26 November, 2005

Recent activities - Thanksgiving, Surround Sound, Pool

            Thanksgiving was fun, although I worked Friday.  Thus, I had to come back early <frown> from the in-laws’ place.  That was disappointing, but I had the pleasure of seeing if I could eat a turkey leg, and two pieces of pumpkin pie, while simultaneously navigating the country roads.

 

            The wife and kids stayed the night there, in order to shop the Black Friday sales.  They ended up staying over Friday night too, due to the snowfall making for hazardous driving conditions.  I look forward to their return!

 

            I got the itch to start writing, recreationally, and it is going well.  It’s as much fun, for me, to write as it is to watch a flick, so the more time I can spend doing that, the better.

 

            Recently a friend came over and tuned the surround sound system in our newly finished basement.  Although I enjoy joking with him and telling him that “I can perceive no difference”, the change is quite striking.  He loaned me his copy of ‘Genesis: The Videos”, and a Queen videos compilation, both with DTS soundtracks.  I don’t know a heck of a lot, about sound – that is his department – but after watching the entire Genesis collection last night, I agree with him that DTS (in general) blows Dolby Digital away.  I felt like I was in a concert.

 

            At this point, I am still not HD; I have the 32” flat screen JVC TV, and unfortunately, it’s picture is so good I have no need to upgrade.  Darn it.  But, when I do, I will jump straight to an overheard projector, since I wired for it and also laid in a piece of PVC, through which to push the video/audio cables.  The benefits of having access to the ceiling prior to the drywall going up.

 

            I used to shoot pool, recreationally, back when I actually went to bars.  A while ago a friend of mine and I went to some local bars and played a game, using the crappiest assortment of cues I had ever seem.  It seems to be a theme, in Waukesha, that the bars have okay tables but horrid cues.  As such, I went to Wal-Mart and bought one, complete with a case, and extra chalk and tips, for a hair over $30.  Have I used it yet, in the past two weeks of owning it?  Heck no, but it’s in my car, just in case it’s needed.

 

            I took the two older kids to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, while the baby and Mommy shopped.  A decent flick.  My older girls are savvy movie viewers, and they were not visibly frightened, nor did they later claim nightmares.  I consider that a successful viewing, when no one admits to later terrors.

 

            Ciao.

 

 

Dan Reams

BLOG: http://waukeshawestside.blogspot.com/

Local Coffee Shops: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coffeejoints/