The weather is warm, the sun is shining( sometimes )and the dandelions are spreading fast... it must be spring!
April 13 - Talk To Me PC
I spent a good part of today on the computer, despite it being the third of my days off... since it was raining on and off all day, being outside was not really an option( cool winds, too ). I managed to work through an entire season of Arrested Development, which was surprisingly watchable with back-to-back episodes - I usually have to tune out after a bit with some shows / take a breather, but not this one. Again surprising, as it deals with the tribulations of a dysfunctional family. Hm.
I worked on various things on the laptop, which has proven to be surprisingly versatile in handling a LOT of tasks - I was impressed all over again with my purchase, well worth it. Typing is a chore though, so I was pleased as all heck today when I received an email from Nuance, makers of Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 - they FINALLY came out with a version that works with the 64-bit Vista that shipped on my laptop. As a bonus, I could have my upgrade for 1/2 off retail since I already own the previous version, so I ordered it... and I am looking forward to all the cool things I can do with it once I have it installed.
What about my old PC? Well, it is running lean & mean, all set up as a server for my NWN project, though it is capable of a lot more. It does look rather cool now though, despite being antiquated:
April 14 - No More Drives?
After all these years, it seems fiction is finally becoming reality in terms of new tech replacing old: hard drives. This stolid technology has reached its pinnacle, where we see incredibly cheap storage readily available year after year. I have actually reached the point where I have more space than I have data, at least in terms of things I want to store locally and not just download from the net.
So what is slated to replace the spinning platters and whining motors of the ubiquitous hard drive? Why, the Solid State Drive, of course! Based on the same concept as flash memory cards, like those found in USB keys and camera picture cards, these drives have NO moving parts and are totally silent. Not to mention they use very little power and are very light in weight - perfect for laptop drives. Also, the speeds are incredible - have a look at the video on this page and note the fairly reasonable price! These things can already be found in devices like the EEE PC, tiny lightweight netbooks that are the hottest tech segment going right now. Too small for my needs, though some people are looking at how they perform for games.
April 15 - Other History
I enjoy stories that posit "What if?" when it comes to history, as in stories told by authors such as Harry Turtledove and his peers. The tales are sometimes based on fact, and that fact is sometimes hard to believe. Take the information at this link, for instance: German secret weapons from WWII that we thankfully did NOT see in action.
Similarly... well, not really, but it's still cool: a faster way to tie your shoes! Not to be confused with the better way to tie your shoes, listed at 17 Better Ways to Tie Your Shoes - great stuff! Too bad I switched to velcro years ago, despite its tendency to pick up things as I walk.
April 16 - Mid week, home early movies
Hokay... who wants some Bacon Popcorn? I know that you do... but I am not sure the 99-cent Chef would consider it an actual recipe or not.
It felt very strange to be leaving work ON TIME after 4 today, but that was my shift - many more like it, I hope! I am getting used to the no-glass thing, as I have said before... things are more relaxed with my customers, especially as my voice is MUCH lower in volume without a barrier between us. I am still somewhat leery of the cash dispenser, as it is not 100% perfect and has a slight hunger for bills... but I am learning to appease its odd tendencies.
I watched a few movies tonight, enjoying the acoustics of my new Man Cave. The 5.1 surround system I purchased a few years ago does a bang-up job in combination with the wood-ribbed ceiling to bounce the sound richly around the room. Makes movies and media most enjoyable, I must say.
April 17 - I owe you WHAT?
I am SO glad I did not take a vacation this spring... not that I planned to, or had the budget for it. Why? Well, yet another thing to blame on the current economy: trapped tourists. Seems that when Conquest Vacations collapsed, most of their clients were stuck with the bills wherever they were in the world... talk about culture shock.
Maybe they should go to WhatItCosts.com - where you can search out the cost for almost anything, from Alaskan Cruises to Weddings. They didn't have anything about what the value of a soul was though, so I surfed to the Devil's Tramping Ground to explore for a bit - creepy, in the dark.
Want to have a little fun with a website that has been bothering you? Surf to NetDisaster.com, type in the offending website and Choose Your Disaster. Minutes of fun, guaranteed - I like Meteors, myself.
If natural disasters make you nervous, head on over to StormPulse.com to keep track of all the latest on various storms around the globe. It has some excellent up-to-date weather graphics and a TON of information - since I live near the coast, I think I will be coming back to visit fairly often.
April 18 - Singing Sensations
Today I filled in again at our Colwood branch, which has the usual bulletproof glass and money in drawers. It was odd to go back to that, requiring me to shift some mental gears a bit, but easier than I had thought - especially since there is a Tim Horton's literally steps away( about 22 - I counted ). Not that I eat out much any more, but a nice English Breakfast Tea is always welcome, and as a bonus you get TWO teabags with the XL size - frugal as always, s'me.
