Apologies again for the audio quality as we’re testing a new set of microphones and the road noise was louder than we anticipated. Listening through we’ve come up with some ways to greatly improve the audio from the car.

Stuff we mention:

• Living Proof Brew Cast (specifically the episodes from 12/17/2011 and 12/31/2011)

Apologies for the audio quality as we’re testing a new set of microphones and the road noise was louder than we anticipated. It gets particularly loud around the 30 minute mark, but that only lasts for six or seven minutes. Listening through, we’ve come up with some ways to greatly improve the audio from the car.

Stuff we mention:

• Wide Sky, Narrow Trail: A View From The Trail by Courtney Mann
• Giant Squid lavaliere microphones
• Living Proof Brew Cast
• Balticon
• Promo: The Scotchcast
• Bumper: The Balticon Podcast

• Breast Cancer Anthology Update
• Stories by folks that have some how been affected by breast cancer. You don’t have to have had it. Fiction or non-fiction and the only word limit is the maximum of 30k words since I’ll consider poetry, flash fiction, short stories and novellas
• Art work – photos, sketches, finger painting, anything you have the rights to. And I am still looking for a cover
• This will be paid work
• All profits will go to charity
• Ditched by Kate working on new album
• Did not attend Dragon*Con
• • Intervention - Ditched By Kate had to cancel
  • Chooch participated on two panels (Backup solutions and Podcasting 101)
• TuacaCon
• Virtual convention broadcast on the Internet
• Author readings, music, comedy, panel discussions
• Audience participation is encouraged via chat room and skype
• If you are a writer, musician, or comedian that has the ability to do webcam work (or prerecorded video, in certain cases), please comment on SpecFicMedia.com or an email to pgholyfield at specficmedia.com
• Saturday November 12
• Out of Milk App
• (Untappd)
• People sh*tting themselves at a haunted house
• Promo: Geek Acres

Into the Blender Live! Take My Geek Card (I Dare You!)

Sun, 9:00 PM, Chesapeake, Into The Blender: Live! (New Media)
Moderator: Chooch Schubert, Panelists: Marc “Grailwolf” Bailey, P. G. Holyfield, Chris Miller, and Vivid Muse.
The IntoTheBlender.com podcast is back for another live show. This time we’re taking on a touchy subject: There are countless
arenas of geek affection, but some seem near universal: movies, television, and books. Whether it be Star Wars or Firefly; Lord of the Rings, or Buffy; Gaiman or Pratchet – there are things you are SUPPOSED to love as a geek. Well, we don’t love them all and I bet you don’t either! Come compare your likes and dislikes with an assorted panel of lovers and haters of every genre.

Our News:

Balticon

Schedules:

• Chooch ~ Here is a list of the events I will be participating in. 
  • Sound Design & Extreme Audio Effects, Friday 10:00pm – 11:00pm in the Derby
    Our expert panel of professional sound designers and audio engineers will explore various topics and techniques surrounding sound design and the art and science of extreme audio effects. They will share insider tips and tricks to help you squeeze strange and unworldly tones and textures out of the equipment you already own, inspire you to build and record uncommon noise makers, and to turn ordinary sounds into sonic landscapes designed to enhance your next multi-media project. They will cover both basic and advanced recording, tweaking and extreme manipulation techniques to provide you with the take-away know-how to shake awake audiences and transport them to strange new worlds.
  • Master’s Session: Audio Excellence in Podcasting, Saturday 9:00am – Noon in the Derby
    Our panel of expert audio enthusiasts will discuss various topics surrounding audio engineering for spoken word, music, and everything in between. They will help you get the best sound out of the equipment you have, help you pick the next piece of important equipment within your budget, and help you avoid burnout by streamlining your workflow to shorten the time you spend editing audio. The audience is encouraged to bring questions and even samples of problems they are having with their own work.
  • Concert: Ditched by Kate, Saturday 7:00pm – 8:00pm in the Garden Room
    New Media participants Phil Rossi and Chooch Schubert bring us alternative rock with their band “Ditched by Kate“.
  • Unlikely Disasters to Plan For, Saturday 10:00pm – 11:00pm in the Chesapeake
    Because more things may uprise than just zombies and robots!
    So much attention is paid to how one might survive the zombie apocalypse or robot uprising. But aren’t there a whole lot of other things we should be planning for? How about mole men? Insect sentience? Or grey goo? Join our panel of possible-apocalypses scholars enumerate the conceivable threats. We might even have time to figure out how to survive one or two! Audience participation encouraged!
  • Into The Blender: Live! Sunday 9:00pm – 10:00pm in the Chesapeake
    Geek Media: One size does not fit all
    The IntoTheBlender.com podcast is back for another live show. This time we’re taking on a touchy subject: There are countless arenas of geek affection, but some seem near universal: movies, television, and books. Whether it be Star Wars or Firefly; Lord of the Rings, or Buffy; Gaiman or Pratchet – there are things you are SUPPOSED to love as a geek. Well, we don’t love them all and I bet you don’t either! Come compare your likes and dislikes with an assorted panel of lovers and haters of every genre. Take My Geek Card (I Dare You!)
  • Open Source Software for Everyday Use, Sunday 2:00pm – 3:00pm in the Derby
    What we use at home and at work to free us from software giants
    Do you feel that your creativity is held back because you can’t afford programs like Photoshop, Final Cut, or Microsoft Office? Our panel of experts have freed themselves from the bonds of expensive closed software ecosystems and you can too. Whether you’re just fed up, want to try new things, or can’t afford to pick up the software you want, there is an open source alternative available to you. Find out what packages our panelist use, how to find software that fits your need, and how to join the amazing communities that spring up around open source software. 

