Another test video

I have been trying out some different types of effects and this is one of the results. Please excuse the bad acting :)

Speedtest.net

If you ever want to know how fast your internet is, I recommend speedtest.net. They are very accurate and the user interface is well laid out. It tests your download and upload speed as well as your ping rate, which is good if you are an online gamer. In basic terms your computer sends packets of information the server and it responds by sending you information back, thus giving you a ping rate. Basically you want high download speeds and low ping rates. Here is my speed test:

Yes thats 13MB download!

Green screen test 1

After a long time including blood, sweat and tears I have finally got my video clips imported into FCP, (albeit with a longwinded process). I have always believed that whatever you do in life try and document it. This serves two purposes. 1: It allows you to see how much you have improved over time and 2: It also keeps your memories safe because if you are like me, I can only remember so much and when I need to remember that we need milk, it means that I lose the time I scored a fantastic goal at school. So continuing with my theory, here is my first video edit.

Broadcasting audio

Just a quick update to let you all know that I am now broadcasting audio from my computer 24/7 via a application called Nicecast. All you need is iTunes. Just click on the link on the front page and iTunes will stream the audio as if it were a radio station. Want to know what music I like?

Nicecast Broadcast

Another new computer

For women it's shoes or handbags. For me it's computers. I just can't stop buying them. I always want the newest and greatest. That's one big flaw with computer buying... they are updated so fast that as soon as you buy one, another one is released that is just slightly better and it makes you wish you held off that little bit longer so that you could have bought that one instead. Well I have solved that problem. It turns out that I solved the problem about a year and half ago. Buy Apple. Just buying Apple isn't really the solution but having made the switch it sent me down the right path. I'll give you the long background process that led me to buying my new computer as all my decisions seem to have to pass a variety of tests before I make the final yes or no.

As you may (or not) have read in my other entries, I recently bought a HD video camera. The Sony SR12 120GB. Blue ray camcorders just aren't a realistic approach yet. Now I went back and forth on which camera to buy, weighing up the pros and cons of different manufacturers, recording formats and storage. Having finally settled on the Sony AVCHD format and checking that my video editing software, Final Cut Pro, was compatible I was disheartened to discover that my research wasn't as in depth as I had thought. It turned out that the AVCHD format will work with FCP but only when converted to the Apple Pro Res 422 codec. Now there is nothing at all wrong with that codec but another thing presented a problem. Apple Pro Res 422 would only work on newer Intel processor Macs. Mine was an older IBM processor Mac. So I needed a new computer to run FCP to work with my new camera. Talk about knock on effect. Now full HD resolution video is very CPU intensive and although I could run FCP on a regular iMac and convert the AVCHD to Apple Pro Res 422, rendering the video and editing would be on the slow side. We would be talking hours to render video files depending on their length. Some might be asking, "Who does this guy think he is... Steven Spielberg?". Well to go further back in time, when I was living in England, with the help from my cousin Ian, we used to be quite the video making enthusiasts. Spending our weekends making short, sometimes intentionally funny short videos. Often we would spend so much time laughing and joking through the shooting of the video it would take us several weekends to put together the short amateur videos. So I have always had an interest in making videos whether it be spoof commercials or tourism clips, whatever the subject. I have recently put in a request to spend a day with the video editing department with my company, Shaw. I seem to get asked quite a lot about what computer to buy. I always answer the same way. Buy the most advanced computer you can afford because as I mentioned earlier, as soon as you buy it, it's out of date. Having said that, I felt myself flip flopping between buying the computer I wanted and waiting for the next NEW one to be released. With Apple, their products go through cycles. Every 8 - 18 months a new version of the product will be released. Every product. iPods, computers, even the iPhone has been updated to the 3G version. So should I buy my computer now, or wait until January. That being the projected unveiling of the latest incarnation. January being the annual Macworld Expo. At macrumors.com in the buyers guide section they set recommendations to buy or not to buy Apple products based on their current cycle. My computer was listed as 'DON'T BUY: UPDATES SOON'. I guess I should tell you what computer I bought instead of just referring to it as 'my computer'. I am now the proud owner of a Mac Pro 2 x 3.2 Ghz quad core currently with 2GB ram, soon to be upgraded to 6GB ram! That's QUAD core as in four. And I got two of them meaning 8 processors!!! 8... EIGHT... one more than 7!! 8 3.2 ghz processors!! And 6 GB Ram! I was going to go to 12GB ram but I held back. I really, really wanted to get 12 but my level headedness came through and made me see that I would not use 12 GBs on a day to day basis. I would get some use out of it when rendering the video but that didn't justify it for me. So getting back to my decision to get my Mac Pro sooner rather than later given that January is only a few months away. After lots of debating, Shauna finally convinced me to get it now. She put it a good way and in a way that I related to. She knows that if I postponed the purchase until January that when January came I would then tell myself to wait until April for the end of the tax year and get it then. But then I would find some other reason not to get it then and wait for the next reason to pass by. I also tried hard to see myself outgrowing the Mac Pro. 8 cores isn't going to become obsolete anytime soon. But the final nail in the coffin is the best. It re-affirms my loyalty to everything Apple. Everything they stand behind. When I was in the store buying my Mac Pro I mentioned my reservations with the new versions imminent to the store genius, (Apple employees are called Genius's). He told me that with it being so close and the fact that I was buying a Mac Pro for a lot of money, that if Apple did release a new version in January that was a significant upgrade to mine, that I could go back to the store and request that I get the newer model, stating that if I had known I would have waited. He said that he had seen people come back with macbooks purchased a few months before the new aluminium uni-body versions were released and swap them. If they were willing to do that for a macbook worth $1000-$2000 they sure as hell better do it for me and my Mac Pro.

