MagicJack

Times are a little rough around here so we had to cut a few nonessential items from the monthly bills. Telephone, internet and cable TV were the first to go. Where I live out in the middle of nowhere, you get no TV stations by antenna. So I got rid of the Time Warner cable-internet-phone package and went back to basic Direct TV. The cable was costing me $130 a month, the Direct TV is only $30 and some change a month. No setup fees, we had everything from the last time we had satellite. So we save about $90 a month.

But what about Internet and a phone you ask. Well like millions of other Americans I have a cell phone. Unfortunately I live outside the service area of my service provider by like a half mile. So that left me without a home phone. My neighbor was nice enough to share a wireless connection with me, so I have internet. Still no home phone.

Today I went over to a friends house to see if he wanted to go look at a motorcycle with me. After a few minutes he asked if I got my home phone turned on yet. Well no, I said. He suggested buying a MagicJack. It allows you to use voice over internet and it's free. For $40 you buy the jack and it cost $20 a year to activate. But with your your purchase of the MagicJack you get the first year free.

So off to Best Buy I go, no time to look at a motorcycle. I bought my MagicJack for $40, brought it home, plugged it in and BAM. I have a home phone. It even gives you a local phone number so you can call in. I got a semi-local number, better than nothing kind of number, and it was almost all free. Just the original $40 for the hardware.

Now here is the draw back. You have to keep your computer running all the time and keep your internet connection open. Other than that, it sounds and works great. I live in Newark, Ohio and it gave me a South Zanesville, Ohio number. But for free I can live with that. No long distance fees, all calls in the USA are free. Anywhere, anytime. Even when I get my local phone turned back on I am going to keep my MagicJack.

My Year In Review Get out 2008

Well, here we are, another year gone by. Somewhat of a disappointing year really. Let's take an acid-free trip into the past year and see what we can find.

Let's see.... Nope nothing good in January... February... March... Nothing. April... May... Nothing. June, ah June, yes, the trip down the C&O Towpath. The trip that defined the rest of my year.

Preparing for the trip across the C&O Towpath was a life changing event. First I strengthened a friendship with a firehouse pal, spent some time with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time, and changed the way I look at myself. For me the 184 mile trip would be the beginning of serious life changes.

I have spent many years trying to do something about my excessive weight. With some success, I needed something to give the boost to keep pushing. The bicycle did the trick. As I sit here typing this blog I remain eager to hit the trails and pedal away for better health.

Most of all this year, on July 3rd, I quite smoking. A three pack-a-day smoker, for like 17 or 18 years, I quit. On January 3rd I am going to party like it's 1999 all over again (not really but it sounds good). I found the motivation to quit from pictures, pictures of past vacations and events. It seems I always had a cancer stick in my hand or I was hiding it behind my back. I also pulled a ton and I mean a ton of motivation from a friend. One who wasn't going to let me give up the fight. Between the pictures, my pal and a strong desire to not die like so many of the people I take to the hospital (in our squad), I quit.

I rode 184 miles on a bicycle in 2.5 days, quit smoking, fought some killer fires, tried to help or helped a ton of hurting or sick people, celebrated my 16th wedding anniversary, lost my job (to layoff), lost 37 pounds (gained it all back after quitting smoking) and lived to tell about it.

Special shout out to my Brother for everything you do for me, Randy I never would have quit smoking if it weren't for you and Matt a life time of friendship (love the homebrew, make more we'll be back!)

Don't forget to comment on my Wordless Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Worthless forums

My wireless at work got taken away and replaced with a secure network, so being the good sport that I am, I have started to look for a way to hack into it. What better place to start looking for hacking info than on the Internet. After a few hours of reading crap, I did find some useful information. Believe it or not, my search led me back here to Blogspot. Most posts are for hacking blogs but I want to hack a wireless network. I am no computer nerd so I need to find an easy way to do this.

My search for information has led me to several worthless forums. So far I have learned to hack Microsoft passwords and key numbers. But no easy way to learn wireless hacking programs. Sometimes forums can be great and other times they aren't worth the virtual paper they are printed on.

It seems there is a way to hack security cams that are not password protected. What fun is that? Looking at someone's parking lot, thats no fun. Supposedly there is a way to hack Yahoo! Chat room cams but that's not what I am after. I just want to have some Internet time away from home.

You can also buy a little dish that plugs into your USB port that will give you a 300% gain in reception for $70. I might just get one of them. I here it works great. All the computer nerds at work swear on the dish thing. If you live in the city you can get free Internet! It searches and finds all the unsecured wireless connections in the range of the little dish. Well worth the $70. I myself live in the sticks and there being an unsecured wireless network in range of my house is slim to none.

I haven't given up on the wireless hack just yet, I'll keep looking.