The Little Drummer Boy - Christmas Day

A Parody of The Perfect Year

As the year folds, once again I am faced with the challenges of making this year the best of the best. Here are some highlights throughout 2007:

-Deleted 20-30 GB of Data (pictures, home videos, etc) due to an accidental unattended re-format/re-install. This is now the second time I have lost data in which I have only had time to recover the important pictures with an Advanced Recovery Tool. The Hex signatures in MPG's can vary in which why I have not recovered them yet. Always make backups!

-Instead of 13 days of Christmas it was 13 days of work and no days off. More notably, I was unable to get a digital frame that appeared to sky rocket in price during the last minute Christmas shopping.

-Ironically, I only had enough money to buy Elijah a drum set (See video) and a Vacuum/Carpet Cleaner for my sister.

-Promoted and given a raise as a Tier II Dedicated Server Support Administrator for Hostway Canada, which really just equals more work.

-I have learned a number of complex server/systems topics in the remaining months - Linux Virtual Server (LVS and load balancing), OpenBSD Firewall and Packet Filtering, IDS - Intrusion Detection, Backup Systems, High-End Server Equipment such as $3000-5000 dollar Power Edge servers to $50000 dollar Quad-Opteron servers (computers that are basically blazing fast), and much much more that people really wouldn't understand.

-I am able to implement intermediate to advanced systems, customize, configure and desgin - once again, really irrelevant to anybody. You simply see the address bar, browser and email client - the rest is "interwebz asplode!" (try searching that in Google)

-I've been able to work with some pretty nerdy dudes that say things like "interwebz asplode!", and "ROFLcopter", and "lulz". Also, introduced to LOL Catz (Can I Haz Cheezburger?).

-I have been paying a Fitness World membership at a premium rate and have not gone in the past 60 days, in fact, almost in the past 6 months (not including my attempts for a one-day comeback which were also unsuccessful).

-Sold my 88' 2 Seater RX-7 Convertible (that speaks for itself).

-Started taking dance class in Vancouver and tried a couple of classes in a top studio in Hollywood, California during my trip/stay there. It's something I had to take from deep down inside and understand that I really love (as a hobby).

-The construction of my actual building/condo is in progress and set for 2009 completion (over a year delay due to project financing).

-I've been able to micro-manage myself, responsibilities, and productivity-wise which also really means more work.

-Been able to maintain a balance between writing, composition, song-writing, recording and produced short collaborations - something I've always worked and focused on.

-Broke my 40GB older 'brick' sized version of the Ipod.

-My 25th Birthday

-A lot of seeing my neice and nephew - Elijah and Sophia. At one point, during visits to their place, Elijah started asking for Uncle to monitor as he went potty. The next thing I know he was asking me to give him a bath, dress him and prepare him for his night-time milk.

-Single and ready to mingle, which sometimes isn't always a good thing.

-I've went on multiple dates with women in which most lead to a little fling but did not actually turn into a thing (LOL), TBA.

-I decided to write out a 2 year plan that involved career work, a business plan, a road map, continuing education (Network Administration and Security option, Bachelor of Technology, TBA), and a health regimen.

-This may not be directly related to the parity of a perfect year, but is actually quite sad and needed to be mentioned - the passing of Grandma in April (See my blog entry in the previous months), our prayers are with you, we will always love you.

-Was just given a company laptop, I can literally work from home, if needed.

-Bought a USB condenser microphone and pop filter from my friend.

-In the process of designing a network infrastructure, and internal system.

-Work, work and more work. I was given the London Drugs 5 year service award - A red oak wooden pen engraved with London Drugs symbol and logo "Nobody does it Better". (This is my part time job where I get to operate heavy machinery and using wireless blue-tooth voice recognition for picking orders)

-Went Camping during Canada Day in the pouring rain. Our camp managed to get a fire started in the soaking wet.

-Went to Whistler for Snowboarding and tumbled down the hill at least 20 times. I then eased the pain by soaking in a hot-tub outside a -12 degrees celsius - didn't feel a bit of cold.

-Had to take the Night Bus (if you read previous entries, the Night bus is the worst bus you can take). It is a bus ride (approx. 1-2 hours) from Vancouver to Surrey, in case the SkyTrain is closed.

-All in all, I could say that 2007 was one of my best years, don't you agree?

=P

To be Continued...

Hostway Christmas Party 2007

Our yearly staff party was a great turnout! Music, prizes, dancing and 50/50 draws (although I did not draw a win), filled the night with a great turnout of employees and their guest/dates. It was located at the corner of Hornby and Pender, Downtwon - at the Hornby banquet hall.

