VCR PC

Well, I got the crazy idea to build a computer inside a VCR case. I am not done but I do have it up and running.
As I described to a friend on Gtalk:

I built a Micro ATX PC in a old VCR case to act as a viewing station for my vast TV collection. Well, it isn't done but it is functional. The cover is not on yet (I have to cut a hole and put a fan cage on it) and I need to find a way to get a DVDROM to fit but otherwise, like I said, it s functional.

The problem with the DVDROM is I put a video card in for TV out and it blocks the VCR slot. Whenever I finally buy a HDTV I'll get one with VGA input and use the onboard video so, time is the answer there... and well, I am just being lazy about the cover ;)
Interestingly, I drilled holes in the VCR case and used small nuts and bolts to attach the mobo to the VCR case. one nut underneath the case and one between the mobo and case. I also had to use a dremel tool to cut away plastic pieces that were in the way of the mobo sitting flush.

Another tidbit, the harddrive (an old 20GB) is cantilevered by just 2 screws! And the power supply is just sort of sitting there for now. I may try to find a slightly larger VCR case, but for now this works fine!

Congrats (but also a sad day)

I have learned that the Lovely Ellery Klein is expecting her first child (due in July) and as of the end of this month will no longer be touring with Gaelic Storm. Though the link I provided in the title of this post is slanted towards the possibility of her returning to the band at a later date!

Congrats Ellery! And good luck! You've been a blast to listen to in concert or on CD!

I have no clue who will be replacing her in the mean time. But one more thing to add: For a band that has gone through fiddlers, (5 since the band formed in ~1995... not including Ellery's replacement) Ellery has the longest tenure (4 years).

Dreaming of Reality... Foolhardy?

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I were discussing optimism, pessimism, and realism. After thinking about this for nearly two weeks, I realized that none of these really fit me. I think I am more of a dreamer.

I often let my mind wander through "what-if" scenarios. These scenarios can range from international events to events in my own life. This might explain why I like alternative history novels!

In all honesty, as a dreamer, I have aspects of optimism, pessimism, and realism. There are probably three scenarios that I have thought out over and over again. These fit both optimism and pessimism.

1. Future Career Moves. i.e. moving up in the SD DOT, starting my own consulting firm.
2. A new dark age.
3. Starting my own pub/restuarant.

I can't do too much on my own about the first two... or at least not in the near future. But I have actually put some decent thoughts into the pub idea. Maybe in the next 10 years, I'll finally get ambitious about it! But first, I should get a house...

I should have mentioned this earlier: According to Answers.com,

A person inclined to be imaginative or idealistic but impractical: idealist, utopian, visionary. Seeability/inability, hope/despair.

I do not fit this definition to a "T". I am a dreamer away from work, but at work (and at school) I was very studious and ambitious. I have some how managed to be a practical dreamer... or at least to be practical with my education, career, and finances, while letting my 'dreamer' side take over my 'me' time.

Back to Back

And I am NOT talking about the University of Florida's NCAA Championship football AND basketball teams!

I have already probed everyone about the GS concert in KC on the Friday before Memorial Day, but I see that The Clumsy Lovers will be in Norfolk, NE on June 4th. This should also be a great concert, it is at a sports bar so only cost will be cover charge (if they have one). It is a Monday, but thanks to the close proximity to Pierre I should be able to just take off Monday afternoon and Tuesday morn. (though the whole day Tues could be nice to have off).

More the merrier and remember, there is no love like clumsy love! ;)

EDITED TO ADD: 300 miles, wow a little further than I remember, but still easily do-able.

I may be crazy...

No April Fool's Joke, I went kayaking today! I may be a little crazy for it though. The high today is 57 degrees, so the water temp. this early in the spring is upper 30s, lower 40s! But I really enjoyed the outing.

Below are some pictures of the kayak on my new pickup rack. In the first picture, you can see my fellow POTM in the front seat.

Not The Best Day

Today was not the best day, but I did get a lateral load test on my new frame (on m pickup). I normally walk to and from work and eat lunch in my apartment. But today I drove to work so I could go to Quiznos for lunch. On my way, I stopped at a red light and before it changed some high school girl rear-ended me!

Luckily, my pickup sustained only a couple of scratches within the red circle:Also, there seemed to be no damage below or underneath the vehicle. The rack clamps held perfectly too.

