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Stolen Laptop: Prevention and recovery

Photo by Arenamontanus (license)

This is Part 3 of a series on my stolen laptop.

As I look back on the theft of my laptop from my car, I realize there are things I could have been done to prevent the laptop from being stolen. I also learned that there are steps you can take in advance to attempt to recover your laptop after it has been stolen.

This begins the "practical" part of this series, and I hope you will find it helpful. But I am also writing for myself, so that I can think it through and learn from my mistakes, and from your recommendations.

I Dream of Mikey

Mike Abrahamsohn in our living room (May 6, 2008, 8:17 PM)

Which do I write? "This morning, I dreamed about my dear friend Mike." Or, "This morning, my dear friend Mike appeared to me in a dream."

Saturday morning. A child's alarm mistakenly goes off at 7:10 and is silenced. Kay & I look at each other, roll over, and go back to sleep.

I am at some kind of wooden mansion with other people. We go around and enter a large room. Something happened earlier in the dream, but it was unremarkable and quickly forgotten. Then I notice Mike, standing in a corner, looking straight at me.

Stolen Laptop: Violence and forgiveness

This is Part 2 of a series on my stolen laptop.

Having my laptop stolen from my car left me feeling violated. I'm sure there is only slight resemblance to suffering personal violence, but the experience gave me greater sympathy for victims of violence. The daze. The fear. The uneasiness in innocent situations that would not have bothered me previously.

The incident also affected my immediate family. My wife drove the car that night, taking our youngest daughter out on a date. They were uneasy about leaving a car with one window missing, so they parked right in front of a restaurant window and sat at that window. And watched the car as they ate. And felt uneasy.

Stolen Laptop: In broad daylight

This is Part 1 of a series on my stolen laptop.

Last month, my laptop was stolen from my car in broad daylight. It was in a grey tote bag lying on the floor, right there where you see all the broken glass. I thought that laying a dark bag on a dark floor would make it mostly unnoticeable. That may have hidden it from casual eyes, but not from the thief who set out to do a job.

Help-Portrait: Kingdom Photography

Calling all photographers! I believe that God (or, if you like, the universe) has given you a gift: a special ability to see beauty. Consider using your gift in a new way. In the words of our contemporary prophets, "Give it away, give it away, give it away now."

Learn more at help-portrait.com and get involved. Caution: You may be changed.

Porcupine Tree: The New Face of Progressive Rock

Though my birthday was many months ago, only last week I enjoyed a long-promised birthday present: a ticket to see Porcupine Tree! You see, I grew up listening to progressive rock: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Todd Rundgren & Utopia, Genesis, Yes, and a smattering of others (Camel, Gentle Giant, Renaissance, Focus). For this classic prog guy, it has been a breath of fresh air to be discover the neo-prog of Porcupine Tree. (Thanks to my buddy Chris for the ticket, and for introducing this band to me in the first place.)

Kay sez

"These have more heel than I usually get.
But you're short anyway."

Worshiping to Evanescence

I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you
I have to be with you to live to breathe
You're taking over me

Evanescence, Taking Over Me

Shelly: "Dad, what's this song about?"

Me: "What would you like it to be about?"

Shelly: "I don't know."

Me: "Well for me, it's a worship song."

Shelly: "I guess I can see that."

Me: "Or maybe it's just a song about obsessive love. It can be what you like. But I worship to it."

Shelly: "You worship to everything."

Me: "That's right. Because the whole world is flowing that direction, if you pay attention."

7-year-old steals car to avoid going to church

Heh. Ever feel the same way?

Hat tip: Dan Kimball

Economic recovery?

Photo by reynaldo f. tamayo (license)

I'm still here! But this blog has taken a back seat to higher priorities. After working my day job as a software contractor, my evenings are usually devoted to my "second job," namely continuing to search for full-time employment.

After a long season where the well seemed to have dried up, I had three phone interviews this past week. I hope this is a sign of the beginnings of economic recovery. Maybe I can be a canary in a coal-mine, in reverse.

If you pray, please remember me as the Lord brings me to mind. I am asking our Provider to open the door to wherever he wants me — ideally, a role where my emphasis on test-driven development and code quality is welcomed and recognized (as opposed to having to work around the system).

If you don't pray, I'll take happy thoughts and job referrals. :-)

Hey, the sooner I get a full-time job, the more time I can spend blogging.