Up for grabs in the prize categories were a Dell Notebook/Laptop, Slingbox, XBox360, 22" LCD, keyboard set - some donated by local companies, as well as Dell Canada thanks to our Sales Management team.

I may have went home empty handed, but not if 'fun' was considered one of the lucky prizes ;)

Moving forward through 2007

Once again, the year is moving quite rapidly to the Winter season - I have a tendency to forget about updating this thing.

Other than new projects at work and small projects at home, this year again has been filled with my little nephew and niece - Elijah and Sophia. And not to mention a whole lot new vocabulary for Elijah and the ever so subtle foot steps of Sophia.

Well, pictures speak a thousand words so I'll just post them here =).

Ps. I do have a gallery started at http://gotdns.ca. This, however, lacks updates of what my actual hard-drive looks like of photo's I've taken over the months - oh well.

Home Sweet Home - Back From LA

Well it was quite an interesting and adventurous trip to LA and back. I basically drove through 3 states and ended up in one of the most liveliest places - Los Angeles, California. I drove through Seattle, Wash., Portland, Oreg., and Redding, LA, and San Diego, California (I've probably missed a few, or mixed some up).

We stayed in (I think) West Hollywood, and visited North Hollywood, Universal, Melrose, and San Diego (2 hours away). The temperature was about 80 degrees as it was rainy on the drive up.

I got to take dance classes at one of LA's popular dance studio's, Millenium Dance Complex (www.millenniumdancecomplex.com). Many stars from Usher, Britney Spears to Justin Timberlake, you name it, have danced/trained in this studio - and I had the pleasure to take a couple of classes.

We shopped at Beverly Center where the deals were scorching at popular store H&M, Heritage, and the mall itself spanned vertical 5 floors.

I actually got to hang out with Melissa R (from the Search for the Next Pussy Cat Dolls reality show - Click Here) and her boyfriend Jeff Viray (a popular choreographer in LA from Team Millenia Dance Studio - www.tmdance.org). My friend from Vancouver personal knows them and it was a great pleasure.

Also had the pleasure of meeting maker of the ever so popular brand of Ed Hardy - Ed Hardy Watches, Click Here, again thanks to my good friend.

I attended a concert for Keysha Cole at the House of Blues in San Diego - quite a city in itself too!

All in all, LA was a great visit, and I'd definitely go back. I'm probably missing some stuff because I just felt like writing this spontaneously.

To Live and Die in LA...

You might of heard I am driving to LA today (Still packing). This was a last minute trip planned, will be back on Tuesday!

Going with an old friend and two of her dance students from her studio. Should be a lot of fun, haven't been back there since I was little!

Thanks for the extra supplies Mom! And Dad, see you when I get back!

Elijah, Sophia, Jon and Gerrie! Love you all!

--

Kenneth W. Garces

My Dad thinks I can be a Writer

(written 9:30AM on the Sky-train ride home - while its still fresh)

An interesting thought and idea, my Dad thinks I can be a writer. Thanks Dad! It means a lot to me!

As for if I'd ever become a famous writer and am a writer or not, I believe everyone has that creative edge - everyone is a 'writer' at heart.

On a side note, instead of me composing this at home in front of my keyboard/blog stuck or with writer's block, I decided last minute I'd pull out a notebook and write this on the fly on my 40 minute Sky-train ride home - while it is still fresh in my thoughts.

Now, Dad thinks I can be a writer. I guess from reading a couple of my blog entries (See www.garcesblog.com - the link to my blog is to the right column) he saw something in me while writing something that meant a lot to me and expressed true feelings and emotions.

Well, you can be certain that you are not the first, but I am very glad you see this within me - even after all these years.

I guess it was surprising to him that I had it in me, but indeed, I've developed this skill, this talent in me, since writing poems and essays throughout elementary, high-school, and even college.

Essentially, it is in everyone to do what they do special in their own way, style, tradition, and meaning. I have a structure and feel of writing - reaching out to the audience/readers, and at times putting myself in the readers shoes, literally, as I convey and communicate the message of each composition.

Yes, I am a writer and whether I pursue this further - plans are already in thee works (I have my notebook with me right now), and continue along the same path as my already established career in Information Technology. I've always had an interest short story writing, fiction and autobiographies.

As for it being a natural born talent, let's just say thats being far-fetched. I once heard a saying, "God gives talent, work transgresses talent." Hard work, determination, inspiration, and focus, is how I've maintained this natural skill.

Most natural born talent in the world involve something most people love or already enjoy doing.

However, in my case, I've had a good upbringing (education, religion, and schooling), family (new nieces and nephews to keep me grounded), inspirations (like my sister with her teaching career and family), close friends and acquaintances (with their multi-faceted and diverse roles and jobs), and important people who believe in me like my Mom and Dad - This makes a part of me become the writer that I am, and makes it easy to write about the things I sincerely care for and love.

