Oh, that is too easy
Posted on April 30, 2003
Filed Under Entertainment | 1 Comment
This can be dangerous. I just purchased my first iTunes Music Store album.
I bought The Rembrandts first album. Yes, they’re the ones that sing the “Friends” theme song. I first heard them the night I saw them perform in Savannah, Georgia shortly after the album came out. It was in 1990 (”Friends” started 4 years later). It was at Congress Street Station, a bar/night club long since closed that I worked at as a receptionist/Girl Friday during the day and at the door on Saturday nights. They had live bands 3 or 4 nights a week. Sometimes it was local talent, usually it was southern rock bands. I remember listening to The Rembrandts that night and hanging on every note. I loved this band. You know the kind of music that you find yourself humming in the shower the next day. “Just the Way it is, Baby” was just starting to get played on the radio. I bought the album and the CD somehow got lost in all the moves since then. I looked for Rembrandts songs on the P2P systems and could only find “I’ll Be There For You” (overplayed, not my favorite by any stretch). So, when iTunes Music Store came out it was one of my first searches. They have all 3 Rembrandts albums! Two are complete, one is partial. Purchasing the album was incredibly, incredibly easy. Apple got it right and Windows users eat yer heart out. This is the way to buy music. Literally two clicks and I’m back in 1990 when I worked until 3 am, woke up at 11:30 am on a good day, smoked too much, drank too much and otherwise thoroughly enjoyed being 24 years old. 
legalized war-driving
Posted on April 29, 2003
Filed Under Misc. | Comments Off
It’s nice to know that had I been living in New Hampshire the past 3 months, there’s a law in consideration that would make “stumbling” on to an open wi-fi network legal. Or more accurately, it would make it the owner’s responsibility to secure their own network so the loafer wouldn’t be breaking any laws.
…HB 495…defines an operator’s failure to secure a wireless network as a form of negligence. According to the proposed amendment, “the owner of a wireless computer network shall be responsible for securing such computer network.”
What’s more, if an alleged intruder can prove he gained access to an insecure wireless network believing it was intended to be open, the defendant may be able to get off the hook using an “affirmative defense” provision of the existing law.
Just because someone leaves their door open, it does not give me the right to walk in. However, that “rule” can be negotiable. When I was in college (the first one) an open door room door meant “Come on it, I’m accepting visitors.” Innocent war-driving, like I did when we were out of the house, is the same thing. I never attempted to connect to any other computer or catch a data stream. I just wanted the pipe to the Internet.
And as I take “pay it forward” as a personal motto, I have removed the WEP from my own network. I’ve taken steps to protect the data on my computers, but if someone is in need of a good surf and they want to hang out in my driveway and check their email they are welcome to it.
iTunes 4
Posted on April 28, 2003
Filed Under Macintosh | Comments Off
It’s “finally here.”:http://www.apple.com/itunes iTunes 4 and the new iTunes Music Store.
I downloaded it to the G4 before the announcement was even over. I haven’t bought a song yet, I’m just having fun trying the 30 second demos of the songs. So often, I browse song lists and I can’t tell if it’s a song I know by just the title. I love that you can buy albums for $9.99 which is cheaper than any CD in a store. The only downside is the high traffic makes accessing the store unreliable at this time.
I’m also enjoying the music sharing feature. When I’m on my iBook, I can play any song from my G4 (when I’m in the house, of course). Very cool. You can’t copy the songs this way, so no taking songs from your friends. I set up the iBook to share as well, but that’s not quite as practical as my iBook is sleeping when I’m not on it.
just checking in
Posted on April 28, 2003
Filed Under House | Comments Off
I’m sitting here on the floor of the girl’s bathroom while Laini takes her first bath in the new tub (I’m far enough away that she can’t splash the iBook…learned that lesson the hard way). I knew I’d be happy to be home, I didn’t know just how happy I’d be. I’m ecstatic. There’s just no better word. I spent nearly 4 hours yesterday cleaning the kitchen and pantry. There’s still some dust in the corners, but it’s in pretty good shape. We still have about a million boxes to organize and unpack, but my office is set up (except for the bookcases) and my AirPort signal is strong from every corner of the house. Eric assembled his desk, chair and bookcases last night while I was cleaning the kitchen.
Unfortunately, my first try at purchasing cellular blinds (at Home Depot) wasn’t as successful as I had hoped. All but two have to go back and be resized or exchanged. ::sigh:: At least the ones that are okay are the biggest (70″ wide) so the rest will be easy to transport in my car.
settling in
Posted on April 27, 2003
Filed Under House | Comments Off
It was a wonderful first night in our new home. All last night I kept having to remind myself that we didn’t move to another city and this is in fact the same house we’ve always lived in. It felt great to sleep in my own bed again. The girls are having a rough adjustment. At least when we moved before we had things packed and they knew where everything was. Not the case now. We all spent 45 minutes this morning looking for a Game Boy cartridge that Laini just had to have (I found it, she’s happy for the moment). I can’t seem to get across to the girls just how important it is to put things back in their proper place since the house is bigger than anywhere we’ve ever lived and it’s easy to lose track of discarded items.
We’re heading out in a little bit to Home Depot to get blinds, then the priority for today is to get the kitchen and pantry clean and functional again.
