Random

Personal life goals – How younger me set achievable targets

Michael Grove

When my parents moved home, they cleared out some of my old boxes I had left in the storage cellar. Boxes that contained items from my childhood, including some of my personal journals from my teenage years.

One journal contained a page listing what teenage me in the mid-to-late nineties thought was ideal life goals (or material objects that I felt were important to obtain at the time)

My teenage life goal list – Date achieved if applicable:

  • Purchase a rock-climbing harness (figure-eight & screw gate carabiner) 1999-10-20
  • Purchase a scuba diving wetsuit (fins & booties) 2009-10-30
  • Purchase a Digital amplifier/receiver (AC-3) 2002-11-27
  • Purchase 3 speakers (Centre & Rear) 2008-10-01
  • Have my own space (renting or purchased an apartment) 2002-10-31
  • Design a living space to my ‘standards’. 2010-04-01
  • Have a large bookshelf with an array of books. 2002-11-05
  • Go on a skydiving course. 2012-01-10 (Bungee Jump first) 2011-04-25
  • Get a tattoo. 1999-03-06
  • Go on an advanced scuba diving course. 2002-10-10
  • Buy a fancy car (BMW, Audi, Volvo, Jaguar, Merc, etc) 2006-04-14
  • Go on an advanced driving course. 2000-06-06
  • Purchase a rock-climbing rope. 2007-03-01
  • Have nice clothing for all occasions (Formal suits, smart shoes) 2007-01-01
  • Purchase a motorbike.
  • Own a horse or still be horseback riding.
  • Travelled overseas. 2001-06-01 – 2002-10-31 and many times since
  • Have a wife 2016-06-11 or long-term girlfriend. 2004-05-05
  • Accomplished things to be proud of (donating blood) 2009-01-23
  • Run the Comrades ultra marathon.
  • Completed studies. 2005-11-30
  • Have a career I am happy with and settled in – 2005-11-01 & 2007-12-01
  • Have prospects of a family
  • Learnt how to play a musical instrument.
  • Own a mobile phone. 2000-11-19
  • Own a computer. 2000-06-25
  • Have some creature comforts (living comfortably) 2007-03-01

These two items were listed separately:

  • Have a few close/good friends.
  • Have my share of problems to deal with

These were added on the back of the original list at some point:

  • Have some money (Wealth) 2020-01-01
  • Have a nice car sound system. 2003-10-20
  • Learnt how to speak another language.
  • Have a large compact Disc (CD) collection. 2008-01-01
  • Did my best to reach my dreams.

Some of the items in the list highlight the era in which they were created – in 1999 owning a mobile phone was a much bigger deal than what it is in 2024. The same goes for owning CD’s (I still have them, but I’m not sure when last I listened to music from one, I’m actually not sure if you can easily get new players for them anymore – like VHS and DVD’s I guess).

One item raises an eyebrow… “Run the Comrades ultra marathon.”

Run the Comrades ultra marathon.

I highlighted in my journey to becoming a runner post that I have never really been a runner, even in school sports I was never a long distance runner. Listing the world’s largest and oldest ultra marathon as a goal nearly 30 years before I even became a runner is surprising.

I guess you are never too old to try and achieve your childhood goals.

HTC Desire S – Unable to download Google Play application updates over wireless

Michael Grove

I recently had an issue where I was unable to download application updates on my Android phone.

Error Message:

  • Error: Update for “<application>” could not be downloaded due to an error. (495)

Phone details:

  • HTC Desire S
  • Android 2.3.5
  • HTC Sense 3.0

After much searching I eventually used these two different options to resolve my issues:

Option 1 – Clear phone download manager cache:

  1. Settings > applications > all applications > Download manager > Clear cache
  2. Settings > applications > all applications > Google Play > Clear cache
  3. Restart phone
  4. Attempt application download again.

This resolved some of my update issues (3 of 6 outstanding updates downloaded successfully over wireless)

Option 2 – Wireless network is blocking a required port for the download:

  1. Disable phones wireless connection
  2. Switch on your 2G/3G connection
  3. Attempt application download again.

This resolved the balance of my download issues and once all the current updates were successfully downloaded and installed the error with wireless downloads has corrected itself (future updates downloaded successfully over wireless).

Hope this helps if you have similar issues on your android device.

The quest for the perfect….

Michael Grove

I was thinking of making the title of this post “The quest for the perfect burger” just because I know the quest for the perfect burger is easier than the near on impossible quest for the perfect piece of code; but burgers (as tasty as they are) just don’t fit with this post.

In my work, I have recently been shipped into the cold storage unit called the server room – this being the only place where there are NO disturbances from other staff – and from this new cold location I am to develop/change/optimize/fix an existing system for our company.