Now her car on the other hand... part of her headlight lay on my bumper and her grill looked smashed up. Though she was able to drive away after the report was filed.

Myself? Obviously there is no need for me to file a claim, so I am just going to get a paint touch -up kit and after that spot I'll probably touch up a few other scratches (from normal wear and tear).

My New Toy

I got my new toy today! A utility rack from US Rack! It assembled very easily; requiring only an Allen wrench to assemble. Some pics:

The clamp that holds it up:

The middle vertical bar screws into the cross bar.

And yes, that is my "Support Piracy Magnet" ;)

squirrel fur slippers?! where was the janitor from scrubs?

from Katharine Kerr's Newsgroup

This reminds of an interesting bit I learned recently about Cinderella's glass slipper. Originally it was a squirrel fur slipper, and the name for squirrel fur is vair. The translator from the French saw "vair" and thought it was "verre," glass. I'd always wondered why anybody, even in a folk tale, would trust their footto a glass slipper.

Kit

A quick Google search confirms this!

Life In The Dark Ages

What would it be like to be a viking in the dark ages? Life would be good!


Do you want to create a character of your own? Check out History.com/darkages to join the fun and to find out more about this world premiere event on THE HISTORY CHANNEL

Life

If you want to be miserable, then get yourself around other people who are miserable. If you wish to be joyful, successful and fulfilled, put yourself around those who live with positive purpose. The more energy you put into complaining about how bad things are, the more things you'll have to complain about. The more intensely you visualize how good things can be, the better they will become.

You are naturally drawn to whatever you focus upon. You will see precisely the opportunities and possibilities that you prepare yourself to see.

Each day is filled with so many choices and directions that you cannot possibly connect to them all. The ones you do connect with are the ones that most closely resonate with your view of life.

Fortunately, you can choose to view life in whatever way you wish. Those who find the best in life are those who continually remind themselves that all the good and valuable things are most certainly there.

See your life as a grand opportunity for love and joy, achievement and fulfillment. And that's exactly what it will be.
--- Ralph Marston

More From Saint Patrick's Day 2007

Song For Ireland



Fiddler's Green



Beggarman



Back Home In Derry



Danny Boy




Tell Me Ma/Encore

Saint Patrick's Day 2007

Last night was a blast! I have no idea how I am awake and blogging and 7AM but I am wide awake after getting to sleep by 2AM. I had two friends join me for a night on the town down in Sioux Falls. One even a blogger!
Though I did have a "seldom" blogger bail on me too. And unsurprisingly, the least ambitious person I know failed to come join us even just for supper :(

But it didn't matter. A great time was still had by the three of us. We enjoyed ourselves at Skelly's Irish Pub and enjoyed the Irish Music Night at the Orpheum Theater. A few vid clips from the concert (maybe more later, but right now they are TOO LARGE for youtube):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhGCnPf99w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXPxRl7yW2s

Today

Not much to add today. I just ordered an aeropress coffee maker. It is similar to a frenchpress but it is supposed to be less messy.Also, there was a good Dilbert strip this morning:

Brief Blog Entry

Nothing special to note this morning. I did spend part of yesterday uploading alot of the pictures I have taken in the past year+ to Picasa Web Albums. I also saw the movie 300 yesterday; I will try to get a review written tonight.

Again, everyone is welcome to join me at McNally's in Sioux Falls, SD this Saturday.

My Boring Life... Or is it?

Damn, my life's boring! Which explains my lack of blog entries lately ;)

Work has been checking designs and doing check prints (checking drafting) on box culverts lately. Nothing to interesting. Except one, the outlet end of a RCBC (reinforced concrete box culvert) was too close to a railroad embankment, so we designed the wing walls to run perpendicular to the box. Like a giant headwall.

Yesterday was beautiful and the weather is supposed to holdout, with the temp in the 60s next week! I ran outside yesterday for the first time since winter began and I have to say I am in the best shape I've been in since maybe my sophomore year of college (nearly 5 years ago already)!

No big plans for myself this weekend, but next Saturday I am planning on spending the afternoon and evening in Sioux Falls, here. More info here. Anyone is welcome to join me!

