Stories

This log represents the Life and Times of the Las Vegas Dude.

<< 07/2006 < 06/2007 Calendar 08/2007 > 07/2008 >>

Sat

07/14/2007 08:08:01

Yo Dude! now we camp for a couple days and enjoy the life of fishing eating drinking and the Glorious game of Corn-Hole. A new experiance the the city slicker of las vegas LOL

Fri

07/13/2007 21:06:15

Jim Eliminated those pesky bot ids.

I should do like Yahoo, Aol and the other sites do for logons
They put a graphic up to verify a human is trying to log in.
Another long day. Got up at 5am.
Found the web site had been abused. So I wrote a fix and put it in.
Figured out my project's design was flawed.
I corrected it, but...
The real problem is, I've sent the Documentation to several users for our meeting next Tuesday.
So, my first meeting may make me look bad.
Work keeps asking me if I'd consider full time.
Its a toss up of benefits verses dollars.
At any rate, I told them I couldn't commit to anythingt until my contract is up in November.
I indicated I would like that.
I finally got the seller's documents to sign.
Grady called and said if i could get it signed today, the deal was probably blown.
All this happened today, on a Friday, around 4pm.
I had to go home during rush hour, get the docs, find a notary and a Fed Ex place.
All this I had to do in a town that rolls up its side walks at 5pm.
My brain is fried again.
Somehow, we pulled it off, and I think I lost some of my hair.

Fri

07/13/2007 09:15:14

Jim Hackers...what do you do with them?

Its funny when people try to hack this system.
There's really no useful information in this system to steal or get.
And almost everything is out in the open.
Gotta love it

Thu

07/12/2007 19:31:02

jim Louisville,KY-BAMS

Wed

07/11/2007 22:02:16

jim Louisville Blgs

Wed

07/11/2007 20:57:08

jim Louisville,KY-4thStLive Party List

Wed

07/11/2007 13:34:59

Jim Well, I am fixing toilets...lol

But I'm doing it for free.
I know, I said I'd fix toilets for what work is paying me but
The apartments hopper quit filling up and rather than wait for management to fix it, I went out and bought a Flowmaster for $6 and threw it in. Plus, I hooked up most of the Ice Maker.
Our internet is still not working.
A guy from Insight came out yesterday, and totally botched the job.
He hooked up the cable TV, and just left the cable modem.
After spending an hour on the phone with Insights Support (which, right now, costs me 45 cents a minute on my cell phone), they determined the modem was just plain BAD.
Someone left the cake out in the rain, alrighty...lol.
I would be upset, but they gave us a digital box for free.

Sun

07/08/2007 20:17:35

Jim Moving/Kentucky Derby/River Front Park

Friday, we signed papers for the apartment, but we couldn't move in yet.
So, we just hung out at Suburban.
We ate pizza at Old Chicago's, and I've gotta say, it was the best pizza I'd ever had!
Saturday, we moved into our apartment.
It took two trips to move out of the Suburban.
Then we bought a TON of Walmart furniture (airbed, chairs...)
We moved all of that in and passed out around midnight.
Sunday, we had to exchange another VCR (without a tuner in it, which we need)
Our GPS went strange on us, and we ended up at a Walmart in New Albany.
On our way back, we had to go down Albany's back streets.
We actually got stopped at a railroad crossing for 20 minutes (I hopped out and picked flowers...lol).
Albany's a beautiful, small town with very old Buildings.
I64 was out to Louisville, so once again, we had to take a detour and I blew a flat!
Finally, about noonish, we got back to Louisville.
Churchill Downs with Rod and Jessica.
Rod and Jessica met us at the apartments and gave us a lift. They are such great company!
Becky picked the horses and won!!! Yippee!!!
Ending the day, we went to The River Front Park
Cool place. There's a Joes Crab Shack high on stilts over the river.
The park has a water jet show, and lots of grassy areas.
Kids were playing frisbee football and soccer. It looked like a blast.

Sun

07/08/2007 13:43:42

jim Louisville,KY-Kentucky Derby-Rod,Jessica,Jim,Becky

Sat

07/07/2007 16:22:21

Jim See ya’ll Tuesday

We're going off line until we get our new internet service
Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Sat

07/07/2007 07:26:34

Jim Living downtown...how to adapt?

