I started writing some Linux tutorials partly to solidify the stuff I've been teaching myself lately and partly to have some examples of technical writing for potential employers to view.  Actually, I have one particular employer in mind, but I don't want to say any more about it at this point, other than that working for something I believe in would be fantastic.

I'm running into difficultly getting MySQL running on my server, eventhough I updated to RedHat8.0.  This time I have a pretty good idea what the problem is.  I have to thank the Tech Talk list (and archives) of Linux Chix (which is one of the best technical lists I've ever seen) for explaining the RPM database and why if you install some programs from RPM and other utilities or programs that need to communicate with those programs from source (or from anything other than an RPM) that the RPM-installed software will have trouble "finding" the software installed by methods other than RPM.

Anyway, I'm getting better at troubleshooting, eventhough this is probably a low-level problem.  Seems I have some missing RPM dependencies and I should be able to take care of them tonight or tomorrow.

I need to line up some speakers and install parties for Seattle Linux Chix and advertise them. 

I'm still looking for employment. 

I just got a phonecall from NSCC.  I need to pay for the courses that I'm taking next quarter by tomorrow afternoon.  I thought I had until the 30th. 

These are day classes and taking them will probably invalidate my unemployment claim.  But the truth is that taking these Java courses would get me a big step closer to being employed sooner, and that is my real goal.  Still, the money would help, so I need to make a decision.  Actually, I need to phone the Unemployment office and find out what they think of my options.  I guess I'll have to do that first thing tomorrow.

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I have a wintering male Anna's hummingbird in my front yard.  It's a heavy responsibility.  In October I took down the hummingbird feeders because I hadn't seen any hummingbirds for a while and because I hoped they wouldn't winter-over in my garden.  But around the end of November, I heard or imagined I heard a hummingbird and I thought I better put the feeder out again just in case, and within a week he was dancing around the feeder in front of me.

My garden isn't the ideal spot for a wintering hummingbird.  It's too exposed and not near enough to any wooded area.  At least this year I knew enough not to cut off the last remaining hollyhock blooms.

Hummingbirds can starve in the winter if they rely on a particular feeder and the feeder is either empty or inaccessible (covered with snow).  So I was planning on not adopting a hummingbird for the winter, but he has adopted me.

He sits on a high branch and chirps loadly when he sees me going into or out of the front door.  For a while, he was flying away when he saw my husband, but now he stays and sometimes chirps at Tom, too.

I think he must be awfully lonely there.  I don't think Hummingbirds travel very far from "home base" in the winter and there aren't many Anna's around my neighborhood (if there were, I would hear them).

I bought a cover for the feeder so that it wouldn't get covered with snow.  Last night the feeder blew down in the wind storm and I refilled it and replaced it right away.  That's the best I can do.  I worry about him when the weather is bad, but I can't do anything about what I have no control over, and nature will take her (possibly cruel) course.