An update to some of the facets going on in my life...also apparently an exercise to see how many related links I could stuff into an article...
1. We're coming closer to getting our new minivan. I got the cashier's checks today and the wife dropped them off with the current holder of the vehicle. What ensues now is a shuffling of money to the Toyota financial folks, a transfer of the vehicle title and then we actually get the damn vehicle. Estimated time: At least 5 business days. Ugh...what a load of red tape B.S.
2. Plans for the GDC trip is really starting to come together. Rob and I are planning to drop in on my cousin, Scott, who recently moved out there and show him a good time (or what geeks call a good time, I guess?).
3. My Linux server has been up-and-running 15 days and counting. It now fetches all my website databases daily and also serves as a version control repository for various projects and documents. I'm loving it so far. Next step is to set up Apache to use Secure Sockets Layer (OpenSSL) so that things are even more secure when accessing the repository. I'll probably pile more and more crap on there (MySQL, mail server) in an effort to justify the cost of the juice to keep it on 24x7 😉
4. Game development has continued again at a slower pace (but it is progressing!). I transferred the current source snapshot into Subversion about a week ago and I started working on fleshing out the capabilities of the user interface of the little 2D strategy game I'm working on in preparation of rendering the school map.
5. My wife's birthday is coming up at the end of the month. I need to figure out what to get her. What do you get a woman who means everything to you, has given you two beautiful kids and makes you incredibly happy? Anything I can conceive within a reasonable price tag seems so lame ("Hey baby, you mean the world to me...here's a sweater"). I know she wants a piano eventually but she won't let me spend the money on something like that with the recent minivan purchase...see the problem is she's also very practical...maybe another weekend trip away from the house in March? As usual, I left things to the last minute and I will have to spend some time on the weekend piecing together a plan like I did for Valentine's Day. Next year at this time I will have my act together, I swear it. She deserves better.