On June 1, I joined WeightWatchers Online.

I am a technology worker. I work entirely from home and sit at a desk for long hours. After which I like to sit and watch TV or play video games. I realized 2 years ago that this lifestyle and long term health do not go hand in hand. With this knowledge we purchased a Lifestyles Elliptical machine, and I began working out.

For 2 years I’ve used the elliptical machine 4 days a week. When I first started I could barely workout at 0 intensity for 20 minutes, not even making it to 2 miles in that time. After a year I was up to 40 minutes, intensity level 10 and over 4 miles, using the various pre-programmed routines. Shortly after Christmas 2008, I was up to 5 miles in 40 minutes, same intensity and same routines. However, in the 2 years my weight remained unchanged between 235 and 242.

My wife is a lifetime WeightWatchers member, and has been for 6 years. We do eat on the healthy side, but my lack of weight loss had me confused. I decided it was time for me to join. At the very least when I wasn’t losing weight they’d have nutritionists and trainers to tell me what I was doing wrong.

The first week I lost almost 6 pounds. It appears that portion control was the #1 problem.

Now almost 4 months later, I’ve lost 35 pounds. I am still losing, and feeling great.

I’ve been using the elliptical machine in our basement for the last two years, 4 days a week pretty consistently.

When I first started I could barely last 20 minutes, and even then it was a low intensity and I didn’t travel too far. Before injuring my back, I was able to do 5 miles in 40 minutes with an intensity level of 10, or 6 miles in 45 minutes same intensity.

With my back feeling much better (once I’ve loosened up), I attempted another 5 miles in 40 minutes again. What was different this time is I set the elliptical for an interval workout. 1 minute no intensity where I’d travel at 10mph, and the next minute level 10, trying to stay around 5mph.

Wow what a workout! After 20 minutes I wasn’t able to maintain the 5mph at intensity level 10 and had to be satisfied with over 3.5mph.

Games

• Fallout 3
• Dead Space

Movies

• Chronicles of Narnia (bluray)
• Prince Caspian (bluray)
• The Dark Knight (bluray)
• Cars (bluray)
• The Mummy (bluray)
• The Fifth Element (bluray)
• A Knight’s Tale (DVD)

Electronics

• PS3 Bluray Remote

Clothes

• American Eagle Hoodie
• Comfy Pants
• Skates
• Long sleeve Roots T

Toys

• Lego Droid Minifigs

Misc

• Photo Mug
• Corona Gift Set
• Wallet
• Star Wars Book

After Rogers announced the availability of a 6GB/month for $30 I made the decision that I was indeed going to get an iPhone. And thus begins the journey…

Thursday July 10 – 7:45pm – Scope out the local little known Rogers stores, seeing if there are any lineups. There aren’t, I can sleep tonight.

Mood: excitement (kid on Christmas Eve variety)

Friday July 11 – 3:30am – Wake up after a nightmare of arriving at the local Rogers store to a line 40 people deep. Decide that it’s better to sit outside a store and know what place I am in line than to continue having the same nightmare.

Mood: worry

Friday July 11 – 4:15am – Cruise by the same Rogers stores, no lines, but notice at the main Rogers store, three cars in the parking lot. Yes there are 20 Rogers stores within 10KM of my house.

Mood: excitement is back again.

Friday July 11 – 4:30am – Take my place outside the Rogers Wireless story that I normally do business with. Small store, friendly staff, kind of hidden. Should be perfect. I am first in line. Watch Diggnation and The Totally Rad Show on my iPod Touch.

Mood: still excited, on lookout for other people lining up.

Friday July 11 – 5:00am – Phone call from my father. He’s going to come stay in line with me, he wants a phone too. Offers to bring coffee and donuts.

Mood: potential relief, knowing that someone else is on the way if I have to use the bathroom.

Friday July 11 – 5:30am – Dad arrives with coffee and an apple fritter. All are welcome, caffeine and sugar are definitely required.

Mood: relief and less dizzy.

Friday July 11 – 6:45am – The next person in line arrives. Apparently I am the only crazy one to show up at 4:30, but it’s nice to know other people are lining up.

Mood: excitement again.

Friday July 11 – 7:30am – More people arrive. Discussions of all things Apple begins. Some people in line don’t even know who Steve Jobs is, goes to show you, the iPhone isn’t just for the Apple Faithful. Dad comes back from a coffee run, with news from the other Rogers store. 24 people in line, 25 phones. Meanwhile we’re at 6 people within 5 minute walking distance.

