richard's notions.

Okay, so I got the laptop today. It arrived via Fedex this afternoon sometime. I was surprised when I got home from work.

It is a Sony VAIO laptop. I was surprised it was a sony. That means it's a little less computer for the $1500 price tag, but I'm not complaining.

I was also surprised that it is not what was described. Kind of funny, actually. The only description I had of the laptop is that it is powered by centrino technology. And, this laptop is not powered by centrino technology. There is no wireless support included, which is pretty disappointing. Particularly because I already purchased some pieces of hardware in order to setup an wireless network in the home. I'm hopeful that there's been some sort of mixup and the wrong computer was sent to me. Or something.

Other than that, here are the specs..

1.4GHz Intel Celeron M processor
512MB RAM
60GB hard drive
CD-RW/DVD
13.3" widescreen
Radeon 9200 graphics chipset

it's got two usb 2.0 ports and one 4pin firewire port, a modem and ethernet ports, and the sony memorystick drive thing.


posted by Richard Okimoto at 19:20.

"A One that isn't cold, is scarcely a One at all."

posted by Richard Okimoto at 15:36.

The past two Sundays our church service has been cancelled. It feels really weird.

We've gotten together with families that live on our street both times, and yesterday we had an actual liturgy, but it just isn't the same. Of course, I don't want to make it sound like it isn't an incredible blessing to live so close to families from church, and to be able to gather together and worship when church is cancelled. It is wonderful, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

But it isn't the same as gathering together with all God's people, and hearing His word authoritatively proclaimed, and partaking of the Supper.

I'll be quite ready to be back in church next Sunday.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:31.

Okay, so I now know that mr.laptop was shipped on the 24th. Ground shipping, 6-8 days.

sigh torture!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 15:02.

Twice in just the past week a delivery driver from a big delivery company (two different ones) has reported that he attmepted to deliver a package, when my wife had been there the whole time and no such attempt was made.

This has had a profound impact on my respect and attitude towards these companies. I think it is so cool how you can send stuff, and track it, and the drivers are all connected with their dispatch place and they can do all kinds of cool things to get these packages to you.

But there is a chink in the armor. I am bothered by this.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 14:47.

Today's the first day I took my iPod out and about with me. Up til now, I've still be in the "how's this work" phase.

Now I realize that I really want to put a lot more on it. I've got about 250mb or so, and that really doesn't go far. Okay, actually, it does pretty well. I've got one audiobook and two albums and about anther album's worth of various songs.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:58.

True Confessions:

A few months back, we watched The Iron Giant. I had seen it before, and I think Megan had, but the girls had not.

I cried.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:15.

"But there is always Jeeves"
"You think he will be able to fix things?"
"He never fails. He wears a number 14 hat, eats tons of fish, and moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. See! Here he comes, looking as intelligent as damnit!"

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:52.

The past few days, whenever I call home or Megan calls me at work, she has to preface the entire conversation with "not here", or else I will be wondering if she is calling to tell me that my happylappy arrived.

I have a sad existence.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:54.

I really like this comic strip...



posted by Richard Okimoto at 07:19.

I got my iPod yesterday. The delivery guy didn't have our address on his map, so it looked like it wasn't going to be delivered until today, but, he made it. Some time after 4 he delivered the package.

It's a pretty cool little device. Unfortunately, iTunes won't recognize it for some reason. My first suspicion is that it's because i only have usb 1.1, and the packaged keeps saying you have to have firewire or usb 2.0. But, others have said it works fine with 1.1, so I don't know what's up.
And it's not like my computer isn't communicating with it, because I reformatted it for use with Windows.

Not a big deal, since I wanted to wait until I get lappy before I setup iTunes. That way I won't have to keep moving the files all over from computer to computer, or whatever. I just wanted to get the puppy up and running last night. Still, I had a good time just looking at what all it can do.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 07:13.

I completed an offer to help a friend get an iPod Shuffle. You only need three referrals to get one, so I thought I'd go ahead and post my link here and see what comes of it.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:55.

Glory to God for good art...

