LukPac.org

10.18.2009

I find it interesting how significantly one's outlook on particular subjects can change over time. Some personal examples:

The summer between seventh and eighth grades we went on trip to (among other places) Colonial Williamsburg. I was, to say the least, pretty bored. I don't remember what my 13-year old idea of fun was, but it wasn't walking around a bunch of historic buildings. As it happened, though, eighth grade history was early US history, and thus a mere few months later I was mildly kicking myself for not paying more attention to everything.

For a history class in college we were required to write a report based on primary sources. I.e., original newspaper articles. My report was about the coming of the Beatles to America, and while I duly gathered up some articles from (if memory serves) the New York Times and the Washington Post, I was never terribly interested in the exercise, and probably didn't end up doing that great of a job on it. These days, however, I'm fascinated by primary sources, be they complete (as it was happening) videos of Kennedy assassination coverage or transcripts of events that have been selectively quoted by major media outlets. Context can be fascinating. We've all seen Walter Cronkite's announcement of Kennedy's death many times over, but the coverage that surrounds it (including the chaos that defines it) is much more interesting.

On a semi-related note, a question to my fellow Computer Science grads (UW or otherwise, BS or MS (or PhD!)): do you feel got all that you should have from your education? Do you feel you use it on a regular basis? It seems like I generally felt pretty comfortable doing project work (and feel pretty comfortable with projects at work today), but that there was a disconnect between that and the theory we were supposed to be learning in lecture. Even in classes I got great grades in I look back and think "did I really get out of that class what I was supposed to?"

Part of me is quite glad I'm done with school, but another part is slightly interested in what it would be like again.

[7:39 PM] post a comment

9.01.2009

So much for WiMAX from TDS:

Thank you for checking back on WiMAX expansion. Although our initial intent was to have full coverage around Madison, we no longer plan to expand this service. We appreciate your interest in our WiMAX product. If anything does change, we'll let you know.

Bah.

[9:53 PM] post a comment

8.10.2009

How can it already be the second week of August? Where has the summer gone?

The good news at work continues. While the wheels have been in motion for a while, a few weeks ago I got a promotion. I'm now at the middle level of the 3 developer tiers. I know I've said it before, but it is nice to finally enjoy work.

This past weekend the family got together in Decatur. It was the first time I'd seen my cousin Sue and her husband in 7 years, and the first time in 8 years I'd seen my cousin Lisa's daughter. I fixed my aunt and uncle's toilet and generally had a nice time.

I recently discovered that Harvey Danger is disbanding. Sad, but as luck would have it, they are playing in Chicago this weekend, and I was able to get tickets. It should be a great show!

[8:59 PM] post a comment

6.03.2009

They say you can't get something for nothing, but I guess you can get close. I've wanted a film scanner for years, but I could never justify the several hundred dollar expense on what's basically a fancy toy, especially now that I don't even shoot film anymore. Those problems flew out the window a few weekends ago, though, thanks to some luck in the form of a rummage sale. I happened to stop at this particular one on a Saturday morning, and just before leaving I noticed a small cardboard box on a table next to the cash box. Scrawled in black marker was "$10 Nikon slide scanner & SCSI card".

I quickly started looking in the box and found a Nikon Coolscan III complete with all the accessories. I then asked the guy there "does it work?" Apparently he had some issues with it randomly crashing, but other than that he said yeah, it worked. Half of the accessories were still in their original packaging, having never been opened. He even told me it was worth $800 or more originally. But $10 and a smile later it was mine.

And, with the exception of a few SCSI demons initially and a shipping screw still in place, it's been working great. I've already scanned a bunch of my negatives (I've found it's much better than the photo CDs I was getting from Wal-Mart at the end of my film days) and have been going through hundreds of my parents' old slides, scanning a few here and there.

I do like my toys.

[9:09 PM] post a comment

4.06.2009

I really have this knack for thinking "I should write a post" over and over, then completely forgetting to do so whenever given the chance. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

A few weeks ago I passed my 6 month probation at work with flying colors. I wasn't exactly worried I wouldn't, but let's just say it feels good to feel appreciated. There are ups and downs, but for the most part I'm pretty happy there. Let's hope that continues.

Ready, set, spring! Please!

[9:11 PM] post a comment

3.01.2009

Think of 30 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!

In no particular order:

