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June 30, 2006
Louisville, Kentucky
Drove 800+ miles today, and are staying overnight in Louisville, Kentucky at a mildly scary Quality Inn. At least it has WiFi -- both Alanna and I can connect simultaneously.
Drive was largely uneventful -- just long, long long.
Posted by Steven at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2006
New York Times Gives Glowing Review to Le Rêve
Stop reading this blog and instead read this review of the San Antonio French restaurant I took Anne to on our 10th wedding anniversary. Out of the blue I picked this place to take her, back in 2000, when they had just opened (or so it seems, according to the review). Man, do I have great taste. No? Ok, how about unbelieveable luck.
First I find Anne. Then I find Le Rêve.
Posted by Steven at 12:28 AM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2006
Leo Graduates from SMU (No, Really)
Leo took a one week SMU annex course for 4-6th grade students where he learned how to use Animation Master, a low-end 3D rendering package aimed at amateur movie moguls.
Leo made three short movies during the week:
Anne and I decided to buy the software he was using for the class as it really seemed to work for him (and it runs on Mac OS X, and it wasn't obscenely expensive). So we hope that he will be doing more elaborate projects in the future.
I made a point of telling Leo that only his grandfather and grandmother (my parents) and he have attended SMU, that I wasn't so privileged. He was rather amused by this. Look forward to him adopting the Mustang as his logo soon ...
Anne made an interesting discovery in the class, too. It turns out that one of our Quail Creek neighbors was also sending their child to the class, so we are hoping to stay in touch with them. They're from New York, and are very "arty", so they should be an interesting family to get to know.
Leo adds, "My favorite thing about the class was the instructor (Josh) who has a huge collection of NES games. He had an NES emulator running on his Windows machine on the overhead screen while waiting for the students to get into class in the morning."
Posted by Steven at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)
Why Don't I Buy Dell? Here's Why
You can read the story here, but the bottom line is that this Dell laptop randomly exploded. Imagine this happening in an airplane. Now imagine what Homeland Security will do when this happens in an airplane. You may not be able to fly your Dell lapmine after that. Keep this in mind when you buy a Dell.
Dude, you're getting a landmine!
Posted by Steven at 05:22 PM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2006
Austin, oh by the way
Also coming down to Austin on Sat. afternoon with Alanna in tow. Plan to stay with the Werth's near the Arboretum, and work in Cedar Park on Monday, going home Monday night.
Go about your business folks.
Posted by Steven at 10:47 PM | Comments (0)
Robert Anton Wilson on eBay
Mike "Jones Bear" Jones sent this link to an auction that Robert Anton Wilson is running on eBay. Go see for your fnordy selves what RAW is up to.
Fnord.
Posted by Steven at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)
New York Visit
We're going to be in New York in two weeks (after a dull-as-dishwater drive through Jesusland), based out of the Binghamton area where Anne's mom lives.
Sunday the 2nd is my birthday, and we're going to be in Schenectady at the Kraus' for a 4th of July BBQ that afternoon. The next day we'll head down to Phoencia to see Dershstock, and that evening we'll return to Whitney Point.
Later in the week I'm thinking about driving out to Westchester to crash over night with an old friend, and the next morning Leo and I will go down to the City (Metro North) to visit the big Nintendo and Apple stores. I'll take him up the Empire State Building, while we're there (might as well enjoy it while it's still around -- you never know nowadays). We'd do a day trip on Friday as we have to be back in Whitney Point by Saturday morning.
We're driving up in Anne's Jetta Wagon with the RocketBox on the top, which will allow me to bring the telescope (and eyepieces!), and not crowd out the cabin.
We'll take the I-30/I-40/I-65/I-71 route through Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio, and then head across the southern tier of NY on I-86 for a change. If that turns out to be a bad route, we'll take the more traditional southern route back (or maybe the southern Penn. one). Lots of driving either way. Joy.
Posted by Steven at 08:00 PM | Comments (1)
June 12, 2006
Lux Aeterna Composer Dies
Gyorgy Ligeti died today at the age of 83. He was the Hungarian composer whose work Stanley Kubrick used extensively in 2001:A Space Odyssey. His material was primarily used in the sequences involving Dave Bowman being transported and transformed by the aliens who placed the monoliths on the Earth and Moon, as well as the sequence when the astronauts first visit the Monolith. His music is haunting, eerie, and ethereal. I rather like it, but it's like some kinds of electronic music that was composed in the late 1970's (even though it was achieved by using analog techniques).
He was a genius.
Posted by Steven at 06:32 PM | Comments (0)
Article about Ed Catmull at Pixar
If you are into animation, read this article about Ed Catmull at Pixar (and now, Disney Animation Studios). It will give you some hope that Disney will be back, and stronger, in the coming decade. The back-story on Ed is really interesting, too (I just prickled when I read the incorrect bit about Jobs creating Pixar -- Lucas created Pixar and sold it to Jobs!).