Little Boy Heart Alive
by Andrew Peterson

Open the door and run outside
Little boy heart alive
Into the morning light
Into the deep and wide

Dinosaur bones in the flowerbed
Rockets in the clouds
In a fight with a spider’s web
Tunnels in the ground

Winding to China
To the mist of the distant shore
Better be home by suppertime
Back through the planet core


Feel the beat of a distant thunder
It’s the sound of an ancient song
This is the Kingdom calling
Come now and tread the dawn

Come to the father
Come to the deeper well
Drink of the water
And come to live a tale to tell


Pages are turning
This is abundant life
The joy in the journey
Is enough to make a grown man cry
Little boy heart alive

Kings and castles in the neighborhood
Swords on the forest floor
Dragons in the magic wood
Saddle your battle horse

Fighting Goliath
Better choose your weapons right
Five little stones and a faith on fire
In a little boy heart alive


Feel the beat of a distant thunder
It’s the sound of an ancient song
This is the Kingdom calling
Come now and tread the dawn

Come to the father
Come to the deeper well
Drink of the water
And come to live a tale to tell


Met a kid at the railroad track
He had a stick and a nylon sack
I ran to the house to pack
I wanted to follow

Take a ride on the mighty lion
Take a hold of the golden mane
This is the love of Jesus
So good but it is not tame

Come to the father
Come to the deeper well
Drink of the water
And come to live a tale to tell

posted by Richard Okimoto at 07:22.

My iPod has shipped!!

Expected to be delivered tomorrow. If only I had put my work address, I'd probably get it today, as it is currently in Roanoke. Oh well!

I'm excited!!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 13:30.

When you get DSL service, are there additional charges/taxes per month in addition to the fee advertised?

If they say 29.95 a month, for example, are you actually going to get a bill for 32.45 or something like that?

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:41.

Fat Head

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:50.

I love it...



posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:07.

update on the free iPod, too. "Sent to Vendor, Waiting on Product"

This apparently 'most likely' means that they don't have the inventory to ship out yet.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:52.

Just got word that the lappy has shipped, and I can expect any day now. My informant suggested I might have already received it, so I guess it'll be here soon!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:40.

So I clean installed Windows XP Pro last night. Eventually. The first time I did it, I must have done something wrong, because it didn't reformat the hd first, it just installed over. So, when I saw that I had less than half the space on my hd available, I thought, "Man, XP is BIG!". Then I realized my mistake, and reinstalled it.

I didn't see it finished, though. Too tired. This morning I checked it, and everything is fine and dandy. I haven't installed any software yet, but I'll get that done soon.

I realized that I forgot to backup one thing: my address book. It's not too bad, though, because I've got it on my palm. I'll just need to sync it up.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 08:22.

Gaines is 'working' for a free iPod. Help him out!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:54.

I think I'm going to upgrade my home PC to WinXP this week. I'm going to do a clean install, because that computer has been around the block a few times, and probbably has all kinds of useless, leftover data on it. I figure if I start fresh it'll work better.

I've backed up my documents, settings, etc., and have copies of my software installers. And I've downloaded updated XP drivers for anything I think might need it.

Anything else I need to do before I take the plunge?

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:45.

I've been pretty out of it lately. So sorry.

Sunday our pastor, Virgil Hurt, was ordained. Randy Booth came in to preach at the service and ordain Virgil. It was nice. Virgil got a robe, and it was put on him as he was ordained. Very cool. I remember a number of years ago taking part in a poll on Rick Capezza's blog about what you would like most to change in your church. I don't remember all the options, but I remember I chose clerical garb. And now it's done.

We had a party Sunday night, celebrating the ordination. That was a good time. The time was six to eight, but I don't think anyone left by 8, and we didn't leave til 9. Pastor Booth was there, so we were able to sit around and quiz him on various issues. Good times.

I still haven't received my lappy. Don't know what is up with that, dangit. And my iPod still hasn't shipped. That is likewise lame.

There's yer update.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 08:48.

I'm posted!! Check out the front page at weather.com!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:09.

UPDATE!

