So on the 2nd of April, I am heading off to the US of A with my friends Maud, Sarah, Kate, Bren, Chris, Howie, Steve, Amanda, Alex and Alan amongst others.

The main reason - WrestleMania XXV in Houston!
The 2nd reason - Mauds birthday in Dallas!
The 3rd reason - who the hell needs any more reasons?

Anyway, being away from home has meant that I need to get a few things sorted out for "mobile computing". I cant take a whacking gert laptop (I have a 20" and a 15.4" - cos 1/ weighs too much, 2/ its a bit unwieldy and 3/ I quite fancy a little netbook and 4/ if I had a netbook, its something that the kids can use when they come round.

So after reading the review and looking at the specs - its come down to getting myself an Advent 4211-C.

Specs are:
Intel Atom N270 Processor (1.6GHz, 533 MHz, 512k Cache)
Genuine Windows(R) XP Home
1GB Memory (I have another 1Gb SODIMM I can fit in)
120GB HDD
10.2"Widescreen Display & 1.12KG
Bluetooth connectivity & webcam
Wireless Enabled
Built in speakers
3 USB ports
3-in-1 Card Reader (so I can get photos off my cameras SD card)

With Firefox (and several addons installed), puTTY, Thunderbird and Live! Messenger - I should be sorted. I'll whack a Ubuntu Live distro on a USB stick, throw some tunes and videos onto an external 60Gb 2.5" drive and I should be good to go!

With hotel WiFi (plus Starbucks, McDonalds, etc, etc) I should be sorted out to chat with Jam whenever I want using whatever ever medium I want hehe

And with luck I'll be able to blog live from Friday Night Smackdown, Hall Of Fame, Wrestlemania XXV and Monday Night Raw. Or twitter it all at least :)

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[link]   Posted @ 14:00

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[link]   Posted @ 20:00

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[link]   Posted @ 14:41

Have you ever needed to get your MP3 files to a standard level for mixing or to save your ears?

I cannot recommend MP3Gain enough. I have used the Win32 release for a while now but it just takes so damn long and uses up a lot of processor.

However, I recently started using the linux command line version, as I can just leave it running processing my files while I'm not there.

find . -name *mp3 -exec mp3gain -c -r -d 6.0 {} ;

That will find all *mp3 files starting in the current directory and below and will pass them to mp3gain for processing. The options used:

-c ignore clipping warning when applying gain
-r sets the default volume to 89.0dB
-d 6.0 add 6.0dB to the default (ie 95dB in this case)

You will need to experiment with your mp3s and with your audio hardware to find the best level for you.

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[link]   Posted @ 13:29

...about how come I've become lax in updating this here blog.

1/ Do I have the time?

Pretty much. I am a full time employee for an internet enabling company, so have plenty of time when I could update. Plus I have most evening spent on the net. So thats a YES

2/ Do I have anything to talk about?

According to some people, yes I do. I can chatter on about certain subjects til donkeys start tipping over. So thats a YES

3/ Do I have the inclination?

I update Facebook at least once a day and twitter every now and again. So thats a YES

4/ So why am I not updating this little corner of the internet regularly?

Focus. I have lost focus on blogging. I am currently focusing on my DJing and this is going from strength to strength. I currently play for the Alexandra Bar, The Ashcombe pub and the new Q Bar - all in my home town. Q Bar is new and it looks like I have landed the residency there - every Friday and Saturday night, provided I can prove myself over the next few weeks. Which is severely limiting my social life, but enabling me to do something that I love doing.

So I'm gonna rejig the blog. Sometime ago, I started putting together a new music blog and then completely forgot about it. Finding it a few weeks back seems to have jarred the interest in me for both blogging and doing the music thang. Favourite songs, my own mixes, playlists and suchlike will be the order of the day.

This place will be a thought dumping ground and the other place will for music (although there will quite likely be some crossover).

To this end, I shall be posting here quite regularly from now on (famous last words!)

See ya all soon

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[link]   Posted @ 20:54

I have lots to update you on.
I have a job (and more on this soon).
I've lost a grandmother.

Socially, I am busy.

Employed, I am a hero (their words not mine).

Inside, I'm sad.

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[link]   Posted @ 14:27

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[link]   Posted @ 18:53

Oh yeah, I also had a box of Thorntons Chocolates from Jam.

Picked the kids up at 5 and brought them back to ours for their presents - loads of them. They had only had a handful from their mum and family - Chan had 17 major plus a stocking and Rhiannon had 14 plus a stocking. They were chuffed to bits.

Then we topped it off when I suddenly remembered that there was 1 more present - one to all of us from Santa.

A Wii pack to which had been added Wii Play, MarioKart and an extra wheel. Oh how they were impressed with that - Chan forcing me to set it up immediately and then coming with 10 points of beating me at bowling!

Oh yeah and Comet came through in the end - delivering before 9.30 on Xmas Eve. New washing machine was plumbed in and doing its first cycle by 10.30. We've been hammering it quite hard ever since :)

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[link]   Posted @ 22:48

So went spent all day yesterday wrapping presents and delivering gift hampers to people - we finished all the wrapping just before midnight!

Jam and I opened our stockings - I got:

Boxers
Socks
Trainer Socks
2x Chocolate lollipops
Snowglobe
A Sodalite Stone
Colour changing Poi

Yes Poi! I practiced a little but really need to be outside to get the full swinging.

We then retired and opened our pressies this morning - I got:

Storm watch (rubber strap, red face - very sexy)
Family Guy Evil Monkey Tshirt
Sex, Drugs and Sausage Rolls Tshirt
El'Orfanato (The Orphanage) BluRay
Little Big Planet (PS3)
Stephen Frys book 'America'
Converse 'Sailor Jerry' Pumps
2x Boxers
Blackadder Boxset
PS3 Bluray Remote Controller

A damn good haul - thanks Jam - I love you and your presents :)

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[link]   Posted @ 10:46

So Comet still managed to balls it all up. They processed the order and booked the delivery but the delivery booking fucked up!

So here I was, waiting for the 2 items to arrive today (incl the washing machine I have now needed for 2 weeks) and nothing. I rang them and they told me it was all wonky so I now have a preferencial delivery on the morning of the 24th.

Fingers crossed!

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[link]   Posted @ 18:08