Boyzoid's Blog & Stuff

This is a repost from 2 years ago on this date.  I will continue to post this every year until I feel it is no longer fitting.

Unless you live under a rock, you are undoubtedly aware that to day is the 6th 7th 8th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  As I am sitting here working, I am reminded of how I spent that day.

Like most Americans, I first heard news of the first plane that hit the World Trade Center on the news, and then watched in horror as the second plane hit the other tower and ultimately watched both towers fall.  Unlike most Americans, I was unable to watch the events of the day unfold on TV.  I had already made the switch to web development and was working in the IT department of the company where I had spent 12 years (at that time) as a paramedic, including 2 as a manager, but I was still certified as a paramedic and frequently worked extra shifts to pick up some extra cash.

One of the things my company was tasked with was setting up a staging area at a  local airport.  The plan was, as survivors were removed from 'Ground Zero' they would be flown to airports around the area so as not to overwhelm hospitals close to lower Manhattan.  It was decided that I would be in charge of setting up and coordinating this staging area.  I was sent to the airport at about 11:00AM and started preparing for what could have been hundreds of victims.

At the staging area, we coordinated with over 150 people from approximately 50 different police, fire and EMS agencies.  It felt good to be doing something, something we were sure would help.  From the airport in central New Jersey, about 40 miles from Ground Zero, we could see the smoke from the towers.  We did not have a TV and relied on phone calls from others to get information as the day wore on.

As time passed we would get messages that we would be receiving patients soon, yet none ever came.  After 9 hours at the airport, having not treated one person, we were told our services would no longer be needed and we could go home.  It became a stark reality to me that anyone who would survive was already out of the towers.

In the days following 9/11 my company sent numerous crews to offer assistance at Ground Zero. I was on one of these crews at Ground Zero.  While we were not on the pile of rubble trying to find bodies, we were close enough to see the utter devastation that was lower Manhattan. It is a scene that will never be wiped from my mind, but I am not sure I would ever want to.

My whole career as a paramedic I always said that as long as I could walk, I would continue to do the job, even if it was only part time. After 14 years as a paramedic, I let my certification lapse in December of 2003. The events of 9/11 played a huge part in that decision.  It had nothing to do with fear.  It had everything to do with the fact that I knew if something similar happened on my watch, I'd be running in to help people, regardless of the danger, and this would not be fair to my family.  I also knew I could not change who I was, so the only way to ensure I wouldn't do that would be to remove the possibility of it happening, so I left EMS completely.

To this day, when I think of the towers falling, or seeing Ground Zero up close and personal, I get nauseous, I get physically ill.

Yesterday I made the trip out to Northern California for MAX. I made it here without any major issues, but there were a few weird things (good weird, not bad weird) that happened solely because I am a Ginats fan.

It started in the wee hours of the Morning at Dulles Airport. I should note I was wearing a Giants windbreaker  While I was sitting at the gate waiting to board the plane, one of the Vrgin America (great airline, BTW) emplyees who was making announcements told me she was also a Giants fan at that becasue I was 'showing my colors' in DC, I could board the plane when first class did.  I thought it was a cool gesture, but just that, a gesture.  However, when it came time to board the plane, she called for first class passengers, passengers with chilren or who need exra time boarding the plane, and "my Giants fan".  It was not a huge deal, but still pretty cool that I could just gt on the plane and sit sown.

The next 'weird' thing accured at the golf course (Does anyone think I would come to California and not play golf?). We played Poppy Ridge in LIvermore, CA. On a side note, this was an absolute gem of a find.  It was a really nice course (I would rank it in top 5 I have played in the US) and the vista from the course was simply stunning. Back to the weirdness... when we checked in at the club house, one of the guys behind the counter noticed my Giants shirt and mentioned that the 'general manager' was also a Giants fan.  We I paid for my greens fees, the cost was quite a bit lower (about $40.00) less than what I expected to pay.  When I verified the cost, we were told, 'I gave you the guest rate' and when I asked why he said because the general manager woudl have told him to do so since I was a Giants fan.

What I find funny about both these things is that I got some preferential treatment becasue I was a Giants fan in DC and Northern California when I would ot have gotten any such treatment in New York.

I always used to say that your age was just a number.  Of course, that was before my own age became a big number.  Today I turn 40.  Which, to many, means I am 'old'. Like most people (ok, men) I know, I spent the last week or so fretting over turning 40.  I spent a lot of time dwelling on what I have wanted to do, but have not; things I had hoped to accomplish, but fell short.

It was not until a recent IM conversation with a friend of mine that I realized I was going about it the wrong way.  I should not be dwelling on what I have not accomplished, rather embracing that which I have. So, with that in mind, I tried to come up with a list of all the things I have done in my life, rather than those I have not.  And, because you are a faithful reader, you get to see my list.  This is in no particular order, other than how it came to my mind.

