Mon, 31 Mar 2003

Mar 31, 2003, 16:22 [home/webdesign/perl_scripts/faqsearch]
Added FAQ-Search Today

I just added another script to Intelliscript.net today. It’s called FAQ-Search, and it is a script which allows you to add a Frequently Asked Questions database to your site. I’ve been using it on my sites for a few months now… I guess maybe a year. I finally got around to packaging it and uploading. Here it is!
FAQ-Search
~Jason

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Sat, 29 Mar 2003

Mar 29, 2003, 17:39 [home/hobbies/hiking_and_camping]
Spring Is On It’s Way

Well, today I went on a hike with my son Lucas, my brother-in-law Mike Clow, and his two oldest sons, Jadon and Keagan. We walked up to the Mount Albion Falls and snooped around. Though a little chilly, it was great to get a feeling for upcoming spring again!
I love spring… I love hiking and enjoying outside, the smells, the sights and sounds. I can’t wait for it to really be here.
Then we drove along the top of the escarpment, stopped for a coffee at Tim Hortons, and headed home snapping up Tim-bits. Lots of fun!
I would so love to have a GPS unit. I’d like to try GeoCaching. Geocaching is when you go on a hike with a GPS unit in search for a hidden treasure. The site above contains coordinates of hidden treasures all over the planet. You get the coordinates from the site, then go on a hike. You take along a little something to leave in the ‘cache’ and when you find the secret spot you exchange your little something with whatever you take out of the box. I think it would be fun for Lucas and I to do this together.
~Jason

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Thu, 27 Mar 2003

Mar 27, 2003, 16:07 [home/journal]
Being Different

It’s hard to communicate sometimes that I think differently than other people and have no desire to change my way of thinking. I’m not saying that I’m right, or that I want people to think the way I do. (Don’t get me wrong— this definitely would make life easier: I wouldn’t have to explain so much). No, it’s not that I think I’m more right than someone else. I just want to think the way I think, and not have to defend myself. I don’t even have clear reasons for thinking the way I think. I guess if I talk long enough I can sound pretty convincing and people end up sort of nodding their heads like they’re starting to see something through a fog. And this might help me to understand why I think the way I do, but maybe not. Maybe I’m just really good at argueing, and by talking more I cement my attitudes even more. That’s not good.
When people ask me questions and try to challenge or guilt me into conforming, I sense the power-play happening, and I just say, “You’re right. I’m totally messed up. I don’t really care though.”
That must throw people, but maybe not. Maybe that nod-through-fog is really a nod-this-guy’s-mental.
It could be too that I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a few days thanks to Seth. I realise I’m sounding kind of like a negative isolationist, so I’ll stop here.
My mood? I guess kind of sleepy-sad.
~Jason

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Wed, 26 Mar 2003

Mar 26, 2003, 18:30 [home/journal]
Vision for the Lost

I found this great story on the Internet today. Please read it.
A Vision of the Lost
~Jason