I'm really excited about this change.
Entertainment is in walking distance. A CVS is just a block away.
I noticed that most of the Kentucky Towers dwellers don't have a car.
To get from the street to our apartment
- we have to park in a garage
- go to the 3rd floor
- walk up a ricketty stair/bridge to our apartment building
- go down and around a hallway
- take the elevator to the fifth floor
- then go down the hall to our apartment #503.
There is no convenient way to get from the parking garage to the apartment at ground level.
However, if we take the bus
- We can enter the apartments directly from the front
- take the elevator to the fifth floor
- then go down the hall to our apartment #503.
So, either we find a place to park at ground level, or we take the bus.
This is going to be so much FUN! And I am going to lose weight!

Fri

07/06/2007 15:32:10

jim Louisville,KY-Kentucky Towers-Apt

Fri

07/06/2007 00:15:38

Jim Our new apartment

We move in 3pm tommorrow...yahoo!!!
Kentucky Towers: 513 S 5th #504, Louisville, KY 40202, (502) 585-6300
Our apartment is on the 5th floor of this 1920's high rise.
In its hay day, was a ritzy hotel. The Hilton is across the street from it.
They are refurbishing it, along with the rest of the downtown area.
I'm curious, and paranoid, about moving into a high rise.
But this one looks REALLY COOL!!!
It has 100 washer dryers, a swimming pool on the 5th floor, an excercise room and shops on the first floor.
A Hilton Hotel and a coffee shop are across the street.
Fourth Street Live, Louisvilles ritzy party area, is one block away.
Best of all, its only 10 minutes to work,
the drive is simple,
so its unlikely that I'll be blasting the stereo,
then miss a turn at 70 mph,
and end up headed towards Nashville,
like I did the other day.

The people are very friendly and mostly attractive.

- A security guard showed us the route from the parking lot to our apartment and was nice enough to walk us through the route. He said its a quiet building.
- I talked to a front desk clerk from the Hilton who was smoking outside. She said we were going to love it. She had a lease 4 blocks down the road.
- There was a crazy lady sitting at a bus stop yelling things, probably talking to god.
- A fellow hit me up for a dime. Another hit me up for a cigarette.
- Three girls walked in alone at different times.
Each dressed like they just came from a company party.
One said she was involved in politics, and just got back from Washington DC.
So the people are going to be quite varied, but not threatening.
Our next challenge will be finding furniture on a shoe string budget.
We won't have an internet connection until Wednesday.

Thu

07/05/2007 01:15:48

Jim 4th of July at Rods

- Spent the day checking out webcaming with Sonny, Jennifer and Joy.
- Chatted with Gma.
It was great!
We were actually on our way to downtown Louisville to watch the fireworks over the Ohio, but decided to swing by and say Happy 4th!!!
Rod spent about $300 on fireworks, which sounds familiar to me.

We hung, drank a couple of beers, at beer brats.
Jessica, Rod and Reese's daughter plays the clarinett...and she had it sitting out. I picked it up, and guess what? I could still play, AND read sheet music. Its been 30 years since I was 1st chair in the high school band. There was a thunderstorm with lots of lightening on 15 mile drive home.
Altogether, it was quite a night.
We'll be going to the Kentucky Derby's last race on Sunday.

Wed

07/04/2007 09:50:00

Jim Apartment follow up is important

We saw an adorable apartment.
It was in an old brick four plex, right off the street, with parking in the back. There were trees in the front.
The owner/manager was outside fixing a window. I asked him why it was broken. He said he didn't know.
He showed us the apartment. It was nice, $500 a month, and we filled out an application.
I felt ready to take it.
HOWEVER...
When I was leaving, a guy at the bottom of the stairs gave me an evil look.
Then the manager said, "Hey Jose, how are you doing?".
Jose dropped his look and smiled.
We drove by an hour later.
There were three 15/16 year olds hanging out in the hallway.
They were sitting on the stairs and they were dressed in gang attire.
When the sun goes down, the bad guys come out.
I realized why the manager was replacing broken windows.
At least I learned that 4 plexes like that sell for $240,000 here.

