Author: <span>Ron Charest</span>

Here it is March third, seventeen days away from the Spring Equinox, and right now we have about six inches of snow. The good news is that last night the weather guessers were predicting up to fifteen inches of snow, so only six inches qualifies as good news.

Family Stories

California Flag Heart
California Flag Heart

I’ve just finished up a whirlwind week-long trip to southern California. This was a business trip, but intermixed with rushing from one location to another and holding day-long meetings I did have the chance to spend a few hours with more family and get in a little R&R. This trip started in San Diego, then moved north to Ventura county and finally a departure from Los Angeles.

Family Stories

Wedding Couple
Wedding Couple

Weddings and funerals bring families together. This past week I had the happy experience of seeing a lot of family for the nice reason, the wedding of my youngest niece.

Family Stories

Music Inside
Music Inside

I’ve been following a man named Matt Harding, aka”Matt,” for about six years now on YouTube. Matt has got to be one of the luckiest people alive. You see, Matt has managed to make a living out of traveling around the world to dance with people on someone else’s dime.

Just For Fun

Editor at work migrating data files
Editor At Work

I’ve spent the past week on business travel in Southern Florida. As business trips go, this one wasn’t bad. The workload was relatively light and the weather here beat the hell out of weather in Washington, D.C. (for anyone who only wants to see ice in a drink, not on a road). The downside is that I’m not home, but Winnie always seem to take our temporary separations in stride.

Tech Talk

Just For Fun

American Legacy
American Legacy

I watched the President’s 2014 State of the Union speech last night as I normally do. I enjoy the pomp and ceremony of the various Important People filing into the room, entering in reverse order of their importance in the great scheme of government. The Least Important People come early and thereby have to sit and wait the longest for the show to begin while the More Important People come later, ending of course with the Most Important Person himself. I smile at the great formal announcement made as the President enters the room.

Opinions & Commentary

This And That
This And That

So it’s been a cold and snowy week here in Northern Virginia. The daily temperatures have not gone over 35 degrees F all week, and some mornings we’ve been greeted with commuting temperatures in the single-digits. We had (depending upon the exact area) six to eleven inches of snow on Tuesday which pretty much shut down the entire region for Tuesday and Wednesday.  Yes, it’s been a true winter wonderland here in our nation’s capitol and I think I can speak for most people in wishing for Spring weather.

Family Stories

Hello World In Several Languages
Hello World In Several Languages

This is the first post in our new “Charest Family on the Web” website. We have a new look, and lots of new functionality, while eliminating the bugs and chunkiness of the old site. Also, hopefully, eliminate most of the security holes in the old site that seemingly encouraged hackers to engage about every six months with spammers constantly hitting.

Tech Talk

Washington Navy Yard Shooting - File Photo
Washington Navy Yard Shooting – File Photo

I am a Contractor consultant to Government currently working for Washington Navy Yard clients. My Corporate office is located in one of the “beltway bandit” buildings that line “M” Street SE, just a couple of blocks walking distance from the Navy Yard main gate and my client’s location. Yesterday morning I was at the Yard when America’s most recent mass murder occurred.

Family Stories