Yes, I’m still alive. There is much to write about but I haven’t taken the time. I’ve posted to Twitter from time to time, but not much substance. Let’s see if we can fill in some blanks:

1. I sold my XBox and all of its games. Yes it’s true. I’ve been a gamer for many years and I’m sure that I’ll come back to it in time. Just not right now. I traded everything in at my local GameStop when I got enough to (almost) buy an iPad. Sure, it’s a second generation unit, 16GB and WiFi only but it is still great. It is something I should have done long ago. I’m writing this blog post on it now and even touch typing is a breeze.

2. I’ve been traveling a lot for work. For me traveling is fun, but my last trip to St. Louis was the best. Tammy got to go along and we were able to meet up with friends on two on the nights. Good times indeed. I have a rare job that allows me to mix work and fun so I try to take advantage of it when I can.

3. Vintage audio again has made it in to my house. This time it’s a blast from the mid-80′s–a Dual CS-505-2 turntable and two components from NAD. The NAD amp is a simple 3320PE with a companion AM/FM tuner as a separate unit. The speakers that were included in this combo were some truly amazing Merlin 1B’s from 1986. There is much more to that story so I won’t spoil it by giving away too many details. Look for a full update in a few months. The Dual is heading north with me to meet up with Bob from Fix My Dual in Des Moines. He will take it apart and give it an overhaul then we can make it our primary turntable.

I’ve spent the last two hours working at my desk and listening to my music collection via iTunes Match.  These new headphones have a quality that is hard to describe to someone–mainly because I don’t think I have the right words in vocabulary.  The sound is certainly clear and well-defined considering the source and my local PC’s sound card.

The HD280 speakers are amazing for the size (watch a video if you want to learn more) and produce what I have to call a “compressive bass” sound.  Instead of bass ‘hum’ instead your ears can feel the air pressure changes therefore the bass has a tactile quality.  I think this comes from the way they encompass the ear and truly isolate the air gap between the speakers and eardrum.  These are the first headphones that I’ll have to worry about volume limits.

More later…

Basics

Sound quality is amazing. Reveals the quality of source material, whether it’s vintage vinyl (Rush-Moving Pictures) or 256Kbps AAC from iTunes Match (Love and Rockets-Ball of Confusion). Nearly complete sound isolation. Manual that comes in box lets you know you paid for a quality product. Coiled cord perfect for your desk or the chair next to that vintage amp.

Interesting notes:

They feel like they compress my head in a gentle vise. Might be therapeutic. In reality, the sensation is more like stepping in to a sound proof room and closing the door.

I have a set of Sennheiser HD201′s, the $30 cousin twice removed of the HD280 Pro. $70 buys a lot of difference and when you spend 4 to 6 hours a day with headphones on, it’s worth the investment.

PS: If you go through a Sennheiser dealer, they can add a microphone.

I do.

From the notes:
“Filmed from the checkerboard used for the approach into Kai Tak. Overshoots and then lines it up just to get caught in the wind…again.”

*Fast*

The brewer will heat the water to about 175 degrees(F) in about 4 minutes. That’s the time for 16 ounces of water which is the recommended amount for two packets of VIA brew.

*Tumbler*

The tumbler is a rare one–perfect for me and works as advertised. Keeps the coffee hot for about three hours, going down to 135 degrees(F) over that time. It’s slightly tapered, double-walled stainless steel with a lid that doesn’t leak at all. Rare, indeed!

*Verdict*
Good buy at $10–pick one up if you can.

I have only four work days this week, then I’m flying to Orlando, FL on Monday for work. I’ll be home on Thursday so maybe Tammy and I will have a date next Friday!

Our Target is getting new produce and refrigerated cases plus an air conditioning upgrade. The goal is to convert our store to something called ‘PFresh’, an internal designation that corresponds to a larger grocery selection. Based on some quick research on Wikipedia this was an effort started a couple of tears ago.

This could be in response to a new HyVee store that opened in 2011 plus two Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market stores opening later this year.

We all stand on the shoulders of the generation before. This is true in EVERY medium. Writers, Artists, Programmers, Engineers. The trend in the last few decades to lock everything down… be it with rivets and welds, or with patents and copyrights that never expire… we’re crippling the next generation. The joy I felt being able to gut a PC, from the hard drive to the kernel during my formative years… you’re right: an iPad is amazing. I own one and love it. But what I got out of my first PCs in the 80s was more than what my kid will get out of an iPad today. I’m not trying to wax nostalgic, but there’s a potentially dark future out there. We’re crippling the next generation in the name of quarterly profits. Creativity and innovation requires more balance.

Your iPad may be awesome, but will the technology children of this generation have a desire to build one for their generation?  What will be the iPad of 2020?

Attribution:  Found at Webstock via Pinboard.