Apache: The Definitive Guide — I don’t know that this book is a must have. I look something up now and then.

Web Site Measurement Hacks — A goldmine. While written as a hands-on book, its value for me has been deeper understanding in the what, why and how of metrics. Err, measurements.

Essential ActionScript 3.0 — Actionscript is in my future.

New Practical Chinese Reader Workbook 1 — I have Mandarin class every Monday. The textbook (not shown) stays in my courier bag. I picked the workbook up at the same time but we don’t use it.

Practical Chinese Reader, Companion A — We don’t use the companion, either.

Extreme Programming Explained — XP Explained had a profound impact on my world view. It’s a dangerous book. A must read.

MySQL Database Design and Tuning — MySQL problems bite me on the ass every single day. There is no shortage of advice from web idiots. Sometimes, you run into someone online whose advice actually helps. This book give a structured walk-through of how to approach MySQL tuning.

MySQL 5.0 Certification Study Guide — When I hire the next database developer, I will have a better idea of what certification really means.

Agile Estimating and Planning — I call this the anti-stickies book. It is a policy wonks dream. It is about as lightweight as “Activity Based Costing” or Kepner-Tregoe’s “Work Breakdown Structures”. The processes should be lightened up and the book edited down to 99 pages.

The Ruby Way — Not as fun as Why’s ebook but just as relevant. Why the Lucky Stiff introduced me to Ruby. The Ruby Way just might get me out of the Java quagmire.

Build Your Own Ruby on Rails Web Applications — Why is it that publishers insist on repeating everything in every book. I would really like to see the introductory chapters relegated to a “install stuff on your computer” book. Then, scale the remaining information (the new information) to fit within 99 pages. If need be, split into two or more books and call it a “series”.

The Truth About Hiring the Best — I like the “truth about” books.

Linux System Administration — Somewhat outdated.

Essential PHP Tools: Modules, Extensions, and Accelerators — I’ve been pressed into service building a Facebook application. This book seemed interesting at Digital Guru.

Advanced PHP for Web Professionals — I worked a bit in PHP in 2002/2003 and picked this up then. It seems odd looking through the code examples now.

Flexible Rails: Flex 3 on Rails 2 — I saw Peter Armstrong’s presentation at SD Forum’s April ‘08 Ruby conference. It changed how I viewed Flex.

Xen Virtualization — From Packt Publishing…home of 99 page books! (Though some of their books seem to have lost the recipe and creep around 200 pages. Boo!) I haven’t started this book. However, when I rebuild my developement server from RAID 5 to RAID 10, I’m installing Xen.

Anyway, here’s ten points of interest in this “Kelly’s Office Tour.”

1. Mazzy Star Promo

Mazzy Star was an American 1990s dream pop/alternative band. They formed in 1989, from the band Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith. Smith’s friend Hope Sandoval became vocalist when Smith left the band.

See also, last.fm

2. The Masterplan

3. Geek Books

- Apache: The Definitive Guide
- Web Site Measurement Hacks
- Essential ActionScript 3.0
- Extreme Programming Explained
- Agile Estimating and Planning
- MySQL Database Design and Tuning
- MySQL 5.0 Certification Study Guide
- The Ruby Way
- Linux Server Administration
- Java Generics and Collections
- Jakarta Commons Cookbook
- Learning Java
- Beginning JSP2
- Pro Apache Struts with Ajax
- Pro JSP2

4. Photo box

The photo box is used as a pencil/supplies box. The desk has no drawers and I simply liked the box’ color.

5. Igloo lunch pail

6. View of the sky

I get about 40 minutes of direct sunlight in the late morning. The rest of the day, it’s filtered light through the trees. Nice.

7. MacBook Pro

Macs rule!

8. Overstuffed chair

Where I sit all day and grow fat.

9. Super secret notebook

Someplace to jot down action items during meetings. It seems old school to use “paper” but it works. Besides, people who bring their laptops to a meeting and proceed to read email and engage in side IM chats… well, they suck. It’s rude and it saps the meeting’s focus and energy. Bring a pad of paper and jot down your action items.

10. Desk pad

We all went down to the art store and bought colored matboards. I was in an orange mood that day. (One does need a hint of color…).

I eagerly read through the quiz and I noticed two things. First, I eagerly read through the quiz. Second, I have smirked—on occasion—at women’s magazines that have similar quizzes. It’s all relative to what you believe is important.

How did I do on the quiz? Let’s say simply that I felt rather smug. We all like to score well on tests, right?