We all like underdogs, where someone achieves success or greatness despite the odds, rising from the ordinary to the top of things through sheer talent. One such is Susan Boyle, whom you may have already heard has wowed the world with her vocal performance on Britain's Got Talent.
Another underdog I liked was Farscape, that sci-fi show from Muppet-master Brian Henson of the Jim Henson Company. While it never achieved a huge popularity( akin to Babylon5 )like Star Trek, I was sad to see it go, despite the fan base being pushy enough to get a two-hour movie made to complete the series. So the news back in 2007 that a new 'webisode' series was in the works was great, and just recently it appeared online - how's that for new life for old series?
April 19 - Sunday is Doomsday?
Some more morning cartoons, the best of which was Batman: The Brave & the Bold... again. Hearkening back to previous days of superhero comics, it is a good fun romp without brooding overtones - much like the old Batman show, but without the camp, odd as that may sound. Afternoon saw me doing the usual around the house, as well as painting a TV stand outside and doing some more yard tidy - MAN, things grow FAST out here, like sentient green carpets! I relaxed in the hottub for a bit, despite neighbours taking advantage of the sunshine to run all sorts of power tools - typical, but that's what earplugs are for.
Some sad news today for authors: one of our greatest, J.G. Ballard, died today. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, have a look at this lovely page here and see why you should pick up a few of his stories soon.
Today was also the Doomsday Sunday Blitz on the History Channel, meaning they played some interesting shows that were right up my alley for apocalyptic shows. One show I had on DVD already: Life After People( and the similar Aftermath: The World Without Humans ). They both posit the same question: what would happen to the Earth if the human race just up and vanished one day? Some excellent CGI and extrapolating techniques are used to show how the passing of years would affect what was left behind and how the planet would adjust to the sudden passing of humanity. Somewhat less impressive was the movie Deep Impact, which also had excellent CGI but a not-so-stellar story.
Warmer weather is moving in, which should be an interesting experience here, as the house does not have any central ducting or air conditioning - which seems to be quite common here in B.C. oddly enough. So, we will be relying on window blinds to keep out direct sun, as well as open windows to catch cool breezes from the lake.
That about does it - my next day off is Tuesday, and it's already looking rather busy... but SUNNY, so I WILL be taking time off outside. Give me a ring anytime!
April 13 - Talk To Me PC
I spent a good part of today on the computer, despite it being the third of my days off... since it was raining on and off all day, being outside was not really an option( cool winds, too ). I managed to work through an entire season of Arrested Development, which was surprisingly watchable with back-to-back episodes - I usually have to tune out after a bit with some shows / take a breather, but not this one. Again surprising, as it deals with the tribulations of a dysfunctional family. Hm.
I worked on various things on the laptop, which has proven to be surprisingly versatile in handling a LOT of tasks - I was impressed all over again with my purchase, well worth it. Typing is a chore though, so I was pleased as all heck today when I received an email from Nuance, makers of Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 - they FINALLY came out with a version that works with the 64-bit Vista that shipped on my laptop. As a bonus, I could have my upgrade for 1/2 off retail since I already own the previous version, so I ordered it... and I am looking forward to all the cool things I can do with it once I have it installed.
What about my old PC? Well, it is running lean & mean, all set up as a server for my NWN project, though it is capable of a lot more. It does look rather cool now though, despite being antiquated:
April 14 - No More Drives?
After all these years, it seems fiction is finally becoming reality in terms of new tech replacing old: hard drives. This stolid technology has reached its pinnacle, where we see incredibly cheap storage readily available year after year. I have actually reached the point where I have more space than I have data, at least in terms of things I want to store locally and not just download from the net.
So what is slated to replace the spinning platters and whining motors of the ubiquitous hard drive? Why, the Solid State Drive, of course! Based on the same concept as flash memory cards, like those found in USB keys and camera picture cards, these drives have NO moving parts and are totally silent. Not to mention they use very little power and are very light in weight - perfect for laptop drives. Also, the speeds are incredible - have a look at the video on this page and note the fairly reasonable price! These things can already be found in devices like the EEE PC, tiny lightweight netbooks that are the hottest tech segment going right now. Too small for my needs, though some people are looking at how they perform for games.
April 15 - Other History
I enjoy stories that posit "What if?" when it comes to history, as in stories told by authors such as Harry Turtledove and his peers. The tales are sometimes based on fact, and that fact is sometimes hard to believe. Take the information at this link, for instance: German secret weapons from WWII that we thankfully did NOT see in action.
