Architecture

I turn once more towards the House, unfinished blueprint rolled in my hand. It has spoken its desires to me, some clear, some like smoke. The names of the occupants are known, their various gambits. New paradigms have moved in, decorating the walls with glyphic lights. Old ones have been packed away into the attic. But still…still…I am not sure I have seen the House’s true face.

Sigh

“Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.”
– Rumi

Thanks, Dave

Dave from Chub Creek was kind enough to mention me and plug my site in the latest episode (#9). I designed an ad that’s on their site now, the one with the light bulb. Dave and Gary have a highly amusing show full of great music, self-effacing humor, and an honest sensibility which I find very engaging. You listen to them and you just know these are good guys.

Check them out at the Chub Creek site.

This is a Good Start

Robot walker I’ll take five. Be sure to check out the video of this baby in action!
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000043038904

Google Maps

Google Maps has recently become my route planning site of choice over Mapquest simply because it is more fun and (I think) easier to use. What I like is how you can click and drag the map around instead of clicking on compass points and moving in clunky square-shaped jumps. You can also look for non-specific addresses, like where all the Blockbuster Video stores are in a certain zip code.

Just recently they added a satellite imagery feature up in the upper right corner so you can toggle between a traditional street map and super cool satellite photos of the same view. Now I can literally see my house from here!

World of Podcasting

Since podcasting is still relatively new, the community is very accessible and friendly. I heard a very literate and high quality podcast on openpodcast.org on the topic of comparative mythology. I felt compelled to write the guy, Jerry Trowbridge, and ask if I could get a direct feed of his ‘cast instead of having to wade through the ads on openpodcast. He said he didn’t have one as yet, but would think about it. Later that day he had it all set up! We chatted briefly about podcasts and audio work in general. Very cool. Check out his feed at http://pbcliberal.users.blogmatrix.com/podcasts/index.xml

And then, out of the blue, a podcaster from what has become one of my favorite shows, Chub Creek, wrote me because he saw my mention of the ‘cast on my site. Having Dave from Chub Creek decide to write me was like getting an email from someone on the cast of “Lost” or “Stargate SG-1.” Well, maybe not SG-1. The show is basically these two Canadian guys who have been friends since childhood but drifted apart in their adult years. They are using the show as a way to reconnect. Chub Creek typically offers a well-edited collection of skits, bizarre songs, excellent original music, and random musings. Listen here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChubCreek

It’s worth it to download every episode from 1 to the most recent.

Cat Sentries

See how my living room is vigilantly guarded by my cybernetically-enhanced sentry cats? That window would be a poor choice as an infiltration point. That’s Kallista on the right. She’s frothing with a sick madness that I wouldn’t want to encounter on some dark night with my leg halfway through the window.

More than Meets the Eye

I promised Bill this photo long ago, but forgot to send it. It’s my Isuzu Decepticon, complete with laser damage. It’s great when I’m stuck in traffic because I can just go into robot mode and stride over the other vehicles, often crushing them like so many aluminum cans.

A Thing of Beauty

Oh, how I adore my iPod. Just look at it, sitting there all svelte, brimming with music. And who’s that looking out at me from the screen? Why, it’s Ryan! Yes, I can take Ryan with me wherever I go. He rides in my pocket like Gulliver.

Podcasting

Cool Stuff You Might Not Know About: Podcasting

This is the concept: Imagine a radio program that you can listen to at any time because it is downloaded to your computer or iPod automatically. But it is better than radio because it is unregulated, anyone can have their own show and it is distributed for free all over the world.

Right now podcasting is still a relatively new concept, but even so, there are tons of shows out there already. Just like web sites, you can find an astonishing assortment of subject matter and formats: talk shows, technology reports, cooking shows, poetry, astronomy, radio dramas, bizarre experimental shows, music promos, and on and on.

To enjoy podcasting, you just need a broadband connection (or a lot of patience) and a program such as iPodder that lets you seek out shows you can subscribe to and download. iPodder.org is also a great source for info on podcasting and new shows.

Some of my favorite shows are Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code, 2600: The Hacker Quarterly, Chub Creek, Open Podcast, and American Copywriter. There’s a great ‘cast for Battlestar Galactica fans. It’s basically audio commentary from the show runners that you can listen to while you watch the broadcast of the show, sort of like realtime directory commentary.

Of course, I have some ideas about how I could use this technology… 😉