So this will be the last post here.

Turns out the company (and author) of the blogging software I’d been using, iblog, has left it in a semi-finished state that won’t run on Leopard (MacOS X 10.5); I’ll never buy anything from them again and suggest you don’t either.  I’ve spent a couple weeks deciding what to do, looking around, and getting bummed out over how much I’d have to do to move my blog someplace else.

I found an online article on converting to wordpress from iblog, so I found a copy of agitprop (the original homepage for this is gone, but this link seems to work right now), converted my older iblog (no link provided for iblog – they don’t deserve it) entries using that and then copy-pasted the rest of the entries in.

Well, I’m on WordPress and like it so far.  I no longer worry about the format of the blog (and I really don’t care for that kind of CSS work anyway) and get to spend more time writing (which is one thing I wanted from doing a blog).

I’m going to switch the links on my web site now, and away we go!

Author: Andy Mangels, Michael A. Martin

Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages

Publisher: Star Trek (February 1, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0743440013

ISBN-13: 978-0743440011

The first (and as far as I can tell only) pulp fiction book based on the Star Trek: Enterprise TV series. It uses a technique familiar to that series – going forward in time and telling a story in the past, in this case that Trip, the chief engineer on Enterprise, secretly survived his apparent death and became a spy planted in the Romulan empire.

I liked the book generally, and I’m glad I read it. I wish they’d write some more; I think this period (pre-Federation) takes a look at some serious issues that had been resolved by the time of the later series.

This morning while pondering my breakfast of waffles, it suddenly dawned on me what tattoo I should get. You see, Aviva and I have talked about getting a tattoo for years, but we’ve never settled on a design. And, you do have to live with it (and if you’re Jewish you live with it forever).

So, after handling the latest crisis in our move from Chicago to Los Angeles, I went to Nathan’s at the suggestion of the new woman at our apartment complex, Amanda. Javier did a great job I think, and we had fun doing it (it hurt a lot at first, but I got sort of used to it and even watched some of the filling-in).

So, here it is – its on the inside of the right wrist!

20356 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 90256

I’m moved into my temporary housing, Aviva goes back home Monday to finish getting the house ready to vacate, so we decided to drive to Malibu and have a nice dinner.

The service wasn’t great; I think our server forgot about us a couple of times. The menu is interesting and modern. The shrimp cocktail only had four shrimp. I had the pork chop, which was in a mustard seed and organic bacon sauce with an sweet potato puree with anise seasoning. The chop was a bit dry, but the food was flavorful.

Title: 24 Declassified: Collateral Damage

Author: Marc Cerasini

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: HarperEntertainment (February 26, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0061431184

ISBN-13: 978-0061431180

A very guilty pleasure of mine – I love the TV series 24, and the books are just as good, maybe better.

This one is set in the new NYC Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU) headquarters, where Jack Bauer is helping get the new office running.  But, his team is ambushed on their way to the office and the action doesn’t let up until the very last explosive minute.

This series is being authored by three people now, and so far I’ve found all the books to be quick and fun to read.

Author: David Michaels

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Berkley (February 5, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0425222144

ISBN-13: 978-0425222140

I finished my interview early out in LA (great job opportunity, I hope I get an offer for this one), went out to Burbank Airport (Bob Hope), and had about five hours to kill before my red-eye left. And I’d finished the book I’d brought with me, Beginning TiVo Programming. So, I bought this book at the bookstore in the airport.

And I could hardly put it down. Its set in the near future when the Russians, the Euros and the US are embroiled in a hot/cold war. Very gripping narrative, taught, and suspenseful.

Author: John Brosnan, Kyle Copeland

Paperback: 298 pages

Publisher: Wrox (February 12, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0470054271

ISBN-13: 978-047005427

I read this book on the flight from Chicago to Phoenix to Burbank.

Really good – I highly recommend this book. It includes everything you need to know to build TiVo applications, including getting the two SDKs you’ll want, instructions on using the simulator, and some really rocking examples (in this case, the examples actually do show very clearly how to do things with the SDK). And, since the examples are focused you don’t get page after page of code, but instead concise code in the book to show how to get things done.

I’ve got a project all set up and ready to start in Eclipse thanks to this book!

Author: Marilyn Moats Kennedy

Mass Market Paperback

Publisher: Fawcett (October 12, 1986)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0449210162

ISBN-13: 978-0449210161

I wish I’d read this book years ago – it explains a lot about the changes I’ve seen in the workplace over the last 20-plus years.

If you want to know more about office politics, and especially some specific hints on how to not be a victim of them, read this book! I got my copy at a used bookstore, and I’m glad I did. I read it in just a few sittings over three days