Junk

Cheetos would've been almost appropriate

This entry really isn't about snacks, but instead, random junk from installing a new OS. After frantically trying to find my Microsoft shirt to wear at the Apple store tonight, I gave up and have resigned myself to tackle laundry this weekend.
A wipe of my drive and another frantic search to find installer discs of my core applications, I am now all set and everything is where it should be, minus the year's worth of crap I'd glommed on to my system.

And so, initial thoughts of Tiger...

• This is by far the most (initially) subtle of OSX releases
• Spotlight really needs an option to stop indexing crap (like external drives)
• I keep things pretty organized without titling or tagging bits of data (like photos), but it will be interesting to see how Spotlight lives up to the enormous hype. When/if Firefox and webservices (delicious, flickr, porn) are integrated, it'll be sweet
• The sound effects in the finder to let you know a file has moved or copied is welcome.
• Dashboard might actually come in handy as a separate workspace for utilities and tidbits. I can see how I'll use it more than Sherlock or the web proper for infoclutter.
• Alas, the Dictionary widget doesn't allow text copying (wtf), and the font choices are poor for legibility.
• Really bummed that water effect when adding widgets only works on G5's or something. (waaah)
• I'm going to test Mail.app for my personal account, this requires using Address Book
• Mail icon/buttons are not as heinous as I imagined.
• I thought I'd try out iCal as well, and it is so 1.0 I think I'll scrap it (try adding a birthday and let me know how that works)
• Signal vs. Noise was right, animations seem like they have a reduced frame rate.
• Overall response of the finder seems faster though, of course, a fresh install is a fresh install.
• Safari is also zippier.
• RSS reading in Safari is nice, but migrating from Firefox or NewsNetWire is too much trouble. As a newcomer to the to subscription based surfing, it has legs.
• Image Capture finally recognizes my camera (iPhoto does as well) and makes thumbnails. This is a true joy.
• I have no idea what to do with Automator as it stands with system applications. Integration with BBedit and Photoshop might help it rock, but those apps do fine for the most part on their own.
• I still wish I could select a file and invoke a command to "move to" another location (like Windows)
  
• There was no discount for other stuff at the Apple store during the event. That stinks.
• I won a free song on iTunes with my lottery ticket, I really was hoping for a laptop.
• The RSS screensaver is nifty.
• I'm most happy about the quiet lines removed from the menubar, replaced with a faint shimmer.

What's it all add up to? Not 130 bucks, but split with 5 over a family pack, it's worth all 40 smackaroos.

Helveticaspotting

Wonder if Oddfellows Local 151 is behind there...

I always get a big smile driving by this firehouse.

Celebration III

May the dorks be with you
Photo @ RebelScum

Yes, even my dork heart swells with emotion at this sight, but I actually teared up when I read they joined sweet voices to sing:

We are the members of the All-American league,
We come from cities, near and far,
We've got Canadians, Irish girls and Swedes,
We're all for one, we're one for all, we're All-American

I need a tissue.

Cloud, Edge, Tree, Blue, Hay, Bus

From gray to blue to yellow

Some extra photos from the day.

Unlucky

+ unfortunate camera shake

It's supposed to be t-shirt weather, but it's kinda cold. It's all about layering in these season transitions though.

The folks at Karmaloop corrected a shipping error I made and got this unlucky shirt to me right quick, which I gladly put under a flannel to go about my day.

In fact, if you sign up with one of your disposable-but-active email addresses to their newsletter, you get 10 bucks off your first order. Making this specimen all of $4.99.

A bargain until shipping charges are lopped on.

In other news, I almost got to use a nail gun today. I should wear a luckier shirt when I do.

Weathering

rain

My grandmother on dad's side used to write in a diary. I'm not sure the topics contained within those pages, but I'd assume it had lots to do with family, birthdays, anniversaries, church things and whatnot. I do remember however, that she'd record weather tidbits to frame each entry. Things like the level of the river and temperature.

