http://ii.homeip.net/ en-us Nucleus CMS v3.24 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://ii.homeip.net//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://ii.homeip.net/ http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1466 National Novel Writing Month and both Tammy and I are off to great starts. As of this morning, our word counts are neck-and-neck at almost 6500, which is a healthy 1500 more than we should have at this point. Almost a day ahead, three days in! Again, Tammy's finding that she needs to write in longhand, at least when she's thinking really hard, and then she's transcribing onto the computer. I'm finding success with my typewriters; I switched last night from the Underwood Standard to my Smith-Corona portable just for fun and fancy. I think I'll continue swapping night to night. It's what I expected: physically strenuous but viscerally exciting in a mechanically percussive sort of way. My forearms and hands are already getting stronger.

So we both have our "challenges", but at this point our greater uncertainties are over the novels themselves. That's to be expected. Last year it wasn't until the 40,000 mark that I really felt confident that I would win: I could see everything that needed to happen, and it would take about 10,000 more words. You can watch our progress using the little graph in the sidebar. I whipped that up myself this year. The PHP code accesses NaNoWriMo's word count web services and generates the HTML. I would have used the stock widget from NaNoWriMo like last year, but even as of last night, theirs weren't working.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1466 Wed, 4 Nov 2009 06:57:33 -0800 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1465 dojo after regular sparring class. All the kids got changed into their costumes and went through a number of relays to get treats. They were also presented with an additional bag of treats. Our usual get together with Katya and her family didn't happen this year since a number of us are unwell. Instead this year I took the kids out and Simon stayed home. Considering we only had contributions from about 8 houses, their pumpkin buckets were overflowing. I don't know what we're going to do with all their candy and the left-overs we have. Our grand total this year: 36. The numbers have been dwindling:

• 2004 - 109
  
• 2005 - 82
  
• 2006 - 72
  
• 2007 - 43
  
• 2008 - 29
  
• 2009 - 36
  

Simon sat in the garage with his typewriter, kettle, cup and teabags listening for halloweeners. He figured this would reduce the wear-and-tear on the cats' nerves (avoiding constant doorbell ringing). After I came back with the kids I took Miranda over to the Fire Hall to jump in the bouncy castles. There wasn't much to do their other than the castles. There was face painting and a Haunted House, but both were by donation. When we came back Simon had set up his telescope and was looking at the moon. He invited those who came calling to look too. It was a nice clear night for a bit and you could really see the craters. I'm glad the rain held off. Too bad we had so few come by. Now we have a fair amount of candy and nowhere to offload it.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1465 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:21:56 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1464 Typecast. See read more for text.This is a bit of an experiment. The kind of experiment that comes
about on days that you're not feeling well and are waiting for things
to happen (like Halloween tonight and NaNoWriMo tomorrow). This is
called typecasting, and it's one way to put to use my newly-acquired
typewriters. :-) Of course, I might not feel like it during the
next month as I'll be typing about two extra hours per day, but
for today, it's something to do. Tammy and Miranda are off at karate
class. Today is a sparring class, and that will be followed by some
kind of Halloween party at the dojo. I'm keeping an eye on Ian.
I should be well enough next week to resume my usual taking of
Miranda to karate. Not sure what I have wrong with me, but it's mostly
just a sore head and a sore throat.

But enough about that. Hope you enjoyed the experiment. Might happen
again, might not.
]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1464 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:49:46 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1463

I asked Tammy later if we'd known about it would we have gone. With a sick husband, two kids and a downpour at 7 a.m., she declined.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1463 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:17:56 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1462
Update

Well, the weather hasn't cooperated, and today it's snowing. The snow isn't staying on the ground, so it's more like light rain. The neat thing that I've noticed on this trip is the birds flying overhead. It seems as though Regina is on one or more major flyways for migrating birds. This morning when I was waiting for the cab, I tried counting the birds in their V-shaped flocks passing overhead and couldn't keep up, even counting by rough fives.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1462 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:15:18 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1461 when we got the blue and white G3 used. That seems unlike me. Oh well, time to make amends.

Yesterday when we got home from the Ocean Centre, there was a FedEx doorknocker hanging on our front door. They'd tried delivering, but we weren't home. A few phone calls later, and I ended up at the Total Delivery Systems depot off Tennyson a little after 4.

The new mac in question is tiny. It's a Mac Mini, and it's about the size of five CD cases stacked.

Mac Mini

When the kids were in bed, I started setting it up. I left the Migration Assistant working to transfer my files and settings from the iMac and went to bed. Now, all is ready. Since it's so small, and it's plugged into my existing 24" monitor, my desk is much more open. The iMac is now upstairs for school use and that has decluttered things up there, too. There's still a lot of life left in that computer, even if the Mini is much faster. Tammy gets her 2003 iBook back, just in time for NaNoWriMo with her favourite writing program, Scrivener.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1461 Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:44:12 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1460 Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney. We've been before, and so has Zachary. Tammy chaperoned and took pictures, and I spent the time with Ian, shopping and seeing the sights of Sidney.

