Let's All Meet Up in the Year 2000

Craigslist/Freecycle will be good for the things that work, but there's some busted stuff too :-/
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The router and laptop stopped speaking to each other just as I went to post my SYTYCD post, and I FIXED IT by changing the broadcast channel of the router. I am awfully proud of me for figuring all that out :-)
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Was very happy overall with how Raks Spooki went last night.  A huge thank you to the dancers, my zombies, to everyone who helped with publicity, and to everyone who came to the show!  There were some problems with lighting through the first act, which is frustrating since one of the reasons I moved the show upstairs was so that there wouldn't be such problems, and the show start was delayed due to all the cds having to be loaded onto a laptop, but those were really the only problems through the whole night.  By the end of the night, the sound/lighting guy was super enthusiastic about the show and wants me to get in touch with him in advance for next year so that he can, as he said, set it up perfectly for us.  Unfortunately the first act won't have much in the way of photos, and who knows how the video will turn out for that act.  But the dancers were all wonderful to work with and everything else went smoothly.  I am really looking forward to watching the video so I can see everything I missed--even when I had a chance to watch performers, half my brain was somewhere else.  I have a bunch of thoughts about next year already.  It's a good sign that even as I am done with this show and taking a well earned day off, my brain wants to think about Raks Spooki V!

I enjoyed performing my piece as well, my zombie zeffa and gothic shamadan.  I danced to Wuste by Einsturzende Neubauten, with a general concept of dangerous but loving truth hidden in the dark deserts of the heart.  I didn't have a specific mythological character in mind, but in a way I'd say it's my first goddess archetype piece.  Hope I can do it again somewhere.

Apparently FedEx tried to deliver my iPod this morning before we woke up, and so we did not hear the doorbell :-(  I'll have to wait for it until tomorrow.  At least today I'm getting iTunes all set up, it's taking a while to import all my music and convert the wmp files.  Then when I get the iPod I'll be all set to start loading it up!
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( comments on last night's show )

Thanks to everybody who answered my iPod questions yesterday. I've been really happy with my Creative Zen Sleek, but 20gb is just not remotely enough for me, and it seems like iPods really have the high capacity market sewn up. Plus there's so many more options for accessories, and the DJ at the Middle East uses a rig with iPod-only docking stations on it. I'm gradually talking myself into the recently re-released Classic with 120gb. I have to admit that the option of having it engraved if I buy it through Apple is pretty appealing.
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Dell sent me a user satisfaction survey.
( a picture is worth 1000 words )
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Huge congratulations to David and Gauri!  It is hard to imagine two people better suited to each other :-)  I was deeply honored to be a part of the ceremonial proceedings and to dance at the Garba.  The song I performed to was about two people waiting to meet each other, knowing they are out there and that they will fall madly in love once they meet.  It seemed very appropriate :)

It was a fun weekend of wedding festivities, with some of the best food, best dancing and best dressed people at any wedding ever.  Hooray for bridesmaid outfits one can most certainly wear again!  Gauri looked stunning in each of her outfits and David was the epitome of distinguished.  It really was such a warm, wonderful experience.  Looking at the mehndi on my hand, I feel a happy afterglow.

Ferrets are doing pretty well.  I would like to see them both eating more, but their appetites are steadily improving, so that's progress.  Ianto pounced at me yesterday, the first time I've seen that in a while.  And Sissy stole a sports bra out of the laundry and hid it in the living room, showing that she is back to her enterprising self.  They're still both looking a little fragile to me but I hope they will continue to improve.  I've been asked to dance at a fundraiser for the shelter I adopted them from in July, which makes me very happy (and again glad for the Zipcar membership, since I could just say yes without checking with M first about his availability to go with me).

My pick for the Belmont came in second, digging in pretty unexpectedly for a strong effort.  I can see him really improving as he matures.  If I had known about the owners of the winning horse, he would have been my favorite, given the rest of the weekend (hint:  they are Indian :-).

We have gotten hooked on Primeval, watching season 2 on SciFi on Fridays and season 3 on BBC America on Saturdays.  Slightly confusing, but hey, the show is about time travel anyway, so it doesn't really matter. 

The house was completely empty and quiet yesterday afternoon and so I had my most satisfying yoga practice in a long time.  Focused on my arms and shoulders, which are now complaining today but in a good way.

And that's pretty much that.  Oh, the issue with the Dell laptop is definitely the wireless card--I played it all day with the wireless card disabled and nary a pop.  The Dell tech did some remote stuff on the laptop, changing some of the settings of the wireless card, but to no avail, once the card is enabled the popping begins.  Next step, a tech will replace the wireless card.  Based on what I have read online, that may or may not fix the problem.  But at any rate, the computer will be usable for music stuff again, as long as one doesn't need to be online at the same time.  I am irked that I am the one who diagnosed the problem, not Dell, but will make a point of telling Dell this, so maybe they will add this to the scripts the techs use for sound problems...
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As my dance gigs are starting to range further afield and I am starting to feel worse and worse about scrounging for rides, I've been thinking more and more about joining ZipCar.  While looking at their website today I found that there are two ZipCar spots with two cars each within a half mile of my house, so I think that clinches it.  My biggest hesitation had been that we have a single car-width driveway and thus have to share keys with the neighbors, so I wouldn't really be able to park a ZipCar in the driveway (no overnight street parking in my town).  But those drop off spots are close enough to walk home from, so I would be able to return the car immediately after using it any time of day or night.