Curious, but I find myself doing the same thing. There's a twist though with this goal to take a photo each day. It poses a challenge as I debate available light or setting up a shot.

There's been so much activity and inspiration in the realm of photography of late. In fact, this photo of a dew drop influenced taking a closer look at the leaves of a bush by my apartment yesterday.

Mental pictures

Stringing thoughts together

This mobile tower rose stark in contrast against a field of blue sky today. While framing the shot an airplane flew across the viewfinder and I shuttered.

Reminded of 9/11, I gave pause.

The reflection evolved into a string of thoughts about visual "signatures" or some other word I can't pinpoint. (postnote: someone mentioned "eyeworm" and I thought it was right on)

One of the first things I worked on after college was a CD-ROM for Bartlett's Quotations. An ambitious effort before technology was mature enough to let the project flourish, there was an interesting facet where different media was integrated into a timeline.

There was a movie clip of a white Bronco speeding down the freeway with the jitter of a helicopter's perspective. A sound sample of Scott Joplin’s "The Entertainer." Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. I'm not sure how effective those examples were, but it's something curious indeed I'd like to explore someday.

Stacked

A view from the birthing floor of the hospital

The houses outlying the university district look sort of neato from up high.

Bigger version of the photo (430 KB)

The stork’s been busy

x 2

If you've been following along, you may have remembered a recent post featuring two pregnant friends.

Both had successful deliveries this weekend of healthy boys.

: )

Blech

(This) chewing gum is really gross

Imagine you left Jolly Ranchers in a bag next to Fruit Stripe gum for a good piece of time and you'd get this latest concoction from Wrigleys. Oh, and when the flavor goes away after 30 seconds, it will be a hard glop of tasteless un-chewable crap in another 30.

I really need to make a category for junk food.

Clickr

Gas stove woes

Imagine someone clicking two fingernails together and amplify that dozens of times with an irregular rhythm.

The pilot light keeps clicking on my stovetop. I've googled to no avail. Spark modules. Ignition problems. I've tried cleaning what I can, I just need to break down and call a professional.

In other news, CSS tools just ain't there yet for visual point and clickers like me.

Math is hard. I'm going to have a beer.

Rollin

The hills are alive

Basement floor paint dry, I started to help piece together bits of the screen printing equipment this afternoon. At one point, I pulled up the wiring diagram entry so we could make sure all the 'lectric parts worked.

Driving home, the overcast day made greens pop.

In other news, I took each key off my keyboard and removed 3 years of dirt and hair.

Riots, restaurants, footlongs and soft serve

The dairy bar is open

I had a meeting downtown. The city bustles in the light of weekdays, but the crowd disappears in the evening. We’ve never recovered fully from the race riots in 2000 they say — that’s apparently one reason why a restaurant like the Masionette is moving to the burbs.

It’s either fallout from riots, or everyone is over at Newport on the Levee because all we have are two monster stadiums on our side of the river.

Gosh, this sounds all negative — when in fact I had a splendid day. After the meeting I stopped by the dairy bar on the way home.

I had a hot dog.
It tasted real good.
I suppose I should now watch a movie from Hollywood.

They do have those nice theaters in Kentucky...

Related entry: October 2, 2003
When I actually posted lyrics for Soft Serve by Soul Coughing

Millions

A box full of money

I'm at my mom's house configuring WiFi on her new high speed network yesterday evening. We went to Apple's trailer page as it is a good test of connection. In another tab we had showtimes for the movie theater up the street — all these flicks we'd never heard of except for that Woody Allen thing that I'm not ready to lay out money for...

So we hopped back and forth, checking out all the previews and ended up agreeing on this movie called Millions. You've probably never heard of it either — here's the trailer (in QuickTime.) So I put my camera in her purse and we went to see it.

Short review: Not a bad movie, but not super great. It’s...

Nice.