25 Skills Every Man Should Know

[✔] 1. Patch a radiator hose

I’ve been driving since 1975 and have owned some really crap cars. Patching a radiator hose was not some esoteric, useless skill. It was a real, honest-to-goodness life skill.

By the way, patching the hose is only temporary. You really must replace it. Right away.

[✔] 2. Protect your computer

The quiz didn’t specifiy but protecting your computer can mean physically, environmentally, electrically and operationally.

Physically, you can lock the computer down.

Environmentally, you can keep the temperature and humidity within range. Running your server in detached garage can press your luck.

Electrically, you can use a power conditioner to protect against spikes.

Operationally, you can be rigorous about ‘no spyware’ and ‘no viruses’.

[½✔] 3. Rescue a boater who has capsized

I’m a sailor. Well, I’m a portsmouth class sailor. That’s a pretentious way of saying dingy sailor.

If you sail a dingy, you will eventually capsize. I’ve helped people who have capsized their dingy. I wouldn’t call it a rescue.

However, I’ve been rescued. Dave and I were sailing in weather beyond our skill in a boat that needed a third crewmember. We capsized and could never get boat “unswamped”. A power boat towed us in.

I’ll give myself half a check as I’ve never had to save someone who was about to die. I believe I could but it hasn’t been tested.

[✔] 4. Frame a wall

yep.

[✔] 5. Retouch digital photos

yep.

[✔] 6. Back up a trailer

yep. Boat trailers, utility trailers, tandom trailers. It really is easier when no one is watching.

[✔] 7. Build a campfire

yep. Cub Scout, Webelo, Boy Scout.

[✔] 8. Fix a dead outlet

yep.

[✔] 9. Navigate with a map and compass

yep. Cub Scout, Webelo, Boy Scout, US Army.

[✔] 10. Use a torque wrench

yep.

[✔] 11. Sharpen a knife

[½✔] 12. Perform CPR

Only half a check. I’ve taken training coursed by the Red Cross and the US Army. I believe I could but it hasn’t been tested.

[✔] 13. Fillet a fish

Growing up on the Gulf Coast gave me a head start.

[✔] 14. Maneuver a car out of a skid

yikes! More often than I care to remember.

[✔] 15. Get a car unstuck

Snow, mud, sand, ice.

[✔] 16. Back up data

Just not as often as I should.

[✔] 17. Paint a room

It’s not my favorite.

[✔] 18. Mix concrete

Read the warnings. Some mixes cause cancer.

[✔] 19. Clean a bolt-action rifle

yep.

[✔] 20. Change oil and filter

yep.

[½✔] 21. Hook up an HDTV

How hard could it be. I have successfully hooked up home theater, cable, vcr, dvd, blah blah blah.

But not actually having an HDTV, this skill hasn’t been tested.

[✔] 22. Bleed brakes

yep. messy.

[✔] 23. Paddle a canoe

yep.

[✔] 24. Fix a bike flat

yep. haven’t done it in years but I just bought a bicycle this year. The company moved the office within 2.5 miles of our house. I sometimes ride to work.

[✔] 25. Extend your wireless network

yep.

So there it is. A score of twenty three and one half.

I think I will have a second cup of smug this morning.

Note: Someone else has already secured redleopard as her myspace url. No hard feelings. I was late to the party. My url is the alternate spelling, www.myspace.com/hongbao.

I haven’t yet done much with my account (you noticed) so it begs the question a second time: why?

Well… redleopard.com is my little sanctuary, a place where I can blather on about whatever. But I like the tidiness of my little blog. Almost Prussian in it’s retentiveness.

But there are times I want to fingerpaint. You know, get all the paints out and just smear it all over the page, the table, the walls. Paint just dripping on the floor. And that is myspace. No one ever cares that a myspace page looks like crap. In fact, I think a tidy myspace page misses the point.

Now, there you have it. The why. In a world of web design, of rules, of clients, of standards–it’s a release valve to have some place to go break the law. That someplace is myspace.

It’s been ten years since Tracy and I were married. Here’s a flashback to 1997.

The problem with the existing name, workableplan.com, is its lameness. It sounds like everybody else’s name. No snap. No edginess.

I like it. Most people are either amused or confused but I don’t care. It speaks more to who I am than anything else.

I suppose I could have used Red Leopard but el gato has special place in my heart. It shall continue as Tracy and my personal blog.

Anyway, DNS should update by tomorrow. Check it out from time to time. It will become the proving grounds for my Moveable Type skilz (such as they are).