I know some of you reading this use ZipCar--are there any negatives to the service?  It seems awfully happy and shiny.

I would have to get some kind of GPS device thingy, if the cars don't come with them.  So probably a new phone.  This is going to be one of those money saving things that ends up costing money, isn't it...

Okay rehearsal at the Dance Complex last night.  The people in the studio before me were rude and overstayed their time, even though they knew I was waiting.  I should have just gone in and started stretching.  So that was a little stressy, but I got work done.  Unfortunately it was mostly work on music that I'm not actually performing to this weekend, but having fun should not be underrated as show preparation :-)
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Dropped off M's laptop at the computer store/repair shop at the university where I work--it was pointed out to me via Facebook that as staff, I have access to their services, and since they are Dell certified, if it's a warranty-covered problem, Dell will be held accountable for the repairs.  I described the computer's behavior to the tech, who said it sounded like motherboard issues, and that the Inspiron 1525s are known for buggy sound problems.  Le huge sigh.  But on the positive side, if it is the motherboard, that will definitely be covered by warranty, and perhaps this whole ordeal can be resolved. 

I watched the film Perfect Creature last night--it has vampires *and* zeppelins, what more could a movie need?  Plot was a variation of your standard edgy yet principled vampire and plucky lady law enforcement officer team up to fight big conspiracy story, but it was well done with some interesting twists.  I liked that the steampunk aesthetic was handled in a background, taken for granted kind of way rather than being all in your face.   I also liked that the technology was grubby rather than slick.  Not the best film in the world, but well worth watching if you like vampires and/or steampunk.  Just don't fret too much about the "science."  Seemed a bit like it was made for television, since it had pretty blatant "insert commercial here" moments, though it was a bit too gory for US tv I would think.  I wonder if there will be a sequel, since it left the door wide, wide open for one.

Looking forward to Old, Cold & Slow tonight, though I am feeling rather old, cold and slow myself at the moment.  I think I am coming down with something.  Glad I don't have any performances scheduled this weekend or next weekend.  After that things get hectic and sick is not allowed.

Ianto was bouncy and playful this morning, which was great to see because just last night I was thinking about how I hadn't seen him bouncy and playful for a while and perhaps he was just settling down into a quiet life of quiet enjoyments.  Sissy was thrilled too.
 
There are three police cars a few doors down from my office.  Maybe somebody has a bullet!
 

I am glad that we made our reservations for Sunday at Craigie on Main yesterday rather than today, as today there was a fine review of it in the Globe.  Sunday night the menu is chef's whim, I'm looking forward to it.

I did wonder if this quote from the review might perhaps be someone I know:

"I'd order Fernet Branca, Tommy, but I have a bottle at home," a young woman confides, showing off her knowledge of the cult liqueur.

synaethesia, I'm looking at you ;-)

I am loving my new earbuds--such clear sound and crisp detail!  They are far superior to my last pair, not leastly because both sides work.  They're Philips SHE9800, should anybody else be in the confusing market for earbuds and want recommendations.

I knew "five easy steps" was too good to be true in the home wireless network instructions...  but finally the thing seems to be working, thanks to "John" at RCN's tech support line (more likely Ajay or Mahatma or Naveen, but whatever, he was helpful).  I am regularly frustrated by RCN, and I certainly didn't enjoy the half hour hold time on the phone, but in this case I really appreciated that they helped me with a problem that was really of my own making, by introducing a new component into my system.  Actually I blame Vista, which most pirate-like took over the installation process from the router's own installation software and messed up all the network settings, requiring a reset from RCN's end.  When M gets home, we'll see if the laptop can connect and if I got the security settings all correct, and then hopefully all will be well that ends well.

I sang songs I didn't really know in Rock Band last night and did okay--granted I didn't set the difficulty level any higher than medium, but once I got the hang of reading the lines and also let go of using actual words if I didn't know them already, I did okay.  M was very amused by my singing a Nine Inch Nails song.  At which I scored a 96%, I might add.  Scored 100% on Teenage Lobotomy, but that only has I think one more vocal note than the guitar line has chords, so that's not really all that impressive.  Still felt good though ;-)  And now I feel more confident about joining in when Rock Band breaks out at parties.  I'm hopeless at the instruments but people always seem to be wanting singers.

We were thinking about going out tonight but being out four or five nights in a row has left us both drained.  I think the router finished off any initiative I had left in me.  So tonight it is us and the couch and the weasels and last night's Sanctuary, a show to which I seem to have become quietly addicted.  It's not at all great and Amanda Tapping's accent (or lack thereof) is ridiculous but I enjoy it lots.