johnph77's Blog

Underway for tournament in Harrisburg PA tomorrow. Traveldrive filled with work, mostly project, but lottery payout page and spreadsheet there as well.

Will definitely provide a check on new online connections - I should be able to be online while away without interrupting my connection here at home. Will help with distributed computing projects I have going on here.

Project uploads completed yesterday, both abridged and unabridged files. I have to go over the spreadsheets for the future files but they're almost 90% complete and correct anyway so shouldn't take much time. When that's done I can complete Phase I. Phase II will be a whole different ballgame, though.

gl and see y'all when I return.

john

Work complete on project Phase I, Stage I. Can't upload, host having server problems. Doesn't matter - my side is complete, and I really AM gonna kick back until departure Tuesday. Never thought I'd get as far as I have so soon.

Lottery pages are on traveldrive, will upload updates mentioned on previous post on the road or when I return on 02 Aug.

New software in, loaded, up and running. One glitch not associated with project remains, will deal with it later. That'll have to happen for my lottery databases to work. All else working as it should, with no surprises. All the backlogged paperwork files complete and printed.

Thought I was going to relax over weekend, didn't. Worked with workarounds, found new methods for dealing with old problems which should speed things later. Got another upload completed.

New spreadsheet had previously undiscovered errata, corrected. The spreadsheet contains all the data necessary to complete Phase I and requires more work than the old sheet to maintain but will provide significant time savings when I start work on the second part of Phase I.

Almost completely settled in new place - starting to feel like home. Couple more houseware items needed but getting the feel of the place. At least it's fairly quiet, given the location, but far more plusses there than minuses. 

Taking lottery payout page with me on laptop next trip - if I get the time I'll work on completing table updates.

Project report: All raw data for Phase I entered. Awaiting replacement software to be able to continue, may be here Monday. In the meantime I'm going to kick back, relax, put my feet up, have a few drinks, watch the tube - anything but work. When the new software arrives, completion will come quickly.

Will probably read old LP posts on new game information, visit a few state lottery web sites. I still have the templates used to create the data tables on site. Also, I may finish the transformation started last year listing all the possibility odds in the payout tables, not just the possibilities that pay. There are a few toward the bottom of the payout page that still need to be converted.

New office configuration smaller, different. Getting acclimated to it - such as where to put and display paperwork.

First step of project Phase I over 90% complete. Progress slowed slightly by new demands on time due to move. Software crash due to an attempted virus infection will delay progress but other steps can be taken in the interim. Working on a workaround using an older version of the affected software on the laptop, if possible. All should be back on track by the end of next week.

Need to start thinking seriously about updating lottery pages again when settled in and the first phase of the project complete. Some of the info there is out of date. Also need to start thinking about going to each state lottery site checking for new games.

emilyg, konane and Todd, thank you for your kind words. I'm settling in now. It'll be fine.

Home. Didn't finish in the money in either tournament but satisfied that we got the max out of the cards dealt with only a couple of exceptions. Move finishes up this weekend.

Project work, after a couple of false starts, went well. Transition from the old spreadsheet to the new should be relatively easy - when it takes place. It also means that a lot of the data will transfer to Phase II of the project without any mods being necessary and the work needed to produce the desired results will be minimal. The spreadsheet formulas are about as good as I can get them.

starchild, I play in live pinochle tournaments where people who play online meet the face behind the screen names. There's not enough prize money to meet expenses but it combines my preference for the game with my love of travel. And, being retired and having my own business, I can afford the time to go to a lot of them - and do.

Move takes place Sunday. I'll tear down and pack this computer today. Relatively painless so far, considering I've been in one place for almost seven years. I'll still have the laptop available until I get this one set up in the new place.

Won't have time to completely unpack. I leave for New Orleans Tuesday.

Phase I of project almost 90% complete. It'll be delayed somewhat, but not to the point where the transition into the next part shouldn't be easy. I'll take part of that on the road.

Thanks, onenumber.

gl

j

Application approved, have keys to new home in pocket. Will be moving throough the month, online time will be limited.

New work file had glitch in it. New formulas entered, beta tested, seems to work now. Second stage of Phase I should go smoothly. The beta test pointed out some anomalies which should prove interesting when the project analysis starts. Progressing nicely, if a little behind schedule.

Home. We did well - 6th of 33. Lousy cards but played them to the hilt.

Move still up in the air but should know something before the first of the month. All going well so far with the application process - I think.

Don't know if I can transfer the new work file over from the laptop - something amiss with the CD reader there. It looks good on the laptop, though - less work involved in current and future pages.

Underway for Detroit MI tomorrow AM - tournament. Return 24 May. Traveling fairly light.

Greasing the moving skids - IF it takes place. Won't know for sure untill the day after I get back. Getting everything in order precluding accomplishing much work but that can't be helped.

Taking work project with me - rebuilding current spreadsheet for possible expansion of Phase I. Actually looking forward to it. I really don't expect I'm taking enough so I might take more data with me as well.

ty for kind words, konane - the best to you as well.

gla

John

Possible change - I may be moving. I'll look at another place tomorrow - if I do move I'll be offline for a significant time. So be it, but conditions where I'm currently living have taken a turn for the worse over the past year and I'm about fed up with that situation.

Work progressing more or less as scheduled, but, again, if I move, that'll get delayed as well. I'll miss a deadline but that can't be helped.

Will depart for Detroit MI Tue AM.

Home.

Moderate success. Second of 24 at Cleveland. Astonishing finish, but long story.

Tournament at Centralia sparsely attended, but we'll try again in September.

Completed all the work I took with me. Need to transfer back to the desktop for final processing. Did a few neat tweaks - if they work. We'll see.

Catching up on backlogged LP posts took over two hours.....

Overnighted last night with friends, went out to a great dinner - expensive, but much better company there than in a motel room. Good people.

Leave for New Orleans in two weeks.

Great trip.

Hitting the tournament trail. Leave tomorrow AM, be in Cleveland next weekend, then on to Centralia, where I'm co-hosting. New experience, being on the other side of the table.

Taking some work with me. The Phase II and III project spreadsheets still have to be constructed, and this is a good time to do them. Also taking some other work not requiring too much paperwork, so will be traveling fairly light - a good thing, considering I'll be carrying gifts with me this trip.

Won't be on much until I get back home in a couple of weeks.

gla

j

The lottery and Keno pages will stay put.

I've decided to move other projects to the new website, as these pages are what made the new site necessary and will expand beyond the capacity of the present site at their completion. On the other hand, neither the lottery nor the Keno pages will expand much beyond their current sizes, the Keno analyses pages excepted, but the old site should have ample capacity once the other pages are deleted.

The Keno analysis pages will move to the old site as soon as space becomes available and I get the time to redo the links.

The first phase of the project I've been working on is now 75% complete. All uploads have been made, all spreadsheets have been programmed through the finish. Cautiously hoping to wrap this up before the end of June.