• I married my best friend
• I have been to the Parthenon
• I have been to Spain
• I was the 'king' of the circus (I was 10 or so)
• I used to do stand up comedy
• I have delivered 3 babies (1 even has 'Scott' as his middle name)
• I have gone hang gliding
• I have saved someone's life
• I have had 2 successful careers
• I have flown in a helicopter
• I have a somewhat popular blog
• I have visited the White House
• I have gone bungee jumping
• I have played golf at the Old Course
• I have seen the birth of both of my children
• I tried out for Jeopardy
• I have seen Tiger Woods play golf in person
• I have seen Wayne Gretzky play hockey in person
• I have been to Yankee Stadium (numerous times)
• I have taken my kids to Yankee Stadium
• I have taken my kids to Disney
• I have met Bruce Springsteen
• I have met Leonard Marshall (true Giants fans will know who this is)
• I have seen my favorite football team win 3 Super Bowls
• I have seen my favorite football team lose a Super Bowl
• I have been to a Giants palyoff game
• I have been to a Yankees playoff game
• I voted for Ross Perot
• I have been on TV
• I have been in the newspaper
• I was at 'ground zero' after 9/11
• I have played golf in 4 different countries
• I have written an article for a magazine
• I bought a house on a golf course
• I have had 2 eagles in one round of golf (on a course I never played)
  
• Did I mention I married my best friend? If so, its worth mentioning again

Keep in mind this list is by no means all encompassing, but more to help me appreciate all the things I have accomplished in my life, rather than to dwell on those I have not.

This is a repost from last year on this date.  I will continue to post this every year until I feel it is no longer fitting.

Unless you live under a rock, you are undoubtedly aware that to day is the 6th 7th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  As I am sitting here working, I am reminded of how I spent that day.

Like most Americans, I first heard news of the first plane that hit the World Trade Center on the news, and then watched in horror as the second plane hit the other tower and ultimately watched both towers fall.  Unlike most Americans, I was unable to watch the events of the day unfold on TV.  I had already made the switch to web development and was working in the IT department of the company where I had spent 12 years (at that time) as a paramedic, including 2 as a manager, but I was still certified as a paramedic and frequently worked extra shifts to pick up some extra cash.

One of the things my company was tasked with was setting up a staging area at a  local airport.  The plan was, as survivors were removed from 'Ground Zero' they would be flown to airports around the area so as not to overwhelm hospitals close to lower Manhattan.  It was decided that I would be in charge of setting up and coordinating this staging area.  I was sent to the airport at about 11:00AM and started preparing for what could have been hundreds of victims.

At the staging area, we coordinated with well over 150 people from approximately 50 different police, fire and EMS agencies.  It felt good to be doing something, something we were sure would help.  From the airport in central New Jersey, about 40 miles from Ground Zero, we could see the smoke from the towers.  We did not have a TV and relied on phone calls from others to get information as the day wore on.

As time passed we would get messages that we would be receiving patients soon, yet none ever came.  After 9 hours at the airport, having not treated one person, we were told our services would no longer be needed and we could go home.  It became a stark reality to me that anyone who would survive was already out of the towers.

In the days following 9/11 my company sent numerous crews to offer assistance at Ground Zero. I was on one of these crews at Ground Zero.  While we were not on the pile of rubble trying to find bodies, we were close enough to see the utter devastation that was lower Manhattan. It is a scene that will never be wiped from my mind, but I am not sure I would ever want to.

My whole career as a paramedic I always said that as long as I could walk, I would continue to do the job, even if it was only part time. After 14 years as a paramedic, I let my certification lapse in December of 2003. The events of 9/11 played a huge part in that decision.  It had nothing to do with fear.  It had everything to do with the fact that I knew if something similar happened on my watch, I'd be running in to help people, regardless of the danger, and this would not be fair to my family.  I also knew I could not change who I was, so the only way to ensure I wouldn't do that would be to remove the possibility of it happening, so I left EMS completely.

To this day, when I think of the towers falling, or seeing Ground Zero up close and personal, I get nauseous, I get physically ill.

Yesterday, I attended what will be my last game at Yankee Stadium.  For those who do not know, after this season, they will be tearing down 'The House that Ruth Built' and next season they will be playing in a new stadum right next door.

First, let me say that this is kind of bittersweet for me.  As a kid, we would go to Yankee games several times a year and I have fond memories of beign there with my entire family.  But, if we are being honest, Yankee Stadium is a dump.  It outgrew its usefulness long before I even knew it existed.  I have been to baseball games at Coors Field in Denver and Camden Yards in Baltimore adn those stadiums are simply amazing. That being said, the new stadium looks like it will be absolutely astounding.