    Chances are you probably use some OSS, and you don’t even know it. Our panel of open source developers and evangelists discuss the facts and help you find the OSS packages that can free you from outrageously high costs, bizarre licensing practices, and poor interface design. Come and learn ways to save yourself money, improve your productivity, and secure your computer. You don’t have time or money to ignore OSS anymore. Set yourself free.

• Vivid Muse ~ Note: ALL of my events are on Sunday!
   
  • Noon in the Chesapeake ~Paulette Jaxton’s book launch for The Empress Sword
    Recently published by Dragon Moon Press, I’ll be helping Paulette serve up tasty nomz inspired by the book and there will be a reading from the book by Nathan Lowell!
  • 6PM in the Chesapeake – Girls’ Rules Live! ~ Women in the Gaming World
    I’ll be joined by Laura Burns, Christiana Ellis, M.A. in PA, and Jett Micheyl. I’m also hoping for a special guest!
    It’s not just Felicia Day having fun in the diverse world of gaming, it’s women from all walks of life. Join this all-female panel discuss their experiences after years of gameplay. We’ll discuss all manner of gaming, as this panel reveals what it’s really like when boy discovers that “girl” doesn’t always mean Guy In Real Life.
  • 7 PM in the Chase (lower level) ~ Reading from my Mom’s short story, “Grandma.”
    This story is the inspiration and centerpiece for a (Breast) Cancer Anthology I’ll be publishing in time for her birthday in 2012. I’ll be requesting submissions for written works and artwork for the collection and will be paying for accepted works. All proceeds from the book will go to established cancer charities.
  • 9 PM in the Chesapeake – Into the Blender Live: Take My Geek Card (I Dare You!)
    Guests include: P.G. Holyfield, Marc Bailey and Rich Sigfrit
    This time we’re taking on a touchy subject: There are countless arenas of geek affection, but some seem near universal: movies, television, and books. Whether it be Star Wars or Firefly; Lord of the Rings, or Buffy; Gaiman or Pratchet – there are things you are SUPPOSED to love as a geek. Well, we don’t love them all and I bet you don’t either! Come compare your likes and dislikes with an assorted panel of lovers and haters of every genre.
  • 10 PM in the Chesapeake ~ Geek Parenting in New Media
    Our panel of geek parents chime in with their thoughts on raising young geeks. What is the right age to show the kids Star Wars? Do you show them all 6 or only the good ones. What websites are good and safe for kids at what age? How do you teach your kids about Internet privacy? How do you prepare them for “Greifers” on gaming systems? When is it OK for them to use their real name?
  • I’ll then be attending the remainder of the Time Traveler’s Ball, hosted by Christiana Ellis in the Garden Room!

Our new podcast!
The brainchild of P.G. Holyfield, the Beyond the Wall Podcast explores the HBO series “A Game of Thrones” with fellow podcasters, P.G., Christiana Ellis and Nuchtchas Nimlas. You can follow all things SpecFicMedia.com on Twitter by following @SpecFicMedia and specifically information for the Beyond the Wall Podcast by following @BTWPodcast.

VividMuseCreations.com is open for business!

• Custom Buttons
• Voice Work
• Copy Editing
• Audio Editing
• Dog Walking
• Graphic Design
• Web Design
• ALMOST anything will be considered.

Chooch updates on DitchedByKate.com adventures!

