May

31

Ugh! Horrible compression…

Filed Under regular, tout le fromage | 3 Comments

Geez… after trying a second attempt at a podcast, I got the volume up on my vocal track, but unfortunately the compressor settings make it difficult to listen to. I’m perhaps being overly critical, but if I’m gonna put it out there for y’all, I’d at least like it to sound half-decent.

So, I’m disappointed with podcast number two. So it goes. Neil’s had his ups n’ downs with getting it just right but still posted his creations, so shall I. Suffer, little listeners… suffer… ;)
Anyway, so next time I may end up trying better equipment than a Logitech PS2 headset to capture my voice. I want to keep this as low-tech and simple as possible, so I’m going to try to avoid getting behind the condenser mic and soundboards that Neil has and make this as portable as possible. I like to hole myself away in the bedroom with the door shut to record right now, so whatever I can dangle off of my trusty old Powerbook is what I want.

* sigh * Third time’s a charm, right?

smooches~
jEN

UPDATE:
I tweaked the EQ a bit in Garageband and got a little better sound from the file. I re-uploaded it under it’s old link. It’s now roughly 42% more listen-able than an hour ago. I’ll still do better in my third attempt… honest.

May

30

What a great day!

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Hello boys and squirrels…

Ooo– back to back podcasted blogposts. That’s it– your ears have had it now… Although I’m getting the urge to play more with this new ability, trust me– I’m an only child and have ADD, so this could go belly up any time thanks to my recurring inability to stay on task. It’s a wonder I blog at all really– I could never keep a written diary before. I imagine that holds true for lots of bloggers. Strange that…

Anyway, I have to say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised (sprinkled with a pinch of gobsmack) that anyone would want to download an audio file of me reading my own blog posts. I’ve had a freaky level of downloads in less than 24 hours– 20 odd downloads already– and I’ve not even put my blog onto any podcasting feed sites. That pretty much means that the downloads are thanks to the RSS subscribers that are already out there checkin’ me out, as well as the new buddies I have in the forums of Britcaster.com. Thank you all! Your downloads are encouraging the inner ham in me! :) I’d actually buried her pretty deep inside for many years, but to be honest, the rock star that keeps me in tattoos and changing hair colours is itching for shore leave and your attention just might have slid her up to the dock. It’s a cool feeling. I thank you.

On to why it was a great day:
Kites! Yup, kites. Great Windsor Park, friends and their two little girls, Neil, and a handful of kites rating from shit to fit. It was a lovely, sunny day with acceptable wind and a good time for all. In the UK, it’s a Bank Holiday and I know that the US had Memorial Day today as well. What better way to ease back into the work week than to grab a kite, feel the sun on your cheeks and get grass stains on your jeans. After a few hours of single-string diamond, box, and two-string stunts, a snack in Windsor was obtained and a stroll outside the castle completed the afternoon.
Like I said, what a great day!

Tomorrow morning resumes a normal, post-holiday life. Work, household chores, and also for me, more learning and sharpening of my skills in CSS and XHTML. Perhaps I’ll put together another podcast, but I can nearly guarantee that I’ll at least blog. Break me in gently baby– too much attention and I might get scared!
(Actually, I’m more likely to roll around in the glow of podcast success like a dog in a spring field of flowers and pheromones, so don’t say I didn’t warn you! ;) )

And with that colourful image I bid you a smooch good night~
jEN

May

29

When reality bites- hard.

Filed Under regular, tout le fromage | 6 Comments

Perhaps that post title is more dramatic than necessary, but then, you likely don’t know how much I love shoes.

I stood there pouring a fresh cup of cafetière brewed coffee into a mug when it hit me–
I work from home. I don’t wear shoes.

The subtle wallop that realisation has dealt me means that I’ve gone, for months now, unaware that my taste for shoes has diminished into a barely audible whisper in my sub-conscience. I used to revel in shoe shopping. Whenever I needed a sure bet for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, I could always count on the inadequate lighting and carpeted warehouse embrace of my local discount shoe store…

No more.
Most days I don’t get out of my slippers. * sigh *

I’ve just shed a defining characteristic and didn’t even notice it slipping away. I think I’ll put on some sexy, black knee-high boots for old time’s sake…
to do laundry.

smooches~
jEN

May

27

I am such a climate baby

Filed Under regular, tout le fromage | 1 Comment

Once again, those we trust, (*cough*), to predict the weather for us have let me down. I am sitting here in an uncomfortable heat far greater than that of today’s meteorological prophecy. OK– it’s currently two degrees hotter than they said it would be, but anything after 80 degrees Fahrenheit is going to get me cranky. Actually, I require pacification after around 70 degrees, but now I’m just ranting. ;)
Fans blow heavy air- thick with the scent of Asian cooking from our neighbour- around the flat. The backs of my knees are sweaty, my hair is flat and I wonder what the hell I was thinking in making a hot cup of tea.

There is sweet salvation on it’s way… We ordered a mobile air conditioner from a catalogue company and it will be here Thursday. Knowing UK weather as I do now, it’ll probably be back down in the 60s and it’ll be pointless to even test drive the new cooling unit. Ah well. Perhaps I can count on the weather forecasters guessers to come up with some good news.

Meanwhile… I think I should learn to like iced tea…

smooches~
jEN

May

27

Would you like to hear me?

