Elizabeth's Blog

It’s officially official. Ben, Aaron, Chris & I had shared some IRC discussions about how great it would be to just go camping and talk about PHP and PHP-related stuff (and perhaps share an adult beverage or two over a campfire.) Thus, PHP Appalachia was born!

What:
PHP Appalachia is an informal gathering of PHP enthusiasts who just want an excuse to get together and enjoy exchanging information in a relaxed, beautiful setting. There is no set agenda, no formal speakers. Just 3 days of camping and sharing PHP ideas and experiences with people just like you.

When:
September 27-29, 2006

Where:
This gathering will be held at the Cherokee/Great Smokies KOA in Cherokee, NC.

The Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA is bordered on one side by the serene Raven Fork River and on the other side by three tribal trout ponds. It lies just across the road from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway. From almost anywhere on KOA’s grounds, take in 360-degree mountain views. Enjoy the shuttle to area attractions, indoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, island pet walk, whitewater rafting, horseback riding and gem mining excursions, among other things. Wireless Internet is available at the campground.

Who:

Anyone with an interest in PHP and PHP related technologies is welcome to attend. Even if “roughing it” is not your thing, you’re welcome to come along as there are numerous area hotels available.

How Much:
Registration is only $15, and each attendee will receive a free PHP Appalachia t-shirt. Accomodations are very affordable, and meals are available for about $25/day.

Anyone in the Cincinnati area that wants a ride down, I’ll be leaving on September 26 and coming back the 30th. I have room for 6 so let me know if you want a ride.

Make sure to check out the PHP Appalachia Website for all the gory details- and come and join us, it’ll be loads of fun!

My daughter turned 6 years old today (yes, she’s 6 on 6/6/06) - proof that she’s really a devil child, ha ha! No, but in all seriousness, I’m so very proud of her and the little girl she’s become. She kept saying “mommy, I still feel like I’m 5. My brain doesn’t know I’m 6.” I know how she feels; my brain still thinks I’m 25. Heh.
To see your children grow up is such a bittersweet thing. You are so proud of them and their accomplishments at each milestone, and you can’t wait to see them reach the next one. But then again, when they’re young, they are still so innocent and happy because the hardships of life haven’t yet jaded their outlook. You dread when they’ll get some of those inevitable life experiences like being bullied, or getting made fun of, or getting their heart broken. You want to protect them so badly, but you know it’s something they must go through themselves. (Plus, it’s really great to still be considered “cool” by your kids, and you know that ain’t going to last much longer.)
My birthday wish for Emily is to always be able to see the silver lining in the cloud, because there will always be clouds. But if you can see the good in things, then you’ll always be happy.

Just a reminder - in order to qualify for the PHP Appalachia discount at the KOA, reservations need to be made by July 5. So if you haven’t yet signed up for the PHP Appalachia campout, now’s the time!

We are also accepting suggestions for discussion topics and presentations – if you’re interested in presenting, or if you have a topic that you would like to discuss with the group, let me know at elizabeth [at] naramore [dot] net. Remember, nothing super-formal, but we do understand the need for a bit of structure.

Even if you can’t make it this year - I’d be interested to know why… it will help us plan for next year.

Any feedback you would like to share is greatly appreciated. Otherwise, get your rump in gear and register!

For more info: http://www.phpappalachia.org

Thought I’d give a quick plug to this television show on FX (different than Fox but owned by Fox). It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an offbeat comedy about a girl and her brother and his two friends that all own an Irish pub in Philadelphia and struggle to make it survive. It’s completely irreverant and off the wall and it will surely make you chuckle. My husband and I saw it briefly a while back, and were sad to see it get cancelled. One of the earlier episodes saw the foursome realize that gay bars make more money, so they uncomfortably turned it “gay"… except one of the guys liked all the extra attention a little too much, so that they had to turn it back. Oh, the hijinks.

Now that the show is back and revived on FX, it’s got a wonderful addition in one Danny Devito, who plays the father. There is no topic that is taboo (Seinfeld-esque, in that), but the comic way the actors deal (or not deal) with the topics and each other just works. (In last night’s show they were contemplating getting back at the guy who had purchased the adjacent building and the best they could come up with was to first toilet paper the building, then throw a flaming bag of dog poo inside. They also made a crappy “terrorist” videotape with tablecloths on their heads to try and scare the dude out, but then were afraid to send it anywhere for fear it would get them arrested… which unfortunately fell into the wrong hands, of course) At any rate, I highly recommend this show- it’s funny without being cheesy or predictable, or in your face. The humor is smart, the characters interaction is fabulous. You’ll love these underdog nerdy guys who try really hard but that are inevitably just not cool.

Thursdays at 10pm on FX. Check it.