New Music

So, my musical tastes have been changing, some.

I really dont ever listen to country anymore. Its funny…neither does Deb’s, that much. When leaving the airport with my stepdad last week, we listened to K95, and I didnt know one song that played! Wow.

Oddly enough, while im still a KISS fan…i find myself listening to less and less…

I have been becoming more interested in other stuff though. Like…for some odd reason, bands like Coldplay and Death Cab for Cutie have been coming more interesting. Its not the pop…its the musical talent. Listening to both of those bands alone…their music can be almost, very complex. DCfC has a whole beat that just makes it interesting (I really like Soul Meets Body). Coldplay is the same…and even more prefered. I also have found myself wanting to listen to anything close to them, and keeping an open mind listening to many new bands that I use to shove off. I think that maybe the wrong songs were picked to be their ‘hits’, and giving them a different presentation that they maybe wanted.

A great example is Lifehouse. Friends tell me that im really going to like them, but i cant stand that ‘you and me’ song. I have yet to listen to much more, but plan to eventually.

To me, NIN and the Smashing Pumpkins fit in this category as well. Trent Reznor is a genius. Seeing him in concert is a perfect example. Billy Corgan in the same way…making his own music, and paving the way for many bands today.

But, I guess I havent lost the edge. I still have to listen to Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie, Slipknot, System of a Down, etc 🙂

Yesterday I picked up the new Rob Zombie CD ‘Educated Horses’. Its a little less like the Rob Zombie from before, but still REALLY good. I havent finished listening to it yet, but plan to do so today. Right now on the iPod is Imogen Heap’s ‘Speak For Yourself’. I got this from debs, who got it from courtney (who is a big fan). This also seems like a great album, and I have a few songs that I really like on here, espc. some of the first ones. Just the music behind it is soo different, and very enjoyable, as well as her ‘unique’ voice.

I promise ill still post about the NIN concert 🙂

Im Listening To: ‘Headlock’ by Imogen Heap

30th for Apple…

So, its Apple’s 30th birthday. Of course the blogs are talking up a storm about it, looking back to the old days (you know, one could have said “good ole days”…but lets face it…they were not that good 🙂 ).

I of course got our first mac a little over 10 years ago…and its sitting (well, its case) right behind me. I used Macs at my friends house before then though, and in school. Yes, I used Apple’s DOS as well.

Well, for those who dont really know a THING about the old apple, and at least want to see some of the old stuff, Wired did a post on the OS history.

The best part about it? I visited this site about 10 times today. 9 of those were on my powerbook. 9 of those times…the GALLERY didnt work! Way to write a story about the Mac’s history….that really isnt viewable on a Mac!

Listening to: “Happy Dog” (4:59) by Leslie Pintchik

Welcome to 1906

This is another post i promised, talking about my experiences with Henrico co. I have never seen a place so backwards and outdated…its amazing how they get anything done.

Debs and I went last friday to go purchase our marriage license. First of all, what are these ACTUALLY for? I can see for record keeping, but couldnt they be a little more efficient with technology?

We get there, and have to fill out a form, just saying our mom and dad’s names and the date we plan to get married and our SSN and stuff. Its then entered into their system. Lord know what happens next.

So here is where we start. The computers, they are decent. Dell boxes running Windows XP. But what I find SOOO funny, is of course every place like this (like any other customer service, VCU does it, Comcast does it, Ukrops does it, etc.), use a DOS BOX TO ENTER EVERYTHING IN!

So you have a UNIX mainframe you paid $100,000 for in the 80s. Think about how outdated it is now, and how it could be replaced with a $100 Linux box. But they continue to update their actual end user systems, and use ancient back ends. A web front end could be written in ASP or PHP, to at least make the whole process look better.

Well, they charge $32 and change for this license. CASH ONLY. ITS 2006….and you only take cash! And dont give me the whole “well, cash is still ‘real’ money…”. Its sure as hell not. Cash we use here in America is only (or was only) a representation of SILVER. And this kids is why we have inflation! So, you have to go to the ATM to get cash out.

