Author Archives: @EddieGichuhi

Upgrading MySQL Database Server on Mac

Download latest version from mysql.com (select the *.dmg) Stop MySQL Server:
  • sudo -i
  • cd /Library/LaunchDaemons
  • launchctl unload com.mysql.mysql.plist
  • Install the downloaded dmg file (double-click to start install) and follow the prompts. -Accept all defaults
  • mv /usr/local/mysql/data /usr/local/mysql/data.bak
  • cp -R /usr/local/<old_mysql>/data /usr/local/mysql/
  • cd /Library/LaunchDaemons/
  • launchctl load com.mysql.mysql.plist
  • cd /usr/local/mysql/bin/
  • /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_upgrade -P
    See expected output below
root # /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_upgrade -p
Enter password: 
Looking for 'mysql' as: /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql
Looking for 'mysqlcheck' as: /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqlcheck
Running 'mysqlcheck with default connection arguments
Warning: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
Running 'mysqlcheck with default connection arguments
Warning: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
mysql.columns_priv                                 OK
mysql.db                                           OK
mysql.event                                        OK
mysql.func                                         OK
mysql.general_log                                  OK
mysql.help_category                                OK
mysql.help_keyword                                 OK
mysql.help_relation                                OK
mysql.help_topic                                   OK
mysql.innodb_index_stats                           OK
mysql.innodb_table_stats                           OK
mysql.ndb_binlog_index                             OK
mysql.plugin                                       OK
mysql.proc                                         OK
mysql.procs_priv                                   OK
mysql.proxies_priv                                 OK
mysql.servers                                      OK
mysql.slave_master_info                            OK
mysql.slave_relay_log_info                         OK
mysql.slave_worker_info                            OK
mysql.slow_log                                     OK
mysql.tables_priv                                  OK
mysql.time_zone                                    OK
mysql.time_zone_leap_second                        OK
mysql.time_zone_name                               OK
mysql.time_zone_transition                         OK
mysql.time_zone_transition_type                    OK
mysql.user                                         OK
Running 'mysql_fix_privilege_tables'...
Warning: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
Running 'mysqlcheck with default connection arguments
Warning: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
Running 'mysqlcheck with default connection arguments
Warning: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
ac.appl_account_types                             OK
ac.appl_address_types                             OK
.
.
.
OK

Installing mcrypt and libmcrypt

Why isn't a library like mcrypt installed out of the box by default?

I just spent all of Sunday, and half of Monday night installing "dependencies" for the mcrypt lib.

My woes began when I fired up the macbook pro to install phpmyadmin. I need to do some heavy lifting without spending too much on the command line in terminal.app

I will summarize the steps I followed to install and configure mcrypt to work with everything else on mac

Awesome night with the Jesus Geeks

Awesome evening with fellow geeks at Eastview!

Tonight's discussion centered around the story of David, and bringing the ark to Jerusalem. Then reflected on the last statement ".. and David went back home to bless his family".

That was quite powerful for me. How can I relate to that statement? How do I bless my family? Am I a blessing to my family? -Am I worth looking up to?

I should certainly reflect on giving more time to my family - my wife and children. Play with them more. Listen more. Listen intently. Love them more.

Optimization Tips for WordPress Blogs

Disable and delete wordpress post revisions

Add this line to your wp-config.php file (in the wordpress installation directory):
define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', false);

Run the following SQL statement to delete all post revisions; -Remember to change the <PREFIX> to whatever prefix you use in your wordpress configuration.

STOP:
Remember to backup your database before making this update.

DELETE a, b, c
FROM <PREFIX>_posts a
LEFT JOIN <PREFIX>_term_relationships b
ON a.ID = b.object_id
LEFT JOIN <PREFIX>_postmeta c
ON a.ID = c.post_id
WHERE a.post_type = 'revision';

Reading List

Here is a list of books that I'm currently reading, or plan to read soon. Notice that most are motivational or business books -a little different from the technical books and manuals I read and write every day.

I enjoy these titles mostly because they fuel that entrepreneurial spirit inside me, and because they take my mind off the grind of technical material reading I work with daily. -It's nice to do something different on your break

  • Over the Top, by Zig Ziglar
  • 48 Days To The Work You Love, by Dan Miller, Dave Ramsey
  • Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money, by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
  • QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life, by John G. Miller
  • How to Win friends and Infuence People, by Dale Carnegie
  • Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
  • Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, by Seth Godin
  • Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, by Jim Collins, Jerry I. Porras
  • Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not! (Miniature Edition), by Robert T. Kiyosaki

I'm working on this list, and will soon be adding Flo's and the kids' lists.

2010 Family Goals to Achieve

Like many things, the New Year in 2010 brings new hope, new wishes and many unknowns.

This year's resolutions will be a little different from all others that we have had before. We (family) have decided to take a team focused approach, and even redefined the term "resolutions" to "Goals to Achieve".

This shift in paradigm is designed to integrate our changing lifestyle, past experience in goal setting and achievement, and also begins to shape how our children adapt to meeting life's challenges.

Combining our goals as a family unit gives us more opportunities to succeed, greater incentive to achieve, and perhaps more importantly -provides us with peer support and accountability.

