Tick... Tick... Tick...
Well, here we are in the waning hours of 2005... Is it just me, or is 2005 kind of a cool, vaguely science-fictional sounding year? 2006 just doesn't have quite the same ring to it somehow.
2005's been an interesting, eventful year, both for me personally and for the world at large, though, in the latter case, I suppose a lot of it's been interesting in the "Chinese curse" sense... With any luck, maybe next year will be a bit less interesting and a bit more peaceful.
Anyway, Happy New Year to those of you in time zones where it's already past midnight, or those of you not reading this 'til after midnight, or to... Well, OK, to everybody, really.
Now if only I could get that damned U2 song out of my head...
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Friday, December 30, 2005
I'd Like To Zap Apple With a Fireball Right About Now...
| Wizard 7% Combativeness, 23% Sneakiness, 82% Intellect, 8% Spirituality |
| Brilliant! You are a Wizard! Wizards are spells-casters who study powerful arcane magic. While Wizards tend to be pretty fragile, some of those spells can pack quite a punch. Unlike Clerics, Wizards aren't as good at fixing people as they are at breaking them, so watch where you toss that fireball... Your most distinctive trait is your intelligence. You're probably well learned and logical, if perhaps a bit fragile. |
 |
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The RPG Class Test written by MFlowers on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
Rotten Apple
So, I did, indeed, decide to buy me an iPod. I just ordered it, in fact. Or tried to... Apple's website says it's processing my payment. Apple's website appears to have been processing my payment for a very, very long time. It is also warning me not to hit my back button. So, fine, I am not hitting my back button. But I'm not getting my order processed, either.
Waaaah! I want my iPod!
So, I did, indeed, decide to buy me an iPod. I just ordered it, in fact. Or tried to... Apple's website says it's processing my payment. Apple's website appears to have been processing my payment for a very, very long time. It is also warning me not to hit my back button. So, fine, I am not hitting my back button. But I'm not getting my order processed, either.
Waaaah! I want my iPod!
End of the Year Meme
As 2005 draws to a close, I find I have nothing better to do than answer a series of random, nosy questions. Well, no, OK, I have lots of better things to do, but there's this whole "procrastination" thing. So...
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Bought a house! I'm afraid this is likely to be a recurring theme, actually.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I'm still mostly sticking to my resolution about not making resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but I know a couple of people who are pregnant. Oh, and a cat gave birth in my driveway. I'd say that counts as being "close to me," if only in a purely physical sense.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? Only traveled inside the United States this year, and not even very much of that. I think the only place I really went was California.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? An iPod! Well, OK, for all but the very tail end of 2005, I was perfectly satisfied with my Rio Karma. But I'm getting all obsessive about this iPod thing now.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? April 15th, not because it was Tax Day, but because it's the day I closed on my house.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Hand-raising an orphan kitten, and not killing him.
9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know that I've had any major failures. I suppose I've been a bit of a failure at having a social life (an offline social life, I mean), mainly because I haven't really been trying much. I should spend more time with my friends.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Other than a nasty bout of flu in late spring, no.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A house!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? The BBC's for bringing back Doctor Who.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? The United States Government.
14. Where did most of your money go? House! House! House! Not just the down payment and stuff, but also the damned stucco.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? House! See, I told you there'd be a theme.
16. What song will always remind you of 2005? Probably none of them. I don't really tend to associate songs with years.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or Sadder? Happier, I think. Getting out of that trailer was a good thing.
Thinner or Fatter? Thinner! I'm down to about 160, and more or less holding steady there. If I could drop another ten pounds or so, I'd be really happy, but I already feel a lot better than when I weighed 195.
Richer or Poorer? Poorer. Much, much poorer. My savings are gone, and I'm in debt again. Sigh. But I own property!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Getting out of the house, I suppose.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Computer solitaire. What a time-sink!
20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve? You know, I honestly haven't made any plans. I may just hang out here and change the calendars at midnight.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? Do fictional characters count?
23. How many one-night stands? Do fictional characters count? Wait, no, I didn't say that...
24. What was your favorite TV program? Doctor Who! Even if I had to pursue sub-legal means of getting hold of it.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't think so. I'm not big on hating people, really.
26. What was the best book you read? Oooh, so many to choose from! Looking over my list of 2005 books (to be posted here in a day or two), and picking just a few that really stand out: Blameless in Abaddon, Life of Pi, The Sparrow, Candide... And, wow, those are just the first four standouts on the list, honestly, and I have absolutely no idea what it means that, thematically, they're all about the exact same thing (what Christians call the "problem of pain"), but it's interesting, isn't it? Let's see... Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell ought to get at least an honorable mention, and perhaps Spin. Oh, and To Kill a Mockingbird, for certain. On the non-fiction front, The Child That Books Built and Everything Bad is Good for You. I could go on, but that's probably enough.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I want to say the Killers, but I think that was actually last year.
28. What did you want and get? A house! Ahem. Sorry.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? I don't remember very well what movies I even saw this year. I guess I didn't actually go to very many, and I think most of my DVD-watching was TV series. I suppose I'll say Serenity, just because it's the one that's really stuck in my mind.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 34, and I didn't really do much of anything. I'm not that big on birthdays.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Um... Giant heaps of money?
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? The same as it's been pretty much since I started dressing myself. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I say, and there's nothing wrong with the jeans 'n' t-shirt look.
34. What kept you sane? Who says I'm sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I don't generally make a habit of fancying real people I've never met.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Disaster unpreparedness.
37. Who did you miss? My sister! I wish she'd been here for Christmas.
38. Who were the best new people you met? Did I meet new people? Maybe I met a few online. Hello, new online people!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: What I've always suspected is true. People who have babies are nuts, and people who have more than one baby are in-fucking-sane. That baby kitten nearly killed me, and human infants have to be at least ten times worse, as well as being helpless for much, much longer.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "Our house is a very, very, very fine house..." Well, I have to include the cats to make the plural work, but it fits, anyway.
