Losing A Job: The Aftermath So I've got a little experience in "losing" my job. Laid off, furloughed, rehired, resigned (and walked out), new job, laid off.

Of course I didn't lose one of those jobs...I know right where they are. I just can't or won't go back to them.

Fortunately for me, I've made a lot of good friends online. Very supportive friends. It makes "losing" a job that much easier.

Of course there's more to it...the effect it has on the family.

Kate...she doesn't understand yet. She just smiles and laughs and makes everything go away.

LC, however, is starting to grasp it. He doesn't say anything to me, but he does say stuff to his mother.

"Are we going to have to move back to Gainesville?"

"Is poppa going to pay our bills for us?"

You know...fun stuff like that.

Strangely, not to long ago he was always asking me to fire myself so I could be home all the time (it's the only way I get a vacation these days).

And then there's the wife, the lovely woman who agreed to marry me (yikes!) and has supported me through all of this. Without her, I could not have made it as far as I have.

When we met, we were polar opposites. I was a bit on the timid side and she...well, she doesn't have much of a filter. A perfect match!

Over time I have found my voice and she has muted hers (only a little). We're meeting somewhere in the middle (at least that's what I tell myself).

Kris does not work. She held LC in her hands and told me she didn't want to go back to work. I couldn't argue. Although she did work briefly but was let go because LC had an ear infection and needed medical attention. We didn't fight it. She's a stay-at-home mom, and we like it that way. She's been able to help Kate out with doctor visits, physical therapy, speech therapy, HGH injections...the list goes on and on.

Since she doesn't work, she feels, at times, out of control. When I "lose" my job, that feeling is heightened.

Not really sure what the point of this was...it's not to feel sorry for me, that's for sure. Just a warning to those out there in a similar situation. It doesn't effect just you...it effects your entire family (I haven't even mentioned my parents, or Kris' parents).

The only advice I can give to help alleviate this is:
1. Have enough money in the bank to weather the storm
2. ...OK, just 1.

Labels: family, humility, kate, kris, LC, work

  ¶ 11/05/2009 11:38:00 PM   3 Comments Links to this post

  Random Things: Volume #8 Things I've Learned Recently

ALTER SESSION SET SMTP_OUT_SERVER = 'mailserver';

Our discussion centered around our (in)ability to send out large inline HTML emails externally (reports). SMTP_OUT_SERVER was set, but there was code setting the mail server (UTL_SMTP) which was just a tad confusing. I tried, and failed, 3 times to change the mail server only to, finally, realize that it was set at the database level.

Looking at the Reference manual for 10.2, I couldn't find mention of that parameter being modifiable either by ALTER SESSION or ALTER SYSTEM. Then one of my more DBA oriented colleagues looked into V$PARAMETER and found that it was modifiable at both SYSTEM and SESSION levels.

Ran the test and it worked. Nice.

IMPDP and REMAP_TABLESPACE
I asked for and received a database export (object only) from production so that I could test my upcoming migration script to make sure I had everything in order. The intent was to install it on my local sandbox and run it until I got it right (yeah for FLASHBACK DATABASE!).

Using imp initially, it failed. Here was my first opportunity to use Data Pump.

Ran the basic commands:

c:\temp>impdp cjustice/testing@testing dumpfile=prod.dmp full=y

I received back about 65,000 errors. Scanning through the output, I realized that I didn't have the same tablespaces as production.

I wonder if there is a way to remap the tablespace to USERS?

Documentation to the rescue. Utilities --> Data Pump Import --> REMAP_TABLESPACE

So I tried that, and it failed again.

Connected to: Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP and Data Mining options
ORA-39001: invalid argument value
ORA-39046: Metadata remap REMAP_TABLESPACE has already been specified.

So then I tried with commas separating the tablespaces, that didn't work. Then spaces. Nope. Finally, I turned to the oracle-l mailing list. I've been participating there for the last couple of months. Much of it is more DBA centric, but I do get to participate on occasion. There are very smart and capable people on there...plus a willingness to help.

So as not to embarass myself, I tried to ask the question in an intelligent way.

Within seconds of sending it, I began to get responses. Then a phone call. Then an IM.

As to my problem, I had reversed the order of the tablespaces. All I needed to do was switch them and I was off. Got everything loaded only to realize I didn't have all the necessary objects to compile.

Closer To Home
I talk about Kate a lot here and once in awhile Little Chet. He doesn't get nearly the ink that Kate does though.

On Wednesday Kris had a parent-teacher conference and he received glowing reviews from his teacher.



If you are interested, you can read the whole thing here.

Have a great weekend.

Labels: LC, random

  ¶ 9/18/2009 06:50:00 AM   4 Comments Links to this post

  Stories of LC LC being Little Chet. And no that is not some perverted reference...

He said something pretty funny the other day, which reminded me of a bunch of little stories about him. Since I post so many stories about Kate, I figured it's about time I do one on him.

Policy
I get a cup of ice cream the other night and he immediately wants some too. Mom asks if he has had any that day, and he replies, "Yes."

"But there is no policy on ice cream."

Me: "No What?"

LC: "No policy."

Kris and I look at each other and just start laughing. He's 6 years old and he's talking about policy? He's been hanging out with his mother way too much.

To make sure we knew that he knew what he was talking about we asked him what he meant.

LC: "Well, I can have 2 popsicles a day. But there's no limit on ice cream."

