MySQL 4.04

MySQL AB never announces these things properly, so for those who are interested there is a new version of MySQL out, namely 4.04. Ironically, 404 errors is what I got when I tried to download it, as from their dozens of mirrors I could only find one, so I’m assuming this is hot off the presses. From the tests I’ve run so far there seems to be a very marginal speed increase over 4.02, but it doesn’t seem to have any of the terrible bugs that 4.03 had. 4.03 really should have never been released to the public. I found all the files I needed here.

Pun-A-Day #1

I’m a real sucker for a good pun, and I have quite a few saved up, some original some not, waiting for that one time where the opportunity arises to just zing one in there. I mean, how often do you get to say “The trumpets were lost at C!” (rehearsal letter ‘C’)?. Anyway, here goes:

Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft; it sank, proving once again that you can’t have your kayak and heat it too.

Spaghetti Supper

Every year the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where I studied jazz and classical saxophone for four years, puts on a fund-raising extravaganza called the “Spaghetti Supper.” It features performances from all of the music groups, from the orchestra to the big band. You can go enjoy the music for free, or you can support the school and get some decent food for just a couple of dollars and enjoy the music. The first performances start at 5:15 today, and they go all the way till about 8 or 9. Also at any given moment there are two or three groups performing. HSPVA is located at 4001 Stanford, 77081.

Nice Breeze

It’s a really beautiful day outside, with just the right amount of wind and shade. It’s just warm enough in the sun to be comfortable, but not to hot to make it oppressive. Even though it feels like it might rain, my weather source says clear skies ahead, so I don’t need to stress again about weather or not I brought an umbrella :).

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

Southwestern Bell Trouble

For some reason my SWBell DSL can’t get to any of the sites on my server, or actually on my whole subnet. I can ping it from other sites though, and I’ve tunneled my connection through UH to bring you this wonderful update. Oh well, for all its faults, SWBell usually fixes things like this within an hour or two. But to those of you weren’t able to access the site due to your service provider, I sincerely apologize, and if you send me their name I’ll write them a letter. By the by, this box has now been up for over one hundred and thirty-seven days.

Maybe Driving Just Isn’t My Thing

Let’s walk through 4 days in the life of Matt:

Friday: $205 parking ticket downtown, goes to $410 if I don’t pay within 45 days

Saturday: Fine. (Whew!)

Sunday: If you were in traffic around seven PM on I-45, that was me. I was cruising along comfortable at around 70 miles per hour when all of a sudden the car starts shaking violently and making terrible noises. I manage to stop it, but unfortunately I’m in the innermost lane, and there’s no shoulder. Hazard lights are on, luckily no one hits anyone, but traffic is starting to pile up behind me. I get out and walk around the car to see what it is, it looks like my rear right tire has completely exploded, as seen in the pictures below. I’m already on the phone with AAA and they say they’ll put the call on “rush.” About fifteen minutes later, traffic is backed up a least a mile and I’m still sitting in the lane with my hazards on, waiting for the tow truck to get there so I can get out of traffic. A very kind man stopped behind us and said he would help us get over to the shoulder; next thing I know, he’s walking out on the freeway stopping traffic, and I manage to get the car to limp over to the right shoulder. I thank the man profusely when he comes over, and he asks if there is anything else he can do and then drives away. A few minutes after that the first tow truck pulls up, not AAA, so useless. Another one about a half an hour later, same story. I get back on the phone with AAA and they are no help at all, they say the call is being taken care of as fast as possible. More time passes, and by now we’ve been there at least a hour and a half, possibly more. Finally a third tow truck pulls up—I walked up tentatively hoping that this could be the one. He tells me he’s with AAA but he isn’t the one they sent, he just saw me on the side of the road and stopped. After another call he gets approval and fixes everything up just fine. However by that time my study group that was meeting at six was long gone.



Monday: I hope that this is the stupidest thing I do all year, but I am ashamed to say I actually ran out of gas. My gauge is erratic in its reporting, and I’ve had it be where it was today for a couple of days before, but today the car just stopped running. Luckily it was on a side street; unluckily it wasn’t in the best part of town. There was a gas station only a block away though, but they didn’t have any gas canisters. So Mat and I ended up carrying about a gallon of gasoline in various containers to and from the car until it had enough to start and actually drive to the gas station.

Although things were pretty bad, they could have been much worse. On Sunday I had actually left my cell phone at IHOP that morning, so I was without communication that day. (I did get the cell phone that evening; a manager had picked it up and nothing had happened to it.) Luckily Sarah had her cell phone and we were able to get in contact with AAA, even if their truck never came. Also the company was good, and the only thing that got a scratch on it is that tire. I’m ready to pick up and move to the mountains though :).

Chic Geek Jacket

I’m normally not the most up-to-date on the latest fashions, but after reading this review and visiting the product’s well-designed website, I’d like one for the two months when it’s going to be cold in Houston :). Version 2.5 (you gotta love clothes that have version numbers!) looks very stylish and like something I would actually wear.

So, if I start buying clothes to match my geeky ways, does that make me a closet geek?

Whoops

To those of you, well all of you, who have been getting 403 Forbidden errors when you try to access this website, I sincerely apologize. I turned the site ‘off’ when I was upgrading the gallery to everyone but me, but since everything looked normal to me, I forgot to turn it back on. No need to adjust your set, everything should be groovy now. Thanks again to those who emailed and called letting me know something was wrong.

Catching Up

Photolog lovers–I’m finally catching up with some of the pictures taken since 9-19! I’m going a little out of order, just because there are so many to do, but I think you’ll enjoy it. There are over two hundred pictures to add! Anyway give me some time; there will also be a lot of photos from the Kemah Jazz Festival this weekend (schedule) and I’ll try to add those as they come. For now, I hope 9-24-2002 and 9-25-2002 tide you over.

Yummy Site and Birthday

Before I cram for my pyschology test, I have to get one more post in. If you haven’t yet been exposed to the Big Pink Cookie formerly known as Blah Blah Blog, run your mouse over there. BPC was one of the very first blogs I started reading, I believe from a link from H-town blogs where the name caught my eye, and it’s had me hooked ever since. On top of that, today is Christine’s birthday! Ack, I always take to long to write these things and now midnight has passed. Let’s make this a happy belated birthday =). Happy thirty-three Christine!