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Sat, 22 Mar 2003

Mar 22, 2003, 11:52 [home/journal]
THE STOVE

Ahhh, ominous, isn’t it? “THE STOVE.” Sounds like a Stephen King thriller, and it felt like one too.
It all began when sparks started flying from the connection point of the lower element in our oven. This stove came with the house we bought, and probably was installed when the house was built. That would be 1967. We were eager to replace it with something a little more current, and preferrably something that used a little less current.
A few days later I ran into an aquaintance in the drug store- she was moving to a new house and needed to get rid of her appliances. I thought, “This is an answer to prayer, just what we need.” She wanted to give it to us for free but we thought, “We’ve got to give her something for it. It’s only four years old, and she’s a single mom with three kids.” We paid her fifty bucks, and I went over to get the stove… SIGHT UNSEEN.
I got to the house with my pal and his pick-up truck. The ice was caked outside her door. She was at work, and had given us the key.
As soon as I opened the door, an evil stench escaped its prison. We stepped in, vainly seeking a lightswitch that worked. We left our shoes on, even though it was winter and we would ‘track-in:’ The carpet was so sticky and stained— no way we wanted that on our socks!
On the way up to the kitchen we passed an open door to the basement. The light was on, and I could see dog-poo on the floor. On up the stairs, garbage bags were piled everywhere, surrounded by broken furniture and anonymous stains.
The worst was yet to come.
The kitchen stood before us. The sink was full of moldy green water, and smells of burned food mixed with grease and dirt met us in a head-on collision. The pasty light from outside was shining through the window— the stove glowing in reflection. This was what we came for, we stood before our quest.
My heart sank in disbelief. A “NEW” stove could not look this old. A good half inch of gunk layered the sides and top. Inside the oven were two inch cakes of ash and spillover. Gooey brown stuff oozed from the cracks.
I pulled open the pots and pans drawer. Inside were old muffin tins and cookie sheets, covered with mouse turds. I took the drawer right out and spilled it over on the floor— half expecting to see furry friends run in all directions.
“We gotta get outta here, man, we’ll catch something. There’s bacteria everywhere!” My friends eyes were wide, his hands trembling. We grabbed the stove and moved as quickly as possible.
Back home my wife wasn’t exactly optimistic, but as we loaded it into the garage for cleaning, she prepared to make the best out of a unfortuitous situation. Afterall, the stove was almost free. But as we cleaned, each day was met with a new challenge and her spirits dropped proportionately.
I got out the power drill, with a wire brush attachment and spent four evenings after work getting down to the enamel. I went through three cans of EZ-OFF oven cleaner. Man, that stuff works miracles— especially when used in conjunction with a power drill. We borrowed a shop vac from our friends and vaccuumed out the many mouse nests under the elements. I turned the stove over, took the bottom off, and yanked out all the insulation. Mice had turned it into a little three bedroom apartment! The insulation reeked. There was even a dead mouse in there, which unfortunately, Joanne saw before I had a chance to remove it.
I called the supply store to order new insulation. “One to four weeks” until we get it. So we were still going to be without a stove. Joanne started to cry and I thought, “This is RIDUCULOUS! Let’s go buy a new stove and just be in debt like the rest of North America. Enough cheap-skating, time to provide for my weeping wife!” Her tears always motivate me like that.
Before laying down $1000 I decided to take one last swipe and have a look at the other stove which we removed. I thought maybe I could get the insulation out of that and swap. No luck— I couldn’t even figure out how to get the bottom off. It seems that in 1967 stoves were made by the same people who make army tanks.
While I had the back off the first stove looking for a way to get the insulation out I did figure out how to fix the element which was sparking. So it looks like we’ll be carrying our first 1967 stove back into the kitchen! Joanne is actually thrilled to have that crummy antique in her kitchen more than she is to have the shiny “new” mouse-house-stove. So was all that work for nothing? I guess that part of the story is yet to come.
~Jason

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Fri, 21 Mar 2003

Mar 21, 2003, 16:28 [home/hobbies/pipes]
Learned Something New

I found this cute little pipe shop today, just down the street from the church. It’s a good five minute walk, enough to get the blood flowing.
I learned some new things today:
1. I was scraping out the bowls of my pipes too much. I need to leave a little carbon in the pipe.
2. Flake is a rough tobacco that is all compressed together, and one needs to rub it between your fingers first before stuffing the bowl. It’s advantage is that it’s a cooler, slower burning tobacco… so one pipe lasts longer.
So I bought a little tin of the stuff. It’s called Caledonian Virginia Flake, and it’s by A & C Peterson in Denmark. So far, I think I really prefer it!
I’ll be back to this store again. It was neat.
~Jason

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Thu, 20 Mar 2003

Mar 20, 2003, 22:32 [home/webdesign]
New Look

I created a new skin tonight, tell me what you think. If you prefer the old skin, click here.
~Jason

