Marvin’s Place

Yeah, I wasn’t able to write anything of importance lately.

Well, there are things that pushes me not to write. (1) Depression is trying to set in to me (due to some concerns). Good thing is I am overcoming it (by the grace of God). (2) Busy with some things.

Well, here are some updates:

• Liberty Presbyterian Church is currently conducting pre-coucil meetings to organize and setup its church council. Please pray that people will stand up to take the challenge of serving God via church administration.
• We also are conducting (under observation, but hopefully it’ll work out) Kid’s Church after their Sunday School classes.
• Also, last September 26, our Sunday School teachers went out to have fun. We went to a mall, played some games and sang in a videoke room. Then of course, food.
• Reformatted my computer and still installing some apps on it. Also trying to figure out how to properly setup dual head for my v-card. Is it possible that the analog vga port and s-video port shares the same DAC while the DVI port has its separate DAC. if that is the case, then I have to get a DVI to VGA converter so I can use different DAC.
• Busy trying to get sleep.

That’s it from now. More updates later (maybe some pictures )

God bless…

Soli Deo Gloria..

We have an old AMD Duron 800mhz (overclocked to 1ghz) computer at home. It has 512 mb memory and a staggering 32mb legacy NVIDIA AGP video card.

The AMD processor only has 64kb of L2 cache, and this makes the computer crawl (as in really crawling). The video cards power is too low to properly run Adobe Photoshop (or any photo editing software). And the monitor we’re using (an old Giant Optics CRT monitor) is already busted (dimmed, and red laser is not working anymore).

I am planning to do some home business (photo editing/scanning/convertion, layout for greeting cards/invitation, typing jobs, etc.). But this computer hinders me to do things properly.

Problem is, as much as I would like to purchase a new system, I still don’t have the budget. Sometimes I did wish that someone would send me a new desktop a laptop (which is impossible).

Anyway, just thinking out loud.

Soli Deo Gloria.

There is something I didn’t mention in this blog. i celebrated my 25th birthday last June.

For most Filipinos, they are ashamed to reveal their real age (because they are old). And honestly, I am ‘pissed’ of by this kind of attitude. Why would you deny your real age. And as I recall (can’t remember the verse) that our age (old) is a crown for us.

I am proud I am 25. Five more years to reach 30. Five more years to reach my goals.

I’m starting to recover now. Though the problem isn’t solved yet, at least I am getting back on my feet…

I am having an eating disorder. This happens whenever I am upset or depressed (which I am now).

Have to fight it or I’ll gain too much weight again.

May 27, while going to work, I felt different. The following day, I am having a terrible headache, body pain and my body is shaking. I went to the clinic and they gave me some pain reliever. I went home feeling not well. As soon as I got home, I went to sleep (that was around 9 in the morning). When my wife came from work (noon time), my fever was high and I can’t eat, nor get up from bed (extreme headache and dizziness). Afternoon, I tried to prepare to go to work (training actually). But headache and dizziness, and vomiting stopped me (and my wife also).

Day after that, I felt worse. Friday, May 30, I went to the doctor for check up. As laboratory results came out, I was diagnosed to have Urinary Track Infection and very low blood platelet count. The doctor advised me to return the following day for another blood test. If my platelet count would drop, I would be confined for dengue. That evening, since I feel very week for not eating for 3 days, I decided to go to the hospital for confinement. We came to the hospital, they checked my blood and admitted me for possible dengue. The following day, it was confirmed that I have dengue.

I was confined until June 4. Eating just very little (almost nothing except water I drink and IV fluids running in my arteries.

I missed half of my training, and I don’t know what awaits me when I return to work..

Anyway, I am out of the hospital now. And I thank God for the healing. I also thank God for my wife who stayed beside me during those times I am very weak physically and during my hospital days.

I am still feeling weak, I lost almost 16 kilos in one week. But God is renewing my strength.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Things in our company happens very fast. Yesterday, ten of my co-workers (including me) we’re called to a meeting by our managers and area manager. We’re a bit anxious about the agenda. And when the meeting started, it was (supposedly) a good news for us. We (currently working as a switchboard operator) will be moving (starting next week for the training, too fast) to system sales. Good things that comes with it: it is a higher level than our current level that we have (a sort of promotion, meaning, more departments are now open to us); it’s sales (full system sales) more income.

We should be happy with it, but for me, it is a struggle. The offer is somewhat irresistible (not because I badly want it, but because we cannot decline the offer). During the 3 week training, we have a weekend off. But when we goes to the floor, weekend offs are not guaranteed.

It’s a struggle for me ‘coz I need Sunday’s off for church. But after talking to my wife and praying, we came to a decision, I’ll grab to opportunity - for some reasons. I am planning to leave this company when I reached my goal (pay some debts, pay for the title of our small piece of land <mine and my brother’s>, save some money to start a home business or use it while I am looking for a daytime job, reach my 1 year mark working for this company). It is not that I don’t like this company. I plan to leave ‘coz it’s too far from our place and i don’t want to work night shift anymore (very stressing). And with the opportunity offered to me, we expect a little more from our salary that would help me reach some financial goals I need.

Some might say I should decline the offer coz it would sacrifice my Sunday off (for God, church and ministry). But with my current situation, even though I have weekend offs, I feel very tired and exhausted. Grave yard shift’s killing me (exaggeration). The sooner I reach my goals, the better.

Anyway, I am still praying for God’s perfect plan. Though we decided to grab the offer, we still doesn’t reject the idea that God might have a different plan. Please for me also. Thanks.

