Lights out again... (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

I am tired of the power going out in my house. I really am. I mean, I got UPS and stuff on my computers, but they really only serve as big surge suppressor with a 1-2 minute shutdown time, heh. I need more of them, at better wattage, and connect some to the router and switches so I don't lose network. The last time our power went out, it took more than 2 days to turn back on again.

I remain logged into my systems at work, and then *boop* I lose my ssh/nx connection and takayla's last statement was:

(3:49:50 PM) Takayla: it's very stormy here

[sigh...]

When I lived in Reston from 1992-2000, we had maybe 4-5 power outages in those 8 years. Most only lasted a few hours or less. I was told that's because Reston's power cables are underground, but I am not sure how true that is. I think our house loses power about 4-5 times a year in Fairfax, and it's making me wonder if I should invest in a generator at this point. Not the $8000 yard-grabbing monstrosity Dominion Power tries to sell me in monthly mailings, but like a $400 Yahama or something. Yes, I know not to run it indoors, we had an employee here who did that and almost died. Posted in: blackout , generator , power , storm

Ice and cold (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

So.... I woke up this morning to cold. We had no power. Everything was coated with ice, and the ice buildup got so bad, our gutters in the front have collapsed, taking bits of the eaves with it.

Power comes back off and on, so I'll keep this entry short. Posted in: gutters , house , ice storm , power

We lost power last night (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

Apparently power loss freaks Widget out. He was on the bed, shivering. We didn't get power back until I think 3 or 4 the next morning, which was fine with me because it went out at 10pm, and I wanted to sleep anyway. Kudos to me for buying a new, atomic clock synchronizing clock radio last month. It came back up, set itself, and my alarms went off on time.

I am recovering from the bad cold. The rattling in my lungs has diminished, and I broke fever last night. I still have a very stuffed head, I am dizzy from the stuffed head, I don't feel like eating, and my nose is seriously chapped, but I think I should be back to normal tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. So far, takayla and CR did not seem to get sick.

In other news, I am one of many DC residents anxious to get a new package from Libertyville, Illinois. Shipping to us has been erratic. If you have no idea what I am talking about, it's a surprise. If you're waiting for one, too, or know what it is, don't spoil the surprise in the comments section. Posted in: health , medical , olpc , power , sick

DOOOEEEeeewwww... [pop] (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

This morning was certainly exciting. The power was out in our building and the one across the street. All the people from various offices (including two MRI centers) were piled around outside when I got here. But one of the MANY perks of working for a data center is not only the even cooling of 65 deg data center gives you in the summer and the filtered air that is a blessing on those like me who suffer allergies; it's the fact we have backup generator power and two giant UPSs.

Although one of the UPSs (the size of 3 refrigerators) is on the other side of this wall as I type this. It makes me worry because I am one of the few allowed to have LCD monitors because the UPS magnetic field is so strong, normal CRTs will turn all sorts of colors. I wonder what this has done to my body over the last two years?

My hard drive hasn't been affected, though. [shrug] Posted in: health , power , work