Honestly, I basically thought of writing this because I knew which readers now I'd know was reading it - after your thought of I becoming a writer. It's another form of reaching out to you to say I love you and to show my gratitude - Especially, with the hustle and bustle of all the things that currently is going on in the world, I believe that we as humans, have a tendency to forget.

Thank you!

Kenneth W. Garces

"An imagination can foster dreams and goals that will last for a lifetime..."

Update: Image Gallery

Hey y'all just a few projects I've been working on...here is one, it has only 2 albums/galleries...

www.gotdns.ca

I plan to get this linked up to garcesblog.com but still working somethings out. Also, if you'd like to add a specific album, let me know...I can get you an FTP account to transfer the files to my server.

Cheers!

Stay tuned... =)

Sohpia's 1st Birthday - NEW Image Gallery

Hello all! I've got my own image gallery setup, look out for a lot of updates passing through, I have a lot stored for September 2007 and beyond!

Been busy with work, side things, more work, and constant hustle and bustle. Here is the link to my personal image gallery for all:

www.gotdns.ca

PS. If you'd like access to this gallery to upload photos you'd like to share. Email me at admin@garcesvancouver.com(web gallery is only experimental so performance may vary when uploading huge set of photos).

Thanks!

LIVE | FORWARD

"Countdown to Infinity"

Kenneth W. Garces

Sophia's 1st Birthday

Sorry, been out of the blogger loop again (mainly on Facebook) and busy with work, work, and work. And my photos and digital devices have been all over the place, but everything should settle down shortly. Here is a few pics from Sophia's 1st Birthday held at Gerrie's house in New West (more at Facebook).

Elijah's 2nd Birthday - June 10, 2007

Have not been able to update the blog as frequently as I'd like, but here are some pictures of Elijah at his 2nd Birthday.

Dearest..

As you lay there, remote miles away, on your death bed you lay. However, some may say your time will come very soon, but is the heart stronger now, as you lay unconscious, unresponsive, as you hear that familiar tune? The nature of this situation is cruel - are you content as you lay there?

What thoughts go through our heads as we wait for the news, make flight arrangements so that yes we can come to see you, yet no news yet, but the last breath feels so close, the heart seems stronger and stronger as the time comes so close.

As you lay there unconscious, unresponsive, I think of your aura, your tradition you have brought along to all members of our family. We see why your heart will want to hold on for a bit longer, you have held so much in your heart over the time, you have held us, that this is why I begin to ponder.

I look out the window of the train and continue to ponder, the heart feels like it beats ever so stronger. I continue to think that although it is your time, your heart knows to not give up as easily, as if it was an involuntary movement triggered by the mind, as if this is going to be your last fight.

But where your mind, body and soul have been throughout your time, is tremendous. Through mountains, seas, oceans, you've explored the world, you have changed the world, in my eyes. Tradition carried onto your great grandchildren, grandchildren and children (both here and that have passed), we know now why we are so strong, we know why your heart can beat there relentlessly and not miss a beat.

Is your heart stronger than ever now at your dying moments? As I picture myself lying there what would I think? I'd think that I'd fight until the last breath, until the last heart beat, I'd picture my life flash before my eyes, but yet you have so much to reel through, no news yet, so I continue to ponder what keeps you going? Your heart is all that is left, our hearts are all that you have left.

As I sit here and ponder, half written and half composed. Life is meant to be temporary that is why we do not hold on to it, but in your case, you can hold on to it as much as your mind, body and soul needs to - no one here on Earth can control that. You truly are loved and will always be loved, remembered for who you are and who you made us into, I will share your traditions and your values to all I encounter, in hopes that I one day too can change the lives of others.

We truly love you and our prayers are with you.

2 more hours to go...

Just at work, figured I'll make my blog more text than pictures as you see in my previous posts.

As you can see by the timestamp, yes I'm on a graveyard shift, but its friday for me (really saturday morning)!

Bryan, Cyn, baby Brandon and Auntie are moving to Langley today (after a long 26 years), so its 2 more overtime hours after this helping them move!

Should be a nice day out in January today according to my BlackBerry Weather.

The Nightbus

Don't take the N19 night bus, it sucks. It's an hour ride bus from Howe street all the way to Scott Road station.

However, if you're up for a rude awakening then why not be open to it. I tried to post this with my Blackberry Pearl during the bus ride, but guess I'm a n00b at that kinda stuff. Furthermore, I got gum on my dress pants from the side of the bus heater! Awesome.

However, I got the internet, weather, and maps locked down on the Pearl, so I'm a sour happy right now.