like to use them. Licensed through creative commons same as the other ones. The zip file includes disabled (gray) version of the buttons too. Please leave a comment if you use them. Of course it’s not required, but I would love to know how my creation is being used.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

A few weeks ago the LCD panel on my laptop quit. After doing a little research on the internets, I figured out that the LCD INVERTER was the problem. At first I thought it was going to cost me $70 or more to fix. Searching Ebay, I found a new one for $29.95 + shipping. So here is how I replaced it:

LCD INVERTER: K000017700

Step 1: Follow first 11 steps on this guide to disassemble a Satellite P30, but you don’t need to remove all the screws from the bottom of laptop. Be sure to note which wire goes where on the WI-FI antenna.

Step 2: Remove 4 screws hidden under rubber pads located closest to the sides of LCD panel (marked with red arrows, other pads do not have screws under them).

Step 3: Take a screwdriver or other small tool and carefully pry apart bottom of LCD panel. After starting the bottom use an old credit card or guitar pick to split the rest apart.

Step 4: Unplug 2 connectors and screw from old LCD Inverter.

Step 5: Install new LCD Inverter.

Note: The new inverter had a long plastic shield around it and would not seat correctly. I took knife and cut a section of the plastic out so it would fit.

Step 6: Reassemble laptop. The whole process took about an hour.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any damage you can cause to your laptop.

Need more info on repairing your laptop? Click here!

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?

Nothing of consequence… I am going to work on that in 2008.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No. They were to vague. I am setting goals for 2008 but they will be much clearer.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes. My wife gave birth to our 3rd child.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No and I have an air tight alibi.

5. What countries did you visit?

Tyria, Elona, and Cantha… oh wait, in real life none.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

More sleep.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Jan 26th – Birth of Sadie.
July 10th – First day of new job.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Got out of a really crappy job and into an awesome one.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not getting out of my old job sooner.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major.

11. What was the best thing someone bought you?

Nothing comes to mind.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My son. He has made huge progress in life and learning the last 4 months. He is really growing up. I am so proud of him.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Travis Chase due to his total lack of commitment to the greatest MMO in the world: Guild Wars.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Not really sure…. but I’m sure the IRS has a large portion of it.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Sadie’s birth. My new job. Guild Wars: Eye of the North.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?

Deathbed by Relient K.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happier!
Thinner or fatter? Holding steady.
Richer or poorer? Richer… I think.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Keep up with old friends. This is something I am going to work on in 2008.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wallowing in the state of “I don’t know what to do…”

20. How do you plan to spend Christmas?

Celebrated Christmas at home with my family. Then canceled our after Christmas trip to Texas when my son got strep throat.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?

Still madly in love with my wife.

22. How many one night stands?

None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

LOST. (Can’t wait for Season 4! 29 days and counting…)

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hmmmmm… better not say.

25. What was the best book you read?

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Waking Ashland (Maybe that was from 2006….)

27. What did you want and get?

A new job.

28. What did you want and not get?

Nintendo Wii

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Transformers.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Party with family. I turned 32.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Fewer ice storms.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

Fashion eludes me. Ask my wife.

33. What kept you sane?

Guild Wars (Sad, I know…).

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

None.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

War in Iraq, but not enough to do anything… I am politically lazy.

36. Who do you miss?

I miss the daily bull sessions with Travis, Kent, and the rest of the guys at my old job.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

I have meet a bunch of cool people at my new job. Not sure who is the best.
Perhaps, I should pit them in a basketball court of 5 year olds to find the answer.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007?

Pain, trials, and the like may not be God pouring out His wrath on me but His mercy.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

How long have I
been in this storm
so overwhelmed by the ocean’s shapeless form
water’s getting harder to tread
with these waves crashing over my head

If I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I’d see you
the storminess will turn to light

Lifehouse – “Storm” from the Who We Are album.

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Here’s to an awesome 2008! Found this year in review on brad wilson’s blog.

I won a copy Serenity Collector’s Edition in a contest hosted by Fresh Arrival! Thank you so much!

The totally awesome UK show The IT Crowd is getting a second season. It will be released in September!

via boing boing

PC Gamer Magazine awarded Guild Wars Nightfall its 2006 Awards for Best MMO and Best Value. And if that was not enough – it also has been named “Best Online/Multiplayer Game” in the 2006 1UP Awards! Congrats to ArenaNet!

ArenaNet launched the Offical Guild Wars Wiki a few days ago. Factions gets some love with the Cantha New Year’s Event coming this weekend.

Gaile (ArenaNet Community Relations Manager) made some exciting announcements today on the GW Online Forums. Of note:

* Up to 20 players per town will be able to show off their miniatures in town.
* You can now log out to the character selection screen, instead of the log-in screen. No need to enter a password every time you change characters.
* Several changes have been made to the Skills and Attributes panel to offer you more customization options. Even little things like being able to swap the order of the skills in your skill bar will make things a bit easier, and there are several other functionality improvements beyond that.
* Ranger pet adjustments. We’re pleased to say we have a rudimentary version of pet controls up-and-running on our test servers.

Susan and Sadie were released from the hospital Sunday afternoon and they are doing well.