I don't think I mentioned this yet, but my parents traded their station wagon in for a crew cab S10 pickup. So I am probably going to order this to help protect my pickup when I use it to haul around the kayak. Kindof spendy, but it looks nicer than anything I could build and it is universal. I can use it on my pickup, then keep it and use it whenever I finally get a crew cab pickup :) Also, it clamps on, so I won't have to drill any holes into the bed of my pickup.

Well, it's nearly time for me to walk to work, hope everyone has a good day! (As I reread what I wrote, I am thinking that my life may not be as boring as initially reported! ;) )

Yes, I am still alive... for now ;)

I know, I know. I haven't been blogging much lately, but what have I been up to? Well, we just finished a rehab project at work and sent it on to bid letting on Friday. We had been frantically trying to finish the project up for the past two weeks. You see, I am in one of the new design squads, but we had been given a bridge rehabilitation project and I being the newbie wasn't the only engineer that was new to this type of project. There are alot of differences between a rehab project and a new design project. For instance, new designs are alot more straight forward; rehab projects take alot more intuitive thought. Second of all, the Bridge Office is short 6 (soon to be 7) engineers (and one secretary) so things are really hectic right now. But, like I said, we got the project done... so YIPPEE!

What have I been up to away from work? Well, this past week I have been battling a cold, but I seem to have prevailed. I haven't been playing Age of Pirates much lately though, so no updates on that. I have been pushing myself harder on my daily runs at the YMCA though. I ran 6.5 miles at 7 mph yesterday. I also had to use up some eggs in my fridge yesterday, so I baked a cake, made up a bunch of chocolate waffles for eating during he week, and fried some chicken up yesterday.

Last weekend, I competed a video for Gaelic Storm's Kiss Me I'm Irish Contest. And guess what! GS will be at the Minnesota Irish Fair again this year! So everyone mark your calendars and meet me there. since I will have leave this time, I am planning on taking off the Friday before and Monday after so that I can enjoy the whole fair! Remember August 10 - 12!

Don't Throw This Away!

A couple weeks ago I bought a new book. Don't Throw This Away: The Civil Engineering Life by Brian Brenner, PE. The book is a collection of humorous essays by the author. Most have to do with a civil engineer working and living in today's world.

One chapter is called, Acronyms and the Explosion of Useless Data (AEUD) was exceptionally funny. Here is one story from it.

A female colleague developed a complex computer system; she called it, Parameter Estimation Model Updating System.

My Colleague: We are here to discuss the Parameter Estimation Model Updating System.

Professor A: Thank you for inviting us here for this discussion. We have evaluated our Parameter Estimation Model Updating System and it seems to be dong a good job.Many people are satisfied with your Parameter Estimation Model Updating System.

My Colleague: This is good to know. I am pleased that people are satisfied.

Professor B: Yes, it seems to be quite effective. is it a large system?

My Colleague: Yes, my Parameter Estimation Model Updating System is quite large.

Professor A: That's interesting, because some studies have indicated that size does, in fact matter, for a Parameter Estimation Model Updating System.

Professor B: Although there has been significant discussion in the field that the system's size is not necessarily as important as its method of application.

Professor A: Yes, I agree with professor B.

My Colleague: I would think that a system's size is not important as long as it gets the job done.

Professor A: An excellent point! Efficacy matters more than size. But even so, do you have plans for growth of your Parameter Estimation Model Updating System?

My Colleague: Yes, I plan to add several new features to the system.

Professor A: Can the Parameter Estimation Model Updating System do a good job at evaluating structural member stiffness?

My Colleague: Yes, estimation of moment of inertia is a key feature of the system.

Professor B: So, you have a robust Parameter Estimation Model Updating System?

Professor A: A system that is poised for growth and will function better in the future?

My Colleague: (perhaps a little perplexed by now at the discussion) Yes, one could say that.

The name of the computer system has now been changed.

Beat Tuesday

In The News...

Well, since I hate sleeping in the middle of the day, it looks like the Greeks are contesting my plan of immortality (So Far, So Good).

The UK and US are the worst (of the most industrialized nations) places for children to grow up?! I can't speak for the UK, but I see little or no problem with children in the US.

Weather

Well, my KC friend just blogged about the lack of South Dakotan blood in Kansanians. Imagine their reaction to this weather in the morning:
Also, we just received at least 5'' of snow yesterday. I suspect that it was closer to 6''. Better yet, we are supposed to hit the 40s on Sunday and Monday! Ah, South Dakota, the land of infinite change! ;)