testing, testing, testing

because I wanted to support blogger and in hopes that I’d get more stable service I decided to sign up for Blogger Pro. The server is definitely faster and there are some interesting in-line editing options. For example, here’s a picture from a few days ago of myself and Ken on the top of Kodak Tower setting up the birdcam. This was inserted to the blog using the upload file tool which FTP’d the files and generated the HTML and everything. (Yeah I know it probably would have been quicker for me to do it by hand… it’s still cool… don’t rain on my BloggerPro parade!). Without further adu some birdcam pics:

This is from late last week. I was just clearing some gunk off the perch and wishing I had brought my clip on sunglasses (*squint* *squint*). In the background you can see the lot where I park my car and two of the Birdcam cameras. The large unit to the right is the one that we were up there to work on.

What a difference a week makes. This was Monday, during the snow. Kenn were putting the camera back up after we had taken it down to repair it. I’m wearing the super cool (and warm hat) that Jenny made me for Christmas!

Now I’m tightening the bolts on that camera. What you can’t tell is that I’m extended over the railing (an below that empty space) to do that. I guess my fear of heights is finally under control.

Here’s a view from one of the other cameras of my cool new hat as I continue to tighten bolts.

Kenn and I confirm that everything is in the correct position.

While I wait for confirmation that the unit is transmitting, I snap a last minute movie of the nest using my MC3. Note that I remembered to wear my sunglasses in order to maximize my looking cool cool and minimize the amount of glare (’cause there is oh so much of it during a snowstorm).

author’s note: Ok, while the upload feature is pretty cool, the grammer checker leaves a lot to be desired.

a poetic interlude

It’s my blog, so I can indulge myself and sprinkle in some bad poetry/broken prose. This is one that I’ve been toying with for years that seemed oh so appropriate today.

winter

For just a moment

the child holds the hammer

suspended

above her head.

A look of great conviction

crosses her face

and suddenly,

with a great exhale of steam,

she brings it

CRASHING down

SHATTERING

the ice

on the cold, concrete steps

of that small blue house.

She pauses,

again for just a moment,

to examine the damage.

Contented,

she looks up

to wave to a passing car,

and goes

to find her brother.

up where we belong

monday was just a typical day at the office*. Projects like Birdcam make my life interesting on snowy days. More on that tomorrow.

The weekend was good. My apartment is starting to get ready for the party next weekend. I finished of the collection of Japanese Short Stories I was reading. Saturday night was spent visiting friends in Syracuse. Sunday was spent at the theatre (with a far better audience) and then watching the Big Game (which was great, one of the best Fourth Quarters ever)!

oh, there’s a new MP3 De Jour to your left. Check it out!

* 700KB Quicktime movie

note to readers: this blog is going use up my saucy word allotment for most of 2002. Not for the faint hearted

assholes

the title says it all. For the last few days (outside of quality time with friends) I seem to be surrounded by them. Which came to a nasty head on Thursday night when I took in a play at RIT. Clearly I missed the note on my ticket that I was sitting in “Section Asshole. Row 3.” The guy next to me spent the entire play doing his homework. I understand that students are assigned in classes to see these productions. However that’s no excuse. Especially when you need to continually flip through pages. Then his cell phone went off. Admittedly I’m a theatre/movie person. I really enjoy both. I’ve been involved with the production of both. I respect both. And I respect the people around me. I’m not super bright, but even I can grasp the idea of “shut off your damn phone before entering a theatre!”

(Side note: Personally I’m always paranoid about my cell phone going off during this type of event. I actually had it happen to me once. I had just gotten my phone and was at a movie and this cell phone goes off, and I think “Great, some asshole forgot to shut off their phone. Way to ruin it for everyone jerk!” After the movie, I pull the phone out of my pocket to use it and notice that it was on and that it told me I had missed a call. Ever since then I’ve removed the battery before entering a theatre.)

So, you would think that after one phone went off, everyone else with a phone would think “hey maybe my phone is still on… I’d better check and turn it off if it is….” Oh no, not in section Asshole. It happened one row in front of me ten minutes later.

Then, even through we are at the back of the theatre, the guy behind me decides it’s time to take some pictures with a small point-and-shoot camera (can you say “not going to come out well?”). And so Asshole Adams behind me starts snapping flash pictures. Once, when acting, I had the distinct pleasure to be distracted by random flashes of light from the audience. It’s not a fun experience for you or the other actors on stage when your mind goes temporarily blank because the mother of some kid in the chorus really needed to share that moment. The playon Thursday was a difficult enough piece without the added distraction. I finally had to turn around and, as quietly as I could, ask him to stop. The worst part is that he didn’t really get what he had done wrong.

Thankfully I managed to get a different seat for act two. And wouldn’t you know it, ten minutes into the act, another cell phone goes off in the section I had been sitting in. God, sometimes I hate people.

Other than that things are pretty good.