Above average cinematography with a typical moral dilemma and standard characters. There's a few scenes of computer generated effects that, while not realistic, don't detract from the story at hand. I was never fidgety or bored, so I suppose I am happy with where my entertainment dollar went.

Afterward my mom and I raided some boxes for community papers to get lots of coupons for buy-one-get-one-free movie tickets.

We felt like millionaires.

Too much rock for one hand

Ah, a new favorite t-shirt

In brown no less (my favorite), though I think the website I purchased this gem from, toomuchmetal.com, called the color "nude."

Fastest shipping ever to boot.

I have to thank Dave from LA for introducing me to this gesture and saying. It has been folded into my vernacular and I feel all the better for it.

Zamboni

Time to find some summer socks

Today I put the (hopefully) final coat of paint on a basement floor that will house all the screen printing equipment.

Carwash

I have no idea what the "R P E" means

Another perfect day to get the ride shiny. This time I went through one of those places that makes you get out of the car. I splurged and got the nice package with the Polish Wax (and here I thought they just made sausage.)

That was bad.

Maybe not as bad as documenting every time I go through a carwash, but I kinda liked the photo. I'll like it better when I have a filter to correct lens curve.

Little Shop of Horrors

Bop shoo bop, lIttle shop of terror

Matinee this afternoon for Little Shop of Horrors. A handful of live journal folk and then some filled up the little viewing suite with the weird piped in audio — made more odd when they cut volume for the applause.

I have a little confession. I knew every word of the show because I was in my high school production as the plant. Which was cool, cause I got to hang out in the pit with all the musicians and dip vodka soaked Kodiak and stuff while a fella named Toby had to actually sit in the plant costume and "mouth" the words I sang into the microphone.

Ah, high school.

Anyways, the doo-wop girls steal the show and I think the ending needs a boost. Maybe fireworks and lasers.

Glowing

Dag I'm pale

Playing catch up — I've got a blank page for last Sunday and I'd be remiss not to recount the fun I had tilling a garden that day.

I can't say I did it just to ride the little tractor, which yes, that was a big part — but more-so, I need sun. And there's been lots of it of late.

Just today I noticed hills once brown are now the faintest touch of green. It was like Bob Ross (bless his memory) was just beginning to get his groove on.

Happy trees, indeed.

Planting One Seed at a Time

Tom’s 2004 Compilation

My friend’s yearly mixes have taken on epic proportions. His labor of love takes months of honing as he perfects the flow and develops stunning packages. This year, a few of us turned an evening of picking up the CDs into a mini-release party catered by Chipotle.

Fun details include sunflower seeds in the spine of the jewelboxing, and an actual coupon for the independent record store here in town to encourage folks to go out and buy what they like.

It's not necessarily music that came out in 2004, but it's stuff that caught Tom’s ear and made an impression. I'm still not through it, yet I'm already finding myself humming new tunes I didn't know before.

The complete track list...

The Fiery Furnaces

Live in the woxy.com lounge

Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger, the brother and sister duo that is The Fiery Furnaces performed at the radio station this afternoon.

A loose set with a few giggles thrown in, they were just as entertaining answering questions from the DJ in-between songs.

In other news, the weather is bordering on perfect.

Heartbreaker

Don't you mess around, NO NO NO!

After the Superwolf concert at the Southgate House last night, there was karaoke going on in the front room. Dave coerced me to sit in as folks butchered some tunes while others made them uniquely theirs. A group of Apple store employees were particularly energetic (with bonus backup dancer doing the robot.)

Spirits were high until one lady brought the mood down with her rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” from that Titanic movie. I leaned over and said she was killing me softly with her song. (insert rimshot)

The vibe rebounded however and hit a high point with Dave's rendition of the Pat Benatar classic "Heartbreaker," which brought out dancers and backup singing from some spicy little numbers.

Superwolf

Bonnie “Prince” Billy (note the audience member in the righthand corner)

I remember the day distinctly when I saw this album at the record store up the street and bought it without any hesitation, unheard.

Turns out it was pretty dang good in the most mellow and quiet of ways.

