jfin is here…

.. the serial number checking functionality is bypassed. Just had to find the right JNZ to change. From ‘75′ to ‘EB’ .. just two hexadecimal characters, that’s eight bits, or one byte. Out of a possible (approximately) 8,192,000,000 bytes. Now to figure out how best to present this to the client. I thought that debugger was going to drive me crazy for a while.  How many other people could say that their ‘job satisfaction’ comes from something like this? :)

The Golden Gate Bridge is fascinating, it looks quite different everytime I go there.

.. of carrying around lots of banknotes that often don’t amount to much (a disorganised fistful of $1 bills can monopolize a lot of pocket space).

How to Create a Gangster Bankroll

CAUTION! DO NOT EXECUTE THIS HOWTO WITHOUT CAREFULLY READING THE ‘TIPS’ AND ‘WARNINGS’ SECTIONS BELOW THE EASY-TO-FOLLOW STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS.

Listening to : Pearl Jam - Alive 

Iain tagged me for this:

Name 10 of life’s simple pleasures that you like the most, then pick 10 people to do the same. Try to be original and creative; try not to use things that someone has already used.

I’m not going to tag anyone else, but if you feel the urge then put your list in the comments. :)

So here goes:

1. Lying on the soft soft carpet in front of the warm warm fire at home in Taranaki on a cold cold winters day, with purring cat alongside.

2. The feeling of anticipation that comes when sitting on top of a snow-covered mountain with snowboard strapped to feet and a long downhill run ahead. Fresh powder and trees an added bonus.

3. Water. Consumption, immersion, watching, listening. And single-skiing or wakeboarding.

4. Sitting in the <insert room here> at <insert place here> talking with <insert close friends here> about nothing in particular or everything in detail.

5. Driving somewhere you haven’t been before with windows down and appropriate music blaring.

6. Hearing from home.

7. Leaning back and running down sand dunes, half in-control and mostly out-of-control. Trip and faceplant optional.

8. Watching the sunset, even if it’s just when driving up the freeway after a long day at work.

9. Tired-happy exhaustion after pushing yourself physically.

10. A view, any view, from the top of a mountain, any mountain.

Listening to : Dave Matthews Band - Stolen Away On 55th & 3rd

Today, 5 years ago, I was woken up by James (or T?) and all of us Karori Road flatmates sat in the lounge in shock for an hour or two, watching the news unfold.

And now, I’m in America. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

I spent today at work, avoided CNN and other coverage, and it could have been any other day. But then, after work, went to see the new Oliver Stone movie - World Trade Center. Very personal, somewhat patriotic, and quite thought provoking.

One of the lines that really stuck with me was that of Dave Karnes - the Marine staff sergeant, walking through the rubble just as the movie was ending. “We’re going to need some good men out there to avenge this.” The ending text states that he went on to serve two tours in Iraq. Not quite sure what to say about that.

Listening to : Jars of Clay - Oh My God (this new album, Good Monsters, is great)

.. why Dave Matthews Band fanatics are the way that they are.

Two concerts, Friday and Saturday night. Nice big ampitheatre. Great seats, right at the front-and-center of the GA lawn area. 20,000 other screaming fans. Amazing music .. screaming voice, crazy guitar and violin, tight drums and bass, screaming sax, huge trumpet (guest Rashawn Ross .. that man has chops!), crazy slide guitar (Robert Randolph). Three hour set, full of old songs I recognised, and new songs I didn’t. Highlights included Bartender, Louisiana Bayou, Jimi Thing, Break Free, and All Along The Watchtower. And many more.

Enthusiasm levels helped by hanging out with the DMB-crazy Phil and Ashley for the weekend.

If you ever get the chance, do it.

I am a definite convert to this live music thing. Now I get to look forward to this next month. DMB, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Death Cab For Cutie and others all ten minutes drive from my home. Can’t wait.

Listening to : Ash - Girl From Mars

Finished work, got in the sik ‘Bru (running nicely, fresh from a service this week), and fought rush hour traffic for three hours as I headed north-east to Sacramento.

Picked up Phil (fellow Wellingtonian, who’s just finished Camp America and is now roadtripping around) from the hostel there, and then headed back towards the Bay. Stopped at some random ‘city’ for In-N-Out burgers, and kept cruising. A spot of Fat Freddys’ playing, as Phil had been without quality NZ roots music for 3 months after his iPod died.

Decided to go to San Francisco, rather than driving straight back to San Jose. Crossed the Bay Bridge, drove around downtown for a while, headed up the hill and then came back down Lombard Street (famous as being the crookedest street in the United States). Drove out past Ghirardelli Square, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and up into the Marin Headlands. Enjoyed the view (/ wind / fog) for a while, and then headed back down the 101 to San Jose.

Good to have a fellow Kiwi to do touristy stuff with.

This weekend we’ve got two Dave Matthews Band concerts lined up, both at the Mountain View Shoreline Ampitheatre .. tonight, and Saturday night. Excellent. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again … I like Friday’s.

Listening to : Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds (Live at Luther College) - Warehouse

A little Saturday roadtrip led us north-west for 4 hours to the poor-man’s Las Vegas that is Reno, Nevada. More specifically, the plan was to go to the great Rib Cook-off, aka BBQ heaven. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but it sounded very American so I went along for the ride with David, Betsy, and Jonathan.

We ate ribs. They were messy, but not too messy. There were a large number of people around who looked as if they had eaten a lot more ribs in their lifetime than I ever plan on.

After eating ribs, we went to the Circus Circus casino. My general rule with casino’s is that I will allow myself to spend $20 per (very infrequent) trip.. I take the note out of my pocket, use it, and when it’s gone it’s gone. However, this time the odds seemed to be in my favour and I ended up, with the help of the one-armed bandits, turning my little $20 note into $210. Not a bad days work.

A very entertaining trip back, involving a very .. umm .. eclectic assortment of music and brief but tasty visit to Chick-Fil-A. A few golden moments that are best not told for fear that they will lose their lustre. Y’all (please use Texan accent when reading) will just have to make do with this.

(PS. My (not-so-younger) sister is engaged!  Congrats, Kirsty and Mike! :) )