Soli Deo Gloria

I just got my new phone. But today, it’s gone. It was stolen from me while riding a passenger jeep to home. I didn’t noticed it in the beginning. But after it was taken from me and checked my pocket, I knew who took it. I didn’t do anything cause I don’t want to put my life in danger (snatcher’s/robbers here in the Philippines wouldn’t hesitate to kill if someone disagrees with what their doing).

With this incident, I felt angry, sad, and troubled. But God is teaching me through this event. I realized I am missing a few very important responsibilities. I am a the head of our family (a husband and a father), but I wasn’t able to conduct prayer/devotion time, tithing and sincere dedication to God’s ministry. I was so occupied by my job, internet, computer, CSI, etc, that I am using these things as an excuse to not do my/our responsibilities to God. After a long time, my wife and I prayed before I went to work. And honestly, tears are flowing from my eyes (and hers). And she told me she’s happy cause we were able to pray again (as a family). And I felt God moved that time, my burden was lightened (though I still feel troubled by what happened, I already accepted the reality).

I wish I was able to copy pictures and phonebook entries from that phone. Just lost a lot of photos.

But as my favorite CSI character says (Gill Grissom): “let go and move on”.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Since I got my new hard drive last December and installed Windows XP SP2, I never had problems with it. Well, yeah, I did had ‘minor’ problems. What I meant is problems like Virus, Spyware, system crash, data loss (I lost data due to the crash of my ‘very old’ hard drive). In short, I never had ‘major’ problems that caused me to reinstall windows.

Well, I kept on hearing and reading comments about the ‘instability’ and ‘virus attractiveness’ of Windows. I am not disproving their facts and opinions. And I am not trying to promote Windows (I am planning to leave windows and migrate to Ubuntu). What I am trying to say here is, keeping your system in a good running condition is 80% (just my estimate, in short majority) based on how the user maintains and secure his computer (hardware and software).

In the seminary, some of my technician friends (there are a lot of computer techs in our seminary) used to joke that computer tech problems is 90% user caused and 10% hardware/software caused. And as we looked at it, it is sometimes (most of the time) true.

As for for my experience, I was able to maintain a healthy system for almost 5 months now. This computer is used by multiple users (there are actually 5 user accounts including the admin, one of them is “extra” which is used by who ever wants to use the computer - includes relatives, neighbors who doesn’t have computer, church mates, etc.). With my setup, we would expect for a system breakdown within just a month.

Here’s how I kept my system virus free, software/hardware stable, etc. (I am not trying to be an expert here, this is all based on my experience.)

• Installed a good anti virus - Anti Virus is important. There are good free antivirus out there. But if you have money, get the commercial one. I used to have AVG Free for my virus protection. It works good. But later someone told me to use Avast. They have a free edition also. Monthly full system scan. Scan disks, files, folders, etc, before opening it.
• Firewall - I am using Windows XP’s firewall. I am also behind a NAT so my system is already protected from outside attacks.
• Users under limited account - avoid using or setting a user with administrative privileges is one security that most WinXP users forgot. My brother thought me this one. Most malicious attacks from websites (scripts etc.) needs an administrative right in order to deploy (or infect/affect) your system. So if you are running in limited account, this script won’t be able to modify sensitive System registry info, Windows files (which are protected by windows), etc. Draw back, you won’t be able to install unless you switch to admin mode (I use Runas or use the admin user just for installing softwares). With a bit of tweaking, a limited account can access functions needed by the user.
• Clean the fans - Cleaning the fan and the inside of the computer from dusts can make the computer run cooler.
• Don’t install unnecessary programs - in the start, I am installing lots of unwanted softwares, but later on, I stopped. I only installed softwares I need.
• Delete Cache, cookies, temporary files / internet files - doing this at least on a monthly basis cleans up my hard disk, and gives IE, Opera, and Firefox a “fresh new start”. I am not saying this can cause your computer/internet to speed up, but i think disposing wastes is a good habit.
• Disable Autorun - disabled autorun for CD drive, flash drives, etc. And I don’t allow USB drive users to just plugin their device without my permission. I had one virus infection (just once, minor infection) when someone used his USB drive without scanning. Good thing is my Anti Virus was able to detect it.
• Always lock you PC - when I am working and have to leave my workstation, I lock my pc so my son won’t be able to play with the keyboard, or someone else using my account (my account have some special privileges).
• Install updates - I install updates from Microsoft (under the Admin account).

Doing these routines, I was able to maintain my system. It is my experience. I am happy with XP. Yet, I am planning to migrate to Ubuntu due to some (lots of reason, XP going to be phased-out, philosophy, change, challenge, etc.).

Ombrophobia - fear of rain…….

Well, not actually that bad. But whenever it rains hard, I got this very uncomfortable feeling.

It was raining hard this afternoon, I was about to go to sleep (I work graveyard), when the heavy rain poured. Then this feeling came to me… I want to hide under the table or something. Though I can manage that feeling, and was able to close the windows and go to bed (my wife and son is already asleep), I wasn’t able to sleep. A few days ago, I was already sleeping when the rain poured (heavy rain). I was so startled that as soon as I heard that it is raining I jumped up (almost literally) from the bed. But since I am already sleeping then, it took not more than 30 minutes for me to go back to sleep. But this afternoon, it took me an hour (or more) before I was able to get to sleep.

I really don’t know why I feel like this. Can’t remember of anything “bad” that happened to me during my childhood when it is raining hard.

Well… I wasn’t able to sleep properly, so I am “groggy” today…. Have to take in some coffee…