• Jammin Java CD release party on Tuesday, May 31st. We’ll have tickets with us at Balticon at the pre-sell price of $10 each. There are 4 acts, and DBK is set to perform at 9 pm!
• Our next show will be June 18th at IOTA in Arlington, Va with Juniper Lane. Yes – its a Saturday night!

Viv squees over Troy Hickman’s Twilight Guardian

Chooch appears on the Living Proof Brewcast, episodes 4/24/2011 and 5/7/2011!  We <3 Thomas and John!

Chooch, Viv and Naughty Bear participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Richmond and raised $520!

This Week’s Solid Nuggets:

• Viv – Glympse
  It works on Android, iPhone, and Blackberry. It requires GPS, because it will allow you to share not only where you are, but your actual live travel data in a viewable map. Desktop or smartphone, you can see where you are in relation to the person thath Glympse’d you. It’s already become a regular part of my travels, and of friends’ travels, too. Go to Glympse.com or look for the app in your phone’s app store.

• Chooch – Groupme
  It works on Android, iPhone, Blackberry or any phone with SMS. Kind of like Twitter for private groups. Includes location, pictures and free conference calling. You can view the text on a web browser, but can only send messages from your phone. You can turn of logging if you want to.. I really wish the web transcript had a search feature.

News from Virginia Beach

• Visit with M.A. in PA and Paulette Jaxton; chatting and knitting.
• Super cheap beach vacation was expiring so we mad a mad dash towards the ocean.
• Ditched By Kate News
  • Ditched By Kate website is up
  • Live shows that are broadcast live over the web will be viewable at the DBK site itself instead of UStream
• Chooch received a CR-48 Chrome OS laptop and gets his geek on talking about it
• Viv will be requesting submissions for a book of collected breast cancer stories, fiction or non-fiction as soon as details are worked out. Watch her blog for more information.

No nuggets or promos this time around. We catch ya on the next one!

In this episode we discuss:

• Ladies’ Craft Day, Uterus Holding and Planning World peace
• Manly Day of Brewing and Boy Talk and Games for the Monkeys (Heroscape)
• Ethiopian Cuisine Adventures
• Ditched By Kate performed their inaugural show with the new name at IOTA
• Promo: Nutty Bites

• Jett Micheyl’s birthday spawns the Double Rainbow Cake.
• More changes afoot, Naughty Bear returns to Virginia and Viv traveled to Arkansas to help him move back and got some time with LT.
• Viv has praise for the White Noise application by TMSOFT on our Droid X’s for extending drive time on road trips.
• We attended a huge birthday party for Grailwolf, aka Marc Bailey.
• Viv caved and plotted a day of Nutella indulgence that ended up being on World Nutella Day. Experimentation ensued. Chooch tolerated the shenanigans.
• Viv fell in love with Not My.
• Chooch enjoyed quiet time was quiet while Viv was gone.

Finds

• Chooch
  The RPM Challenge

• Viv
  Hat tip to John Taylor Williams for linking to this one in twitter – “What Made for a Successful D&D Birthday Party” from the blog “The Mule Abides” as he explains how he successfully shared Dungeons and Dragons with 8 and 9 year olds at his sons’ birthday party. He’s now started a company hosting these parties in the NYC area. You can email tavis@adventuringparties.com for information on hiring his service.

We have audio from Paulette Jaxton on her newly released novel, Empress Sword. Available for purchase from Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

• Phasing-in a new format
  • Sharing finds
  • New web site look
  • Perhaps new theme music
  • Considering a new segment for cross promotion – if you’re a friend of the show, meaning you’ve been on or had a promo played you are, standard dependent, welcome to join us or send audio to promote your new podcast, book, project or whatever. If you’ve not been featured on the show, send it along and we’ll review it for compatibility with our show!

News

• Viv
  • Medication change after a terrible result from going medication free.
  • Taking the semester off and getting old projects completed and starting new ones.
  • Running and exercising again after a 2 month lapse due to sinus infection, Cipro concerns, ankle problems and icy conditions.
  • LT’s birthday, 14. Girls, drums, girls, friends, girls and girls.
• Chooch
  • DbK album update (and new recordings)
  • Return to Facebook
  • Writing – Short story for Philippa Ballantine’s Geist, novel, secret project and …
  • Very Scary Art project by Helen Madden

Finds

• Viv
  • Drunk History – Web series by Derek Waters. Probably NSFW or for young kids since the historians are visibly drunk and the language is not ‘G’ rated.

• Chooch
  • Why you should avoid downloading free WordPress themes from simple web searches