sabbatical? what??

so i haven't been here for about 4 months if i'm correct. had 10 pages of "new entries" to go through, only to discover that the "new entries" thing doesn't work the way i think it should. so i probably missed a few posts in there somewhere.
looks like i'm not the only one that's been gone, tho.

just noticed that i had my email address wrong over there on the right. it was missing the 87.
also the "+pln" in it is just so if i ever get spam from it being published on here, i can identify that my address was indeed taken from here. Gmail discards the '+' and anything between it and the '@'. but i'm sure the spammers know that too, and their scrapers probably strip that out before using it. so it's probably pointless is all i'm saying.

i'm jobless over xmas break. don't particularly care for xmas and would be fine with having fir trees and wrapped presents on thanksgiving.

speaking of being jobless, i want to tell you what my "boss" (teacher) and i have planned to do next semester. it's long and technical so feel free to skip it.

Virtualization.
My teacher wants to offer some sort of class where a max of 20 students would each have 4 virtual machines available to them, maybe running XP, 7, Linux, and Server 2003, which would all be networked together ... only within memory, not able to communicate with the school's network. These virtual machines could all be installed on each workstation, but it's certainly less manageable (and less sexy) than running them all on a server set aside for this particular purpose. We figure they probably won't run more than 3 VMs at a time, so that's a theoretical maximum of 60 VMs running on a server. I'm fairly sure that a single server couldn't handle 60 GUI OSes running at once, so we'll probably build 2 or 3 servers. With the crazy advancements in technology plus the crazy reduction in prices, I'm pretty sure I can keep the cost per server under $1000 – and those are pretty beefy 4U rackmount machines.

Accessible from the Internet.
All that above is enough of a challenge, but then he wants to offer the same course in a distance-learning format, which would require those students out on the web to be able to use these VMs for their stuff. So our idea is that they VPN in and then connect to their VMs just like they would if they were actually sitting in the classroom.

Not all 80 at once.
Instead of leaving all 80 VMs running 24/7, we want to only have running the ones that are needed. So my idea is to create a web interface that the students can log into, where they can click a button that would boot up the VM(s) they need, and then give them the IP address of said VM(s) so they could VNC (or RDP) into them. Then they would just shut them down when they're done.
  • jmboyd
    Linux :)
    by jmboyd at 12/21/09 12:31AM
  • scrimp
    I skipped. ;)
    by scrimp at 12/21/09 2:07PM
  • garrettw87
    @morgan: what about it?
    by garrettw87 at 12/21/09 5:49PM
  • tom_bombadil
    that's cool.
    by tom_bombadil at 12/21/09 6:55PM

true friends

...are:
the kind where it pains you to be away from them. the kind that get you when nobody else seems to. the kind you love to spend time with.
the kind you love to share deep thoughts, dreams, ideas, or whatever with. the kind that draws out your personality to its potential.
those who don't give up on you. those who will lend a listening ear when that's all you need.
those who will tell you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it. those who put you ahead of themselves.
those who want to help you be a better person. those who are willing to work to resolve differences.

...are not:
those who push you to compromise your standards or life goals and would make it a condition of the relationship.
those who do not respect you and thus do not treat you with respect.
those who require you to sacrifice yourself for their own well-being.
those who don't care about your spiritual state or character development.

I would welcome any additions to this list. Put 'em in the comments below and I just might add them.

this post was inspired by my previous post in addition to laura's kind comments.

This issue's recommended reading (or listening or watching, as the case may be):
  • lauraroseborough
    This is great Garrett. Thank you for your sweet comment. :)

    True friends...

    ...are:

    People who will be there no matter what is going on in your life.

    The kind of person you can call up and even if its 2am in the morning when you are having troubles and they listen to you.

    The kind of person who don't talk behind your back.

    The kind of person who is knows you inside and out and will stand up for you no matter what.

    (this list could go on. lol)


    True friends are not:

    ...are not:

    Those who say they will do something but then don't follow through with it.