Outline

In our Goal Setting session this year, each of us described personal goals to shoot for. Some goals were common to all of us, so we made those into family goals and modified them so that they were easy to meet. We also resolved to start tracking achievements and problem areas so we could later cheer ourselves on the successes, and re-align those goals that were not going so well. Instead of scoring individual "points", we will score family milestones to enhance the team focused approach.

Our common goals also focus on long-term benefits for each individual and the family as a whole.

Common Goals

  • Make daily family prayer an integral part of our lifestyle

    This is an expansion of the 10-seconds prayers we normally have at dinner-time. We hope to dedicate 3-5 minutes every day just for prayer and bible study as a family. We think this amount of time is small enough to begin to nature our minds about the whole concept of (link: dedication).

  • Healthier lifestyles for all of us

    Instead of the same old "we need to get into shape this year", we have set clear, specific milestones we each need to achieve. These milestones include maintaining healthy weights (privately specified), an exercise program, and signing up at our local community center weight-watchers support group.

    As part of our new healthy lifestyle goal, we are also planning in advance for healthier home-cooked meals and variety.

  • Financial wellness

    Our family financial agenda is a continuation of what we started in 2008. We have made significant progress and reached every milestone ahead of schedule. The last stretch of our financial plan is within striking distance.

    This year, we included charitable giving and tithing as part of our financial responsibility.

  • Read more books

    We as a family generally read a variety of books so this seems simple enough, but it really boils down to including more non-fiction books. We will add more titles to the list of books we have already ear-marked to read this year.

  • Organize our house

    We've accumulated a lot of "stuff" around the house we no longer need, so this year we plan to reduce the stuff by giving away most of it, and selling some of it on ebay and craig's list. That oughta be a money minting goal!

Individual Goals

After going through most of the common goals, there weren't many individual goals left. There are however some personal goals that we articulated to each other, and that we will support each other on as part of our 2010 milestones.

Financial Peace

Florence and I attended Financial Peace University (Mar - May 2008) at our local church (Grace Church) -inspired by radio and TV personality Dave Ramsey.

Dave suggests that the key to getting out of debt and building wealth involves seven "basic" steps.

The pre-requisite is to make a commitment to get out of debt.

Here are the steps:

  1. Start a cash emergency fund: around $1000.00
  2. Pay off debt using a debt snowball
  3. Save 3-6 months of expenses in savings
  4. Save 15% of household income into retirement savings accounts
  5. College funding for children
  6. Pay down mortgage quickly
  7. Build wealth and give

Performing a quick search online suggests there are variations on these steps or even just about the whole debt thing. As for me and my family, we have chosen these steps and have seen them work.

To form your own opinion on the subject, watch Dave Ramsey's show on the Fox Business Network or search online.

In Memory

Today Sep 28th 2009 marks the 6th memorial anniversary of my father's passing.

I pray that his soul continues to rest in peace. I also pray for my mom, whom I know remembers this day everyday. I pray that she finds peace in her heart, and the energy to wake up everyday to a new day with new opportunities to experience God's blessings.

I pray for my brothers and sisters, who with me miss a loving dad -a unique person in all respects.

I pray for our children, who miss a grandfather to relate to and seek wisdom from.

I miss you dad.

Valentines Day Memoirs

This morning, I woke up to the sound of a kid's show on the Noggins TV channel. I couldn't quite make out what the show was, -I didn't try. Then there was the sound of a spoon against a cereal bowl.

Undoubtedly, Ceke was engaging her morning cereal. I could tell from the enthusiasm and fervor that she had been awake for a while. There was an urgent need to catch up with the day. I went back to sleep.

10 minutes later my sub-conscious alarm went off as it went through my to-do list. I hazily performed a mental check list of must-do things on the list.

Top-most, I needed to prepare Ciku's breakfast and get her ready for my 10-O'clock appointment with my Financial Adviser. I figured I had beau coup time given that it was only 5 minutes away, if that. I forced myself out of bed and made it to the kitchen. Along the way I discovered -not surprisingly, that everyone else was awake and miles ahead into the day. Ciku jumped up to me, inspired by her instinctive knowledge that my first order of business should be to fix her breakfast. A tune and 3 minutes later, she was enjoying a large bowl of porridge.

Next, I cracked open my laptop to catch up on overnight email -as if anyone in my time zone was sending me email after I went to sleep at 3:00am. I should know by now that the only emails in the morning are from a timezone at least 5 hours ahead of mine. There were none today. There was however, a Valentine's day Love letter from my wife Florence. It went thus:

Dear Eddie,

Today is Valentine's day. Happy Valentine.

It has been twelve years since I met you.

What a day and what a season in life.

Throughout the years, you have continuously complemented me and helped me be my best, and for that I say thank you.

I love you more now for many reasons. One, for being you. you have taught me how to stay calm during storms of life. Sometimes I wonder how you handle issues but I truly admire your style.

I love you for the family that we have. When I look at our children, I see the imprints, now and then of your wisdom and your guidance. My prayer is that this will continue throughout their lives.

I love you because you are you. I would go on and on, or go get a card from the store. The point is I love you and have a wonderful Valentine's day.

Your Wife,

Flo.