My free iPod approval request has already gone through, and I just submitted my order!

another update: ugh... I just got the confirmation email,and it says orders may take up to 4-6 weeks to ship. Here's to hoping that's just precautionary. But, if not, at least i'll (hopefully) have my lappy by then!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 13:45.

Download a Wilco show... for free!

Wilco disc 1
Wilco disc 2

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:34.

Just what I was afraid of.... I have seven completed offers with freeiPods.com.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:04.

You know what's funny? I won't even be able to use the iPod until I get the new computer.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:37.

I am now gruntled again! I just submitted my request for approval for my free iPod! Hey kristen, how long did it take before you actually received yours after this?

Thanks everybody!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:56.

printable graph paper

link from barlow. posted here so i can easily find it in the future.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:42.

I haven't heard anything more about my precious lappy. I am beginning to get disgruntled.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:09.

Fiona had her four month appointment the other day, and she is a big girl! 26 inches tall and 16 pounds! That's in the 90-95% range for weight, and off the charts in height. That's my girl!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:57.

More of Sandlin's self-condemned Serrated Edge

posted by Richard Okimoto at 12:48.

When I got home last night, I began to feel sick. By the time I finished dinner (which, for me, was only a few helpings of salad) I was feeling really bad. I laid in the bed the rest of the evening, trying to watch over the girls when Megan was doing something else. I had a fever at one point of 100.3. I took some medicine, and let myself sleep in a bit. When I woke up this morning around 6:40, I felt much better. I thought it'd be a good idea to have some breakfast, which I don't usually have, or have only a very small little something on my way out.

All that to say, usually by this time of day I can't wait to have my lunch. I'm starving by now. But today, I don't even feel hungry.

I guess that's why breakfast is a good idea.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:26.

Another offer completed for my iPod! Just one more to go!!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:12.

Does anyone out there know, first, if such a thing as a wireless routher for dialup internet exists? And, second, if it doesn't, is there a way to set up a wireless network where a laptop can share a dialup connection with another computer (that has the modem in it)?

p.s. perhaps I should modify my first question to include the condition of it being less than $200. Apple's AirPort Extreme base station does what I'd like to have done, but I am unwilling to pay the steep premium.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 13:32.

The college I work at often obtains software licenses that allow faculty and staff to have the software on their home computers. This is pretty nice. Our computers have Nero CD burning software on them, so I asked the guy in charge if that happened to be licensed for us to take home with us. Here's his response:

No, sir! We sure don't... We only were given copies for the Gateway computers that already had the software on them!

Sorry about that! Nero is great software! I went ahead and bought a copy and use it at home! It's not dirt cheap, but it's good!

Did you count the exclamation points?

posted by Richard Okimoto at 08:17.

One more iPod offer completion notched off. Thanks Christo!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 20:01.

My consolation for not being able to attend the AAPC this year...

I won a laptop computer powered by Intel Centrino Mobile Technology. Yep, that's right. I am one of three grand prize winners in the The Weather Channel "Wireless Freedom" Sweepstakes. I won a computer valued at $1500. Unless, of course, I am being scammed, in which case, I will soon not have an identity.

Yesterday Megan called me, and she said... "YOU WON! You won."

Of course, she had no idea what it was even about, or that I had even entered such a sweepstakes. And it took me a moment to recollect it as well. I was just checking the weather one day, and there was a place to enter to win a computer. So I put my info in. And promptly forgot about it. This was some time between Dec.9 and Dec.21.

They want to list the winners on the website tomorrow, but I don't know if they're actually going to do that or not. We'll see.

Buy yeah... brand new laptop. Sweet.

We went to the library last night, and there was a big sign that said "Wireless HOTspot", and I was like, "YEAH!". hehe...

I don't have any specs on the comptuer (except that it is powered by centrino, which means it includes an Intel® Pentium® M processor, Intel® 855 chipset family, and Intel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection Family), or have a single clue about when it will ship. But, I figure at 1500 bucks it is a good, midrange lappy. I'm hoping I'll be able to watch DVDs on it. Save my back from carrying the TV up and down the stairs!



posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:36.

Auburn Avenue got a new website!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:34.