I must be getting old

Or at least getting old before my time. I find myself sitting here writing this after a frustrating, cold, pain in the ass day at work. I was scheduled for standby, in case someone called in sick (or sick of working) I pick up their work. I can almost guarantee that if I am on standby I will get a run in Bonnie Doon, an area of Edmonton that I hate. It's old, it's overhead, it generally requires wiring outlets. The customer service reps don't help matters when they seriously under book calls for time. twenty five minutes is the standard time for adding a standard definition digital box. This is still cutting it short. A high definition personal video recorder box has a lot more explaining to be done to the customer yet they are still booked for the poultry twenty five minutes. I had fifteen minutes booked for the HD PVR as well as filling out a credit contract for the purchase of the box. And they wonder why we cut corners? So after all my work was completed and filled out and handed in, I come home and have something to eat. Now I am sitting in my leather office chair, listening to some classical music whilst sipping on a gin and tonic. I may as well be wearing a smoking jacket and wearing slippers.

Take me out to the pasture and shoot me now, I've seen better days!

Video from Drumheller

Here is a quick (very rough) edit from our camping trip to Drumheller this past summer. It's a rough edit because I was forced to use my windows pc to edit the footage together using Sony Vegas Pro 8.

Camping

New idea/project

With my iPhone being so amazingly awesome I have come up with another way for me to keep this blog/web site updated regularly. One thing that sets the iPhone apart from other mobile phones or PDA's is the access to the App store, an application download site that provides many different applications for many different situations. Now that the App store has been online for a while you are starting to find duplications of apps designed by developers. There are multiple photo upload applications. Whether you use Flickr or Photobucket, the choice is beginning to become endless. I chose to use an app called Klick. I already had a Flickr account and Klick syncs with Flickr. Once I have taken a photo on my iPhone I can then upload it to to Flickr, add tags, geotag it (tag with GPS) and share with the world. So once a week I'm going to upload photos that I have taken during the past week. It might be, and probably will be, photos taken from my iPhone. I see lots and lots of weird things... daily. Some things I don't ever want to see again. Some things make shake my head and wonder how diverse the world is. It truly does take all sorts I guess. So here is the first wave of photos. I say wave, but a more precise explanation would be: here's the first couple of photos.


