From The Chief Editor's Desk

OK. First things first. After seven years, "Welcome From The Chief Editor" is getting a bit threadbare and worn out. So, starting this month, I'm changing the title of my monthly welcome column to "From The Chief Editor's Desk." It'll feature the same content, but just be called something different.

Hectic. That's the one word that describes how things are for me at the moment. Between working at the hospital (and balancing out mine and my wife's work schedules there), trying to find time for managing magazine tasks and business, making sure we fit some "family time" into the mix, working on the home remodeling project, household tasks like yard work and maintaining our small garden, seeking refuge from the oppressive heat, and weekly OB/Gyn visits, things are hectic.

Deservedly, my son has benefited from two outings in the month of June, in our quest to fit some family time into our hectic schedule. Early in June, we went to see Thomas the Tank Engine and his best friend, Percy, at a special "Day Out With Thomas" that was sponsored by our local PBS station. There, he not only got to ride in an open air coach pulled by Thomas, he also got to meet Sir Topham Hatt (a.k.a. The Fat Controller). Later in the month, Ryan got to experience his first ever visit to the Kansas City Zoo. It didn't matter to any of us that it was a 100° F (37.8° C) day with high humidity, least of all him. Mom and dad just periodically steered the animal viewing towards the occasional air conditioned building to recharge and escape the heat. He had a blast. The birds and the endangered animal themed carousel were his favorites.

Things on the PCLinuxOS front seem calm, as usual. Thanks to the dedication of Texstar and the packagers, PCLinuxOS just keeps on working and working and working, without fail. Updates are typically smooth as glass. Any glitches that do arise are dealt with swiftly.

To follow up on past columns, I still haven't updated my PCLinuxOS installations to 64 bit. It is on my to-do list, but the recent hectic schedule just hasn't allowed me sufficient time to address it. My 32 bit installations are purring along quite well, but will eventually have to be replaced to remain current and to insure security.

Until next month, I bid you peace, happiness, serenity and prosperity.