Fast forward a few years and that fella with the beard joined up with a guitarist from Zwan (not quite the worst band ever) and made Superwolf. I'd link to a site but I can only seem to find paltry pages on the label's online sprawl... (Where did I recently read that artist websites are the new album covers that we spend our time gazing through...)

Anyways, they performed at the smoke filled Southgate House in Kentucky last night and were true to the sound on their record. However, the whole staging and vibe seemed off in a some inexplicable way. Although I love the venue, I think they require something more comfortable. Outside? On a porch with beer stocked coolers? I dunno.

Maybe I'm remiss that I haven't seen Mr. Billy performing his subtle solo material.

Regardless, his voice was a fine thing to hear live and the karaoke afterward made me feel my entertainment dollar was well spent.

Ouch

It was like Halo, fer real

<< Rewind to Saturday — A friend decided to celebrate his 30th birthday with an afternoon of paintball way over on the east side where folks have a decided twang to their conversation. This is pretty close to where I grew up in fact, but I've somehow managed to erase most of the gritty dialect. (It still surfaces from time to time, usually when beer in cans is involved)

I've never tried paintball before, and I think I'd do things differently next time. First and foremost, and outdoor arena would be prime. This place had fake turf absolutely covered in the greasy splats of fluorescent goop. It smelled like puberty. Walls were covered with posters for paintball gear which had the flavor of snowboarding graphics bastardized with a NASCAR photoshop filter.

Luckily, the wife of the birthday boy brought antibacterial wipes, which I used often.

I threw in the towel shortly after getting pummeled inside the no-no 10 foot safety zone.

Thanks Ben.

The bruise and a few more photos from the day can be seen here

Ben Lee

At Top Cats

Ben Lee performed at the radio station in the afternoon, but I had to miss it. Luckily, I got to catch some of his performance at Top Cats later that night and take some photos.

I'll be honest. I don't know his music.

I can say though, he's got some incredibly vibrant energy about him. My friend recalled the interview he had earlier in the day at the studio. Something about his new album, and how it reflected this vibe. He realized he had a choice, and he wanted to make make happy music; see people smile.

Now all these words are a twice removed game of telephone, but I can still dig it.

Yet another funeral

I'm really not looking for Maude

I went to a funeral on Friday to offer condolences and lend support to a friend. His father passed rather quickly.

I remember back at my father's funeral, the fortune of having friends in attendance.

This was an entirely different service though, much brighter in spirit, in a well appointed funeral home.

Standing room only, so I sat in a side room listening to the short service over the speakers. Out the window, as perfect a day as one could imagine — trees in bloom, bright blue skies and warm sunlight.

A school bus passed beyond the flag at half staff as folks gathered in the main room sang Amazing Grace unaccompanied.

The cycle of life seemed apparent. I imagined kids waiting to lose their books and get back outside to enjoy the weather.

Still though, there's been so much death and hardship lately. So many folks I know who have loved ones teetering or recently gone. The harsh reminder of priority.

After the service another side room became an open bar, and I helped in small ways making sure there was ice and sodas at hand for mixers. A flatscreen TV played old home movies in a corner. It was a contrast of technology as old 8mm films of Christmas mornings lone gone jittered silently. A child wearing a fireman's hat and one of those firetucks you pedaled... A miniature billiard table... The attention span of three young boys as they unearthed more presents...

In no shape or form do grand toys indicate a great father, but you could sense it as folks regarded the videos and clumped into conversations.

Overall though, this funeral gave me ideas for some requirements I want to commit to writing for my own service. I've gone on long enough here though, and the weekend offered more things I hope to capture.

One last thing, I did walk around outside that day to capture more Spring.

Some photos of flowers outside the funeral home...

Spring happened overnight the other day

Just in time, too

Fortune

Lucky lucky me!

I used to keep a slew of these little slips of paper in my wallet, but I got over that at some point... I think that was high school.