Photo Blog

Ebay

One thing that I pride myself on is having a level head. I have the ability to step away from the situation and look at it from a 3rd person perspective. Whether I am actually involved or not. Even though I don't always agree with the outcome, I can see how other people would react making me appreciate the other side of the argument. Sometimes this can be frustrating for others as I always tend to justify someone's actions by putting myself in their place and playing devils advocate. I always tend to give others the benefit of the doubt because I will run through different scenarios trying to figure why someone would act in that way. With my level headedness comes caution. I will weigh up the pros and cons of most decisions I make and will not be rushed into making any. However... I recently ebay.com again. I used it a long time ago to sell one thing only. An extra hockey ticket to a very important outdoor game called the Heritage Classic. Since that time I have always viewed it as a 'use with caution' service. Just because I had always thought it to be very risky way to spend your money. Not knowing if what you get will be what you bid on, if it works or if it's complete junk. Recently I was directed to this web site for something that I had been looking in to buying for a while. For some reason I thought that I would give it a go and bid on something. It was cheap enough I thought that if I did indeed get screwed over then i would learn my lesson and delete that web site forever, never to return again. Well I ended up winning that item and 17 more that week. Yes I was hooked. Some things I admit just aren't worth buying. By the time you add in the shipping and handling costs, it almost costs the same as if you were to go to a local store and buy with confidence. But recently ebay has been looked upon by some as a digital shop. Not just for auctions but lots of people run actual businesses on ebay. Buy in bulk, start the bidding low and sell as many as you got. After realizing that 17 in a week was a bit much I have scaled it back a little. My total purchases now are only 22 in about 3 weeks. As I always say, everything is good in moderation.

Long time no update

Lots has been going since I last updated this blog and I've been up to lots as well. I will now give you a very condensed version of all thats been happening. Firstly, I installed Linux on my web cam computer, (Linux is another operating system like Windows and OS X). As it turns out it isn't that great to use but I wanted to see if I could use it and how it works so that I am able to work with the basics. Now I getting the web cam to work with it proved frustrating so I am putting XP back on it but I just haven't gotten around to it. I did buy a new HD camera, the Sony one that I was looking at. Only thing is, I need a newer computer to work with the format. When I was researching it all I overlooked one little detail. It needs to run on an Intel processor Mac and not a power PC Mac like I have. SO I am saving up for the new bigger better and much improved Mac (32GB RAM better!). I also have an iPhone now so I have busy playing with it. Nicholas just had his 7th birthday and we bought him Rock Band for his Wii... and I have gotten addicted to that. It's freaking awesome! LOL even though I suck and have little rhythm I still give it ago. I shouldn't say that as I managed to get over 80% on expert on the guitar on one song. We also went camping a couple times this year, once to Drumheller to the dinosaur museum and once just to the lake.

So thats kind of what we have been up to this summer. I will try to update more regularly from now on.

I was attacked!

I need danger pay for working at Shaw now.  I was attacked whilst doing my last disconnect run.  I set up my ladder on to the strand in a back alley.  As I was half way up the ladder I noticed a wasps nest the size of a soccer ball hanging from a nearby phone connection tap.  I thought that I had better slowly climb the rest of the way up so as not to disturb the nest.  I reached the top and started to tie my lanyard around the strand to secure myself.  Suddenly, two wasps decided to alert me of their presence and buzzed around me.  I realized that the $8.50 for the disconnect was not worth the hassle so I started to climb down.  At about halfway I was swarmed on by around twenty wasps!  I was stung by one and tried to swat it.  As I did, four others took that as their cue to sting me as well.  Bear in mind that I was still trying to climb down the ladder.  As I approached the bottom  of the ladder I half jumped, half fell off the bottom three rungs.  My arm swelled up and turned very red.  On later inspection I realized that I had also cut my leg from the fall.  And who says being a cable guy is easy?

