http://www.djmjr.com/ The home of DJMJR, with news, dorm automation (x-10, etc.) info and much much more! en-us CC License djmjr 2008-09-04 LogItUp Content System 60 http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=141
]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=141#comments 2008-09-04 00:30:11 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=140 Bricklink. I had to name it, so I thought Bricktastic! (yes, with the exclamation point) was as good as any. Anywho, if you see something you like and we're friends, let me know and I'll probably cut you some kind of deal.]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=140#comments 2008-08-07 00:57:28 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=139

• I bought nothing from the last Woot-off.
• Last year we bought a few bags of Legos from garage sales, and didn't put them together until a couple of months ago. They were actually almost-complete sets, including a Sith Infiltrator with Darth Maul minifig. I had forgotten how neat Legos can be, and the Star Wars sets are a lot of fun. (Batman sets are fun, too)
• I picked up a fisheye lens off of Craigslist for my D70 (and D1X). It's fun.
  
• Heather and I just finished six weeks of weekly ballroom dance lessons. They were pretty fun, but I don't know how much I'll remember when we're actually dancing. Oh, and no, we don't watch Dancing with the Stars.
• I'm trying to clean up the media room. Really, I am.
• I finally ordered a Linksys WRT54GL wireless router to hack around with. Hopefully I'll get it all set up soon and save some on some electricity costs since I won't have to have my 350MHz IPCop box powered up anymore.
• I'm almost finished with the guitar speaker cabinet my Dad and I built. I have it stained and varnished, and the the speakers are installed. I just need to find a suitable plate to mount the jacks so I can wire it up, and then I'll probably add a grill to the front to cover up the not-quite-round holes I cut for the speakers...
• I'm planning on seeing The Clone Wars movie in the theater... maybe the Saturday morning matinée on 8/15? Anyone want to come? Anyone?

I can't think of anything else right now, and I'm kind of tired of looking up links. So long, friends.]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=139#comments 2008-08-01 19:36:24 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=138
I had a DVD of a previous version of Ubuntu, but the install booted to a blank screen due to video driver issues. Happily, the latest version booted with no problem. I had to connect to the network using the ethernet port because the wireless didn't work off the bat, but as soon as I ran an update it started working. Ubuntu also alerted me that there was a proprietary video card driver available for my ATI X1400, and I just had to click to install it. Sound drivers and the front panel buttons were automatically detected.

So far, I've had a great experience with the install and use of Hardy Heron, and hopefully I'll get a good year or so of use out of it.]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=138#comments 2008-07-02 00:55:24 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=137 http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=137#comments 2008-06-28 18:57:36 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=136 Metafilter post linked from Lifehacker about learning foreign language by CD, and quite a few people recommended Pimsleur or Michel Thomas. Since I've been wanting to learn Spanish, and my library had a set of Pimsleur CD's, I thought I'd give them a try. Unfortunately, they only had the "Quick & Simple" edition, which only includes the first eight lessons, but something's better than nothing, right?

I enjoyed the lessons, though I did repeat many of them to feel comfortable with my knowledge before moving to the next lesson. The CD's use plenty of repetition to help you remember what you've learned. The pace at the beginning is pretty slow, but seems to pick up in the later lessons. One problem with lessons that are strictly audio-based is that you don't really get to learn what the words look like, which can make some difficult to pronounce words harder to learn. However, I really feel like I've learned the words that were taught in the lessons, and I'd like to continue with the rest of the CD's (and I really wish the library had them since they're a wee bit expensive...).]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=136#comments 2008-04-11 21:49:36 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=135 list of 2007 posts. It looks like I had four posts in January, and then four more throughout the rest of the year. Hrm. I'm doing slightly better so far for 2008, so here's hoping I'll actually have something interesting to say. Which I don't suppose would include this post...

The whole reason I started looking at my archives was to find the "Tools I Use" post, which I didn't realize I had written over two years ago! I guess time flies when... um...

I wanted to write about a few of the quality "tools" I've bought or received as gifts that I really enjoy, even though they may have cost more than other versions of the same item. For example, I love my Wüsthof Classic knives. They feel great, they work great, they look great, and they should last for many, many years. I have an 8" Chef's Knife, a Paring Knife, and a Sausage/Utility Knife -- those three tackle almost any cutting job in the kitchen. Every time I use one of these knives, I enjoy the craftmanship, something that never happened with my old knives -- but it's something that makes me appreciate that sometimes you have to spend a little more to get the best value (which hurts a little to say, since I consider myself relatively frugal).

I think I'll just stop with that one example for tonight, since it's getting late...]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=135#comments 2008-02-07 01:23:35 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=134 Small Wonder from the mid-80's? You know, with Vicki the Robot? Heather and I were talking about it the other week, and neither one of us could remember the title, but a post title on Ars Technica just jogged my memory...

That was really a prime time (ha!) for sitcoms, with ALF, Mr. Belvedere, Growing Pains, Family Ties, and others. Ah, those were the days. Not that I don't enjoy Heroes, Lost, and The Office, but it's fun to reminisce. Oh, and while we're talking about television -- Fox, I still want my Futurama and Arrested Development back. Why do you always cancel the funny?]]> http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=134#comments 2008-02-06 00:16:22 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=133 http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=133#comments 2008-02-05 23:50:39 EST http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=132 http://www.djmjr.com/post.php?post=132#comments 2008-01-22 22:09:48 EST