This isn’t such a bad thing, I can deal with the cold, I like being on my own (sometimes) and the system is workable – so optimizing it is ok. The drawback is that the system is HUGE, and the company also wants new features designed, developed and implemented in this system – and the time frame given to me for this massive 6 to 8 month project – 2 weeks.

So here lies my quest – for that one piece of code that will make my life easier… slowly but surely I will either find it (Google is my friend), or in a “Eureka” type moment realize what it is I actually need.

Excuse me while I stress a little during the interim.

Overzealous checks

Michael Grove

I recently downloaded a copy of Microsoft Office 2007 Professional.

During the download, Microsoft emailed the trial licence key to my Hotmail email account.

Turns out Microsoft’s Hotmail service does not like its Try Microsoft Office service. (Attachments, pictures, and links in this message have been blocked for your safety: This message may be dangerous)

Really? Maybe Microsoft Licence keys are dangerous.

Paperless office? Not with Gmail.

Michael Grove

Goggle Mail has released Gmail paper, a button on your emails that you to request a paper copy of the document from Goggle. Google prints the document (with adverts printed on the back of the paper to accommodate costs) and posts the documents to you.

So all those people that miss paper in today’s modern e-mail driven paperless office can get a whole pile of paper documents to file – or to crumple up and throw in the bin.
Interesting concept and they say it’s safe for the environment.

More details on Google’s new system here

—

Of course this is most problably an April fools joke, but I like the idea 🙂

Conspiracy Theory

Michael Grove

I recently upgraded my blog, and started using WordPress for the new one. So to keep some sort of continuity between the old and new I reposted my initial views on the iPhone.

Here is where the conspiracy comes in: In the post I included a copy of the actual iPhone, but in Internet Explorer 7, the image never really fully loads. Now is it Microsoft not wanting the iPhone defiling it’s browser, or is it Apple preventing the iPhone from being displayed in an inferior browser?

Firefox displays the image fine

ReasonableAgreement.org

Michael Grove

READ CAREFULLY. By [accepting this material|accepting this payment|accepting this business-card|viewing this t-shirt|reading this sticker] you agree, on behalf of your employer, to release me from all obligations and waivers arising from any and all NON-NEGOTIATED agreements, licenses, terms-of-service, shrinkwrap, clickwrap, browsewrap, confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-compete and acceptable use policies (”BOGUS AGREEMENTS”) that I have entered into with your employer, its partners, licensors, agents and assigns, in perpetuity, without prejudice to my ongoing rights and privileges. You further represent that you have the authority to release me from any BOGUS AGREEMENTS on behalf of your employer.

This brilliant Agreement can be found here

Google Googe

Michael Grove

Google loves making different versions of it’s logo for special events, like holidays and famous peoples birthdays.

This Valentines day, Google’s designer must have been pushed for time, with the wonderful, chocolate covered strawberry making it seem like the “L” in Google is missing.

“Hey, just Googe it 😛 “

Work drive – weird

Wow…

The weather this morning is just awful, From a nice, warm, sunny Sunday to an overcast, misty, freezing, snowing Wednesday morning. Bad weather across the country.

But that is not what was weird about this morning, this morning I nearly had an accident when two HORSES decided that the road was their domain. (I believe they are the horses that the police use to patrol the railway lines nearby – well the horses minus the riders.) Quite the way to wake yourself up in the dark mornings just before 6am.

Your iPod could cause hearing loss! {RANT}

I have just finished reading an article on CNET’s website about a person who is suing Apple for making a “defective product”, the person says the Apple iPod is defective because it can cause hearing loss if you play songs too loudly with the headphones in your ears…

I think many things when I read news articles, but when I read articles that revolve around suing a company for some strange reason, I think three things:
Firstly I think, “Only in America”; this is a generalization, but I think it anyway.
Secondly I think, “This is damn stupid”; I think I should sue JVC for allowing me to install a sound system in my car that can literally blow eardrums, because they didn’t warn me properly before hand.
Finally I kick myself and wonder why I never thought of doing it first.

Well the last thought is just me being greedy, but the rest makes some sense. Why do the American courts allow these cases? Is the general public so lacking in common sense that a supplier needs to label each and every single thing that you could possibly do with the product (including, “Do not place up backside, it may cause injury”) just so that some average Joe does not sue them for not warning them in advance.

This is something I will never understand, but I guess more and more people are finding it easier to blame someone else, especially big companies, for their [people, not companies] own errors in judgement. – No that is a little to lenient, blaming some else for their own STUPIDITY!

I wonder if how far this iPod case will go, and I especially wonder if Apple is going to pay this off out of court to save them some hassles.

Future iPod warning: “May cause hearing loss…” – what I would like to add – “…if used by idiots!”

{END RANT}