Reason for my absence

I know I have not been here for a while but I have some good reasons. All I will say is that unfortunately we are no longer expecting a baby. I will leave it at that and just ask that no-one talks to Shauna about it. Person after person saying "sorry" doesn't make it any easier to move on. We know that everyone is sorry and are there for us if we need them and we appreciate it.

But now I am back at my computer and I also have some other news. My camcorder is back from the repair shop, although it didn't get fixed. It was going to cost around $500 to get the parts replaced. It still powers on so I will just continue to use it as a webcam. This is a blessing in disguise really as it means I get to go buy a new one! Can anyone say high definition? I'm torn between two models. The first is made by Canon and records in HDV format, the second is by Sony and uses a AVCHD format. Both have pros and cons am I am still weighing up which one is the best to go forward with. I am leaning more towards the Sony HDR-SR12. It has 120GB storage built in which can record up to 15 hours in full HD. Recording in AVCHD is both a blessing and hinderance. At the moment to edit AVCHD requires a powerful computer and still takes a while to capture and render. Final Cut would take this raw format and convert to an Apple equivalent for editing. The pro is that it is the way forward in HD recording and it seems like with every passing day technology is advancing so that it will become easier to work with. HDV, although easier to manipulate and edit with more software, is coming to the end of it's run. It is limited to 1440x1080 whereas AVCHD is capable of 1920x1080. Looking to the future, blu-ray camcorders are not yet at any performance standards to the earlier HD camcorders.

I have a lot more things to post but I will save them for another day, hopefully very soon.

PS: Don't forget to check out Nicholas' blogs over @ http://nicholas.deejaydoubleyou.com

Highlights on justin.tv

So seeing as I am bored just sitting here waiting for anyone to come online, I thought I would look at creating highlights with justin.tv.  As it turns out the record feature works really well.  So the next time I am doing something and i feel it is just too good to miss I will record it.  At the moment there are only two highlights but they are quite monumental.  They are of me actually working doing construction type stuff in my basement.  Log in to http://justin.tv/bobsplace and enter the same password for the mobilecam which at the moment is ontheroadagain, then below the video you'll see the two highlights.

Finishing the basement

Well what with us expecting a baby, we need all the space we can get. I finished the entertainment room part of the basement last year. I just decided one day to see if I could get it done before Mum came over for her holiday. With help from Larry, (Shauna's Dad) we got it pretty much done except for a few cosmetic finishings. This left half the basement unfinished. We had always planned to complete it and turn it into another spare room and another bathroom but it was being utilized as a storage area for all out junk. It's a kind of blessing as well because it has forced us to throw a lot of stuff that we had no reason to hang on to. I once heard a quote from a professional spring cleaner that said, "If you haven't used something in the last year, you're probably not going to use it next year!".

Below are some photos of the work in progress.

The spare room
The closet
The laundry room
The bathroom
The hallway from the entertainment room, passed the bathroom and into the spare room

First Mobile Blog

I am typing this whilst sitting here in my work vehicle... at work. Well, just eating lunch actually but who's counting? It was so easy to setup this Blogger account that everyone should start a blog, you can even upload photos as you can see.

For those of you that don't know exactly what a blog is, think of it as an online diary that everyone gets to read. A place to write down your opinions, and as it has been said many times before opinions are like butt holes... everyone has one!

Saw this posted on facebook.com

LIFE

Life would be so much better lived backwards. You would start out dead and get it out of the way. Then you'd wake up in an old people's home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy and go an collect your pension. On your first day at work they give you a gold watch. You then work for forty years until you're old enough to enjoy your retirement. You drink alcohol, party and you're generally promiscuous until it's time to start school. You go to primary school and become a kid. You play and have no responsibilities then become a baby then... you spend the last nine months floating peacefully in spa like conditions, central heating, room service on tap, your room gets bigger everyday and then you finish off as an orgasm!

