Jake’s Life

I’ve had a 2GB media card for my phone for a while. I used it with my Dash, my Wing, and now it sits in my Blackberry Curve. The only thing is that besides storing ringtones and photos that I take with the camera (so that the onboard memory doesn’t get filled up) I haven’t done much with it. There’s plenty of space for video though, so I decided to start encoding some TV episodes and other video files for it.

Blackberry Desktop Manager comes with a modified version of Roxio Media Manager 9, but as is usual with bundled software, it’s bloated and not very flexible. It is pretty easy, grabbing your media files from your computer and dropping them on your media card, choosing to convert them for the device, and watching the bar slowly creep towards 100%. I prefer to use slimmer apps though, such as MediaCoder or SUPER.

Both programs are fairly straight forward, although SUPER is a bit more flexible, and the interface a bit more crowded. Both apps will let you save presets, which is great when you find just the right format to encode video files to. My issue was finding that format since so many forums and sites slightly vary based on the author’s experience, and this one will too. I converted a video using Roxio Media Manager which output a file as follows according to Media Player Classic:

Video: MPEG4 Video 320×240 [Elecard MP4 Video Handler (ehs)]
Audio: AAC 44100Hz stereo 96Kbps [Elecard MP4 Audio Handler (ehs)]

The audio bitrate varied from conversion to conversion so it’s probably set to not mess with it unless it’s too high. Given widespread issues of audio not being in sync with video I’m inclined to keep it where it is, but others have had success changing it.

In Media Coder I used a different format:

Video: MPEG4 Video 320×240, 300 Kbps, 20 fps
Audio: LAME MP3 44100Hz stereo 96Kbps

The file played great, and cut a 6MB file down to just under 1MB. (If you want to load my preset download it here.)

Well, it’s done. I was called yesterday and told not to come in on my last scheduled night. It’s a usual practice for them, even when I have in writing from two days before that I would be working the shift. Over the last two years they’ve shown me time and time again that they’re not trustworthy, so I cleared out my belongings the day before.

Anyway, I have until Wednesday off when I start my new job.

Earlier this week I was offered an early resignation, which my administration wants. Only a few of my co-workers know that I’m leaving, only two of them exactly which organization I accepted a job with, so it wouldn’t really benefit anyone other than admin for me to leave early. Of course, being me, I butted heads again and declined the gracious offer. Sitting in my car right now during my seventh out of ten hours I can’t help but ask why?

Its better for me to stay, of course, for financial reasons. I could start my next job early, but I was looking forward to a full check with overtime and sick back pay (Didn’t I tell you? My supervisor conveniently forgot to apply my sick time when I was out with shingles for that week…).

I have some new toys ordered for my new position, and still need to get signed up for a few training courses that I don’t think are technically required, but I really want to take. Plus, the sooner I take one of these training courses, the sooner I’ll be able to post a video of yours truly getting tased!

At least that’s what the web site of the Pink Pistols says.

A GLBT/Alt group which advocates for the second amendment, I found the Pink Pistols which reading a random blog that I completely forget right now. They meet monthly at one of the ranges here in the next county over and provide NRA-certified instructors to members, along with other firearms training and recreational events. They have chapters all over so check their web site to see if you have one nearby!

Here are some photos I dug up of my dad, mom, and me when I was a baby.

My dad and half brother.

Irony!

I feel like interaction with readers is lacking lately, so I’m going to try to post more when I have time. I always jot down ideas on my Blackberry for posts, but rarely remember when I get home from work or have motivation to finish them.

I’ve seen different self-questionnaires circulating blogs lately, but instead of answering questions that I want to answer I want to answer questions that you guys want answered. SO start asking, and I’ll start posting.

I’m horrible at transferring photos from my Blackberry to my blog in a timely manner, so here is some catching up.

V-Day card I gave to Sandro. It’s almost waist high for him.

View from the cockpit.

Ready for meeting at my new job.

I said I was ready, didn’t I?

Sandro being lazy on my lap.

Not in the mood for BS during my last week at work. Taking pictures of myself does encourage me to get working out again though.

Statue on the mantle at Sandro’s parents’ house. Strong and just…I like it.

That’s right. The day before yesterday I accepted a position with a different organization. The pay is the same, it’s closer to my home, and so far everything seems better organized and streamlined. I e-mailed my notice to my current employer yesterday and within two weeks I’m done there.

I’ll be honest, I feel like such a huge weight has lifted from my shoulders.

I added my Blackberry PIN to the sidebar, so if you’re a reader who also has a BB feel free to PIN me!

Well I think it has finally become official. I am eagerly exploring my employment options. No, I wasn’t fired much to the chagrin of some of my co-workers. With everything that has gone on lately it has become obvious that my workplace is changing and going in a direction that I prefer not to follow.
Is it one thing that helped me decide? Nope. Everything has been stacking up lately: The slander against me that has gone un-addressed, being so short staffed that everyone is on mandatory 12 hour shifts, the driving away of the best Sergeant I have ever worked under, and the constant flow of never ending problems that can be solved early on but are ignored despite the screams from us petty field employees. Even if our administration got things together overnight, increased our pay, got equipment that worked, I still wouldn’t stay. The damage has been done. 

Anyone that has follow my blog knows that I have had problems at work before. Everyone does but for some reason I seem to have a lot of them at my current employer. I always seem to pull through though, but at what cost? Not being able to sleep? Dreading arriving to work? Beginning to hated what I do? Stress induced medical conditions? I think that’s far enough. A basic night at work seems to be one supervisor trying to find some way to fire me, along with the few field employees who try to jump on board. It’s been said that I must have something on someone to survive through these shit storms but I don’t. The only explanation I have is that I do the right thing, I document what I do, and what I do covers my ass.

I’m tired of it though. I deserve better, and so do some of my co-workers. The rest of them, on the other hand, deserve to stay in this work environment forever though. Or at least until they professionally evolve.