Tao Of Foo

Several weeks ago I finally got around to upgrading my Linux distribution on my Dell Latitude D505. Since I was issued this laptop at work a couple of years ago I have been running Fedora Core 3 (the latest and greatest at the time). Since FC3 is really pretty old almost nobody packages modern RPMs for Open Office, Firefox or much of anything anymore. Bottom line, I was WAY overdue for an upgrade.

I backed my personal files and applications to my 100GB Seagate external drive and dropped in FC5. Other than the standard “yum update” stuff all I did was point yum to a few 3rd party repositories so I could update gstreamer plugins for MP3 playback, install a working MPlayer plugin for Firefox and install the ipw2200 firmware to get my wireless working. Otherwise everything else pretty much just worked. I took a queue from my coworker Bryan and started using alternatives to manage multiple JVMs, ant and a few other Java related tools. A few websites that helped out:

http://stanton-finley.net/fedora_core_5_installation_notes.html

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/html_single/Fedora-Multimedia-Installation-HOWTO/

I think this was the first time on a Linux machine I ever had hibernate to disk working with absolutely no configuration. Fedora has come a long way.

My theory is basically that there are two kinds of people in the world. Beach people and mountain people. Ok, so it’s not my theory specifically, but it’s one that I’ve seen validated many times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite possible to enjoy both places, but I believe there’s only one that calls out to you.

I am a mountain person. I’ve always been a mountain person. I’ve always known I was a mountain person, partially due to my love for the Davis Mountains and all the other mountain ranges I spent time in over the years. When presented the opportunity I will almost always choose mountains over beaches.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the beach, swimming, the sand and fishing but my heart is drawn to the mountains. I simple love the peace and tranquility of the mountains. Camping in the clean, cool air is unmistakably where I’d rather vacation.
What kind of person are you? Leave a comment.

You know you live in a small town (Boerne, Tx; population 7000?) when you ask the lady at the register of your local Tractor Supply Company for flatbed trailer rental recommendations and the guy behind you in line (who you have never met in your life) offers to lend you his trailer or the trailer of one of his friends for free. Seriously.

Tomorrow is the parade for the Kendall County Fair and Amy thought it would be a lot of fun and great advertisement for us to put together a Shutter-Happy Photography float. So last weekend this stranger (the guy behind Amy in TSC) calls us up to confirm our interest in his trailer. I’m still a little stunned by it all but I tell him that we are interested. His trailers won’t really work for us but his friend is willing to lend us one. His friend (a local Veterinarian here in town who we have used before) calls me back a few minutes later, we go over to his place and the trailer will work just fine. So yesterday I picked it up. Now Dr. Rapp has willingly lent his very expensive flatbed trailer to a complete stranger that his friend randomly ran across.

I love this town.

Dr. Rapp, I really appreciate everything. You are a class act and people like you are the reason Boerne is such an incredible place to live.