As 2005 draws to a close, I find I have nothing better to do than answer a series of random, nosy questions. Well, no, OK, I have lots of better things to do, but there's this whole "procrastination" thing. So...
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Bought a house! I'm afraid this is likely to be a recurring theme, actually.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I'm still mostly sticking to my resolution about not making resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but I know a couple of people who are pregnant. Oh, and a cat gave birth in my driveway. I'd say that counts as being "close to me," if only in a purely physical sense.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? Only traveled inside the United States this year, and not even very much of that. I think the only place I really went was California.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? An iPod! Well, OK, for all but the very tail end of 2005, I was perfectly satisfied with my Rio Karma. But I'm getting all obsessive about this iPod thing now.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? April 15th, not because it was Tax Day, but because it's the day I closed on my house.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Hand-raising an orphan kitten, and not killing him.
9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know that I've had any major failures. I suppose I've been a bit of a failure at having a social life (an offline social life, I mean), mainly because I haven't really been trying much. I should spend more time with my friends.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Other than a nasty bout of flu in late spring, no.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A house!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? The BBC's for bringing back Doctor Who.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? The United States Government.
14. Where did most of your money go? House! House! House! Not just the down payment and stuff, but also the damned stucco.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? House! See, I told you there'd be a theme.
16. What song will always remind you of 2005? Probably none of them. I don't really tend to associate songs with years.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or Sadder? Happier, I think. Getting out of that trailer was a good thing.
Thinner or Fatter? Thinner! I'm down to about 160, and more or less holding steady there. If I could drop another ten pounds or so, I'd be really happy, but I already feel a lot better than when I weighed 195.
Richer or Poorer? Poorer. Much, much poorer. My savings are gone, and I'm in debt again. Sigh. But I own property!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Getting out of the house, I suppose.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Computer solitaire. What a time-sink!
20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve? You know, I honestly haven't made any plans. I may just hang out here and change the calendars at midnight.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? Do fictional characters count?
23. How many one-night stands? Do fictional characters count? Wait, no, I didn't say that...
24. What was your favorite TV program? Doctor Who! Even if I had to pursue sub-legal means of getting hold of it.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't think so. I'm not big on hating people, really.
26. What was the best book you read? Oooh, so many to choose from! Looking over my list of 2005 books (to be posted here in a day or two), and picking just a few that really stand out: Blameless in Abaddon, Life of Pi, The Sparrow, Candide... And, wow, those are just the first four standouts on the list, honestly, and I have absolutely no idea what it means that, thematically, they're all about the exact same thing (what Christians call the "problem of pain"), but it's interesting, isn't it? Let's see... Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell ought to get at least an honorable mention, and perhaps Spin. Oh, and To Kill a Mockingbird, for certain. On the non-fiction front, The Child That Books Built and Everything Bad is Good for You. I could go on, but that's probably enough.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I want to say the Killers, but I think that was actually last year.
28. What did you want and get? A house! Ahem. Sorry.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? I don't remember very well what movies I even saw this year. I guess I didn't actually go to very many, and I think most of my DVD-watching was TV series. I suppose I'll say Serenity, just because it's the one that's really stuck in my mind.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 34, and I didn't really do much of anything. I'm not that big on birthdays.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Um... Giant heaps of money?
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? The same as it's been pretty much since I started dressing myself. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I say, and there's nothing wrong with the jeans 'n' t-shirt look.
34. What kept you sane? Who says I'm sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I don't generally make a habit of fancying real people I've never met.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Disaster unpreparedness.
37. Who did you miss? My sister! I wish she'd been here for Christmas.
38. Who were the best new people you met? Did I meet new people? Maybe I met a few online. Hello, new online people!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: What I've always suspected is true. People who have babies are nuts, and people who have more than one baby are in-fucking-sane. That baby kitten nearly killed me, and human infants have to be at least ten times worse, as well as being helpless for much, much longer.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "Our house is a very, very, very fine house..." Well, I have to include the cats to make the plural work, but it fits, anyway.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
House Is in the House!
I at last have my final House disc. Yay! I also have disc 1 of season 2 of The West Wing, which arrived with it, and all of season 1 of Mythbusters, because that was my Christmas present to myself before I realized I needed an iPod.
I think I got my entertainment for the weekend covered.
I at last have my final House disc. Yay! I also have disc 1 of season 2 of The West Wing, which arrived with it, and all of season 1 of Mythbusters, because that was my Christmas present to myself before I realized I needed an iPod.
I think I got my entertainment for the weekend covered.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
The Ubiquitous "What I've Been Watching on DVD Lately" Post
Most recently received from Netflix: season 1 of The 4400. I originally avoided this when it was on TV, because Sci Fi's ads made it look like the sort of cheesy alien-abduction thing they're entirely too fond of, but hearing various positive things about it later on made me decide to take a chance on the DVDs. And I'm glad I did, because it turns out my first impression was entirely wrong.
The premise is that 4400 people have mysteriously disappeared over the course of about sixty years... and then suddenly reappear in a ball of light in 2004, looking no older, and with no memory of what's happened to them. And, over time, some of them begin to display strange, almost superhuman abilities... It's an interesting premise, albeit one that could have led to something terribly cheesy if executed with a little less intelligence and care. As it is, the result is really interesting, in large part because it focuses as much on the implications to people's lives of suddenly finding themselves displaced in time as it does on anything else. And the first season, at least -- all five episodes of it -- also does a very nice balancing act between revealing too much of the mystery to keep us interested and revealing too little of it to, well, keep us interested. Whether the second season manages to keep that up, I don't know, but I'll definitely make a point of getting my hands on those discs, too, when they're out.