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Mar 20, 2003, 09:22 [home/journal]
Canada is Expensive

I’m so tired of all the charges and costs associated with living in Canada. When I lived in the U.S., everything was so much simpler. The way I remember it, you just live your life. But here, we pay the highest taxes of any country in the world, yet have a failing heath-care system, and crumbling infrastructure. Politicians are paying themselves more and wiping programs and teachers out of schools.
I keep asking people, “Is this really worth it?” I think we should merge with the U.S., and become the 51st state. We certainly don’t seem capable of governing ourselves. The way we govern reminds me of the boys in the book, “Lord of the Flies!”
Canadians afraid of losing their unique identity needn’t worry. The U.S. would probably let us keep our colourful Monopoly money— but why would we want to? That’s the whole problem! Our dollar is just about as strong as the game’s paper money.
And what has Treudeau era bilingualism brought us except a greater sense of separation between monolinguists and Quebecois? We’ve probably got more Chinese in Canada than French anyway! While the entire WORLD decides to use English as the global tongue, we’re trying to teach Canadians a slang version of French.
It all makes me just a little bit grumpy.
~Jason

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Mon, 17 Mar 2003

Mar 17, 2003, 22:26 [home/webdesign/perl_scripts/itreepad]
iTreePad is Getting Attention

I’ve been adding a lot of new features to iTreePad which makes it even more useful to use as family tree software. In particular, virtualnodes and displaying child nodes in articles are important additions.
~Jason

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Mar 17, 2003, 22:23 [home/hobbies/familytree]
Added a LOT of Names

I’ve been working for two days on processing a lot of new raw data sent to me from Brant Gibbard.
Brant is a cousin who also collects family tree information, except he’s much better at it than I am, and actually takes it seriously. I’m kind of just a hack.
Anyway, check out the added info in our family tree.
Thanks to so many of you who share extra stuff with me. It helps to flesh it all out. If you see anything missing, please let me know.
~Jason

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Mar 17, 2003, 09:13 [home/music/other]
Great Time ‘Gigging’

Well, we’re back. It was a lot of fun, though fairly intense. We played in Kingston at the Grand Theatre and in Guelph at the River Run Theatre. I thought the Grand was pretty cool, but compared to the River Run it was terrible; Ugly and dirty, and disorganized. The River Run was absolutely astounding. Beautiful auditorium, amazing staff, everything organised like you wouldn’t beleive.
So now life is back to normal for me and I can listen to the radio again, until we open for Amy Sky in April.
~Jason

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Fri, 14 Mar 2003

Mar 14, 2003, 08:53 [home/music/other]
Gigging with Johannes

Well, I’m in Kingston Friday, and Guelph on Saturday playing with Johannes and the band. I will be unreachable by email for these two days.
~Jason

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Thu, 13 Mar 2003

Mar 13, 2003, 20:28 [home/journal]
Space Alien

Thinking about that; those harder to find roots of rebellion which hide themselves among the tenews of my personality; those eager-to-please-self responses disguised as beneficial gentility, make me feel like I’m inhabited by some sort of ” Star Trek monster”. This monster’s tentacles have wrapped themselves around key organs- removing them would certainly mean destruction of the host— or would they?
OK, so I watch too much sci-fi. But it’s curious to see how my self-centeredness is bent on wreaking havoc to my spiritual self— which is my real self of course.
More later…
~Jason

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Tue, 11 Mar 2003

Mar 11, 2003, 17:01 [home/music/other]
On Breakfast Television

Well, we were on (Johannes and the band) Breakfast Television today, City TV! That was pretty cool. It was kind of fun to know people were watching all across Canada, and hillarious that they got me to eat a peanut butter/onion/processed cheddar cheese sandwich! hahaha
Anybody see it?
~Jason