I'm bored again, so what do you want to see?

Now that I have got the web cams running good I have nothing to mess about with. So I have been thinking of other stuff I can do on here to make it a better experience for you to come here more often. One thing i have been looking into is audio podcasting. Podcasting for those of you who don't know is basically an audio file that downloads to your computer automatically when a new one is available. You can then listen to it in iTunes or another audio player. If you have an iPod or another MP3 player you can sync it and listen to it wherever you go. The thing is I'm not sure what I would talk about. I'm sure I would think of something to ramble on about, I usually do. Maybe an interview with Nicholas or Shauna (I doubt she would talk for long), maybe just an audio blog once a month. Who knows but it's an idea. Also I could write a few how to guides for some of the computer programs I use or think you would like to use. I know a few people would get something out of this and maybe use their computers more and not be so afraid of them. Maybe i could get some of you designing your own web sites and writing an online blog? Maybe just helping you out with downloading files? Just another option. And lastly I was thinking of a type of photographic journal. Now I must tell you that my life is quite boring so seeing it might be just as boring. It would basically be a series of photographs of whatever I come across as I live my life here in Edmonton. Maybe some at work, some at home, some from around Edmonton. Like I said, this could get boring once I keep visiting the same places over and over again. Or maybe you have another suggestion. Either way i would like to know your thoughts, so please go to my poll and fill it out.

CLICK

HERE

Things are going good

So the web cams are up and running and all seems fine with those, I'll try not to mess with them too much! :) Also Nicholas has his own website now http://nicholas.deejaydoubleyou.com. Just click here and check it out and leave him a message or something. And lastly the biggest news of all:

We're having another baby! Yes Shauna is pregnant and due around middle of January. Things have bit a little stressful to start of with but I'm sure everything will all work out fine in the end.

You little BEAUTY!!!!!!!

I got the webcam up and running. All thanks to the thing that started it all in the first place. justin.tv This is a web site for people who want to broadcast their lives to the world through the power that is the world wide web. I have used it before but only as a two way video conference with my cousin Ian. The problem was I could hear myself on his computer and vice-versa which was causing huge back feeding problems. One way around this was to both wear headphones. But also there was quite a bit of delay using it as a conference tool as well. It is just designed for one way. Another cool thing about it is that there is a chat room linked to it as well. Although you have to be logged on to the actual web site for that. The way I am using it is to just embed the feed on my web cam page. I have put a password on the feed as well so that no-one can just browse on to it and look at Nicholas playing, (freaks keep moving!). This way only people that come to the web cam page will know the password and be able to enter it. It will probably change randomly as well just to keep things interesting ;-)

I finally figured it out

So I did some research on my web server and it turns out that i am not able to host streaming media on there. I was probably doing everything right with the encoding and embedding but it just wasn't happening. Now i will have to look into other options. I made need to change web hosts as to upgrade to a server that can carry streaming media is quite a bit more than $5 a month.

I couldn't leave it alone

But I changed a lot of stuff around including machines, software and camera position. It did seem to work for me but I was on my own network, but it worked really quickly and easily. Try it out and let me know.

Webcam is GO!

I know it's working now because I have tried it on a different computer on a separate network. I had to change the refresh rate so at the moment it is very slow and jerky. Almost like a photo refresher. I will keep messing around with settings till I get it streaming. As a side note, if anyone has a working knowledge of Apple Quicktime Streaming Server or Darwin Streaming Server I would appreciate some help. I am also looking into setting up one of my five computers (yes Ian) and using it as a dedicated server rather than streaming it from my iMac, so any Windows streaming software knowledge would be good also. I have head that Microsoft's Media encoder is quite good but haven't even looked at it yet.

I will be on Yahoo Messenger

If you want to talk to me, I'll be here.

Would you like to send me something?