In other news, my last House disc, which I had to re-insert on the top of my queue after it boomeranged back to the warehouse the first time, still has not arrived, despite supposedly having been mailed on the 23rd. Why does the Post Office hate me so? And why does the universe apparently not want me to see the last couple of episodes of House?
Most recently received from Netflix: season 1 of The 4400. I originally avoided this when it was on TV, because Sci Fi's ads made it look like the sort of cheesy alien-abduction thing they're entirely too fond of, but hearing various positive things about it later on made me decide to take a chance on the DVDs. And I'm glad I did, because it turns out my first impression was entirely wrong.
The premise is that 4400 people have mysteriously disappeared over the course of about sixty years... and then suddenly reappear in a ball of light in 2004, looking no older, and with no memory of what's happened to them. And, over time, some of them begin to display strange, almost superhuman abilities... It's an interesting premise, albeit one that could have led to something terribly cheesy if executed with a little less intelligence and care. As it is, the result is really interesting, in large part because it focuses as much on the implications to people's lives of suddenly finding themselves displaced in time as it does on anything else. And the first season, at least -- all five episodes of it -- also does a very nice balancing act between revealing too much of the mystery to keep us interested and revealing too little of it to, well, keep us interested. Whether the second season manages to keep that up, I don't know, but I'll definitely make a point of getting my hands on those discs, too, when they're out.
In other news, my last House disc, which I had to re-insert on the top of my queue after it boomeranged back to the warehouse the first time, still has not arrived, despite supposedly having been mailed on the 23rd. Why does the Post Office hate me so? And why does the universe apparently not want me to see the last couple of episodes of House?
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Merry Happiness and Happy Merriment!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Good Random Sunday in December to all of you! As mentioned before, my mother and grandmother were out visiting for a few days, during which time they insisted on stuffing me absolutely full of food (and left more behind them when they left, just in case they hadn't succeeded in fattening me up enough). Today was actually Leftover Day, as we did the big holiday meal yesterday. And then opened all the presents last night. (See, what did I tell you? When I was a kid, I was forbidden to even touch my presents before Christmas morning, but now that we're all older, it's all, "What the heck. Prezzies now!") They were originally going to leave tomorrow, but decided to head out today instead to avoid the traffic. Not a bad idea at all, in my opinion, as they had a very long drive ahead of them, and my mother has to be back at work on Wednesday morning. It leaves me with a little more time off to myself than I was expecting, but, hey, I'll totally take it. I'm certainly not going back in to work early!
Anyway, it was a nice, if decidedly low-key Christmas. And I got prezzies!:
- Three books: Finding Serenity, Strange New Worlds III and The Fabric of Reality.
- Serenity on DVD, from the Mystery Blogger, as previously squealed over.
- A reservoir attachment thingy for my cat drinking fountain, to provide them with larger quantities of water (which should be useful if I'm gone over a weekend).
- A set of plastic food containers in a spinning organizer thingy.
- A needlepoint picture my mother made featuring a kitten who looks just like Vir.
- A nice tin full of potato chips of an especially yummy variety which cannot be found here, far from my native homeland of South Jersey.
- Various kinds of candy and other yummies.
- A calendar of kitty-cat cartoons.
- Kitty-cat Pajamas.
- A candle-holder and candle. (Also featuring kitty-cats. There was something of a theme this year.)
- A little snowman doll thingy.
- A set of notepads and pencils and such, in a cool "sun, moon & stars" pattern.
- Assorted bath products.
And I have the dreadful feeling that I'm forgetting something, but that certainly seems like more than enough!
I'd also list the things I gave people, because, somewhat surprisingly, it really isn't All About Me, but not all of them have been received yet, so I won't.
Oh, and the BBC plus the internet gave me the coolest gift of all: A new episode of Doctor Who! And now it's only two more months until the DVD boxed set comes out in the US...
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Good Random Sunday in December to all of you! As mentioned before, my mother and grandmother were out visiting for a few days, during which time they insisted on stuffing me absolutely full of food (and left more behind them when they left, just in case they hadn't succeeded in fattening me up enough). Today was actually Leftover Day, as we did the big holiday meal yesterday. And then opened all the presents last night. (See, what did I tell you? When I was a kid, I was forbidden to even touch my presents before Christmas morning, but now that we're all older, it's all, "What the heck. Prezzies now!") They were originally going to leave tomorrow, but decided to head out today instead to avoid the traffic. Not a bad idea at all, in my opinion, as they had a very long drive ahead of them, and my mother has to be back at work on Wednesday morning. It leaves me with a little more time off to myself than I was expecting, but, hey, I'll totally take it. I'm certainly not going back in to work early!
Anyway, it was a nice, if decidedly low-key Christmas. And I got prezzies!:
- Three books: Finding Serenity, Strange New Worlds III and The Fabric of Reality.
- Serenity on DVD, from the Mystery Blogger, as previously squealed over.
- A reservoir attachment thingy for my cat drinking fountain, to provide them with larger quantities of water (which should be useful if I'm gone over a weekend).
- A set of plastic food containers in a spinning organizer thingy.
- A needlepoint picture my mother made featuring a kitten who looks just like Vir.
- A nice tin full of potato chips of an especially yummy variety which cannot be found here, far from my native homeland of South Jersey.
- Various kinds of candy and other yummies.
- A calendar of kitty-cat cartoons.
- Kitty-cat Pajamas.
- A candle-holder and candle. (Also featuring kitty-cats. There was something of a theme this year.)
- A little snowman doll thingy.
- A set of notepads and pencils and such, in a cool "sun, moon & stars" pattern.
- Assorted bath products.
