There was hope that today I’d find true boredom in Florida. I’m not asking for much, just my fair share. Right off, things began happening, so actually I might have been bored if I’d had the time. Either way, no luck at all. Right as I step out the front door to go make the deposits, I find a truck bumper. I kicked it out onto the street and took this photo. There was not a sound to indicate how it got there, right outside my bedroom window last night.
I got downtown and mostly back when Fred called for supplies. Knowing I should be doing accounting, I picked them up and managed to break two spokes on my bicycle on the way back. Not loose, but broken. The bike just can’t handle heavy usage so I put in an order for a new one. Prior to that, I went to the bike store to price things out.
Yes, they do make a twist-grip three-speed. The assembly costs $175 and the whole bicycle $209, so go figure. I stopped at Coffee Time and chatted with the blonde Bulgarian lady, mother of Legs and her sister. I finally discover it as fact that Legs has a boyfriend. The mother and I made an arrangement to collect business cards.
I showed Fred and Mike the new digital camera, which is still being put through the paces. So far everything is fine except the controls are a little non-intuitive. It also throws people when the menu and functions change depending on whether, say, you are recording or paused. Another thing that took time was realizing there is no software to download the files. All the supplied software cannot find anything, you have to go into My Computer and drag the files to a folder.
Another plus is that the camera can be very quickly brought into operation in an emergency. Even the Argus fails this test, for I’ve missed many shots fumbling for the mode button only to push it too little or too much. I even loaded and listened to some MP3 tunes (Johnny Cash, since I know somebody will ask). Glancing up through my living room window I saw the Goodyear blimp and managed to zoom in on it, although the camera did not autofocus.
Here is a really nice photo of some pigeons using a road puddle for a birdbath in the morning sun. Sadly, I could not get the video camera out before a car came along and scared them away. A car down a road that goes nowhere and is unused the other 365 days of the year, along he came, like he knew I wanted that picture.
Don is back from Germany early. He called, we get together on Tuesday at 9:00. He is aware that the problem was more organization than accounting, and no, they are definitely not the same thing. I once again broadcast to people who are starting a new business these days – it may be smarter to change the way you operate to match the computer rather than trying to adapt the computer. All of my office operations are dictated 100% by whether or not a computer can do the work without modification.
It took longer than I thought to send off a letter to Hansen, the publisher of Cahoots. He stressed they need photos more than articles, so I send him two series of around 14 photos each. A batch showing the deplorable conditions of the city sidewalks, and another showing general idiotic things people do. Like leave truck bumpers on my back doorstep.
Recall that the new Digital Concepts cam is also still under test. It takes a harsher picture than the Argus, so I must carry both. It is less intimidating to some people because of the small size and it sort of resembles a cell phone, which for some reason is accepted. Did I mention … yes, I did. The digital camcorder. It gets no points for memory, for indeed the internal capacity is just under 4 minutes. A separate SC card is required. I borrowed Fred’s to check it and every 128 MB is 15 minutes. That’s nearly identical to the rule of thumb of 10 MB for every minute of video, more if you include audio. I still have not coined a word for video and audio together, and no, you cannot assume video includes sound. It has to be spelled out or you lose.
It was too hot to work inside, so I opened all doors and windows and went into the shade on the north side to build a shelf for Ruth’s scanner. Yes, I remembered to drill holes for the interface cables. I am out of commission for the weekend unless the Cancer guy comes into the shop tomorrow morning with exactly what I need. But you know Florida when you want the guy to show up.