Well now you can, and not by emailing them either. I have started a guest ftp account. For those of you out there that do not know what ftp is (in other words everyone except Phil) I shall explain. Basically ftp (file transfer protocol) lets you upload files to a particular web site. It's that easy. I have to use an ftp program, or client, to spread my lovely words to you each time. I'm lucky because the web creation program I use (Rapidweaver) has a built in ftp client which I think most web design programs would. However, you lucky little sods get a ftp client for free. You have probably used it before and not even known you were. In fact I would bet 80% of people are using it right now. Yep, Internet explorer can be used to as an ftp client.

Here is how to do it.
Step 1: Type ftp://guest@deejaydoubleyou.com directly into the address bar.
Step 2: Now a dialog box should appear asking you for a username and password, enter this: username = guest@deejaydoubleyou.com, password = 123456 and press enter.
Step 3: Now you browser window should look like your documents folder. Now you can simply drag anything you want into the big white space you have below the address bar. Alternatively you can drag files into the deejaydoubleyou.com folder you have on the left hand side on the screen where your normal documents folders are located. Once you drag something across IE automatically starts to upload it to my guest directory on my web site. *IMPORTANT* This folder is not public so whatever you upload will not be directly displayed on my web page until I move it to the correct place, so any naked photos (Ian) are safe.

This is amazing...

Just check this out!

Video

David Beckham

The Los Angeles Galaxy are an MLS (Major League Soccer) team that David Beckham signed for from Real Madrid in a 5 year $250 Million deal back in January 2007. They are playing against the Vancouver Whitecaps, a USL (United Soccer League) team, in a rematch after their previous game ended 0-0. Beckham is contracted to play a minimum of 45 mins and if he was injured, the game would have been rescheduled. The game is being played at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

I bought a new iPod and it doesn't work

Yeah whatever!!! I did buy a refurbished iPod from Apple's online store and it has never powered up since I got it. I tried a different dock, different USB connection, different computer... still dead. So I called Apple support a few moments ago and was quickly connected with an operator. She asked me some standard questions and told me that because it was still in its 30 day guarantee period that I should ship it back and they would send me a new one. Pretty good right? They were willing to replace it without testing it first. But wait, it gets better. Not only are they going to email pre-paid packing slips to affix to the box it came in, but as soon as UPS scans the barcode, it automatically lets Apple know that the old one is on its way back so they immediately ship the new one to me... expedited! So I don't have to wait for ages. That's customer satisfaction right there!

Apple just keeps getting better in my opinion.

Nicholas made tea tonight.

When I picked Nicholas up from school today, I asked him what he wanted for tea. He suggested that we make something from his new cook book that he was given from a school field trip to a farm. We looked through it and decided that chicken fingers and parmesan tomatoes were good meals to start with. We took the cook book with us to the grocery store, picked up the ingredients we needed and came home. Nicholas read out the instructions and told me what to get from the cupboards. He crumbled up the soda crakers and measured out the parmesan and herbs. He mixed it all together and coated the chicken strips. He laid them out on the tray and placed them in the preheated oven that he turned on. After he set the timer, he carried on with the tomatoes. Then when they were ready he put them in to cook as well. When the buzzer went off he opened the door and pulled out the trays and served the food. All under my supervision. It was very nice and I would have him make it again.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I am proud of him.

I'm Sooooo Happy

I know I wrote about my new phone along time ago. Well since then the iPhone was released in UK, Germany and just about everywhere except Canada. How was this possible seeing as we border America? Well it was reported to be for several reasons. The iPhone runs on the GSM network of which there is only one provider in Canada... Rogers. Now Rogers are not big fans of unlimited data plans, Steve Jobs (Apple CEO) is. They apparently could not come to an agreement for an unlimited data plan. The equivalent pricing in Canada would be over $200 a month. Secondly, the name iPhone was already taken in Canada by Comcave. On March 25th, 2008 the trademark application was updated casing me to think that a deal was settled. Today Rogers released a statement confirming a deal that will bring the iPhone to Canada!!!