Wed

07/04/2007 05:24:07

Jim They should have built Las Vegas in Louisville

They should have built Las Vegas here, instead of in the middle of a desert!
Its beautiful out here. The days are hot and muggy, however, the nights are cool and very pleasant.
And my breathing problems have all but gone away, so its actually therapeutic out here.
It would be hard to come back to Vegas to live now.
I'd forgotten how beautiful this country, and its people can be.
I've heard one horn honk out here, and it was for a good reason.
I put my blinkers on to switch lanes, and people let me in. Wow!
One of my test to see how people are in different areas of the country
has been to ask strangers for directions.
People here, actually stop, look you in the eyes and try to give you their best answer.
They seem less self absorbed than Vegans.
This would be a great place to chant a mantra! Lol.
Speaking of spirituality….
Wouldn't you know, my Be Quick notary/courier business took off like a rocket, right after I agreed to this consulting contract. I also had problems with my tenants and my condo's association too right before I moved. The logical solution was to sell my condo.
I felt like something was pushing me into coming out here, for some reason.
Ever feel like that? Like you are being controlled?
For years now, I've felt that I couldn't retire yet…
that there was something else I had to do first.
I felt that I'd be led to a task. I believe that's whats happenng.
Lately, its a voice has been SCREAMING at me, telling me what to do.
(Move to Louisville and sell your property)
Its like 'the voice' that hits us all when we reach puberty.
It comes to us in dreams. It tells us what to do and how to do it, and it requests action.
For some reason, I'm blessed by being able to remember almost all of my dreams.
For a long time, I have had no doubt that 'that voice' in my dreams has been telling me what to do, and how to do it.
I wish that voice would become even louder.
I hope in death, 'that voice' will show me its face.
If it does, I know it will be beautiful.
Well, that voice is telling me to eat now.
It's 5am, I'm hungry, and all I have to eat is some old shoes.
I wonder how long I'll have to boil them before they can become breakfast.

Thu

07/05/2007 13:41:10

sae (Reply).They should have built Las Vegas in Louisville

So, you're hearing voices? First sign of (1) you're getting old, (2) you're losing your insanity, and (3) you're back to programming as a profession.

Tue

07/03/2007 06:40:50

Jim Apartment Quandary

Barrington's Place
Pro's: Downtown. $540, all utilities. We have a 14th floor apartment reserved that looks out over Louisville. Its walking distance from the waterfront, 4th Street Live, Slugger Stadium. Its 10 minutes from work.
Con's: Management is flaky. They told us we could move in the 6th. Now, they're saying the 18th. They just told us it was a year lease, not a 6 month, and the buy out was 2 month. We haven't seen a model, or the apartment, only pictures. Parking is across the street for $50 a month.
Crescent Center
Pro's: Downtown. $750, no utilities. Great looking place. Its walking distance from the waterfront, 4th Street Live, Slugger Stadium. Its 10 minutes from work. Parking is free.
Con's: Expensive.
Intown Suites
Pro's: Next to work. $800, all utilities. A little larger than Suburban. Decent looking place.
Con's: Questionable area.
Imperial Suites
Pro's: 5 minutes from work. $549, no utilities, 6 month lease. Large 1 bedroom on 11th floor. Decent looking place. Very secure. Has a pool (closes in August).
Con's: View faces South and kind of sucks. If a North view opened up, it would be great!
Breckenridge Square
Pro's: 10 minutes to work. $589, 800 sq ft, internet, pool, spa. Nice looking area.
Con's: Unknown.
Breckenridge Pointe
Pro's: 10 minutes from work. $450, $50 utilities, internet, 675 sq ft. A little larger than Suburban. Easy parking. Only 60 units. Great looking place.
Con's: 1 year lease.

Sun

07/01/2007 00:17:42

jim Louisville,KY-4thSt Party-Jim,Becky

Sat

06/30/2007 16:28:20

jim Louisville,KY-Mtel InTown Suites

Sat

06/30/2007 06:26:13

Jim The IPhone, my next splurge!

I checked one out today and I've gotta have one.
- They hold 4 to 8 gigs.
- The operating system is smooth.
- Its quick and extremely easy to use.
- It can import Outlook files.
- The camera is great.
- It has maps.
- The interface to the internet is excellent.
They'll be coming out with units that have GPS built in.

Fri

06/29/2007 21:36:46

jim Louisville,KY-4th St Downtown Bldgs

Fri

06/29/2007 19:47:50

jim Shelbyville,KY-Mall,SpencerGifts,Becky

Thu

06/28/2007 22:29:44

Jim I love these lightning bugs.

If Las Vegas had cockroaches with neon glowing butts, they'd be feeding them!
I could envision people using cock roaches to light up their kitchen cabinets.
You could even put sugar down along walkways for the glowing critters.

Thu

06/28/2007 21:23:14

jim Louisville,KY-Apt

Thu

06/28/2007 18:49:16

jim Louisville,KY-Hote lRoom

Wed

06/27/2007 21:04:04

jim Frankfort,KY-Capitol Dome

Wed

06/27/2007 21:04:04

jim (Reply)Frankfort, Ky

Wed

06/27/2007 21:04:04

jim (Reply)Frankfort,KY-Capitol Dome

Wed

06/27/2007 21:04:04

jim (Reply)Frankfort,KY-Capitol Dome

Wed

06/27/2007 20:12:24

jim Lexington, Ky

Wed

06/27/2007 07:10:14

Jim Inflatable furniture for the high-rise apartment?