Mood: confident in my choice of store.

Friday July 11 – 8:10am – Start a formal line up. I’m first, Dad second. Everyone respects the arrival time and more chatting about rumours of store inventory. This store has 13 phones, the other store I’d chosen as a back up has 6.

Mood: more confidence and excitement.

Friday July 11 – 8:45am – The owner of the store arrived about 5 minutes ago and started setting up the store. She’s reappeared to inform us that she has enough iPhones for everyone in line, however she only has the 8GB model. My Dad and I wanted the 16GB, there’s no settling for the smaller size. Time to head to the back up store, and hope the 6 unit rumour is wrong, and that there’s no line.

Mood: destroyed.

Friday July 11 – 8:50am – Arrive at the back up Rogers store. Amazingly enough, no line. There is on e person sitting in a car, but no one else around. The store doesn’t open until 10am. Get in line as number 1 but willing to respect anyone who says they were waiting. The guy sitting in his car is fine being number 3.

Mood: worried, that there are no 16GB.

Friday July 11 – 9:30am – Employee entering the store is willing to share that they have 6 phones, and have every model. There are 6 people in line, 2 of us want 16GB, everyone else wants the 8GB. I’m not going to point out any disadvantages to the 8GB. Everyone is happy.

Mood: excited again. What a roller coaster.

Friday July 11 – 9:40am – Store manager emerges from the store to notify us that they’ll be out soon to help organize and ensure everyone gets in. He also states that there’s only 1 16GB model, white, and there are only 5 units. Being as there is only 1 16GB model, Dad states that it’s mine to have. I make some calls to other Rogers stores on my list to confirm stock. No 16GB.

Mood: confused, not sure I want a white model.

Friday July 11 – 9:55am – More people have joined the line. We’ve informed them that there are only enough iPhones for the first 5 in line. I’ve decided that I’ll accept a white model.

Mood: back to excitement, but worried that my Dad isn’t getting one after waiting for so long with me.

Friday July 11 – 10:03am – The manager finally opens the store and we’re allowed in. They’d handed out numbers and we take our spots in front of the desks in order. The computer systems are showing the strain of the load of all the Rogers stores trying to activate iPhones. I get to touch and look at my white iPhone. After seeing and holding the white model I’m no longer settling, this is a very cool looking device (EVE-AH!).

Mood: very excited, after 18 months, I have my iPhone in my hand, but it’s a brick.

Friday July 11 – 11:50am – Still standing in front of the desk working with Rogers to get my service contract renewed and updated. The computer systems are still very slow, but we’re making limited progress. UPS has arrived delivering iPhone accessories, and amazingly 4 more iPhones, including a second white 16GB and a black 16GB. As everyone else in line already has their names on an 8GB, my Dad who’s been waiting with me, gets his name on the black 16GB. iPhone is still bricked, iTunes isn’t working.

Mood: tired but wanting to play with my new toy.

Friday July 11 – 12:15pm – Finally completed the contract paperwork, and service updated in the Rogers system. Good to go, if only iTunes could unbrick the phone. The computer systems are even slower now. They’re getting logged out and having to restart every 10 minutes. Number 2 in line hasn’t even made it through the first screen. Number 3 in line ends up with the rep I had and they seem to be making better progress.

Friday July 11 – 1:00pm – Number 2 in line has given up for now, seems the upgrade process isn’t working but new activations are. Number 4 in line has left due to commitment with kids. Number 3 is done and Number 5’s contract and service are done, but decides he wants to change it. Not such a good idea on this day. Changes on the system are slow, brand new are slow, but still working. The second rep decides that the Rogers network is slow and that’s why iTunes isn’t working. He takes Number 5’s phone, and the demo unit to his house to try from there. Dad’s still waiting, but patience is wearing out fast.

Mood: worried that Dad’s been waiting since 5:30am, and will just walk away.

Friday July 11 – 2:05pm – iTunes is down, it wasn’t just Rogers internal network, although it’s not handling the load either. Number 5 still can’t get the change done. Number 2 it still trying. Number 4 has returned with kids in tow, little kids and lines don’t mix.

Mood: frustration, the Rogers application servers aren’t handling 18,000 activations in one day. Such a tiny number.

Friday July 11 – 3:15pm – After returning from picking up my car, Number 4 has left. Number 2 has given up, and Number 5 is about to leave. Rogers computer systems are completely down, and one rep has left (the one who helped me). Other people have joined the line are told that they can leave their name and they’ll be called when the systems are back up, but they have to come right away when called or else the phone will be sold.