In other news, we got the big heater-thing (for screen printing) disassembled and through a door yesterday. Exhausted, I spent the night up north at my friends' place.

The field looked so nice this morning with a hint of color and mist, I figured I'd take a picture and use it as a backdrop for a fortune from dinner last night.

The first time I posted a message from a fortune cookie, it came true, and I left soon after for a 49 day whirlwind tour across the country.

Of course, this is all poppycock and I was planning that road trip anyway.

Intelligent software agents

I could've easily gotten several testimonials from previous clients to get the same statement...

So I'm peeking over the shoulder of a fella I'm working with and we're going over projects outlined on our Basecamp hub. As we traded barbs about how we use (the project management website) and how we _wished_ it would work, this screen came up.

For reference

Infrared heat dryer

Growing up, I wasn't so bright when I took electronic things apart — usually breaking them in the process.

I'm smarter now, making sure to label things and document before complete disassembly.

It's those silver hairs, I know it.

Dinner Club: Western Bowl + Cancun

New additions on the way

It's been about a year since we started Dinner Club — where friends meet up on the first Tuesday of the month at some restaurant.

We enjoyed Cancun Restaurante & Cantina (attached to the Western Bowl) so much, it was time for a repeat.

It’s been a rollicking year, with new folks joining us, some good food, some bad food, and always fine company. Next month should be interesting, as two couples have babies due. We're thinking we'll just pack up some food and storm their houses.

I didn't bowl, I took some photos...

Gratitude

Thanks Annaliza from NY City

I skipped going to the license bureau yesterday after taking the wrong on-ramp — gravitating toward home by mistake.

Upon my return home last night, a card from NY was in the mailbox with no return address.

The Kills

Outside the studio

Lunchtime at the radio station to squeeze off some photos of The Kills.

S'always odd having a band come in and set up quick-like — hardly affords any time to warm up and get comfortable with all the variables of a live set.

The two members of the group were almost like ghosts walking in daylight, with lead singer VV gravitating toward Buster the part-time studio dog (who lends a nice humane touch to the place) and everyone else plugging things in or looking for coffee.

Once they went on air though, the vibe cranked up several notches. I'm not sure on all the technical feats, but this band of two sounded like a band of more. It was pretty damn incredible with everyone tapping their feet or nodding their head in time to the big sound.

After that, there were grins all around.

I tend to take lots of the photos behind the glass of the studio 'cause I dislike being all up in someone's face, especially if they're likely just up for the day. But there are more photos posted up on woxy's flickr account. Images are a bit more processed than usual.

They've a video on their site you can sample. If you dig em, I'd check em out live.

April US Tour Dates:
5 Cleveland, OH- Beachland Ballroom
7 Toronto, ONT- The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
8 Montreal, QUE- Le Petit Campus
9 Hoboken, NJ- Maxwell's
10 Boston, MA- Paradise Rock Club
11 New York, NY- Bowery Ballroom
13 Washington DC- Black Cat
14 Atlanta, GA- The Earl
15 Orlando, FLA- The Social
16 Ft. Lauderdale, FLA- Culture Room

Then back from Europe for Coachella.

Silver

I disgress progress

Spring is here and I figured it was a good time for a haircut. Might as well look proper for a new Driver’s License photo to boot.

‘Sides, I like visiting my barber in Kentucky.

She exclaimed during my stint in the chair that I’m due for some rough times ahead, which isn't something anyone wants to hear. This can't be, I protest. This is my Jesus year.

Maybe she was speaking metaphorically. Silver hairs are starting to creep along the sides of my head, and they are going to be unruly she says — sticking out, not tameable, coarse...

*shrug*

While razoring up my neck she reminded me not to jerk around because if I get cut and sue, I wouldn't get much. “Just me and two dogs... and we eat well.”

Speaking of her dogs, I snapped a photo of her mutt by the name of Bear. Sweet pup.

Photos from NYC

89 clicks

A (large) slice of my trip last weekend in New York...