    Who don't pressure you into something you don't want to do or like, or believe in.

    Those who will drive off and live you empty handed.


    Okay , Garrett I put some out there but the most thing a true friend is, is someone who will never turn their back on you and love you for who you are not matter what. :D LOVE IT!!! Great job Garrett. Keep it up!
    by lauraroseborough at 08/03/09 11:31PM
  • jools683
    True friends are ones who put you ahead of themselves
    True friends will try to help you be a better person
    True friends want to help you get to heaven!!
    True friends will still want to hang out with you despite stupid jokes or embarrassing moments
    True friends will push you, even if your scared
    True friends will listen to your suggestions
    True friends will work to solve a problem

    False friends are selfish
    False friends don't care about your spiritual state/character development
    False friends pick and choose when they'll be seen with you
    False friends will let the friendship fade when problems arrive

    Its better to have one true friend than a handful of false ones
    One close false friend will break your self worth (on any given level) and make it hard for a true friend to come in
    Its better to have no friends than one false friend
    by jools683 at 08/26/09 3:22PM

social shortcomings

i wish i had friends.

well, don't jump to conclusions, i didn't say i don't have any friends.

oh... i did? well then... what i MEANT to say was yeah, i have friends, but... i'm talking FRIENDS friends. y'know.
the kind where it pains you to be away from them. the kind that get you when nobody else seems to. the kind you love to spend time with.
the kind you love to share deep thoughts, dreams, ideas, or whatever with. the kind that draws out your personality to its potential.

i say "them", but it doesn't have to be ... i'd be happy with just one, i suppose.
and i'm talking aside from a girlfriend. she doesn't count. ;)

i suppose you should be thankful i don't complain about this all the time. so when i do, i mean it. it's not just a "i'm bored so i'm thinking about the woefulness of my existence" type of thing.
actually, i wasn't thinking about it at all until it was brought back to my attention. but it's not like it's never come to mind before. actually, many times have i wished for such.

for all of people's imperfections, people need people. whether they like to admit it or not.
some people say "i don't like people." but they should realize that what they really mean (i hope) is that the masses of uneducated, ignorant, common-sense-lacking numskulls out there really grate on their nerves.
and to that i can sympathize. ;)

but anyway. what i wouldn't solicit is people coming up to me and being like "aww, i'll be your friend!" lol. that's not how it works. chances are, i'm already your friend on that level.
however... if someone could fill me in on how it does work, that might be helpful.
  • lauraroseborough
    Thank you Garrett for pointing out what you did on my blog. I appreciate the praying. As for me in the past telling people I was going to the hospital or in it created some problems so I just stuck to my guns (figure of speech), and concentrated on myself so I could better serve others in the future. Again this is suppose to be a positive attitude in what I am saying. And you are right I am not complaining just stating facts. =) Thanks again for your wonderful comments. =)

    Garrett your post is great too and when it comes to friends I can see you really do understand what a friend is. This is also what I am talking about too. Keep it up and when you find that friend, besides God, you will see it. Trust me, I have. I am here for you and here for you if you need someone to talk to. Someone to re-late to as a friend can help. That is why I brought up group therapy for me. It helps me a lot and then others it doesn't. You just have to find the right kind of friends you want to have and then go search for them. It took me 28 yrs. to realize what a "true friend" is. Prov 18:24 I hear you Garrett and what you are saying. This post should be posted in so many places so people know what a "true friend" is. Great post too. :D
    by lauraroseborough at 08/01/09 4:22AM
  • scrimp
    Yea, it was all fuzzy, and I tried to upload another one, but it kept saying they were all toooooo big! And now I don't know how to get rid of the text that went with the other picture.. HELP!
    by scrimp at 08/01/09 4:02PM

joereorb

RadioShack interview at 1pm today!

If they do end up offering me the job, idk yet if I'll take it, because the city has a position that looks interesting that would almost definitely pay more and might even be more to my liking. So I'm applying for that too, and we'll see.