1. The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks. Possibly *the* album that turned me on to "classic rock" and away from the top 40 of the late '80s. I couldn't count the number of times I recorded this to tape (and later CD-R) in an effort to produce the best sounding version. I often drift from the Stones but always come back.
2. The Who - Who's Next. I still remember laying on my bed and listening to this for the first time, with headphones. Of course, I had heard many of the songs on the radio before, but it was somewhat of a revelation to hear them all together. "That's on here too?!"
3. The Who - Tommy. My mom got really sick of Tommy. "Listen to something else!"
4. The Byrds - box set. I remember knowing a few of the hits from oldies radio and thinking The Byrds were kind of an unhip "oldies" act. I felt slightly embarrassed checking out the box from the library, but quickly discovered that, hey, this was good stuff.
5. Mason Proffit - Come & Gone. I had heard the "hit" 'Two Hangmen' on the radio a number of times and had always liked it, but could never remember who sang it. Then one day on the bus during Western Field Studies Kori Sustachek started singing it, and after hearing it on the radio shortly after getting back I ran to Best Buy and actually found a copy, which was somewhat rare at that time. Loved the whole album. And now I'm kind of obsessed.
6. Train - Train. One of my scattered forays into current/modern music. January, 1999, going over to my cousin's house shortly before school started again, WIIL played 'Free'. I immediately had to have it, and (as usual) ended up liking most of the album.
7. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin. A staple of bus rides to and from sports meets in high school. Somewhat ironic, considering Greg Lesnjak had tried to turn me on to them a couple of years earlier without success.
8. The Doors - Best of the Doors. Another high school staple, and another one popular with Greg. Failed attempt at impressing Sara Busarow freshman year when I made her a cassette copy.
9. Pete Townshend - Scoop. I was already a big Who fan at that point, but I can't remember what prompted me to go and buy it from the Exclusive Company on State Street, early during freshman year of college. I think Zach got sick of Behind Blue Eyes.
10. Buffalo Springfield - Again. Got hooked on 'Bluebird' after hearing it on the radio, and played it when *I* went on the radio. The album got me hooked on Buffalo Springfield in general.
11. Jimi Hendrix - The Ultimate Experience. Another one heavy in the rotation from late middle school/high school.
12. Sam Cooke - Keep Movin' On. Prior to my last year in college I didn't own any Sam Cooke, but picked this up on a whim for fairly random reasons. Sam is amazing.
13. Paul Butterfield - An Anthology. I can thank Blues Brothers 2000 for this one. Memories of the second half of freshman year in college, some good, some not so good.
14. Eric Clapton - Crossroads. I'm pretty sure this came from a trip to the Exclusive Company in Greenfield, before a visit with Gordon and Susan (where I got my first listen). I knew *of* Clapton before this, and certainly knew some songs, but Crossroads got the ball rolling.
15. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend. Another foray into "modern" music, about 15 years after the fact. I had heard the title track on the radio when it was released (again on WIIL), but for some reason I thought Matthew Sweet must be "uncool" until I saw Zach Moneypenny had it freshman year of college. It still took me another 8 or 9 years to actually get a copy, which I quickly started playing over and over.
16. Matthew Sweet - Goodfriend. Shortly after getting Girlfriend I found this and, you guessed it, started playing it over and over..
17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois. I had seen the name online before, but didn't pay any attention until a You Tube search for clips by the band Chicago led to an acoustic performance of the song 'Chicago', which (surprise, surprise) I quickly became obsessed with.
18. Derek and the Dominos - Layla. Oddly enough, I don't remember this one having a huge impact on me when I first heard it (as part of the 20th anniversary box set), but it has become a standard with me.
19. The Who - Live At Leeds Complete. I almost forgot to mention this one. Many thanks to Pam, from which I got an original copy. Fixing it up, meeting Pam at Madcity upon coming to Madison, the Madison Who Mob...the list goes on.
20. Johnny Cash - At San Quentin. From which I learned country music doesn't have to be scary.
21. Otis Redding - The Ultimate Otis Redding. As with Sam Cooke, I got this very late in the game, relatively speaking. But thankfully I eventually did.
22. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music. Yet another foray into "modern" music. Love it, love the Jayhawks.
23. Harvey Danger - Little By Little... An album (and band) I likely would have never come across had it not been for Nikki getting me to read her review of it. Thankfully she did!
24. Harvey Danger - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? See above. While I had no conscious knowledge of this when it was actually a hit, listening to 'Flagpole Sitta' somehow takes me back to a time and place I may never have been.
25. Badfinger - Straight Up. Pop perfection. While I knew 'Day After Day' and 'Baby Blue' from the radio, I first heard the album via the gold CD in college. It became an instant classic with me.
26. The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers. Despite my earlier accolades for the Byrds' box set, I apparently didn't pay much attention to the tracks from this album, nor did I play much attention when I got the expanded CD in college. A year or two later I pulled it out again, though, and it immediately clicked.
27. Eric Clapton - Eric Clapton. I had owned the album for years, and while I liked it well enough, it didn't really click until I got to hear Clapton's own (and still unreleased) mix. Let It Rain indeed.
28. Magic Sam - West Side Soul. Memories of going to the Rose Bowl (and getting sick!) and more down times in college.
29. T-Bone Walker - T-Bone Blues. One of a handful of albums I can (and will) pull out and enjoy when nothing else sounds appealing.
30. Buddy Holly - From The Original Master Tapes. Made me realize that Buddy Holly was in fact *cool*.

Ok, there's 30, take them or leave them. Some seem like lesser choices, but they bring back very distinct memories for me. Others are more "core" albums for me, but aren't linked to anything in particular. Some feel like a stretch, and it seems like I must be forgetting others. Yet for better or worse, these are the 30 I came up with this time. Enjoy.

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