Friends

I finally got out the radio transmitter for my Zune and tried it out.

Sigh... sometimes I hate being an audiophile. There was a notable difference between the way a track sounded on the CD player, vs. Zune's FM transmitter.

It was, to put it simply- squished. The transmitter's bandwidth was clearly narrower than a regular FM channel, (and I understand why), but it really diminished the quality of the sound. The bass and upper end- the part that transmits the room-tone- were absent. It sounded more like AM than FM to my ears.

Mind you, a car is a very hostile audio environment. Unless you're parked in the driveway with the engine switched off, you are not going to get optimal listening quality from a car stereo, no matter how nice it is. But even with that said, it is clear that the makers of the FM transmitter did not put much thought into it.

Now, the Zune itself has a full-spectrum output. I plugged it into my Klipsch Pro Media speakers just to check. It sounded fine- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's pounding rhythms and brilliant instrumentation were played with beautiful fidelity.

Ah, well. Nothing is perfect.

Day 24 → Whatever tickles your fancy

"the company won't colour me" by colour of fire has been my crack lately. i've been listening to it over and over and over again. now, it can be your crack too. :)

Current Mood: procrastinate-y
Current Music: "the company won't colour me" by colour of fire

Day 23 → A YouTube video

...because cats in things they're not supposed to be are, in fact, amazing.

Current Mood: exhausted

Our Arkansas Arts Center scored a coup by getting an exhibit of unique ancient Egyptian artifiacts that span the entire 3000 year history of the kingdom. I went to see it yesterday, and was very impressed. If you are in the Little Rock area, it is definitely worth your time.

The exhibit included items that predated the Two Kingdoms- paleolithic items and early pottery. Then, an explosion of art and culture swept the Nile valley, catapulting them into prominence. Men ruled the households, but women had more rights than any other ancient civilization- including titles, property, and the right to divorce. They loved jewelry, had an elaborate system of writing and a huge pantheon of assorted gods and goddesses. Their lives were so wonderful that their burial culture was hinged upon taking that life with them to the other side.

I enjoyed looking at the progress of the art as the kingdom grew, flourished, peaked, then subsided into Greek and Roman dominance. The last item in the exhibit was a carved stone cross from Greece- from Constantine's time, demonstrating the swath that Christianity cut over the kingdom.

Still, the creators of the exhibit wanted to be true to and honor the people whose art, artifacts, and even bodies (there were two mummies) were on display. Upon exiting, there was a small paragraph about how they believed that as long as their names were remembered, they would never die, and the suggestion that a small prayer be said to them. It was a prayer offering milk, beer, barley, bread, and other things in gratitude to the people named in the exhibit- a lovely gesture.

I stood there reading it- carefully going over the individual names in the list- hearing them in my mind- probably not pronounced correctly, but 'speaking' them nonetheless. It was a small, but meaningful gesture. I am, after all, a modern being built from their components- their memories, their small steps to improve the lot of man, their technology, science, and philosophy. Even their religion- since some folks think that the early Israelites got the idea of monotheism from a pharaoh that was later considered a heretic for his beliefs. Not that I am monotheistic today- that is rather heretical- but the germ kernel is plain to see in the Psalm 104 as compared to the "Hymn to the Sun". Here

It was cool to be within less than 3" to an ancient figure of Sekhmet. Or to see original amulets and scarabs and the carved and painted stones of that ancient time. I wonder what they would think of us now- our attempt to reconstruct their religion, our digital culture. I overheard a docent showing a necklace to a visitor, and saying how it would not be out of place in a shop today. The lovely work of carnelian and lapis lazuli was striking- and would have been something even I would wear. And I am not a wearer of jewelery. The silliness of some 21st Century though did invade my mind at one point. I was looking at a basalt sarcophagus lid, all round and sleek, and thinking that the oversized head and face on the curves of the body made it look like an Egyptian chibi figure. Shame on me.

I got a t-shirt, pretty mug and a papyrus of Aketaten worshiping the sun at the gift shop. It was a gratifying afternoon.

lj-tags: [Twitter]

Random thoughts and ramblings from this past day...