Filed Under me so g33ky, regular, tout le fromage | 2 Comments

Hello dearests.

I’ve been kicking around an idea recently– I may start podcasting. I don’t intend on it being some wholly separate thing to my blog, for I have enough trouble keeping up with the written aspect of it lately, however, I have been toying with the idea of offering my posts in audio format as well… It seems like a simple enough springboard into the pod-o-sphere without too much initial prep or skills. This may or may not come across well in audio, but I think I have to give it a try. This experiment will at least determine if I can stand to hear myself and whether or not I enjoy doing the recording and production of it.

Sorry for this short post and the lack of some regular posts this week and last. I’ve been preoccupied and generally distracted over that time frame. It’s now past midnight, (whether my post reflects it or the time I started typing it hours ago and then left it to fester, I don’t know, but trust me- it’s after midnight), and I must get my tired eyes and arse to bed. Perhaps I’ll delve into that podcasting thing tomorrow…

Anyway- good night and sweet dreams. Don’t forget to cover your ears. Trust me on this… Those who know me well know it’s not because of noise… I’m rambling… where’s my toothbrush…

ZZZZZZZzzzz
smooches~
jEN

May

23

Y’all don’t know how good you’ve got it

Filed Under expat, regular, tout le fromage | 2 Comments

Good morning! It’s a lovely sunny day here in Berkshire and I’m clicking through the RSS feeds of CNN and BBC for a dose of the news.

I see that the price of gas in the US has fallen by a fair chunk of change. I quote CNN:

“…gasoline prices fell more than 6 cents per gallon in the past two weeks, according to a survey of about 7,000 gas stations nationwide. The Lundberg Survey’s average nationwide price of a gallon of self-serve regular fell 6.4 cents per gallon, to $2.15 per gallon…”

Hey good for you, USA! But let me open your eyes to what you’re missing over here ;) :
You’re now paying $2.15 (USD national average) for a gallon of gasoline.
The UK is paying approximately 85p (GBP) per liter of gasoline.

Let’s do math…

There are 3.7854118 liters per 1 US gallon.

1 liter of gas here @ .85 GBP (average) x 3.7854118 to give a total UK price per US gallon = £3.2176

As of last Friday, the US Dollar to GB Pound was $1 = £.548

In USD, £3.2176 = $5.871

Americans would be paying, if here in the UK at current exchange rates, $5.871 per gallon.
That’s what we pay right now and have for as long as I’ve been over here.

Be grateful, America. It could be a lot worse. Oh- and if you’re planning a vacation here and intend to rent a car… erm… better use this model as a budget factor. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! :)
smooches~
jEN

May

22

Me me me… link to me

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Run down– yeah. Better? I think so. Been trying to rest and get back into “normal” hours- in other words- not sleeping sixteen hours a day.

I’m going on a “lifestyle change” kind of eating thing this week. I’m a better eater than most people already, but I’ve been slacking and snacking and generally falling out of good favour with my mind and body. Tomorrow is a new day, a new me and hopefully a day dawning sweet wellness upon me. I’m sick of being sick. It’s not even an exciting illness. No barfing, no lung exploding cough, no uncontrollable bowel issues… nope. For being lazy in my nutrition, it’s at least somewhat comforting to know that I’m not so compromised to contract more than a sinus infection and throat nasties. I think I’m grateful for that.

So to address the title of this post: Link to me. Link to me with a self-indulgent little linky picture of moi. Please? Pretty please with sugar and delicious fudge crumbles on top? (Oh crap… it’s not even tomorrow yet and I’m thinking of the naughty foods I’m to avoid… a slippery slope, folks… slippery.)

Anyway- so here’s a little link graphic I made the other day. If you use it, just have the URL you attach to it refer to: http://www.regularjen.com That would be swell. I’ll send you several virtual smooches. You will officially rock.

Jen Medium Link

Let me know if you use it- send me a comment here or email my dotmac or my regularjen (at) gmail.com addy. I’d love to know where my eyeballs end up. I’ll probably link back to you too…

That’s all for now… I’m off to bed. Good night!

smooches~
jEN

May

19

Ugh. Sniff. Whine- the sequel…

Filed Under regular, tout le fromage | 2 Comments

I give way too much credit to my immune system. Truth be told- I don’t just magically get over a sinus infection in 24 hours or so. Nope. I may have super powers, but a bunged up nasal cavity will fester longer than I want it to, no matter how much I attempt to will it away with my ignorance and copious amounts of fruit juice, water and echinacea capsules.

So I’m sleeping a lot and being generally sedentary. I worked through my rather messy iPhoto libraries, (split them into several separate libraries for ease of searching), printed photos to send to Grandma and her sister Edith in the US, been catching up on reading from actual books instead of web feeds, and doing as little else as possible. I’m only putting real effort into trying to avoid this sinus plague from reaching my lungs- which is the typical course for this kind of illness in me.

So- back to bed now. I’m taking my Powerbook with me to play in a writing application called CopyWrite. I’m going to attempt to organise the bits and pieces of brain bleedings that scatter my hard drive in various text documents to a central location. I have a desire to organise this mess and perhaps take it to a new and more productive level.

But for now it’s back to my comfy confines beneath the blankets, some green tea, and a laptop computer. Life could certainly be worse…

smooches~
jEN

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