And I have the dreadful feeling that I'm forgetting something, but that certainly seems like more than enough!
I'd also list the things I gave people, because, somewhat surprisingly, it really isn't All About Me, but not all of them have been received yet, so I won't.
Oh, and the BBC plus the internet gave me the coolest gift of all: A new episode of Doctor Who! And now it's only two more months until the DVD boxed set comes out in the US...
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Sloth Is My Favorite Deadly Sin. Hell, I Was almost Too Lazy Too Finish This Quiz.
The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com
| Greed: | Medium | |
| Gluttony: | High | |
| Wrath: | Very Low | |
| Sloth: | Very High | |
| Envy: | Very Low | |
| Lust: | Medium | |
| Pride: | Very Low |
The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com
Interlude in Meatspace
Just a quick note to say that my blogging, as well as other forms on online activity, will doubtless be sporadic and light for the next few days since, as previously mentioned, I have family coming in to visit and will thus doubtless be dragged kicking and screaming away from my computer and forced to have face-to-face interactions with actual human beings.
They should be here some time this afternoon... Hmm. I wonder how much of my e-mail I can get answered before then?
Just a quick note to say that my blogging, as well as other forms on online activity, will doubtless be sporadic and light for the next few days since, as previously mentioned, I have family coming in to visit and will thus doubtless be dragged kicking and screaming away from my computer and forced to have face-to-face interactions with actual human beings.
They should be here some time this afternoon... Hmm. I wonder how much of my e-mail I can get answered before then?
Time to Cue Up the Blues on My Playlist (While I Still Can)
So, like I said yesterday, my mp3 player appears to be dying. It's been deteriorating for a while, really. First, the scroll button got jammed and wouldn't function any more, which was annoying, but not fatal. The Karma has a nicely designed interface which allows you to do most things in multiple ways, so there's very little that absolutely requires the scroll button, and nothing I couldn't live without. Then it started to become difficult to get the battery to charge. I'd have to twiddle it back and forth in the docking cradle, often quite a lot, before it'd make the right connection. Which was slightly more annoying, because sometimes I'd put it on to charge and discover that it hadn't. Now... Sigh. Now, it's taken to suddenly cutting out for no obvious reason. In the middle of a song, zzzt!, suddenly it's dead. So far, I've always managed to get it to come back to life again, but it's often taken me several tries. (And I'm not talking about a once-a-week occasional glitch here, I'm talking about not being able to listen to an entire album all the way through.) So I'm really beginning to think this thing's reached the end of its operational life.
I'm not actually complaining, really. I'd say I'd gotten my money's worth out of the gadget, given the sheer amount of use and enjoyment I've had from it. And it's been knocked around pretty badly, even dropped several times, so I'm actually kind of surprised it's still working at all. Plus, I'd been seriously considering replacing it, anyway, as the hard drive is now very close to full, and it'd be good to have something with more memory. I'd just been hoping to put it off until I could actually, you know, afford it, and it looks like I don't have the luxury anymore, if I want to have a functional mp3 player. Which I do. I'm also kind of scared that eventually I won't be able to get the thing to start at all, and I won't be able to get all my music off of it. Because, why, no, I don't have backups, there not being enough space on my PC for all that music and my CD-burner being less than entirely healthy, itself. Or, rather, I do have backups for most of it: they're called CDs, but they're not in a very handy format. I think it took me something like three weeks of nearly constant effort to rip all those discs in the first place.
So, anyway, since Rio no longer makes the players, it looks like I'm gonna be buying me an iPod. The biggest one I can get my hands on, I think, since I really don't want to have to worry about running out of disc space again. (I've actually been avoiding buying CDs lately because I've been worried about running out of room for them.)
There are two major annoyances with this, though. One, iPods are freakin' expensive, and my cash flow situation right now sucks. I suppose I can use that extra December paycheck (an artifact of being paid biweekly), but that money really should go into the savings account or towards paying off the credit card instead. Or possibly into a new pair of eyeglasses.
And, two, the vast majority of the songs on the Karma are in ogg vorbis format, mainly because, I dunno, I thought it was so cool that Rio products supported it. Problem is, of course, that the iPod doesn't. Oh, man, am I not looking forward to the prospect of having to convert thousands of files from ogg to mp3.
Anyway... If anybody has any advice about iPods or about ogg-to-mp3 conversion programs, I'll be happy to hear it.
So, like I said yesterday, my mp3 player appears to be dying. It's been deteriorating for a while, really. First, the scroll button got jammed and wouldn't function any more, which was annoying, but not fatal. The Karma has a nicely designed interface which allows you to do most things in multiple ways, so there's very little that absolutely requires the scroll button, and nothing I couldn't live without. Then it started to become difficult to get the battery to charge. I'd have to twiddle it back and forth in the docking cradle, often quite a lot, before it'd make the right connection. Which was slightly more annoying, because sometimes I'd put it on to charge and discover that it hadn't. Now... Sigh. Now, it's taken to suddenly cutting out for no obvious reason. In the middle of a song, zzzt!, suddenly it's dead. So far, I've always managed to get it to come back to life again, but it's often taken me several tries. (And I'm not talking about a once-a-week occasional glitch here, I'm talking about not being able to listen to an entire album all the way through.) So I'm really beginning to think this thing's reached the end of its operational life.
I'm not actually complaining, really. I'd say I'd gotten my money's worth out of the gadget, given the sheer amount of use and enjoyment I've had from it. And it's been knocked around pretty badly, even dropped several times, so I'm actually kind of surprised it's still working at all. Plus, I'd been seriously considering replacing it, anyway, as the hard drive is now very close to full, and it'd be good to have something with more memory. I'd just been hoping to put it off until I could actually, you know, afford it, and it looks like I don't have the luxury anymore, if I want to have a functional mp3 player. Which I do. I'm also kind of scared that eventually I won't be able to get the thing to start at all, and I won't be able to get all my music off of it. Because, why, no, I don't have backups, there not being enough space on my PC for all that music and my CD-burner being less than entirely healthy, itself. Or, rather, I do have backups for most of it: they're called CDs, but they're not in a very handy format. I think it took me something like three weeks of nearly constant effort to rip all those discs in the first place.