It looks like the school class experience was somewhat richer than when we just went as a family, with the "Oceaneers" teaching a lot of things to the kids.
Class in session
Poking in the tidal pool

The local news was there, and even interviewed Miranda. The reporter came up to Tammy and asked "is that your little girl in peach?" Tammy's reply was "Yes, what's she done now?"

"Oh no, I just wanted to ask her a few questions..."
Local news interviewing Miranda
]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1460 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:05:04 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1459 kata competition only, not sparring. I figured it would be a good experience for her. I didn't think there was much chance of her winning anything, but she immediately started planning her trophy shelf.

I guess I should have listened to her. Here she is, with her first karate trophy. 3rd place in the kata competition for four and five year olds.

Miranda with her medal and trophy
Miranda's trophy

It was a great time. Lots of fun. Not a lot of pressure, although there were a number of kids who I saw crying in their parents' arms with obvious stage fright. Not our Miranda. Just like her piano recital in February, she was gung ho to get going and wasn't fazed by the crowd of hundreds watching.

We got a lot of video, including some great demonstrations by the black belts and the instructors. I'll make up a DVD at my first chance.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1459 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:10:01 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1458 Today I purchased an Underwood Touch-Master 5 manual typewriter. Yes, manual. Not electric. Not a word processor. With the ribbon and the little key hammer thingies that swing up and hit it. The kids think it's the greatest thing ever. Even Ian was typing ttttrrrrrrv after supper tonight. Here's a picture of it:
Underwood Touch-Master 5

Why? NaNoWriMo is coming. I've always wanted to write on a real typewriter and this year I'm giving it a shot. I won't be able to type quite as fast, and I shan't be lying back on the bed with this monster on my lap, that's for sure. But if the power goes out I'll still be blazing out the words like nothing's amiss! The plan is to type the pages, then scan them into the computer with OCR and so have both a hard and soft copy. Judging from last year, that will be about 160 pages or so.

I got it at Type 'N Write, a store Tammy found in the Yellow Pages under "typewriters" (is there really such a section anymore? Yes, just this store and one other that the phone is disconnected for.) It's a cool store, with lots of electric typewriters, and they had eight manuals for sale on the floor, varying in price from $80 to $300. I liked a 1940 Remington, but at $150 it was a little pricey. The guy who works on the typewriters is a dying breed, but it's nice to know he's around, and I know where to get new ribbons when I need them!

The first typing was a bit sloppy and slow, but it improved. Then I ran into a problem, the carriage was resisting advancing after keystrokes, and the type was getting faint. I figured out that the ribbon was trying to wind from the empty spool to the full, but not how to fix the problem (it's not like I've got a manual). I called the shop and they advised me that there should be a ribbon winding-direction lever to flip. In the end, Tammy found it, right above the backspace key. After that it was smooth sailing. Now I've gotta practice up a little so that I'm not hindered too much with my speed this November.

Oh, and Mom, if you do get that Royal back from across the street, I'll still take it (only if they don't want it any more).

Updated

And the typewriter acquisition syndrome (TAS) continues! Before I bought my Underwood, Tammy had called around to the thrift stores and located a manual typewriter at the Salvation Army store on the Old Island Highway. So I stopped by there, and looked at it. When I tried to type on it, many of the keys were sticky. Since I didn't know much about typewriter repair and I wanted something solid that would take me all the way through November, I passed on it, even though it was only $7.

However, once I got my Underwood, I started to think about getting the one at the thrift store. I mean, what's seven bucks? If I tried to fix it and wrecked it, what's the harm? So this week when I was in Regina and Tammy was killing time during one of Miranda's on-site school days, she picked it up. She even started cleaning it and the typebars were starting to work better. Now I'm home, and following the advice from here, the old Smith-Corona portable is actually typing very well indeed. Here's a picture of it:
Smith-Corona Galaxie

The amazing part is that this typewriter is 50 years old. According to the serial number, it was built in 1959.
]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1458 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:02:44 -0700 http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1457

We had a good visit, and went to the little shopping center on the island where we found a few odds and ends and makings for lunch. I found one of the Cobble Hill Puzzles family puzzles at the toy store. They are great. Tammy found the African safari one at the local People's Drug Mart of all places last year. This one is the dolphins and the sunken sailing ship. Score!

Tammy and Carol went to the Poet's Cove Spa for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I kept an eye on Ian while he napped, and Colin took Miranda out for a hike.

We brought yams, stuffing (ye olde Judson family recipe) and pumpkin pie. After supper, Ian went down to sleep pretty easily and Tammy and I headed over to the Sunshine Hills Bed and Breakfast, a place run by an elderly Dutch couple. It was our second stay at a B & B, and it was pretty good. Lots of entertaining knick knacks around, and the breakfast (cold) was just right. Thanks to Colin and Carol for putting us up there. They had good luck: Ian and Miranda both slept like angels and let them sleep well past seven.

Today was a walk along one of the trails near their house, a visit with a little boy Leif and his mom Jo Jo who live around the corner, before heading out to the ferry at 2:30. A ferry ride (Ian walking around and around and around the ferry) later and we stopped for Wendy's before dropping Miranda and me off at the dojo for her karate lesson. Was certainly lots of stuff packed into a couple of days.]]> General http://ii.homeip.net/index.php?itemid=1457 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:27:03 -0700