Monthly Archives: August 2005

New Headphones

On our last vacation, I lost my excellent Sony MDR-E888LP headphones (left them on the plane) and so I have been looking for a replacement. I decided to go with the type of earbud that fits further inside the ear canal, in order to get better sound and block more outside noise. I finally ordered a pair of Sony MRD-EX71SL earbuds, which are the same kind my brother uses. They were cheap, too, only $29.99! The 888’s I had cost around $80, but the sound quality was superb. If the new earbuds don’t work out, I’ll probably track down another pair of 888’s. So now I eagerly await my new earbuds.

Harry Potter?

I never got into the Harry Potter craze before, even though I started reading the first book a couple years ago. I never got very far. I then saw the movie (the first one) and wasn’t impressed. But, I was looking for something to read last night and found my old eBook of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on my PocketPC. I decided to give it a go. I don’t know what changed in me, but I got totally into it! I was up until 2AM reading the book, and these are the parts that I have read before. I could have probably kept reading until about 3AM, but then I’d be completely dead at work today. Anyways, we’ll see if I can get thru the whole story this time… I still don’t know what the big craze is/has been all about, though.

Daily Hydration

I went to REI the other day with my friend Chris and I bought one of those clear water bottles that are so popular these days. I needed something to replace the classy styrofoam cup that I use. So I find myself drinking lots of water during work, and making several trips to the bathroom. But, I seem to have more energy, and my head feels much clearer. I don’t know if it’s a placebo effect or not, but the water bottle is spiffy nonetheless.

α-Sweet Digital

Konica-Minolta is starting to offer their second digital SLR body, which is smaller and less expensive than the 7D. It’s called the Maxxum 5D in the States, and the α-Sweet Digital in Japan. I really like the chrome(faux?)/black body of the Japanese version. (black is also available there) It really looks like the α-Sweet film version, which I was seriously considering buying back in the late 90’s. I ended up getting a 507si (650si) which is more of a knob & button style camera. But I always liked the α-Sweet, because of the body color, which reminds me of my X-700. It’s funny that in the SLR market, the popularity of chrome/black bodies vs. all-black bodies comes and goes. All-black is supposed to be more “pro”, but I still prefer the chrome/black style. And for the record, I love the names of the Japanese cameras, the α-Sweet and EOS Kiss.

Used CD’s

I went to a used CD/DVD/Video Game store the other day after work. I had not been in one of these stores in years, and I was surprised at all the great deals to be had! Back when I lived in West L.A., I used to go used cd shopping all the time, and the price for a good disc was around $8-9. At the store I went to the other day, the two cd’s I bought came out to be a grand total of $4. And there were a few more I wanted, each for $1.99. I did find a few that I really wanted that were $7.99, but still, much cheaper than buying the mp3 (if you like the whole disc, that is).

Feel The Magic

I picked up Sega’s “Feel The Magic XY/XX” for $10 and I am having lots of fun with it. It is basically a story about a guy who is trying to get this girl, and you help him impress her by winning mini-games. The story is goofy but fun, and the mini-games are really simple and innovative. The style of the animation uses flat colors and silhouetted figures, and it is very smooth. The soundtrack is good too, sort of like Pizzicato Five. Overall, the game has a Japanese feel to it, kind of quirky but cool. you can also set it to Japanese instead of English if you want. I think the best way to describe the game is that it is a short story, using iPod-style commercial graphics, with a bunch of Wario-ware/Touched mini-games thrown in.

New Monitor for Mariko

Mariko ordered a nice new Dell 17″ Flat Panel monitor to use with her laptop. I guess the screen on that tiny machine is just no good for everyday use. Anyways, she ordered it yesterday afternoon, and it arrived at about 9am this morning. I was so surprised that it was so quick. The delivery estimate on the invoice said 3-5 days, but it only took about 15 hours. Amazing! Go buy a Dell! (and use the link in the sidebar to get there 🙂 )

Supercub Tires

After waiting for three months, the Michelin Gazelle tires I ordered for my C70 arrived at the shop. Apparently a big batch comes over from Asia to the distribution channels here in the states only a few times a year. But, the bike is in storage while we wait for our new house to be built. I will have to put on the new tires later in the year. 🙁 Which reminds me, I gotta charge the battery…