Check out: http://www.inflateus.com/original_style_sofas.htm

This furniture is designed mainly for use in dorms.
But I think they would look great in our 14th floor apartment.
AND, we can take our furniture to the lake..haha

Tue

06/26/2007 23:21:27

Jim Love my new job! It doesn’t get any better.

Its nice to know Kevin McD works remotely there from Las Vegas. Maybe I could do that someday too!
I think he's responsible for the ATM's on the west coast. I hear his name everywhere now.
I'm in development (my forte).
I don't have a PC set up, so I'm using someone's elses while their on vacation.
My first rogram was a report/update program today, and I had to write it from scratchhhhhhhhh!
The program they gave me as a starter was dated 1998, and it wouldn't compile.
My first project was fix a database table.
The challenge was, to make it look like another table, and to fix its a column to point to existing files on a different system.
The files were all moved around to different subvolumes, so I had to search the system for each of the 300 files.
These files are used to load some devices with tables and code (I think).
So, without them being right, nothing works.
They gave me the lattitude to do the project anyway I wished.
I guess the project had been passed around.
So, my first project involved writing a fix it report/update program using Cobol, Sql, Enscribe, and lots of Tacl.
I already have the best macros around there.
But...I had to write them from memory, so they could be much better.
I put my old macros are on the internet in my blog, but I don't have internet access yet.
Everybody at work is great!
Their attitudes are excellent. They're eager to see anything I produce.
And I'm their guinee pig, I'm told. I'll be leading the way for others to follow.
The system I'll be reviving has been dead for a year, and they really want too see it work.
So, I'll pretty much have free reign, with project nudges here and there.
Most say its a mess. Its not documented, and nobody there knows it.
There's going to be a lot of recognition in what I'm doing, and its going to be very visible.
So, this job is a perfect fit for me.
Its what I do best. I do systems.
Its hard to explain to people who haven't had sole responsibility for every program in an entire system.
Most programmers work on one or two programs at a time. I've worked whole systems for most of my career.
I tend to do whatever is needed to make a system work.
This is quite a break for me. I love this kind of work. Its a perfect match!
I should go far in this place.

Tue

06/26/2007 17:05:10

jim Louisville,KY-InTown Suites-Becky,Jim

Tue

06/26/2007 08:10:38

sonny Okay Jim - from Sonny

I think I see how to use this . Jim I am scheduled to see Grady at the same Starbucks you and I went to . I got your message that you want to close the deal with Mr. Hic. (Hispanic for short) but you are not too keen on the deal itself. I don't understand the mechanics of real estate very well but I believe that Mr. Hic is going to have to put forth some kind of money in order to secure a purchase of the condo. Oh well! I know that you do understand the mechanics and I will go ahead and sign the papers as you , according to Grady have already done. It is now eight seventeen Las vegas Time. Have a good day Jim and Becky. Squirt says Baaaarkkk! (Short for I miss you!)

Mon

06/25/2007 22:35:46

Jim First day at work went well!

My suspenders popped off from my pants faster than a speeding bullet, though.
They didn't have terminal for me, so we tried several different ways to get me in.
I eventually wrote a Cobol/Sql report from scratch (well, almost).
Slapped some macros together from memory. That was fun.
I took advantage of the slack time by running by Barringtons Place.
They needed the application fees. They're running a background check on me...sheesh.
I've got to get my mortgage company to fax them a statement saying I pay my bills on time.
Plus, they needed employer references.
I guess I should be greatful that they screen their tenants.
Later, Barrington's Place called and said they couldn't have our room until the 18th.
Thats a far cry from the 6th of July.
I told them we were still, kind of interested, but I'd need an actual date eventually.
I have to plan a move. I can't just wing it.
I came home, and Becky told me we no longer had our hotel room.
She said they said we could stay one night only, if we paid.
It turned out we still have our reservation, but they charge weekly...haha..
That Becky! Gosh I love her!
Meanwhile, we have an offer on the condo
My realtor called tonight at 1l pm. I had to print a document to fax back, and my printer is out of ink.
And, I can't yet get on the internet at work...youch!
This is a really good ride I'm having here.
I really am loving every minute of it.
I've found that at times things just work out all screwy, for what seems like, no reason at all.
I thinks its fun though.