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Mon, 10 Mar 2003

Mar 10, 2003, 10:00 [home/curiosities]
relaxingTV.com

This is a neat site: it’s full of video clips that you can watch to relax with. The negative thing about the site is that the clips don’t have sound in them… but the site has separate sound files you can play.
For example, you can watch a fireplace crackling, or the waves crashing on the beach. It’s pretty cool.
relaxingTV.com
~Jason


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Sun, 09 Mar 2003

Mar 09, 2003, 08:12 [home/journal]
Repeating The Past

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about who I am, and who my parents are, and so who I’m likely to become. I’m 34 now… wow, 34. Sounds old…
Anyway, I’m 34 and I am starting to notice more leaks in my personality. Or maybe different kinds of leaks. I spent the first 18 years oblivious to any kind of character responsibility. I was trapped in a spiral of personality ignorance.
Then someone showed me how I could— without damaging myself— honestly face negative realities about who I am. I spent the next ten years trying to improve myself in as many ways as I could. I am still doing that, another six years later…
But now in these last six years I realise that there is a force working in me which would destroy me: MYSELF. My own self-destructive tendancies which we all have. My ugly parts are harder to find, and they seem to take on a different, more suave look.
More Later
~Jason

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Sat, 08 Mar 2003

Mar 08, 2003, 07:05 [home/webdesign/perl_scripts]
Found It! ODBC Accessed by Perl!

Well I did it! It makes so much sense now. I wrote a Perl script which accesses my database using ODBC, and displays the results to a browser. The tricky part in all this is that:
1. The database resides on a Windows machine
2. Perl needs to be installed on that machine
3. A HTTP server needs to be installed on that machine

What I love about the script I wrote is that I can just paste in SQL, and the script does the rest. It’s not really rocket-science though, since I’m using a module (called DBI) which does the marriage between Perl and SQL. So now all I need is a better web server, because the one I’m using now is pretty slow. It’s got to be able to handle Server Side Includes, so if anyone has any ideas, post it, or email me.
~Jason

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Thu, 06 Mar 2003

Mar 06, 2003, 23:55 [home/webdesign/perl_scripts]
JDBC and ODBC

Still looking for an application to serve my ServiceBuilder data to the Internet. If anyone reading this knows anything about servlets, Java programming, or ODBC connectivity to the world wide web, contact me! Please?!
~Jason

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Tue, 04 Mar 2003

Mar 04, 2003, 21:33 [home/music/other]
Johannes Linstead

Well, I’ve mentioned before that I’m in a couple of bands… one of them is Johannes’. Johannes is a flamenco guitar player— he’s actually quite a good songwriter and I am enjoying being in the band. I play **wince** bass in the band though, which kinda sucks… bass with my LEFT HAND—- on a KEYBOARD. But I get challenging latin piano licks, horn parts and so on for my RIGHT HAND, so that’s cool. Especially because I need to do them both at the same time. Latin music has a lot of nifty bass ideas- like upbeats and so on which makes LH,RH independance a real necessity.

Check out his site: JohannesLinstead.com.
~Jason

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Sun, 02 Mar 2003

Mar 02, 2003, 21:12 [home/webdesign]
KingClancy.com

Check out the latest site design: KingClancy.com
~Jason

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Mar 02, 2003, 20:32 [home/ServiceBuilder]
ServiceBuilder

Yesterday I revamped the ServiceBuilder.net site. I have also been trying to draw attention to this program more and more… exchanging links with other worship sites and so on. I’m really convinced that this program can revolutionise worship pastor’s lives— it helps me so much at work— I depend on it.
One of the latest things I’m working on with this program is allowing it to automatically sync information with Outlook. This feature, (if I ever get it working) will really make it easy to take information with you on a Pocket PC, or publish information on a calendar site like Yahoo! (using Yahoo!’s sync software).
If you’re in any way connected to a church, and know your worship leader, then tell him/her about ServiceBuilder. The few people who have bought/are-using this program say it’s improved their effectiveness.
~Jason

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