For more information read it here: iPhoneincanada.com

Listening to a lot of music

When you listen through headphones? It seriously does and I'm not talking about cheap tinny iPod (other MP3 players are available) ear bud headphones. I am talking full ear incasing speakers strapped to your head. I remember when big headphones were un-cool and were only worn by old men talking on ham radios.

Smaller was better. Actually looking back on some of the headphones that came with portable tape players, (yes kids we used to listen to tapes) back in the 80's and 90's is embarrassing. A thin piece of metal went over your head with two tiny speakers with no bass covered in thin foam which would either rip or come off the speaker.

Then jump forward to the rise of the DJ and suddenly walking around with headphones on your head that Princess Leia would be proud of is acceptable. Going back to my original statement, maybe its because you can completely turn off the outside world and all other distractions. As I sit here and write this I am listening to Naughty by John Morley. The bass is making my eardrums vibrate so much that it tingles... then BAM! I get a towel thrown at the side of my head. Unbeknownst to me Shauna had been trying to get my attention, literally shouting across the room at me. I was totally oblivious. Just me, the bass and my tingly ears.

Talking of tapes... weren't they crap? Remember how you would be listening to a song and then the sound would go all garbled. So you open the tape deck only to find 5 meters of chewed up tape billowing out and you would always think, "How long was that going on for?" Then you had to search for a very precise instrument to fix it... yep a pen to stick in the wheel and wind it back up. Wasn't that flukey that a pen was the right size and shape to work perfectly?

Happy St. George's Day!!!

I looked at the calender the other day and noticed that St. George's day was coming up soon and tried to make a mental note to remember. Well luckily I listened to Radio 1 this morning and Jo Whiley mentioned it, activating that important reminder I had set myself. A friend of mine that I work with called Dorian and I had agreed that we should get together with all the English guys at Shaw Cable and celebrate it. But as the best laid plans so often end up, we forgot. So I just ended up buying some Boddies and watching the Man Utd vs Barcelona game.

It ended 0-0 for those interested. Although we didn't get the away goal which would have been nice (and should have been if Ronaldo hadn't had a brain fart and missed a penalty) but heading back to Old Trafford on even terms will suffice.

So I sit here writing this blog on my third pint... Cheers mate ;-)

Snow Snow Snow

Well when I say 'freak' I don't think it really applies to weather in Edmonton because of the abnormal weather patterns that I have experienced since I have lived here. People around Edmonton tend to quote a popular saying around this area whenever you mention the weather: "If you don't like the weather, wait a while". And that really does seem the case. They have had snow in every month of the year and not just a slight dusting but a good foot or two. Over the past month or so the weather has dropped down to as low as -50*c with the windchill then back up to a balmy 25*c then back down to -10*c right now with more than 20 inches of snow fall. It hasn't stopped snowing for three days. The end is in sight however. By this time next week it should be around zero or better climbing to plus shortly there after. Still pisses me off shoveling the sidewalk!

Also to note on the home page is a music chart that I have added. I have discovered an application that works with iTunes that uploads the songs that you listen to and generates a chart for you. So the next time someone asks you, "what music are you in to?" you can just send them

here

. I have also added it to my

links page.

A post every day or two

It is quite difficult to try and think of something interesting to write about all the time. I guess that's why it takes writers so long to write a book. Also, not much interesting happens to me, but never the less I have decided to post at least something every day or so. Even if it's just a little blurb about how I'm feeling or what the weather is like, anything to keep people checking back more often. You never know I might throw in something exciting every now and again. If I feel ambitious, some days you might get two or more posts but lets not get carried away too soon.

A new addition to the web site

I have been too lazy to figure it out. Now I have a live webcam on here. Just one camera for now and there is no sound. At first it was just a static picture refresher every two seconds. Now I finally made it streaming, (live video). So anytime you're bored just stop on by and have a look at what is going on in my house and if you see a stranger... call 911.


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