Air-Conditioned Computer Chips?

News crap of the day:

Researchers look to air-condition computer chips

So, let me get this straight - we're all expected to reduce our hydroflourocarbon usage because it is one of the plethora of substances that damage the environment, yet some schmucks at Purdue University are working on a way to air-condition computer chips, using that very same stuff?

WTF?

Does Al Gore know about this? Has Michael Moore been notified?

[Not that I actually give a flaming crap about what either one of those boneheads have to say. Neither one has been heard from much lately (thankfully), and are likely due to shoot off their mouths and further contribute to global warming by way of their (ob)noxious emissions.]

History Lesson

A little something to tide you over until I can blog for real...

Do you know what happened this week back in 1850, 158 years ago? California became a state. The State had no electricity. The State had no money. Almost everyone spoke Spanish. There were gunfights in the streets. So basically, it was just like it is today, except the women had real breasts and the men didn't hold hands.

The News Pitch

MasterKey PitchPipe, originally uploaded by CraftyGuy.

I had said in a previous blog post that I had a wee bit of news to share, and now I'm finally getting off my duff to do so.

I used to sing with the Sounds of Concord, a men's barbershop chorus. What's barbershop you ask? Simply put, it's a style of 4-part close harmony a cappella singing wherein the melody is usually sung in the second highest part (the "lead"), with the tenor harmonizing above the melody and the baritone and bass harmonizing below. Anyhow, I used to sing baritone in the Sounds of Concord for a number of years, as well as in a quartet (no, we did not wear those silly vests and straw hats - though the hats might be fun), but had to stop a couple of years ago due to scheduling constraints.

The news is this - I, along with my friend Paul (who still is with SoC, and was in that quartet I sang with), are forming a new chorus in the local (Fitchburg/Leominster/Westminster, MA) area. The working name for the chorus is the "Montachusett Harmonizers" (Montachusett is a regional name, comprised of the name of the three mountains in the area: Monadnock, Watatick, and Wachusett). Eventually, we'd like this chorus to become part of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

We have the date, time and location for our first get-together/meet-and-greet/mini-rehearsal all set, as well as the first few prospective members. Still trying to nail down a location for the weekly rehearsals, but I think we're close to having that nailed down as well. I need to confirm, but I think I will be able to obtain use of a room at my church for that purpose.

Anyhow, that's the news. I will be keeping you updated as things progress.

R.I.P. George Carlin, 1937-2008

One of the greats has passed on. George Carlin died last night. While I certainly didn't agree with everything he had to say, he certainly said it all in a way that most of us only wish we could. Funny and to the point, Mr. Carlin had more common sense in his little finger than all Liberal-dom (or is that Liberal-dumb), and wasn't afraid to say so.

In response to his (in)famous "Seven Things You Can't Say on TV", I was thinking I might try putting together a blog entry on the "Seven Thing You'd Wish They'd Say More Often on TV", but that may well be a entry for another time.

George Carlin is -and was - my most favorite of the politically incorrect crowd, and will be sorely missed, that's for sure...

Constant Motion

Dance 3, originally uploaded by CraftyGuy.

So much for blogging again within a month's time! Ah well. Life's been in constant motion for a few months now, and it gets hard to keep on top of things.

Anyhow, here's yet another installment in the "catch-up" game. This photo was taken last week at the dress rehearsal for Bethanie's dance recital. She has been dancing with NECPAC (New England Christian Performing Arts Center) for a couple of years now, in the Jr. I Ballet and Jr. I Hip Hop classes. No, she is not in the photo above - out of the 30 or so photos I took, only four of them came out acceptable to me (and even decently artsy) - and they all had a ton of motion blur. Fortunately, it was the blur that really made them work! I may post another for my next blog entry (they're also on my Flickr page).

Here to trying to blog again soon, especially since I gots me some news - but it's really late and I'm tired, so I will save it for now. Hopefully it really will be less than a month from now the next time I post...

Catching Up With More Than Just Yard Work

The Back Forty, originally uploaded by CraftyGuy.

Another round of too-much-time has elapsed since when I last blogged. It has been an insane couple of months or so - especially the past 4 or 5 weeks. Without going into too much detail at the moment (leaving me will additional blog-fodder for later), here is a summary of the proceedings as of late.

Let's start with the flu bug that went through the house with a vengeance. Stupid flu shot didn't do squat this year. Grrrr. I've only in the past few days gotten over this stupid cough. Though neither Bethanie nor Patti could just have the flu; when all was said and done, they both ended up on the ever-popular Z-Pack to knock out the tail end of their health issues (I have a story about my own experience with the Z-Pack, which I will save for another time). But everyone is now better or nearly there.

Work has been a bear, as usual. On one hand, I am the only one there doing what I do. On the other hand, it's job security. Plus there is stuff in the works that, once it comes to fruition later this year, will mean I will have a few more responsibilities at work (with which - I am so hoping - will include a bit more of the 'ol green stuff).

The lawn mower was sent out for repairs three weeks ago, and only became available yesterday. Do you know how quickly a lawn can turn into a pasture? I'll give you a hint: it's less than three weeks. The photo gives you an idea of what I'll be contending with.

That's a good start on the catching up for now. I can elaborate on these, plus get you caught up on some other things, when next I blog - which will be considerably sooner than a month from now, I assure you.

Thank You, Captain Obvious!

This just in: CDC: Flu season worst in 4 years; vaccine didn't work well

Ya think?!?!

Now pass me the NyQuil....

A Quick One

A quick entry from the "Truly Random Thoughts" department...

If your rocket launcher fails to fire, does that mean you suffer from Projectile Dysfunction?

Yup, Still Here

I'm still here, but been way too froggin' busy lately to even do a decent blog entry, but I couldn't let the entire month of March go by without posting something - even if only a couple of sentences.

Plus, I'm feeling totally crappy right now (probably the latest round of whatever the kids brought home), so this is going to be a short one.

G'nite.

Look What I Got!

New Camera - My First dSLR, originally uploaded by CraftyGuy.

I received a package today from my awesome photographer friend Carol in Austin, TX. In that package was this nifty new (for me) camera.

Carol had recently gotten a new camera, and knew that I could and would most happily provide a good home for her old camera - a Canon 300D (the original Rebel). A sweet piece of equipment indeed!

Prior to this, I have never owned - let alone used - a dSLR camera before; I had been using a Kodak EasyShare C340 (your basic point-and-shoot type) up until this time. I know I gots me some learning to do in order to use this new baby to its fullest potential, so if my photos take a temporary dip in quality (as if they could dip any lower), you'll know why - so don't you be blamin' the camera!!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!
Happy, happy, click, click!