Rick’s Rants and Raves

I got tserver-log.syn from an instructor in one of the classes I took at Genesys. It is a Syntax file for use with TextPad, so that keywords will be highlighted while reading Tserver and other log files. It helps a bit reading the nastiness, but not as much as Kazimir.

To install tserver-log.syn, download it to your C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system directory.
Start TextPad.
On the Configure menu, choose New Document Class.
Type a name like “Log Files”, and click Next.
For class members, type “*.log”, and click Next.
Next, check “Enable syntax highlighting”, and select tserver-log.syn from the list of Syntax definition files.

If you want, you can customize some of the behavior for the syntax highlighting by choosing Preferences from the Configure menu. Expand Document Classes in the left pane to find your new document class.

OK, I was wrong. Blu-ray is not dead, the HD-DVD is.

Via Make
My kids and I have made a number of these airplanes while on vacation at the Chautauqua Institute. I remember two years ago when the bookstore didn’t carry them, and it was one of the most disappointing discoveries for all the kids (myself included). I love these planes. I wish I could nail down a memory from my youth, playing with these planes, but it seems like I was always spending my allowance at the local Lawsons or 7-eleven on one of these planes, or a cap-gun.

I love the toy planes for their simplicity, and the sheer joy that comes with watching it soar overhead. The gliders are fun, but my heart has always belonged to the “motorplanes.” Local suppliers typically only sell two or three models. Its nice to know I can get a complete set of their wind up motorplanes for only $27.74. That’ll make for a fun summer Saturday!

We recently joined a local YMCA for family fun and fitness. Both the kids are enrolled in a street hockey program and are loving it. I’ve started on their Fitstart program, and am finding that working out at 6AM is actually quite stimulating and maintainable (well, for 10 days so far…).

The worst part about it? I’ve driven to the Y every time except once. Yes, it’s winter. Yes, time has been tight (for workouts and practices), but still… Google maps reports it as 0.2 miles, “about 51 secs” of drive time. The one time I walked (last Saturday) it took no more than 5 minutes. I feel incredibly guilty that I’m driving such a pathetically short distance to exercise. The weather has been crappy, so that is my primary excuse. “No sense in twisting an ankle on the ice while trying to get buff” I tell myself. But some people walk three miles to work. In. The. Snow.

Damn do-gooders. I guess I’ll have to start walking to the YMCA. But it will be such a challenge.

The final insult on my guilt came this week when I drove Emily and Nathan to hockey practice. It was snowing a bit, and was in the teens. Emily exclaimed “Boy, I sure am glad we don’t have to walk here.” You’ve got to be kidding me, I told her with exasperation. She persisted, it was really cold and she wasn’t wearing any gloves! Oh, the horror. I pointed out that if we had been planning on walking, she would have been wearing the appropriate attire. Were driving not an option, we probably wouldn’t push our departure time to “about 51 secs” prior to the start of practice.