• 09:24 It's snowing! Yay! #
• 20:57 WTF? RT @BreakingNews U.S. Army commander in northern Iraq bans pregnancy, even for married soldiers bit.ly/5xEFz0 #
• 21:03 sad... Esp 4 xmas eve... RT @BreakingNews Update: Borders Books layoffs come as chain closes all U.K. stores bit.ly/5lH3Tt #
• 21:03 RT @nprnews Auschwitz's Infamous Entry Sign Stolen su.pr/3cCFU7 #
• 21:07 LMAO RT @TheOnion Classmates.com Employees Don't Have Heart To Tell CEO About Facebook bit.ly/7ucJJX #
• 21:10 LOL! RT @TFLN (517): dude sorry but u no that when a guys 'likes' ur pic on facebook it only means he was just jacking off to it. #
• 21:26 twitpic.com/u3wtx - lol #

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i got behind again yesterday. sure, i spent a bunch of time on a computer, but most of it was on computers that are probably as old or older than most of the people who read this...namely, my Commodores.

Day 21 → A recipe
i used to love to cook, but then outgrew it. when i was a kid, it was something special...i would spend hours reading the Joy of Cooking, and pick out recipes to make on special days. now, it's something that's at best boring, and at worst that i just don't have time to deal with, since there is so much other stuff i want or need to do. however, spinach gnocchi are really nomzy, and i should really get the ingredients and make some.

Day 22 → A website
Computer Stupidities is the funniest site on the internet. i stumbled across it many years ago, and have read through its stories over and over again. it's exactly what it sounds like--vignettes of really dumb things that people have said about computers. but, what can i say? i love stupid people stories, and these are the creme-de-la-creme of stupid people stories.

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: "devotion and desire" by bayside

( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

lj-tags: [Twitter]

Random thoughts and ramblings from this past day...

• 10:47 RT @CNN Police identify remains, look for link to 'Green River Killer'. bit.ly/7eayNZ #
• 11:43 Biopsies came back normal... Doc appt tomorrow morning... Will schedule next test then... #
• 12:09 A loud crashing noise scared me and the cats... But it was just a sheet of snow/ice falling from an awning... #
• 18:58 .@dbugliari happy Birthday! #
• 18:59 RT @WTVM Carlton Gary excited about execution stay; wants DNA tested bit.ly/8eh4lw #

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I don't know if anyone is really interested in these or not, but they are fun to make, anyway...

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The sound is half the fun on this one!

thanks to my little jaunt to NYC for neighborcon last weekend, and the associated recovery, i've gotten way-too-many days behind on the thirty-days meme i'm doing. so...time to play a little bit of catch-up. :)

***

Day 15 → A fanfic
this is one that really doesn't fit me at all. i don't read fanfic. i don't write fanfic. i don't have anything to do with the world of fanfic. seriously, i think the closest thing to fanfic that i've ever created was a backstory that i started writing in high school [or possibly early college] about my imagined backstory for the song "hey jealousy" by the gin blossoms. i don't have it anymore, though, so you're out of luck.

Day 16 → A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
i have quite a few songs that make me cry, but "tonight is the night i fell asleep at the wheel" by the barenaked ladies probably has the strongest effect on me at this point in my life. it's a really, really sad song about someone who either commits suicide or just so happened to crash his car when his life was at a low point...and the lyrics paint a picture that can't help but suck me into the story.


Day 17 → An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
webcomics involve drawing, right? <3 i love toothpaste for dinner, and this comic is especially genius.


Day 18 → Whatever tickles your fancy
a silly poem:
Fenton Phlantz
by Jack Prelutzky
Fenton Phlantz is fairly weird.
He puts peanuts in his beard.
Elephants are often found
Following Fenton Phlantz around.

Day 19 → A talent of yours
singing. i've been singing since i was a little kid, and i love it. i've been in various choirs since i was nine years old, been in the occasional play or skit, and even took some voice lessons in law school. a lot of people have seen me sing karaoke...although not as many have seen me sing anything of a more classical nature. i really like karaoke, and there are some songs i've found that i can sing fairly well--but really, my voice is far more suited to more classical singing, and that's my favourite kind to do.

Day 20 → A hobby of yours
writing twitter bots. i've written quite a few so far, although the best one i've done to date is most definitely @rogue_bot. i started messing around with the twitter API a little over a year ago, when i wrote a twitter client in bash scripting language, and then moved on to playing with the python-twitter library and started to write bots. it's really fun. i can't say i've finished anything that useful yet (although i'm currently working on a CTA Bus Tracker twitter bot, which will allow people to query it and get bus tracker preditions via twitter--useful for those without a smartphone!), but they're fun to make and they allow me to practice my programming skills.