So, anyway, since Rio no longer makes the players, it looks like I'm gonna be buying me an iPod. The biggest one I can get my hands on, I think, since I really don't want to have to worry about running out of disc space again. (I've actually been avoiding buying CDs lately because I've been worried about running out of room for them.)
There are two major annoyances with this, though. One, iPods are freakin' expensive, and my cash flow situation right now sucks. I suppose I can use that extra December paycheck (an artifact of being paid biweekly), but that money really should go into the savings account or towards paying off the credit card instead. Or possibly into a new pair of eyeglasses.
And, two, the vast majority of the songs on the Karma are in ogg vorbis format, mainly because, I dunno, I thought it was so cool that Rio products supported it. Problem is, of course, that the iPod doesn't. Oh, man, am I not looking forward to the prospect of having to convert thousands of files from ogg to mp3.
Anyway... If anybody has any advice about iPods or about ogg-to-mp3 conversion programs, I'll be happy to hear it.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Oooh! Nifty Things Arrive in My Mailbox!
OK, fess up... Who's the "mystery blogger" who sent me the Serenity DVD? Whoever you are, you rock mightily, and I offer much holiday-spirit love in your direction!
[Added a minute later: Aha! The mystery is solved by looking at the "billing address" on the invoice. I won't say who it was, just in case the person in question would prefer to remain anonymous, but my holiday-spirit love now goes out in a directly northerly direction! Thank you, "mystery blogger!" That was totally unexpected and sweet (and makes me wish I'd followed your suggestion, myself). A very, very merry Christmas to you!]
OK, fess up... Who's the "mystery blogger" who sent me the Serenity DVD? Whoever you are, you rock mightily, and I offer much holiday-spirit love in your direction!
[Added a minute later: Aha! The mystery is solved by looking at the "billing address" on the invoice. I won't say who it was, just in case the person in question would prefer to remain anonymous, but my holiday-spirit love now goes out in a directly northerly direction! Thank you, "mystery blogger!" That was totally unexpected and sweet (and makes me wish I'd followed your suggestion, myself). A very, very merry Christmas to you!]
Happy Solstice!
Man, I am entirely ready for the days to start getting longer. There've been a lot of days lately when it seems like I've hardly seen the sun at all. Especially when I'm on night shift; by the time I'm up and showered and ready to set foot outside, the ol' hydrogen ball is long gone.
Anyway, in the spirit of the holiday season, here's a Christmas meme I've seen floating about here and there:
1. Do you have a real or fake Christmas tree?
No. I haven't done a Christmas tree in years. I did ask my mother if, since she and my grandmother were coming out this year, they wanted me to put one up, and she said, nah, they didn't really care. And, heck, the last time I went to Mom's for Christmas, she didn't bother putting one up, and we spent the holiday in Death Valley. So I don't think any of us are too hung up on the tradition these days. Anyway, I've had the experience of trying to have a Christmas tree and a small kitten in the same house, and I don't need that much chaos in my life.
I did hang up a spring of artificial holly over the shelf where I have the wrapped presents sitting. (I would have preferred real holly, but I'm pretty sure it's poisonous, and, again, I really don't trust that kitten.) I like it. Even if it's fake, it feels strangely honest. Like it's actually a symbol of life continuing through the dark of winter, and finding something bright and festive in a time of bleakness and cold.
2. Do you put up Christmas lights on the exterior of your home?
No. It's far too much work, and, while a simple string of white lights on a house is pretty, an entire neighborhood full of garish lights makes me grumpy.
3. What's your favorite Christmas song/carol?
I generally prefer wild and wacky novelty songs if I'm going to play Christmas music at all, but I do confess an odd fondness for "The Carol of the Bells."
4. What do you like better - turkey or ham?
Turkey. I love turkey.
5. Do you open up any Christmas presents on Christmas Eve?
When I was a kid, it was always strictly hands-off until Christmas morning. Later in life, that metamorphosed into, "Well, maybe just one on Christmas Eve." These days, it's as likely to be, "What the hell, let's open 'em all now and sleep in tomorrow."
6. Have you ever been Christmas caroling?
I think so, when I was very young. I don't remember it well.
7. What was your most memorable Christmas gift(s) that you received?
I don't know. I still remember the thrill of seeing the big ol' Barbie Dream House, sitting there in the living room all assembled on Christmas morning. Even now, when I look back and think, "Barbies? What was the matter with me?"
8. What's your favorite Christmas movie?
The Grinch, all the way.
9. Have you ever built a real snowman?
I think I made a few lame attempts at it when I was a kid.
10. Have you ever peeked into a present and found out what it was before Christmas?
Not deliberately -- I don't like spoilers, damn it! -- but I keep finding out by accident. Sigh.
11. What is on the top of your Christmas tree?
See question 1! But if I had one, it'd be a star. I'm pretty sure I've got one of those somewhere.
12. Do you own a Santa hat?
There wasn't one in my Box o' Christmas Stuff when I last looked, so apparently not.
13. When was the last time you had your picture taken with Santa Claus?
Sometime in my pre-teens, I think.
14. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
Started and finished, except for the present for my brother-in-law that got lost in the mail and which they just re-shipped. Grr.
15. Do you put candy canes on your Christmas tree?
If I had a Christmas tree, there would absolutely be candy canes on it. Heck, I might just get the candy canes, anyway.