Posted by Steven at 06:29 PM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2006
Project A-Kon 17
Another June, another A-Kon. Number seventeen, in fact. Seeing as how I was in Ft. Worth most of the weekend, it's a wonder I saw any of A-Kon, but I did.
For the second weekend, Chloe came up on Southwest Air from Austin to visit with us. She and Alanna were largely on their own this year at A-Kon, and Chloe let us know that she plans on driving herself up in future conventions, so I guess the "stay all weekend at the hotel by themselves" is coming up, too. Oh boy.
I didn't get to take many photos as I didn't make it to A-Kon until after 6pm today, but I did catch this guy dressed as Alanna's favorite character from Full Metal Alchemist, Maes Hughes. She told me there were five Hughes' altogether this year at the convention, so I guess he's well represented.
A number of Alanna's friends also attended, including Kathleen and the giggleizer herself. Victor Manuel was there promoting AnimeFEST, but I never ran into him (he is a big booster of the MNHS Band). I didn't see many adult friends, however I was surprised by the sudden appearance of an old friend whom I see less and less of (of late) ... Melanie.
I did hook up with Melanie Fletcher and an author friend of hers whom I met at another smaller con that we all attended several years back. We had a good time eating dinner together, making jokes at each other's expense, and attending their reading. I bought a copy of the friend's novel as the opening chapter was so fascinating, I knew I had to read the rest of the story.
Anne spent much of the day with Leo, who managed to surprise a panelist on gaming with his knowledge of the panelists' company's plans for a new game. When he's in his milleu, Leo can be devistating. He focused on software panels that either showed off new products for making or rendering games, or on the game designers. Gotta admire his focus.
The hardest moment in the convention came when I passed on the $50 40th Anniversary Edition of Nuclear War in the gaming huckster's booth. I love playing the game, but not that much.
Posted by Steven at 11:00 PM | Comments (1)
Democratic Party of Texas State Convention
I attended the Texas Democratic Party's State Convention in Ft. Worth this weekend as a full delagate. I got to vote for several local party seats, and for the party chair. In all races, my choice won the race!
The party chair was sought by two major and two minor candidates. The majors were Boyd Richie (acting chair) and Glenn Maxey. Both candidates are classic 'large white guys with white hair', and both espouse largely the same goals for the party using the same tools and techniques. However, one major difference between them is that Maxey is Texas' first openly gay politician (he sat in the State House for several terms). I felt that his ascendancy to party chair would give the GOP a hot-button label that would have kept the Dems. on the defense when we need to be making a strong offense.
Boyd Richie won on the second ballot.
Just experiencing the polticial process at this level was really interesting. Ironically, the Democratic Party offers newcomers a lot of responsibility early on, thanks to the relatively low turnout we get.
I did get to see Barbara Ann Radnofsky speak, and I was quite impressed. She's running for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Kay Bailey Hutchinscum. We need a Democrat in the Senate from Texas to continue the proud tradtions of LBJ, Lloyd Bentsen and other great Texans. The current crop of GOP croynies are beyond bad.
One surprise visitor to the Convention was retired House Representative Jim Wright (for whom the contentious "Wright Amendment" is named, which restricts flights from Dallas Love Field to adjoining states). I got to take his photo and shake his hand. It was great seeing the old guard still at the "show" and to know that they are still with us. So many Democrats switched sides in the 1980's, cravenly joining the tidal surge of Southern GOP ascendancy. But now that the GOP has decided to demonize the Hispanic population, they may have actually dug their own grave as Hispanic voters will comprise 53% of the population by 2010. The turn around is near!
About the only real problem I had with the convention itself was that it was on the same weekend as Project A-Kon, which I traditionally attend with my kids. I've been going to A-Kon since 1990 (with a big gap during my first years as a new parent) and my kids are devoted fans of the genre so it's become a family affair. This year I barely made it to A-Kon. I hope I won't regularly be having to choose between these events, because I'll have to go with the Democrats. I'm in this for the long haul.
Posted by Steven at 06:00 PM | Comments (0)
June 03, 2006
Alanna is a Band Officer!
Alanna joined the first Band Leadership Team (BLT) at Boyd HS today with the announcement of the band officers by Mr. Nuñez this morning. She was one of four clarinet players selected for BLT.
Posted by Steven at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)
Happy Birthday Alanna
Alanna's 15 today! She can get a learner's permit ... and even drive a motorcycle (in Texas) starting today. Oh. My. God.
(And thanks to the grandparents whose cards and gifts arrived today!)
Posted by Steven at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)