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: "tonight is the night i fell asleep at the wheel" by barenaked ladies

Today's show begins and ends with two distinctive and legendary voices. Smokey Robinson, appearing with the vocal group Human Nature, needs no introduction: The legendary Motown vocalist's name speaks for itself. And the 7 Worlds Collide track closing the episode features vocals by Neil Finn, whose solo work and recordings with Crowded House had a tremendous mark on alternative rock.

Here's what you'll hear today (right-click to download or to open in a new window or tab):

1. Human Nature feat. Smokey Robinson: "Get Ready"
2. Heather Edwards: "Song About Nothing"
3. Radiant: "CollideOScope"
4. The Spy from Cairo feat. Ghalia Benali: "Ana Arabi"
5. Mahala Rai Banda: "Balkan Reggae"
6. Mr Russia: "Pretty Girls"
7. Mr Russia: "Wooden Heart"
8. Heather Edwards: "Won My Boyfriend on eBay"
9. The Lost Fingers: "Careless Whisper"
10. The Spy from Cairo: "Sufi Disco"
11. Becca: "Turn Up the Stereo"
12. Radiant: "Scars (Xtended Mix)"
13. Mr Russia: "The New Standard"
14. Heather Edwards: "Go With the Flow"
15. 7 Worlds Collide: "All Comedians Suffer"

I am getting reacquainted with LiveJournal's mobile access. I've recently switched to a telecom carrier whose plans allow me to have unlimited data and web access for $20/month less than I had been paying for NO web access. I'm glad to be able to email and browse the web on the go, again!.

This is one of my favorite Nichole Nordeman songs...

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lj-tags: [Twitter]

Random thoughts and ramblings from this past day...

• 19:23 This is discrimination, I tell you! I see loads of legal mumbo-jumbo in my future... #
• 21:32 RT @BreakingNews Body of girl, 16, found in Oregon may be that of Green River Killer's 49th victim bit.ly/585s7X #
• 21:33 RT @nprnews Howard Dean: Kill Senate Health Bill And Start Over su.pr/2x3jpy #
• 21:35 RT @cnnbrk D.C. council votes to legalize same-sex marriage bit.ly/4EWalC #
• 21:37 RT @nprnews Text-Message Case Could Redefine Workplace Privacy su.pr/3FUvMP #
• 21:37 RT @wqad 50 million blinds recalled to prevent risk of children being strangled ow.ly/169V7a #
• 21:39 RT @nprnews White House Greets Christmas Party Guests With Salahi-Proof Security su.pr/25R39C #
• 21:40 RT @nprnews White House: Illinois Prison Will Exceed 'Supermax' Security Standards su.pr/2rJaTr #
• 21:41 RT @cnnbrk Three police officers indicted in alleged hate crime killing of Latino man. bit.ly/50V5o3 #
• 22:30 .@1capplegate awwww cute puppy!! #

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Happy Birthday 4got10one !

I'm not sure what all of my LJ friends feel about this, but check it out here c/o synecdochic's DW and do what you'll do.

[I personally enjoy not having to provide a gender to LJ and believe that new users should have the same chance.]

Current Mood: annoyed

lj-tags: [Twitter]

Random thoughts and ramblings from this past day...

• 23:22 Tucking in hubby... #

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I forget to mention this last week, but I had another eye doctor appointment on Friday. My eyes are all cleared up! He put the yellow stuff in, and there was no staining at all in either eye. (The staining was what indicated the dead cells on my corneas.) Also I don't feel blurry at all anymore, and I think I could see the eye charts pretty well...as good as I could before all this happened, anyway.

So yeah...the sample daily contacts he gave me seem to be working well, so I decided to go with the daily ones. Actually they are having a special sale where you basically get them 50% off, and he's supposed to only limit people to a one-month supply with that price...but he let me get a whole year's supply. I also ordered another lens for the left side of my glasses because for some reason there's a scratch on them. I am going to try to wear my glasses more often now that I've gotten kind of used to myself in them, and I think overall it will keep my eyes from being so irritated all the time.