As I said this was the last game I will see at Yankee Stadium, but it was also the first time my kids have seen the Yankees play a home game.  They seemed to enjoy the experience, but, what made it best was that at one point during the game, the kids were shown on the 'Jumbo-tron' at the stadium as part of what they call 'fan-cam'.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture of them on the screen.

All in all, it was a great day (the Yankees wound up winning in extra innings).  I got to take my kids to a place from which I have such wonderful memories and they seemed to enjoy it as much as I remember enjoying it. Here are some pictures I snapped before and during the game.

These are the kids, pretty good looking if I do say so myself.

Here is a picture of Joba Chamberlain throwing a 101 MPH fastball. If you look closely at the umpire, you can see the ball.

Here is a picture of Brett Gardner about to get caught in a rundown.  He was trying to steal second, put the pitcher threw the ball to first base.  You can see the ball on its way

My father-in-law just sent me this and I cannot stop laughing about it so I felt compelled to share.

I apologize for the lack of technical posts here recently.  Most, if not all, of my technical posts have done at the Alagad blog. Be forewarned, this is another non-technical post.

In June, I am speaking at Scotch on the Rocks and will need a passport. The last time I had a passport was when I was in high school (a long, long time ago) and because it has been expired for so long, I needed to apply as if I never had a passport. This is where the story begins...

I submitted my passport application in December, along with the required documents, which included my birth certificate.  Keep in mind this is the same birth certificate I used for many purposes, such as getting my driver's license, getting my original passport and even more recently, getting clearance from more than one government agency.

About 4-5 weeks later (maybe longer) I received a letter for the Department of State that because I was born in Hudson County, New Jersey, I needed to get a 'new' copy of my birth certificate from the New Jersey Division of Vital Statistics.  A phone call to the passport agency revealed that, at some time in the past, there was some 'malfeasance' in the Hudson County Registrar's Office, and any birth certificate issued by that office was no longer acceptable for acquiring a passport.

It seems that in order to obtain your birth certificate from the New Jersey Division of Vital Statistics in a timely manner, they suggest that you order it through a third party named Vital Check.  This does not come cheap.  it cost me $55.00 for 2 copies of my birth certificate.  it also did not come quickly, it took about 3 weeks before I received the copies.  I quickly sent one of the copies to the passport office as they requested. Basically, it was the exact same thing I sent earlier,  but on different paper.

Fast forward about 2-3 weeks and I get a call from the passport office (which really took me by surprise) letting me know that the new copies were also not acceptable as the date my birth was filed was not legible on the copy. Crap!

So, I ring up the New Jersey Division of Vital Statistics.  I was able to speak with someone who was very friendly and appeared to willing and able to help me.  They assured me that new birth certificates with all the correct information would be sent to me. Surprisingly, a week later, I received the new copies.  Unfortunately, aside from the date they were printed, they were identical to the copy I was already told was not acceptable.

I ring up Vital Statistics again this morning (the office was closed Friday), and after about an hour of trying to actually speak with a human, I get the same person I spoke with last week.  Again, very friendly and very eager to help. They explain that the only thing they can do is 'manually type' the birth certificate and send them to me (which is frighteningly similar to what they told me they were going to do last time). They assured me that it would 'go out in the mail' today. So, heres to hoping that is indeed the case.

All this hassle, and stress of possibly missing my trip, because of a small case of 'malfeasance ', God knows how long ago, in Hudson County, NJ.  This just reaffirms my belief that New Jersey is a great place to be 'from'.

**Disclaimer**

You are about to get a peak into my brain.  This is not for the faint of heart.  If you read further, it may permanently alter you view of me (for better or worse).

**End of Disclaimer**

Just today, I noticed a really cool 'side effect' of 'Adobe ColdFusion'.  On my development machine, and the few servers I help maintain, I no longer have to scroll down in the services MMC in order to see all my ColdFusion instances.  They are all there, sitting right on top thanx to the 'Adobe'.

I do not think there has even been a more satisfying win as a Giants fan (though, the Cowboys game a few weeks ago is close).  No one gave the Giants a shot, all the hype was about 19-0 and Tom Brady.  Today, during the pre-game, I heard several times that in order to win, the Giants had to play a perfect game, and they did just that. Holding the Pats to less than 50 yards rushing and 14 points (note, they did not even score the 17 Plaxico Buress said they would) was a phenomenal showing. The play where Eli got away from trouble and then connected with David Tyree was awesome, and should be one of the most memorable in Super Bowl history.

After the Minnesota game and the 4 interceptions, I jumped off the Eli bus.  I would like this post to stand as my official request for permission to get back on.

What a great win!!!