Similarly... well, not really, but it's still cool: a faster way to tie your shoes! Not to be confused with the better way to tie your shoes, listed at 17 Better Ways to Tie Your Shoes - great stuff! Too bad I switched to velcro years ago, despite its tendency to pick up things as I walk.
April 16 - Mid week, home early movies
Hokay... who wants some Bacon Popcorn? I know that you do... but I am not sure the 99-cent Chef would consider it an actual recipe or not.
It felt very strange to be leaving work ON TIME after 4 today, but that was my shift - many more like it, I hope! I am getting used to the no-glass thing, as I have said before... things are more relaxed with my customers, especially as my voice is MUCH lower in volume without a barrier between us. I am still somewhat leery of the cash dispenser, as it is not 100% perfect and has a slight hunger for bills... but I am learning to appease its odd tendencies.
I watched a few movies tonight, enjoying the acoustics of my new Man Cave. The 5.1 surround system I purchased a few years ago does a bang-up job in combination with the wood-ribbed ceiling to bounce the sound richly around the room. Makes movies and media most enjoyable, I must say.
April 17 - I owe you WHAT?
I am SO glad I did not take a vacation this spring... not that I planned to, or had the budget for it. Why? Well, yet another thing to blame on the current economy: trapped tourists. Seems that when Conquest Vacations collapsed, most of their clients were stuck with the bills wherever they were in the world... talk about culture shock.
Maybe they should go to WhatItCosts.com - where you can search out the cost for almost anything, from Alaskan Cruises to Weddings. They didn't have anything about what the value of a soul was though, so I surfed to the Devil's Tramping Ground to explore for a bit - creepy, in the dark.
Want to have a little fun with a website that has been bothering you? Surf to NetDisaster.com, type in the offending website and Choose Your Disaster. Minutes of fun, guaranteed - I like Meteors, myself.
If natural disasters make you nervous, head on over to StormPulse.com to keep track of all the latest on various storms around the globe. It has some excellent up-to-date weather graphics and a TON of information - since I live near the coast, I think I will be coming back to visit fairly often.
April 18 - Singing Sensations
Today I filled in again at our Colwood branch, which has the usual bulletproof glass and money in drawers. It was odd to go back to that, requiring me to shift some mental gears a bit, but easier than I had thought - especially since there is a Tim Horton's literally steps away( about 22 - I counted ). Not that I eat out much any more, but a nice English Breakfast Tea is always welcome, and as a bonus you get TWO teabags with the XL size - frugal as always, s'me.
We all like underdogs, where someone achieves success or greatness despite the odds, rising from the ordinary to the top of things through sheer talent. One such is Susan Boyle, whom you may have already heard has wowed the world with her vocal performance on Britain's Got Talent.
Another underdog I liked was Farscape, that sci-fi show from Muppet-master Brian Henson of the Jim Henson Company. While it never achieved a huge popularity( akin to Babylon5 )like Star Trek, I was sad to see it go, despite the fan base being pushy enough to get a two-hour movie made to complete the series. So the news back in 2007 that a new 'webisode' series was in the works was great, and just recently it appeared online - how's that for new life for old series?
April 19 - Sunday is Doomsday?
Some more morning cartoons, the best of which was Batman: The Brave & the Bold... again. Hearkening back to previous days of superhero comics, it is a good fun romp without brooding overtones - much like the old Batman show, but without the camp, odd as that may sound. Afternoon saw me doing the usual around the house, as well as painting a TV stand outside and doing some more yard tidy - MAN, things grow FAST out here, like sentient green carpets! I relaxed in the hottub for a bit, despite neighbours taking advantage of the sunshine to run all sorts of power tools - typical, but that's what earplugs are for.
Some sad news today for authors: one of our greatest, J.G. Ballard, died today. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, have a look at this lovely page here and see why you should pick up a few of his stories soon.
Today was also the Doomsday Sunday Blitz on the History Channel, meaning they played some interesting shows that were right up my alley for apocalyptic shows. One show I had on DVD already: Life After People( and the similar Aftermath: The World Without Humans ). They both posit the same question: what would happen to the Earth if the human race just up and vanished one day? Some excellent CGI and extrapolating techniques are used to show how the passing of years would affect what was left behind and how the planet would adjust to the sudden passing of humanity. Somewhat less impressive was the movie Deep Impact, which also had excellent CGI but a not-so-stellar story.
Warmer weather is moving in, which should be an interesting experience here, as the house does not have any central ducting or air conditioning - which seems to be quite common here in B.C. oddly enough. So, we will be relying on window blinds to keep out direct sun, as well as open windows to catch cool breezes from the lake.
That about does it - my next day off is Tuesday, and it's already looking rather busy... but SUNNY, so I WILL be taking time off outside. Give me a ring anytime!
