Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The smarter I get, the stupider I become...

I'll admit, I was a bit puzzled by the bible readings this past Sunday. I usually go to the early service and get to hear the sermon and the associated readings before the study we usually only cover the gospel reading. Once I got to church, I was confronted with Luke 16. As you may have guessed, it 's quite an interesting passage. Is Jesus saying to cheat your through life?. Well, some answers were provided by the service, as the Lectionary has it paired with Amos 8(definitely not pro-commercialism), 1st Timothy, and Psalm 138..
I was think about how the Lectionary readings have a theme. Amos and the Psalm serve as a good complement to the Gospel, and Timothy is sort about priorities.
But still it doesn't make sense. I'm thinking about my Java Studies, At times it seems like the more I learn, the more I need to know. I was trying to use Lucene as a search engine, and couldn't get the examples to work. I think It's a classpath error, but I think I've got them set right. Maybe I''l import it in to eclipse to see if I can get to work.
Always fun to stretch your brain

Thursday, September 20, 2007

when a Date is not a Date

I've been playing with Java some more. Specifically I'm trying to do some thing to make my life easier.
What happens is that I maintain the test Database at work . The case expire after a week , and I'm try to come up with a better way of viewing the data.
My first thought was to store the data in a SQL database I read in the a date and tried to store it. Turns a Java.util date is different that a Java SQL date. so I needed to cast it.
And i turn out, that I'm just going to "store" it as plain text, since I'm probably going to be using XML to store the data. No need to persist the data.
But yet, I still worked on getting my casting code right when I didn't need to. It was fun and hood practice, and sometimes , things don't need a "payback". I recent bought a child's flute )well, actually a recorder because I've want to learn more about music. Currently, my neighbors probably think I'm torturing cats. I really don't think I'll ever play in public, but still, it fun, and I'm learning things.
So in short. do what you love, love what do, and it'll all work out. Hopefully
Ps. here's a good blog post to get you thinking:
Kathy Sierra #1

Sunday, September 16, 2007

The Silver Streak to Olvera Street




I had a dinner with the Linux Chix at Olvera Street (You can also Try this link)
I would usaully take Metrolink in , as Olvera Street is right across the Street from Los Angeles Union Station (or this one) but is was the weekend. I Could leave here about 2 and get there about 3, which would leave me plenty of Shopping time before dinner at 4. The only problem was that there was a Train back at 6 or 9, which meant I could have plenty of downtime.
Fortunately, a local bus agency has started running an express service called the Silver Streak it has much more frequent service, at a lower cost. The only catch I could see was that it took longer.
So I paid my two bucks and climbed aboard. As you can see from the image, the bus isn't silver. And it sure didn't streak down the 10. We got to make a detour to downtown Pomona, (Take a leave it Beaver set and replace the English signs with Spanish). and a Trip by West Covina mall, and the El Monte Bus station.
we got there, I got some shopping, and I had an excellent dinner and great conversation at La Luz Del Dia , which included being serenaded by a really bad Mariachi band.
at 5:30 the dinner was over. I had to decide on the bus or the train again. I decided to take the bus, alhough we got stuck in a traffic jam, so it was a wash.
So Pros: Less expensive ($4 vs $12), more frequent service
Cons: slower, less deluxe accomdations
Olivera Street Images licensed under Creative commons
Silver Streak GNU Public License

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Road not taken







I started out toady thinking I was going to ride up to the Lytle Creek firing range. Once I got to the 15 and Sierra, I saw that the road to Glen Helen Park was open. So I took the road not taken. it was great.

I pressed on through Devore and found myself on old route 66. I road up to till the 15 . with just myself for company and plenty of trains.
It was fun and got me to thinking about Mr Frost and his poem. at times we keep on taking the same road over and over aging, when we would be be much happier and have better success at life by taking the road less traveled.
Speaking of which, I'm not riding my bike tomorrow. Gadzooks! what I am doing? check in on Sunday...

Saturday, September 08, 2007

why we don't GMR in the summer:

I was going to do a moonlight double metric , but my ride partners backed out, and I didn't think I should tray and pedal through downtown Rubidoux at 10PM. I was getting a little bore with the club, and decided that I hadn't done Glendora Mountain Road in long time, so I headed out that way.
I pedal by the Mc Donalds at Foothill and lone hill in Glendora. I was hearing that still, small voice that was telling me that I should and refill my Camelback, Did I/ Nooo!:(
I made up to the shed in record for me! and I passed a couple of folks on bikes (usually I'm the passee) woohoo!:) :) I stopped at the shed and had some Sharkies, and then continued on to Glendora Ridge Road.
I was doing until Got past the halfway point. I ran out of water and I had forgotten my endurlytes(salt tablets) . I started cramping real bad. I could walk, and the heat I think had something to do with it, and I was just before you start to descend to Cow Canyon saddle, so I walked:( . Took it easy until I got into the baldy village, and then got a refill of my Camelback, some powerade, and some "prune juice"(aka regular Dr Pepper). Refreshed I bombed down mt baldy road.
When I got ready to turn to go home, I had a dilemma: I had promised to ride for Mary9761's on Team E and BikeJournal's birthday,, and I only had 55 miles. So i went over to Hermosa and down to 8th before heading
Miles 63
Time don't ask:o