16. Who is hardest person to buy for?
My mother. She never claims to want anything, or if she does, it's usually something so minor and cheap you'd be embarrassed to get it for her.
17. Who is the easiest person to buy for?
My sister, because we have a lot of similar interests.
18. How old were you when you realized Santa was imaginary?
Seven, I think. I reasoned it out from the available evidence, thus starting myself on the lifelong trail to hardcore skepticism.
19. What does your morning of Christmas routine consist of?
These days, lazing around not doing much. Which is nice.
20. Egg nog?
No, thank you.
21. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A new mp3 player (because mine appears to be dying, which alarms me terribly), a dishwasher, and a complete set of Deep Space 9 DVDs. But I'll settle for a couple of books and a sweater.
Man, I am entirely ready for the days to start getting longer. There've been a lot of days lately when it seems like I've hardly seen the sun at all. Especially when I'm on night shift; by the time I'm up and showered and ready to set foot outside, the ol' hydrogen ball is long gone.
Anyway, in the spirit of the holiday season, here's a Christmas meme I've seen floating about here and there:
1. Do you have a real or fake Christmas tree?
No. I haven't done a Christmas tree in years. I did ask my mother if, since she and my grandmother were coming out this year, they wanted me to put one up, and she said, nah, they didn't really care. And, heck, the last time I went to Mom's for Christmas, she didn't bother putting one up, and we spent the holiday in Death Valley. So I don't think any of us are too hung up on the tradition these days. Anyway, I've had the experience of trying to have a Christmas tree and a small kitten in the same house, and I don't need that much chaos in my life.
I did hang up a spring of artificial holly over the shelf where I have the wrapped presents sitting. (I would have preferred real holly, but I'm pretty sure it's poisonous, and, again, I really don't trust that kitten.) I like it. Even if it's fake, it feels strangely honest. Like it's actually a symbol of life continuing through the dark of winter, and finding something bright and festive in a time of bleakness and cold.
2. Do you put up Christmas lights on the exterior of your home?
No. It's far too much work, and, while a simple string of white lights on a house is pretty, an entire neighborhood full of garish lights makes me grumpy.
3. What's your favorite Christmas song/carol?
I generally prefer wild and wacky novelty songs if I'm going to play Christmas music at all, but I do confess an odd fondness for "The Carol of the Bells."
4. What do you like better - turkey or ham?
Turkey. I love turkey.
5. Do you open up any Christmas presents on Christmas Eve?
When I was a kid, it was always strictly hands-off until Christmas morning. Later in life, that metamorphosed into, "Well, maybe just one on Christmas Eve." These days, it's as likely to be, "What the hell, let's open 'em all now and sleep in tomorrow."
6. Have you ever been Christmas caroling?
I think so, when I was very young. I don't remember it well.
7. What was your most memorable Christmas gift(s) that you received?
I don't know. I still remember the thrill of seeing the big ol' Barbie Dream House, sitting there in the living room all assembled on Christmas morning. Even now, when I look back and think, "Barbies? What was the matter with me?"
8. What's your favorite Christmas movie?
The Grinch, all the way.
9. Have you ever built a real snowman?
I think I made a few lame attempts at it when I was a kid.
10. Have you ever peeked into a present and found out what it was before Christmas?
Not deliberately -- I don't like spoilers, damn it! -- but I keep finding out by accident. Sigh.
11. What is on the top of your Christmas tree?
See question 1! But if I had one, it'd be a star. I'm pretty sure I've got one of those somewhere.
12. Do you own a Santa hat?
There wasn't one in my Box o' Christmas Stuff when I last looked, so apparently not.
13. When was the last time you had your picture taken with Santa Claus?
Sometime in my pre-teens, I think.
14. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
Started and finished, except for the present for my brother-in-law that got lost in the mail and which they just re-shipped. Grr.
15. Do you put candy canes on your Christmas tree?
If I had a Christmas tree, there would absolutely be candy canes on it. Heck, I might just get the candy canes, anyway.
16. Who is hardest person to buy for?
My mother. She never claims to want anything, or if she does, it's usually something so minor and cheap you'd be embarrassed to get it for her.
17. Who is the easiest person to buy for?
My sister, because we have a lot of similar interests.
18. How old were you when you realized Santa was imaginary?
Seven, I think. I reasoned it out from the available evidence, thus starting myself on the lifelong trail to hardcore skepticism.
19. What does your morning of Christmas routine consist of?
These days, lazing around not doing much. Which is nice.
20. Egg nog?
No, thank you.
21. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A new mp3 player (because mine appears to be dying, which alarms me terribly), a dishwasher, and a complete set of Deep Space 9 DVDs. But I'll settle for a couple of books and a sweater.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Some More Random Links
Apparently you can now play Sim City online. I haven't tried it yet, but if I have some time to waste before my relatives show up for the holidays, I think I know where it's going.
I'd never expect to describe a judicial opinion as "a great read," but Judge John Jones' report on his ruling on the "intelligent design in public school" case in Dover, PA, well, is.
BBC radio has an hour-long documentary on Doctor Who. Some very interesting stuff. (Warning: contains spoilers for the first season of the new series, plus a sneak peak at the Christmas special.)
Apparently you can now play Sim City online. I haven't tried it yet, but if I have some time to waste before my relatives show up for the holidays, I think I know where it's going.
I'd never expect to describe a judicial opinion as "a great read," but Judge John Jones' report on his ruling on the "intelligent design in public school" case in Dover, PA, well, is.
BBC radio has an hour-long documentary on Doctor Who. Some very interesting stuff. (Warning: contains spoilers for the first season of the new series, plus a sneak peak at the Christmas special.)
