A new page has been started listing the Everquest II Lore and Legend quests. This list will be updated to include the new Lore and Legend quests that were a part of the RoK upgrade. You will find the page here.

I have been busy trying to implement a photo viewer on my website and have found the task to be more difficult than I thought. While I have been trying to get this implemented, Arlyn has been busy posting the wedding pictures on her Friendster account. So, if you can't wait...and need to see the pictures NOW...here they are.

Update 4/16/2013: Because of the shut down of the Friendster website, the link listed above has been disabled.

Through the power of Microsoft Access and ASP, I have now created a listing of my DVD collection. Enjoy.

On Saturday, February 16, 2008, the city of Frisco held its annual Daddy/Daughter dance. I finally received the studio pictures on March 20 and thought it was about time post something about the entertaining and challenging evening.

Through the use of my website, I now have the capability to share my webcam. This capability has been passed on to a select few with unique IDs and passwords.

View the Webcam.

First time users will be asked to download an ActiveX control. This control is published by Linksys and is perfectly safe.

From May 7 through May 14, I was in Cebu City visiting with my wife Arlyn and returned with a plethora of pictures.

On Monday, May 5, Rodney boards a plane to travel to Cebu City, Philippines. He enters into the Philippines on May 7th, 2008. He leaves the Philippines on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

On Saturday, May 10th, we ventured to the island of Mactan to go swimming at one of the resorts. This picture is from the Tambuli Beach Resort (East Wing).

Built in 1972, the temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City. To get to the temple one could hire a taxi or take a habal-habal ride in Sudlon, Lahug.

Unlike the neighbouring Phu Sian Temple, the Taoist temple is open to the worshippers and non-worshippers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to grant one's wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one's wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time.

Some travel agencies offer trips to the temple or as a side-trip in a tour around Cebu City. But it is more popular with grade school students. No student who grew up in Cebu City or the neighbouring Mandaue City has not gone to the temple in any one of their field trips.

There is nothing much to do in the temple. One could enjoy moving around the temple in an hour. The entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu. Also noteworthy is the giant dragon statue.

Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese, and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on (depending on source) March 15, 1521

This cross is housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan), just in front of the city center of Cebu City. A sign below the cross describes the original cross is encased inside the wooden cross that is found in the center of the chapel. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for souvenir purposes or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers. Some people, however, believe that the original cross had been destroyed or had disappeared after Magellan's death, and the cross is a replica that was planted there by the Spaniards after they successfully colonized the Philippines.

Arlyn and I spent the afternoon at Fort San Pedro located in Cebu City. Fuerte de San Pedro is a military defence structure in Cebu (Philippines), built by the Spanish under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi, first governor of the Captaincy General of the Philippines. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the pier area of the city. The original fort was made of wood and built after the arrival of Legazpi and his expedition. In the early 17th century a stone fort was built to repel Muslim raiders. Today's structure dates from 1738 and is the oldest triangular bastion fort in the country. It served as the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. During the Philippine Revolution at the end of the 19th century, it was attacked and taken by Filipino revolutionaries, who used it as a stronghold.

The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land. The two sides facing the sea were defended with artillery and the front with a strong palisade made of wood. The three bastions are named La Concepción (SW); Ignacio de Loyola (SE), and San Miguel (NE). It has a total inside area of 2,025 square metres (21,800 sq ft). The walls are 6.1 metres high by 2.4 metres thick (20 feet high by 8 feet thick), and the towers are 9.1 metres (30 ft) high from the ground level. The circumference is 380 metres (1,248 ft). The sides are of unequal lengths and the one fronting the city is where one may find entry into the fort. Fourteen cannons were mounted in their emplacements most of which are still there today. Work first started in 1565 with Miguel Lopéz de Legazpi breaking ground.

Upon returning from my trip to the Philippines, I learned that HP purchased EDS.

Initially, I thought this purchase was a good move for both companies. HP needed a proven services company. And EDS was floundering under the leadership of Richard (Dick) Brown and Michael H. Jordan.

I am currently working as an ETL Lead on a project with Service Alberta in Edmonton Canada. I don't see this as effecting my current duties.

On Thursday, August 14th, 2008, Rodney boards a plane to travel to Cebu City, Philippines. He enters into the Philippines on August 16th, 2008. He leaves the Philippines on Saturday, August 30, 2008.

This is me (Rodney) hauling tuba (palm wine) to a beach picnic.

To see more Samar pictures, visit our Friendster websites:

• Rodney
• Arlyn

Update 4/16/2013: Because of the shutdown of the Friendster website, the links listed above no longer work.

Philippines

The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands.

• Land Area: 115,831 sq. miles
• Population: 88.71 million
• Population Density: 766.0 people/square mile

Texas, United States

• Land Area: 261,797 sq. miles
• Population: 20.85 million
• Population Density: 84.1 people/square mile

Alberta, Canada

• Land Area: 248,000 sq. miles
• Population: 3.46 million
• Population Density: 14.0 people/square mile

Arlyn has finally received her K-3 to come to the United States. Travel plans are now being made to bring Arlyn to the U.S. for sometime mid-December.

On December 8th, I departed Dallas one more time for a quick trip to the Philippines. After spending a quick 22 hours in Cebu City, I was able to assist Arlyn with her final packing. We boarded the plane and returned to the United States. Her point of entry is officially San Francisco.

I have compiled some Windows Vista tips and tweaks that I have found to be worthwhile. They can be found here.

Now that Arlyn has been in Texas for 10 days, I wanted to share the top things that Arlyn has discovered or said.

1. "Using a dishwasher makes things go a lot faster and easier."
2. "Same thing goes for the Washer and Dryer."
3. "I think the Washer is broken." This was said after Arlyn forgot to pull the washer controls to turn it on.
4. "I think the Washer is broken." This was said after Arlyn set the washer to a spin cycle only.
5. "This microwave is COOL."
6. "I want a Christmas tree!!" This was said 12 hours after arriving in Frisco.
7. "It is soooooo cold." It was only 53 degrees outside.
8. "My nose is DRY."
9. "I am soooo sleepy!!" Arlyn is still adjusting to the 14 hour time difference.
10. "What is that sound?" This was after the heater kicked in.
11. "What is that sound?" This is when the automatic ice cube maker filled with water.
12. "The Internet is sooooo fast."

On December 26, 2008, Arlyn and I will be traveling to the snowy realms of Mt. Shasta. In preparation, Arlyn got her first winter coat, gloves and boots.

It is now possible to download music from my library. However, you must have an ID and password to access the 20,000+ song library.

Update 4/16/2013: Due to continuous FTP hacks and 'mysterious' downloads, this feature has been disabled.