Mood: from now on, tired.

Friday July 11 – 3:35pm – Computer systems are still down, but a message says that new activations can be called in. Dad being the next new activation takes his place in line while the Rogers rep waits on hold to process.

Friday July 11 – 4:30pm – Email received by the manager says that iTunes is now working, and new activations should continue to do what they’re doing. Which right now is sitting on hold. The manager takes my iPhone and unbricks it. SWEET! I start showing it off to people in line, and send out SMS messages to friends letting them know I’m now active. Seeing a working iPhone brings back the excitement in the line.

Friday July 11 – 5:10pm – Number 2 has returned, as have the computer systems! The Rogers rep has started processing my Dad’s new activation.

Friday July 11 – 5:35pm – Dad now has a voice plan, an unbricked phone, but no data plan. I ask the rep to confirm when doing the data plan that Visual Voice Mail is enabled, on Dad’s service and mine because it doesn’t appear to be on mine. The rep is unable to get into the computer system to add the data plan on after activating the new voice service. I have to leave to get the kids, feed them, and go to soccer. I leave Dad trying to get the data plan activated.

Friday July 11 – 6:00pm – Dad called, still no data plan. He’s left the store though and will call the Rogers customer service plan later to get it added. I ask about Visual Voice Mail but the rep wasn’t able to get on the computer again to confirm.

Friday July 11 – 9:15pm – Dad’s phone is now set up. I’ve called Rogers and found out that Visual Voice Mail is included in a different bundle. Luckily I have a bundle that is very similar already, so there’s no price change just a swap. I now get Visual Voice Mail instead of Enhanced Voice Mail (whatever that was) and 2500 sent SMS instead of 75, for the same price.

Now, I need to crash.

I’ve been following the status of the ongoing protest of the Rogers rate plan for the iPhone at http://ruinediphone.com, and checking Google News regularly for news updates. I found it interesting that while the other major news organizations in Canada have carried the story in one form or another, and yet CityTV has made no mention of it.

CityTV was quick with the “BREAKING NEWS!!!! Ted Rogers announces that Rogers will be carrying the iPhone in Canada this year!”. It’s nice to have an in in the Rogers organization to carry this story first, but where’s the story on the backlash? Are news providers in this country not supposed to be unbiased?

Here’s a copy of the feedback I provided to the station:

As a loyal Breakfast Television/Cable Pulse TV viewer, 
I have to ask myself, why is there no mention of the 
ongoing protest of Rogers iPhone rates not being 
covered by your station?

In case you haven't heard, Rogers announced the plan 
rates for the iPhone 3G last Friday. The response 
on the Internet has been less than favourable, with 
a large protest at http://ruinediphone.com as   well
as groups on facebook.com. The other news stations 
have covered it (those being CTV, Global, and CBC). 
Newspapers have covered it, most notably The Globe 
and Mail has multiple articles. Even    International 
Websites and Newspapers have been carrying it.

So why hasn't CityTV/Breakfast Television/Cable Pules 24?

I'm beginning to think that this ownership by Rogers 
is hampering these stations abilities to report unbiased
news. These stations certainly made a point to tout that 
Rogers was going to be carrying     the iPhone within this 
year. I saw Kevin Frankish speak of it numerous times. 
Your site archives, list multiple stories. Not one  on 
the backlash.

The lack of story coverage has lead me to question the 
trust I have    placed in your news organization.

Thank you

~Shawn

I really don’t expect to hear much from them, other than a fluff response of “all news is important to someone, but we can’t cover everything”, while they’re running stories that “Britney Spears is looking for a new house in a less trafficked area”.

I think it’s funny how a simple little thing like a rate plan has made me question the integrity of an entire organization.

Way to go Rogers!

Canada’s in an uproar, and once again Rogers is the cause.

It’s not very often that Canadians speak out about anything. But now the country is speaking, and the country is upset with the rate plans Rogers introduced for the iPhone.

There are only 2 other instances I can remember of Canada being this upset. One was in 1995 when Rogers (big surprise), introduced 7 new cable channels via negative option billing. The other when the CBC mentioned that they would not be renewing Don Cherry’s contract in 2004.

High mobile rates have always been on Canadians minds. We are the 3rd world of mobile technology, and to thank for that we have the Canadian Government, the CRTC, Rogers, Bell and Telus.

Rogers is a mobile carrier monopoly in Canada. They are the only GSM provider after the Canadian Government allowed their purchase of Fido, which provided the 3G network Rogers now touts.