DemonSoft
I normally don't blog about work-related stuff, and especially not complaints about work-related stuff (well, except as it relates to my sleep-schedule). But in this case, not only do I need the cathartic release, but I also regard this as something in the nature of a public service announcement, warning people away from an unbelievably craptastic product. (Also, absolutely nobody at work actually seems to disagree with me on this subject, my boss included, so it's not like I'm worried about them getting mad at me.)
The thing is, the organization I work for is looking at switching over from paper timecards to an electronic timekeeping system, and we got volunteered to be one of the first groups to try out the new system. Now, let me state for the record that I'm all in favor of electronic timecards (assuming the security issues are properly addressed, of course). This is the 21st century, after all, and doing stuff electronically is in theory the most efficient way to go. Besides, I'm in favor of getting a machine to do as much stuff for me as possible. That's why I drive an automatic.
It's a great pity, then, that PeopleSoft's software is insanely inefficient and requires you to put about ten or twenty times as much effort into filling out an electric timecard than you would for a paper one. Here are just a few of the blindingly stupid features of this incredibly amateurish piece of crap:
The table in which you are meant to fill out your hours will not fit on a normal sized screen, requiring you to scroll awkwardly from side to side.
Each employee has a five-digit account number. (A few people have two, because their hours are split between two different departments. ) This number has to be filled in on the time card. By hand. On each line. Every week. Over and over and over. The computer will not remember it for you. It will not fill it in for you. Oh, and if you don't remember which kinds of hours you're supposed to use it for and which you're not, it'll give you a highly misleading error message and then get so confused when you try to correct it by replacing the number with a blank field that the only way to proceed is to delete the entire line and start over.
Speaking of which... There are check boxes so you can select lines to delete from the table, but the "delete" button is nowhere near the table itself. It's tucked up neatly out of the way in a corner with a bunch of buttons for entirely unrelated functions.
This is the one that really gets me. You enter one line for each type of hours you have, and on each line you need to tell the software what kind of time you're entering. For this, there is a handy little table (which, if you have many lines on your timecard, is likely to partly scroll off the top of the screen) telling you what to type in for what kind of hours. Regular hours are 1, overtime is something else, vacation is, I dunno, 50 or something. It's impossible to remember, and there's not any kind of logical system to it
Let's contemplate that for a moment, shall we? You have to look up an obscure numerical code to tell the system what category of hours you worked. No dropdown menu with choices. Not even any simple letter codes like, oh, V for vacation. You have to look up an obscure numerical code. What the hell is that?! That's the extreme antithesis of user-friendliness. That's making human beings serve the computer instead of vice versa. That's completely failing to even get the friggin' concept of what computer automation is for. Aaargh!
When I mentioned this to someone, they said that, yes, people has asked the company's representatives about this and were told that it was that way "because the software requires a numerical input for that." To which I responded, "Then the software is bad!" That's so bad, it offends not just my aesthetic, but my moral sensibilities. That's not the way to treat your users. It's just... not. It's shameful.
What else? Oh, yes, this one tripped me up today, and was actually what set off the entire diatribe in the first place, in a final-straw kind of way. When you go to the timecard page, it automatically sets you up with a "card" for the current pay period. Fine. The thing is, if you then select the button for "next period" or "previous period," it does not change the date to the next or previous period. All it does is tell you what the next or previous period is, and you have to go in and hand-edit the date field. Because, gosh, we'd never want someone to be able to do with one click what they can accomplish with a click, a mouse-movement, and some typing, nor would we ever want to lure them into a sense of complacency by having the obvious and expected thing happen.
And all of that, I should mention, is just the stuff I encountered spending a couple of brief sessions trying to do very, very basic things. God only knows what horrors I'll find if I actually go looking. I have to wonder whether they did any user testing on this stuff at all. I mean, surely, if they gave it five minutes with an actual human being, it would have been immediately clear how flawed the damned thing is. Possibly they figure that, if you give yourself a touchy-feely name like "PeopleSoft," then you don't actually need to do anything else to actually serve the needs of people. After all, it's the PR that counts, right, not the actual quality of your product?
I'm told their requisition forms are even worse. I shudder to think. But apparently we're stuck with this system, whether anybody likes it or not, because the mandate to use it cames from very high up. Somebody told me they have some kind of arrangement with the National Science Foundation (aka the people holding our purse strings). I'm not sure if that's true or not, but if it is, I'm seriously thinking of complaining to my congressman.
I normally don't blog about work-related stuff, and especially not complaints about work-related stuff (well, except as it relates to my sleep-schedule). But in this case, not only do I need the cathartic release, but I also regard this as something in the nature of a public service announcement, warning people away from an unbelievably craptastic product. (Also, absolutely nobody at work actually seems to disagree with me on this subject, my boss included, so it's not like I'm worried about them getting mad at me.)
The thing is, the organization I work for is looking at switching over from paper timecards to an electronic timekeeping system, and we got volunteered to be one of the first groups to try out the new system. Now, let me state for the record that I'm all in favor of electronic timecards (assuming the security issues are properly addressed, of course). This is the 21st century, after all, and doing stuff electronically is in theory the most efficient way to go. Besides, I'm in favor of getting a machine to do as much stuff for me as possible. That's why I drive an automatic.
It's a great pity, then, that PeopleSoft's software is insanely inefficient and requires you to put about ten or twenty times as much effort into filling out an electric timecard than you would for a paper one. Here are just a few of the blindingly stupid features of this incredibly amateurish piece of crap:
The table in which you are meant to fill out your hours will not fit on a normal sized screen, requiring you to scroll awkwardly from side to side.