The ATM is in the employee section! So imagine having to explain to some 80yr old cop (who told me that i should pick up a hunting license with my wedding one, in case, you know…..we were going duck hunting after the wedding), what we actually had to do. At least the ATM worked.

After this wonderful ordeal (which I was in pain the whole time since I had my first chiro. session), we got a packet of info. I told debs that the packet prob. had info in there like that she was supposed to have my dinner made by 5pm every night, that she had to obey what i said, and that we were to have one boy and one girl. Funny enough, all it was about is “What everyone should know about AIDS before saying I do”.

Way to ruin the mood.

I think its just wild how the ENTIRE wedding process is actually REALLY fun. We do a bunch of cool things, and people treat us like adults (hah…them fools). One would think they could at least soften it some, and just make it a bit easier overall. It wouldnt be that hard either, just at least be a bit nicer (the lady we had was QUITE angry, almost).

So, other that that, were good. I have been updating the wedding site, so CHECK IT OUT PEOPLE. I still want to tell you all the awesome things about the NIN concert, maybe tomorrow night :). Tonight im waiting for debs to get home, and then we are heading up to Cap. Ale House for a little bit.

Listening to: “I Wanna Be Sedated” (2:29) by The Ramones

Back Problems

Ill start our my 3-post set of catching up with everyone by talking about one of the major events that has happened more recently. After having all my Insurance stuff fixed up, I decided to finally see a chiropractor for all of the back pain that I have been having more of recently.

After some x-rays, thermal scans, and electrical scans, we saw a few problems. Some muscle action around my lower back and neck. Thermal scans showed the same, but the x-ray’s gave us the real answer.

My neck is to straight to start off with. Most necks are curved, to help absorb shock from carrying your head around. The reason I keep having a stiff neck and weird headaches is because of this. The second issue I have been having is that my pelvis is not level, but shifted to one side. I also have a few verterbre that are not lined up just right, but not to bad off. Both of these can be fixed with a few months of treatment, and really make my life much better :).

The last one was a pretty big shocker though. I have a fractured spine! One of my vert. in my lower lower back has a slght fracture on one side. This can not be cured, but doesnt really change to much either.

After hearing all this, my first question was “Doc, how long do I have?!!?!?!”….but its really not that bad. If anything, my pain should be going away more and more. I will have to start doing more things like sitting right and moving, and stop doing things like running and stuff for a while 😦

Listening to: “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You” (5:02) by Alison Krauss & Union Station

F’n Comcastic

Wow.

After a long day at work, its nice to come home, check your RSS feeds, read any new emails, see what your friends are doing, and then maybe sit back and find something a tiny bit decent on the crappy TV. You know, like that dancing with the stars show with the lady that looks like a lion, or sports stuff, or an old 80s movie.

Today, I got to come home to a dead cable connection.

It was working this morning at lunch, i used debs laptop to check something. It was working before these guys outside were messing with the new neighbors connection.

It wasnt working when I tried to RDC into my PC, or SSH into my server. Ehh, maybe after a year, comcast has renewed our DHCP lease….

Get home..modem is just about dead. TVs have static (which, was MUCH MORE EXCITING than anything thats on TV now). To top it off…cell phones are over as well, since this is the month we decided to get rid of comcast…

I call up there, and talk to the people in the cable area (since I figured they may be a bit slower than internet people). I then just put in some messed up phone number, and then immed. hit 0 to get to an op….which actually took me RIGHT to one (note that yall…).

The two ladies I talked to were nice enough to try to get someone out tonight, but ended up were going ot have someone there tomorrow before 2. I ended up going to Barnes and Noble first to get some coffee, but they charge for internet. Panera I knew was free, so I got a cup of coffee and some nice apple muffin.

BTW – wedding invites are going out this week. Check for yours. RSVP. Come and celebrate 🙂