We held a lot of hope that Apple would be able to strong arm Rogers into reasonable data rates (unlimited) with the iPhone, as they had done with AT&T. However this is not the case, and the usage cases that Rogers is providing for emails/web pages downloaded are unrealistic in today’s world.

While I’m not convinced that this protest will amount to anything, I’m still holding onto a hope that Rogers may finally see the light.

I’ve been meaning to write this post for over four months. It started in my head as separate posts, but they never were completed. So now there’s one big post.

There is plenty of change to talk about. Some minor, some life altering. The biggest change occurred at the end of October.

Employment

At that time I left IBM for a position with Scorecard Systems. I spent 11 years with IBM. I started as an OS/2 administrator and moved my way to Backup and Recovery Architect, Tivoli Systems Management Specialist, UNIX Administrator and Web Developer. With numerous and various stops in between.

I had a great time, learned a lot and made some great friends. But towards the end the environment and direction were no longer agreeable to me.

The move to Scorecard Systems has been a great one. I’m now doing SQL development and UNIX consulting. I’m really enjoying the change of attitude, business size and philosophy. I’m no longer a number lost in a sea.

While this move was going on, my wife was also changing jobs. After 4.5 years as a server at Montana’s, she’s now serving at a new Baton Rouge that opened near us.

These are two big, life altering changes that just happened to occur at the same time, making them even bigger.

Source code management

After some “encouragement” from rjbs, I have switched my chosen SCM from subversion to git. I had been using a combination of subversion and SVK for home and work, but experienced a number of issues with SVK and merging at work that I moved to straight subversion.

After talking with rjbs, I converted my home repositories to git and my work repository to a combination of subversion server and git client. Something I’ve carried over into my new position. It works remarkably well, and amazingly fast. Much better than SVK.

Editor

With the change in jobs came a change in platforms. I can now do my work entirely from a Mac. This has allowed me to change my default editor from Vim to TextMate.

I have been a long time vi/Vim user. Keybindings on all my systems are set -o vi and they still are. With all my editing being done locally and with large amounts of files, the flexibilty, tools and environment of TextMate are a great help to my productivity. Although I still find myself dropping to a terminal and opening a file with vim for quick edits.

OS X Utilities

I have been a strong proponent and user of Quicksilver for years. So much so that I am constantly teased by my friends with the answer for everything being “Quicksilver will do that”. Recently my view has changed.

About a year and a half ago CromeDome started complaining about copy/paste and drag/drop issues. After a couple reinstalls and much problem determination he discerned that Quicksilver was the cause. I dismissed this as an Intel versus PowerPC issue as I’d never experienced this problem. That is until a couple of weeks ago.

I lost the ability to reorganize tracks in iTunes, drag files between finder windows, and copy and paste between some applications. After searching the forums I discovered that this is a long known, recurring problem that has yet to be addressed. Such a major problem, that usually results in a wipe reinstalls, without a migration as this would cause a reoccurence, still remaining unfixed, this was unacceptable to me. I immediately uninstalled it.

Quicksilver has been replaced by LaunchBar and PTHPasteboard. After using this combination for a couple of months now, I have to say I’m not missing Quicksilver.

With the change to daylight savings time, a sign that spring is on the way, upon us, it’s quite a surprise to be getting record setting snowfall.

I’m so tired of shoveling.

update: Just came in from the third shovel of the day. Another 8 inches on the driveway, and the wind has really picked up. The banks on the side of the driveway are now 2 feet over my head, as there is no where else to put the snow.

Time for my annual list of Christmas presents received.

Clothing

• Scarf
• Leather coat
• Long sleeve shirt
• Maple Leafs workout wear
• Roots sweatshirt and pants
• Pajamas
• Slippers

Games

• Halo 3
• The Orange Box
• Bioshock
• Guitar Hero 3

Movies

• The Bourne Identity
• The Bourne Ultimatum
• Futurama: Bender’s Big score
• Pirates of the Caribbean: World’s End
• Mallrats
• Night out in a bag: Fargo (movie, coolers, chocolate, popcorn, and bowl)

Toys

• Stuffed lion

Books

• The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes

BrentEvans Geek Tonic: Writers Strike Update: Ultimate Guide To How the Strike Will Affect TV Shows: “Writers Strike Update: Ultimate Guide To How the Strike Will Affect TV Shows”

Comprehensive list of Television shows and how many episodes are left before they run out.