The ChickenBall has a new home!

I consolidated all my domains together and got myself a sweet spot for web hosting. I have no idea why, since I don’t have enough time in my life to blog, but it’s only approximately $100 a year for hosting – and that includes all my websites as well as websites I host for other people.

So, my new blog is now here – http://chickenball.wontoncorp.com/. Bookmark this exact link because it takes you to my WordPress installation, which is temporary because I plan to move my blog to a full-fledged CMS. While WP has grown awesomely over the past few months and added a slew of great features, I find that a CMS will provide a veteran user like myself the true flexibility that is needed to run any kind of website. That, and I’m a geek. Specifically, a website geek.

So, what have I been up to these past two months (because nobody else will ask me)? Well, work-wise, things are coming to a head. I’ve become so cynical about it that I’ve pretty much given up on IT. Ever since I broke into the IT scene, I’ve been fired, overworked, red taped by corporate policies, threatened by unemployment, undermined by spiteful colleagues, verbally abused, stressed out from politics, emotionally scarred, and passed over for promotion. You’re probably wondering why I haven’t left earlier, and why I’m still hanging around. Well, if you haven’t read my past posts, then the abridged reason is because I’m in a lot of debt and I’ve adhered myself to a somewhat strict budget. However, I’m currently looking into new careers to follow. I’ve already applied at Inco for regular staff positions (which would make me eligible for benefits, pension, and nickel bonuses). However, it would be just a temporary stint to get me out of debt faster. The sooner I can get out of debt, the sooner I can start applying for a new career. Who knows, maybe I might find my calling at such a new position. That is, if I actually get on. If I don’t, I need to stick it out in IT for a bit longer, unless I can find another position elsewhere. In the meantime, I’m still working at the restaurant, but only on the weekends now, because business has slowed down and Esmond is working there most of the time. During Tuesday to Thursday, I’ve dedicated my evenings to computer repairs and house calls.

I’d like to say enough about work, but that’s pretty much all I’ve been up to. Hopefully, that will change by the 28th – I’ve scheduled a week off from work and I’m going to Winnipeg with Esmond and Candace to spend that entire week doing absolutely nothing productive. By nothing productive, I mean that I’m packing up my XBox, Rock Band, Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2, and other games. We’re all going to be shacked up in one hotel room to save on boarding fees, but Candace and I will have our own cars so that we can go do anything we want depending on who wants to use the TV. We’ll more than likely end up watching movies at the theater and eating meals together, though. I’m really looking forward to The Dark Knight, Wanted, and Hellboy II. If time (time?) allows, The Incredible Hulk, Hancock, and Wall-E.

My Matrix is still doing alright, although there is a leak in one of the panels above the driver’s seat and sometimes the front passenger seat. Also, I’m missing a plastic placeholder plate from the chin spoiler, but that’s just cosmetic. I’m bringing it to the dealership while in Winnipeg for some warranty recall work on the factory defective window bolts.

I’ve been planning out a new network topology at home. I want to upgrade to gigabit ethernet, implement a full blown server with Active Directory services, and a clustered SAN. Sounds pretty complicated? It is, somewhat – but it’s mostly expensive.