Haven't figured out yet how this will affect my website-making venture. Definitely won't quit, but... idk.


This issue's articles:
Representative John Boehner R-OH Cap & Trade HR 2454 (hooray for Boehner for reading the bill for all to hear.)
Benedict Arnold Obama (THIS is what's happening. Listen if you care about what's happening in our country.)
Obama Cap And Trade My Plan Makes Electricity Rates Skyrocket (Here is our benevolent leader Comrade Obama admitting that his plan will make energy rates skyrocket. How could he possibly convince ANY American citizen [that he's not paying off] that this is a good thing for the economy? That we should be happy to pay the coming exorbitant energy rates? I have no idea.)
Firefox 3.5 is out.
HR2454 Cap and Trade Will End Middle Class in Amerika 
Pirate Bay Heads to Davy Jones' Locker (sad day)
Why is a U.S. Army brigade being assigned to the "Homeland"? 
Creepy, revealing quote from White House staffer
  • marcylyn
    thank you. i didn't know what was wrong with them or how to fix them! i figured if anyone knew how to do it..it would be you. lol so if you're taking the job with the city (or Radioshack), does that mean you won't be back in nacogdoches this fall?
    by marcylyn at 07/02/09 1:05PM
  • scrimp
    What is the city job?
    by scrimp at 07/02/09 11:30PM
  • garrettw87
    Systems & Technology Assistant (on this page)
    by garrettw87 at 07/05/09 2:55AM
  • emmywoo
    jaerb
    by emmywoo at 07/05/09 10:26AM
  • garrettw87
    hehe i knew you'd get it, emily
    by garrettw87 at 07/05/09 1:45PM
  • james_dow
    Hhmmm... What all would be involved?
    by james_dow at 07/06/09 11:15PM
  • james_dow
    Wow... Speaking of my profile, I need to update it! Lol
    by james_dow at 07/06/09 11:20PM
  • garrettw87
    well, all i'm looking for is someone to bounce ideas off of, and someone who can write code to speed things along. of course, it's just for fun right now and no monetary compensation is involved (until there is some sort of business plan put into effect).
    by garrettw87 at 07/08/09 2:01PM
  • the_dow_dad
    Thanks for your Help! Yay!!
    by the_dow_dad at 07/09/09 11:09PM
  • marcylyn
    ummm not really!
    i'm not ready for all that jazz yet...too much going on!
    by marcylyn at 07/10/09 11:21PM
  • emmywoo
    I'm in Ghostbeard and we're touring to kansas, iowa, nebraska, ohio, indiana, kentucky, tennessee, and texas (i dont think i left any states out but i might have). I'm in Ohio right now
    by emmywoo at 07/15/09 10:37AM
  • marcylyn
    thank you so much!!
    where would that be on my page..so i don't have to click that link every time?
    by marcylyn at 07/19/09 9:54AM
  • marcylyn
    nevermind..i found it :)
    by marcylyn at 07/19/09 9:56AM

smattering of articles for your consumption

Should Christians resist tyranny? (also posted on my facebook)
Obama mouthpiece laughs off birth certificate request (how unprofessional.)
Prez promises Matthew Shepherd's mom 'hate crimes' law
UPDATE: Deadline set in banned Bible study case (git 'er done)
Texas House to Feds: Back Off (SWEETNESS)

P.S.: Any of you use Pandora? If so, I've made 4 different stations, separated by genre, of stuff I like, in case you might be interested:
GLW Modern CountryGLW Modern RockGLW Pop FlavorGLW Classic Rock... and of course, their content is under constant development/fine-tuning.
Also, if you're looking for my profile on there, the link is down there in my sidebar.
  • james_dow
    It's probably with something the way I set it all up. I'm too lazy to fix it though.
    by james_dow at 06/01/09 5:53PM
  • plato
    Did the tail light plug in easily?
    by plato at 06/02/09 11:11PM