Each employee has a five-digit account number. (A few people have two, because their hours are split between two different departments. ) This number has to be filled in on the time card. By hand. On each line. Every week. Over and over and over. The computer will not remember it for you. It will not fill it in for you. Oh, and if you don't remember which kinds of hours you're supposed to use it for and which you're not, it'll give you a highly misleading error message and then get so confused when you try to correct it by replacing the number with a blank field that the only way to proceed is to delete the entire line and start over.
Speaking of which... There are check boxes so you can select lines to delete from the table, but the "delete" button is nowhere near the table itself. It's tucked up neatly out of the way in a corner with a bunch of buttons for entirely unrelated functions.
This is the one that really gets me. You enter one line for each type of hours you have, and on each line you need to tell the software what kind of time you're entering. For this, there is a handy little table (which, if you have many lines on your timecard, is likely to partly scroll off the top of the screen) telling you what to type in for what kind of hours. Regular hours are 1, overtime is something else, vacation is, I dunno, 50 or something. It's impossible to remember, and there's not any kind of logical system to it
Let's contemplate that for a moment, shall we? You have to look up an obscure numerical code to tell the system what category of hours you worked. No dropdown menu with choices. Not even any simple letter codes like, oh, V for vacation. You have to look up an obscure numerical code. What the hell is that?! That's the extreme antithesis of user-friendliness. That's making human beings serve the computer instead of vice versa. That's completely failing to even get the friggin' concept of what computer automation is for. Aaargh!
When I mentioned this to someone, they said that, yes, people has asked the company's representatives about this and were told that it was that way "because the software requires a numerical input for that." To which I responded, "Then the software is bad!" That's so bad, it offends not just my aesthetic, but my moral sensibilities. That's not the way to treat your users. It's just... not. It's shameful.
What else? Oh, yes, this one tripped me up today, and was actually what set off the entire diatribe in the first place, in a final-straw kind of way. When you go to the timecard page, it automatically sets you up with a "card" for the current pay period. Fine. The thing is, if you then select the button for "next period" or "previous period," it does not change the date to the next or previous period. All it does is tell you what the next or previous period is, and you have to go in and hand-edit the date field. Because, gosh, we'd never want someone to be able to do with one click what they can accomplish with a click, a mouse-movement, and some typing, nor would we ever want to lure them into a sense of complacency by having the obvious and expected thing happen.
And all of that, I should mention, is just the stuff I encountered spending a couple of brief sessions trying to do very, very basic things. God only knows what horrors I'll find if I actually go looking. I have to wonder whether they did any user testing on this stuff at all. I mean, surely, if they gave it five minutes with an actual human being, it would have been immediately clear how flawed the damned thing is. Possibly they figure that, if you give yourself a touchy-feely name like "PeopleSoft," then you don't actually need to do anything else to actually serve the needs of people. After all, it's the PR that counts, right, not the actual quality of your product?
I'm told their requisition forms are even worse. I shudder to think. But apparently we're stuck with this system, whether anybody likes it or not, because the mandate to use it cames from very high up. Somebody told me they have some kind of arrangement with the National Science Foundation (aka the people holding our purse strings). I'm not sure if that's true or not, but if it is, I'm seriously thinking of complaining to my congressman.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Another Batch of Random Links
Peter David's "The TARDIS at Pooh Corner": "Once upon a time, on a planet named Gallifluff, which is as far away from Earth as the end of the week is from the beginning of the week (when it's the beginning of the week, of course) there lived a Time Lord named Doctor Pooh."
The Calvin and Hobbes Snow Art Gallery: Calvin is, quite simply, a twisted genius.
Penn Jillette talks about his religious convictions: Testify, Penn! Testify!
Peter David's "The TARDIS at Pooh Corner": "Once upon a time, on a planet named Gallifluff, which is as far away from Earth as the end of the week is from the beginning of the week (when it's the beginning of the week, of course) there lived a Time Lord named Doctor Pooh."
The Calvin and Hobbes Snow Art Gallery: Calvin is, quite simply, a twisted genius.
Penn Jillette talks about his religious convictions: Testify, Penn! Testify!
Saturday, December 17, 2005
| 7/9 Intellect You are 73% knowledgable and 88% intellectual. |
| Excellent! You have a powerful mind backed by a good amount of knowledge. Keep cracking books and nothing can stop you. |
 |
My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Knowledge vs. Intellect Test written by rattytintinface on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
I'd be really intersted to see what the answers are supposed to be on this one. Quite a few of the "intellect" ones struck me as being trick questions, or as potentially having more than one answer. I also wish to point out that I know for a fact that at least one of the "knowledge" questions is technically inaccurate. (Bonus points to anyone who knows which one!)
In Which I Grow Even More Torqued Off at the Post Office
I have a huge box of stuff to send to my sister for Christmas, and I can't send it, because I'm waiting on one thing that, according to the shipping estimate, should have been here two days ago. Aaargh, I should have just had it sent directly, but it seemed more efficient to mail everything together. I should stop trying to be efficient.
I have a huge box of stuff to send to my sister for Christmas, and I can't send it, because I'm waiting on one thing that, according to the shipping estimate, should have been here two days ago. Aaargh, I should have just had it sent directly, but it seemed more efficient to mail everything together. I should stop trying to be efficient.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Netflix Update
Yup, I just checked the mail, and, lo and behold, there was a scrap of Netflix envelope with my address on it, inside a plastic bag printed with a long-winded apology from the Post Office. Geez, I know this sort of thing happens, but twice in, what, three weeks? This is starting to seem like more than an "occasional mishap" (their bag-borne words). Fucking Post Office. Sigh.
Yup, I just checked the mail, and, lo and behold, there was a scrap of Netflix envelope with my address on it, inside a plastic bag printed with a long-winded apology from the Post Office. Geez, I know this sort of thing happens, but twice in, what, three weeks? This is starting to seem like more than an "occasional mishap" (their bag-borne words). Fucking Post Office. Sigh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)