I don't know who Daniel Kirk is, but he's got a blog, and he's offering commentary on the present AAPC.

via Mark Horne

posted by Richard Okimoto at 08:45.

I had some salsa last night, and it burninated my mouth.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:36.

!

Lost tonight!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 11:34.

The other night I dreamt about Jon Barlow. I was in St. Louis for some reason, and met him in some downtown area, and we looked at old churches, and then went into some really big, modern building, and they had a video arcade, and we played video games for a little while. There was something weird about the arcade games, but I dont' remember what it was. Then I went to his house. I think. And that's about all I remember.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:06.

Does anyone know the different between the different types of feeds available? What is the difference, for example, between xml and rss feeds?

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:55.

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
-Henry Tilney, Northanger Abbey

posted by Richard Okimoto at 08:58.

Apple - Trailers - The Chronicles of Narnia

pretty cool.

And they're starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 15:36.

I didn't read any of this Andrew Sandlin/Douglas Wilson postmodernism flap while I was on break, so I'm catching up a bit on it now.

And, while some of it I don't get, and other of it I won't bother commenting on, I will say this: Sandlin is a bit of jerk when it comes to the sarcasm bit.

Why? Because he is so critical of Wilson for using "the serrated edge", and yet is always using it to serve his purposes. And that includes using it against "blood-washed", "born-again believers".

Just look at the pre-election posts at CCL. Any christian that didn't intend to vote for Bush, and actually encouraged others to likewise not vote for Bush, but for a third party candidate, was a "whining, pessimistic, backwater contrarian."

posted by Richard Okimoto at 13:13.

My Christmas loot included Randall Goodgame's new cd, War and Peace. It's a great cd. I encourage you all to check it out, and support an independent christian artist.

I also got Jeff Meyers book, and a few Wilson books on education (one of them was just $3.50!), and The Silmarillion. I also got the extended version DVDs of The Return of the King. All the info packed into the appendices from that (and the other two movies) has made me rather excited about reading The Silmarillion.

As usual, I read Leave It To Psmith over Christmas break. It was better than ever. I actually read most of it before the new year, but couldn't bear to not have it on my 'read list' for this year, so I left the last few chapters (both of which are rather short) to be finished after the new year. The call goes out all round blogdom, "Psmith is still on Richard's books read list!"

Also, to continue the update, we watched several movies over break. We kicked it off with Napoleon Dynamite which was just hilarious. Not much of a story to it, really, but man, it has some of the best lines of all time. It is one worth owning, I think. We also watched The Manchurian Candidate with Denzel Washington. That was a pretty cool movie. Twisted and complicated storyline, which always makes me happy.

I also watched several episodes of Lost. Very cool show. I don't really watch television much, but this show has made me want to keep our tv out for a while. New episode this week! If/when the DVDs are for sale, they are definitely on my wishlist.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 10:11.

Those of you that have joined via my referral link, I will post your links here if you give 'em to me.

I haven't got five completed offers yet, but I have two completed offers, and two other people that have told me they are in the process of completing an offer, and that means just one other person must complete an offer. And I have seven other people signed up. Surely one of them will complete an offer. So I took my link down, and, if you are thinking about getting a free iPod, I ask you to help one of the folks that helped me.

And I have to thank kristen again, for asking folks to help me out. They came in droves!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:46.

This year I'm giving up soda pop. That's for the record... accountability and all that.

I should add, however, that I don't intend to give it up entirely. I reserve the right to welcome the hopsitality of a friend should I be graciously offered a soda. And I also reserve the right, should we go out to eat, to order myself a dr pepper.

But, other than that, I'm giving it up.

posted by Richard Okimoto at 09:41.

Happy New Year!

posted by Richard Okimoto at 18:44.

Books Read in 2004:
Leave It To Psmith
Face To Face
The Special Days and Seasons of the Christian Year
Wonderful Life
Perelandra
Principles of War
Standing on the Promises
The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Defeating Darwinism
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hollywood Worldviews
John Adams
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
When Shall These Things Be?
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Looking for God in Harry Potter
The Motley Fool:You Have More Than You Think


posted by Richard Okimoto at 18:36.