So I got the comments section working more or less and should have a few other things on line to improve the blogs useability and security. Finally. It would have been a lot easier to use a different blog system, but I'm kind of fond of Blosxom. Once things are running, it's super easy to use and offers lots of flexibility. I'll be adding a couple of plugins in the coming weeks to make things even easier from my end.

So a lot has happened since the last update. My Dad had a stroke from which he has recovered well. My Mom had knee replacemet surgery and is doing very well. They've both come to the realization that things have to change in how they conduct their lives but they seem to be dealing pretty well with all of that. It's hard with me being in Toronto. I spent two weeks at home after my Dad had his stroke and hope to go back in the next week or so for 10 days for a visit. They've more or less got their lives back on track and I can probably help out a bit with some odds and ends as sort of a pre-fall work thing. Putting storm windows on, that sort o thing. It's been an interesting experience for me too. My family has been relatively well and everything has come together. It's a bit of a jolt on the mortality.

In other news, I've finished my Masters and am currently looking for work. I'm intending on staying in Toronto, but have not heard back from any of the ten or so places I've applied. Which is a bit of a pain. In the old days, you'd at least get a letter telling you they weren't interested. Nowadays, in the age of the internet, email, group mailing etc. they only contact you if you're selected for an interview. What a pain.

In fact its got me thinking of doing my own thing and trying the entrepeneur route. The past week in the news has been layoffs in Bell (6% of the their middle managers in Ontario), Starbucks (yeah, like I care), and now Governer Schwarzenegger in California is attempting an apparently illegal move to cut the pay of state employees in order to balance the books. Looks like the corporate world has found out you can't pay CEO's exorbitant salaries and grow in an uncontrolled fashion to satisfy stockholders and still be viable.

So the search goes on.