Wow.

The Letter R
In Pre-K 4 a couple of years ago, his teacher asked the class to say words that began with the letter R.

The teacher started them off, "Rapunzel."

"Rabbit!"

"Rainbow."

"Chet, do you have one?"

"Craphead"

Sea World
After a day at Sea World with my parents and 2 small kids, we naturally gravitated to the Hospitality Suite. For those who don't know, Anheuser Busch used to own Busch Gardens and Sea World. Both parks, or both companies as there are more than one park for each, serve free beer. There is a two beer limit.

Anyway, Kris takes this opportunity to spend some time with Chet and she walks him over to the Clydesdales (while I drink her beer).

Mom and son, holding hands...a perfect picture.

"Mom, that's the biggest penis I've ever seen."

All the people around them began laughing...OMG.

Jackass
I believe this happened in 2006, while in Gainesville. I would drive Chet to school, St. Patrick's Catholic school. This was always a concern of mine because I have never been too careful with my choice of words around him.

My old boss had once shared a story with me about her daughter, at this same school, saying JFC (Jesus F$#%*&% Christ). I always thought the same would happen to me.

It never did. He had amazing control (besides the craphead comment above) at school.

At school.

Not at Publix though.

We're shopping one day with him sitting in the basket when this woman comes out of the aisle and gets in front of us.

"Move that F$#%*&% Cart!"

It was about all I could do to maintain composure. He was 3, maybe 4 at the time. Thankfully, the woman did not hear him. If she had, I probably would have fallen down from laughing so hard.

However, I managed to compose myself and give him a stern lecture about how inappropriate that was.

I couldn't wait to get home to tell Kris.

The First Word
I've probably talked about this before. Yes, I have. Here. The similarity between my name and shit. I've heard it all before...I actually used to introduce myself referencing Weird Science.

Me: "Hi, I'm Chet"

Them: "Ted?"

Me: "Chet"

Them: "Jeff"

Repeat this a few more times.

Finally I'd say, "You know, "Chet" like the guy from Weird Science?"

Them: "Ohhhhh...yeah, the big pile of shit!"

Me:...

That reference is only useful with people of a certain age. Twenty-somethings don't really get it.

Anyway, I always thought I could get away with teaching Chet that for his first word. Chet. Shit. Pretty close right? I can't remember if he actually said it for his first word...it's a funny story none-the-less.

I know I'm not the only one with funny child stories. Anyone care to share?

Labels: family, funny, LC

  ¶ 7/08/2009 11:18:00 PM   4 Comments Links to this post

  Random Things No Oracle stuff here, just feel like writing.

Kate
Kate, my little monster, decided to go to the hospital again. Penuemonia (yes, I spelled it wrong, that's how we say it around here). Last week her lungs were beautiful, probably the best doc has ever seen them. Her head was another matter, not a single black spot to be found. Diagnosis: sinus infection. Apparently it traveled down to her lungs. Hopefully it will be a short stay.

Words
"Publicly?" Why do I want to spell it "Publically?" Pub-lick-lee.

Kris and Little Chet
Kris let Little Chet watch Terminator 2 last night. Seriously? I watched most of it with him and there really isn't that much gore. A lot of bullets flying, but it's 2 robots shooting at each other right? I came down to check on him during the final scene of the movie when the Terminator is put into the super hot molten stuff. He was crying. He didn't want the Terminator to die.

Coaching Baseball
I've been "coaching" Little Chet's 5-6 year old baseball team. It's coach pitch the first 5 then bring out the tee. Hands down the best stress reliever of all time. I get to yell at a bunch of kids for and hour and a half. Is there a better way to live? I don't think so.

Me Yelling, neigh, Screaming

"Come on! Hustle of my field!"

"Quit playing in the dirt!"

"That's why you wear a cup!"

"I'll hit you with this tennis ball if you walk off that field again!"

"No wrestling!"

I think the parents enjoy the show I put on...at least I hope they do.

Thanks for listening.

Labels: baseball, funny, humility, kate, LC

  ¶ 3/24/2009 09:04:00 PM   2 Comments Links to this post

  Go Rays!

From chester_james

Rayhawks all the Rage!

Labels: funny, LC

  ¶ 10/02/2008 09:17:00 AM   0 Comments Links to this post

  Precious Memory? My six year old son is brilliant. He's got my sense of humor with his mother's verbal wit.

This weekend, he says to us, "Mom, remember when I peed on you when I was a baby?" He starts laughing..."aaaah, precious memories."

What? "Precious" memories? Where the hell did he get that from?

Labels: funny, LC

  ¶ 9/14/2008 11:40:00 PM   0 Comments Links to this post

  Men Are From Venus? So my wife calls me today to share a funny story.

Apparently my son (Little Chet) asked about metorites. He had seen them on Jimmy Neutron - Boy Genius. She starts explaining what they are and the conversation led to talk about the space shuttle and the space station.

LC: What do they do up there?

WIFE: They do all kinds of stuff, experiments, look at planets, etc.

LC: The look at planets? Like Planet Penis?

WIFE: What?!

LC: Planet Penis, the one close to Earth.

WIFE: You mean Venus?

LC: Yeah, that's the one.

He doesn't get "Uranus" yet...

Labels: funny, LC

  ¶ 7/10/2008 09:50:00 PM   2 Comments Links to this post