Sun

06/24/2007 14:39:48

jim Louisville,KY-Barringtons Roof Top

Sat

06/23/2007 01:31:53

Chez2199 Live life to the fullest

Get on

Sat

06/23/2007 01:29:25

Chez2199 The Chez Mobile

Fri

06/22/2007 18:36:50

jim Louisville,KY-Sluggers Ballgame Jim,Jessy,Rod

Fri

06/22/2007 14:25:02

jim Ohio River Road

Fri

06/22/2007 13:42:12

jim Paducah,KY-Painted Horse,Ohio River,Ark

Fri

06/22/2007 03:16:36

ruth1941 .I am confused about Ruth (my ex)

jim it was me that calloed sonny said i was ruth i asked if you guys had left yet and he said around twelve-thirty sunday he asked how i was feeling and i thought he was asking about when i had to go to quick care. it was not your ex wife that talked to him but me it was ma and he must have thought it was your ex sorry he must have gotten us mixed up since we both have the same first name. hope this clears up the confusion. lol

Sat

06/23/2007 08:13:05

jim (Reply)I am confused about Ruth (my ex)

Sonny said she called.
She was worried that something terrible was going to happen to me.
He said she sounded good, and that she wasn't going to die.
He said she said she just has heart palpitations.
How does one go from a diagnosis of Stage IV cancer to heart palpitations?
Someone is crazy. I'd bet her husband (Ricky) is going crazy...lol.
THAT IS SUCH A HUGE LEAP! Her husband said they are in irrecoverable debt.
She said she was going through chemo therapy, and they gave up on her.
I know prayer can do a lot of good when it comes to illnesses.
But isn't that like praying someone didn't lose their head and another one pops up!
Now that I think about it...its one heck of a tale!
Is it possible for someone with Stage IV to watch Benny Hinn on TV and get cured. Wowsers
I should buy one of his DVDs instead of a "Full Workout Video with Chuck Norris" to lose weight.

Thu

06/21/2007 08:17:29

jim Notes on Suburban Extended Stay

First, the bad things:
- The rooms are tiny and inadequate.
- There is no storage in the bathroom, not even a hook!
- They give you two (one drawer) night stands, and one (three drawer) chests.
- The kitchen has one cabinet and no drawers.
- The stove is a two burner, no oven, with a dorm size fridge under it. The 2" gap between the stove and the fridge is where we keep the silverware, LOL.
- They should advertise their kitchens as having "The Worlds Tiniest Microwave".
- The hotel doesn't provide ice trays and there is no ice machine on the property.
- The dining table is 2 foot wide, and its wobbly.
- We upgraded to a room with a sofa bed, but its not worth the $4 a day increase.
- There are no easy chairs.
The good things:
- A 24 hour convenience store shares the parking lot. We're on the first floor, and have the closest room to it. It takes 40 seconds to walk there. The stores warmed food is Excellent (first time I ever said YUM to a Sloppy Joe). The cops seem to love it too.
How we improvised:
- We brought a plastic 6 drawer chest of drawers. Its strong enough to hold the hotels 30" TV.
- We brought 2 smaller 6 drawer storages units. One is in the bathroom.
- We bought a 3' x 4' steel camp table from Sams Club fo $42.
It stores like a thick pole in a carrying bag, and folds out to full size and it has adjustable height and width (its amazing).
We put it in our kitchen.
- We brought a small hot/cold water dispenser. The kitchen table is JUST big enough to hold it.
I only booked this room for 2 weeks.
Extended Stay America has identical room rates, and probably 20% more area.
They offer
- A full size refrigerator
- A chest of drawers (six drawers), plus two night stands.
- A breakfast bar in the kitchen,
- two laptop stations,
- two easy chairs.
- AND, they have ice machines.
The down side is, you have to drive to a convenience store.

Thu

06/21/2007 03:08:09

jim Got my orientation. Discovered Indiana!

The freeways here take some getting used to.
Their off ramps split into other off ramps.
Picked up a camp table at Sam's Club
Its really cool. Its all metal, totally adjustable, and almost fits in your pocket. Its perfect for two laptops.
Went to Ajilon for my Orientation.
Those guys are pretty great. Actually, everybody in Louisville is great!
It took 2 hours, but I managed to get a T-Shirt from them. :0)
Ate at a buffet today.
$5.95 per person. They had shrimp, Chinese food, and deserts. What a great deal!
Went to Caesars Indiana tonight.
It took a while to find, since we just barely knew the directions to it.
It looks just like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas used to look 10 years ago.

The Forum Shops are similar to Vegas,
Much tinier. They have $22 lobster buffet.

Its amazing how many factories are around Louisville.
Across the river from Louisville is where our Crest comes from...wow.