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Random Tuesdayness

Since I missed Ozzfest, thus missing Metallica, I talked the guys into doing a summer tour — and they'll be coming to Houston in November (I didn't really talk to them, but that would have been cool). Anyway, we snagged our pre-sale tickets yesterday, and we got great seats:

We're on the 8th row, seats 1 through 4 — so we can more easily flee if need be. =)

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I'm addicted to the games Hanoi and Air Hockey on my iPhone.

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Prison Break has been one of the most consistently good shows on TV, but I wasn't too impressed with last night's premier. It was too rushed, and there were too many hokey happenings.

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I'm about to head into Phase II of my Jeep's sound system upgrades, and thanks to the LockPick install I just did, I now have preamp outputs that I can use with a second amp for the interior speakers. Sure, speaker-level is doable — but preamp outputs make for cleaner work. I'm thinking of using Apline's MRP-F250 to run the front and overhead speakers.

For speakers, I'm currently considering an Infinity Reference 6020cs and 6022si combo.

We shall see...

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We had Dad's third chemo cycle last week, and he's still doing well as far as how he feels. The main problem we're having is with his breathing — he has massive shortness of breath on exertion. The more we research online, the more we find case after case of people having his exact symptoms while taking Rituxan. Since he's already predisposed to pulmonary issues die to his asbestosis scarring, it seems more and more likely that his current issues are Rituxan-related. The good news is that the effects go away after treatment. The bad is that we don't know for sure that this is what's happening — but we'll be working on that this week.

All in all, things are going great, though. His cancer is dying, and if it weren't for the shortness of breath and appetite issues (while taking chemo, after just a few bites of food, you no longer want to eat that food), he'd feel fine. This is a major answer to prayer, and we're thankful God has been merciful and compassionate.

So, please continue to pray for him, but especially for his shortness of breath and appetite issues.

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I want an aquarium again, but my wife won't let me have one.

Posted at 9:33am CDT | Permalink | Comments (1)

Some Pics

I finalized some of the Jeep mods this afternoon, so I thought I'd post some iPhone pics (thus somewhat poor quality, but you'll get the idea). First off is the backup camera I installed:

I would like for it to be more "installed" into the bumper — and if I end up keeping the factory bumpers (as opposed to replacing them with steel bumpers), that will be a simple modification with a hole saw. We'll see. For now, it's pretty dadgum tough as it's meant to be mounted like you see here.

Here are a couple of shots of the camera at work:

This camera sports a massive 150° viewable angle, and it works as low as .3 lux. I was quite impressed with the great color representation, too!

And lastly, I thought I'd take a shot of my new subwoofer: a 10-inch bass beast that only looks small:

I'm still stunned at how much bass I'm getting out of such a small enclosure, but I can get it so loud and low, you can't even walk behind the Jeep without it hurting your head. Hats off to Rockford Fosgate for yet another awesome speaker.

Posted at 5:07pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s Done, Getting Ready, Etc…

First off, I was able to get my MyGIG LockPick installed into my Jeep today, and it's AWESOME. Just so you know, "MyGIG" is the main radio/head unit in Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicles (more info here). Different vehicles ship with different features enabled, and the LockPick simply opens-up all available features — and this is what allowed me to have voice recognition, Bluetooth connectivity, in-motion navigation searches, a backup camera installed, and more.

Installation was crazy-simple, as the LockPick uses the existing interconnects. The most "difficult" part of the job was running the cable for the backup camera I installed, but that was a simple as pulling up carpet and shoving the cable underneath. I got my iPhone paired to the MyGIG while I was in line for a 44oz Cherry Limeaid, so now I can talk hands-free through my car stereo. The backup camera works flawlessly. The microphone install picks up everything perfectly, etc. Technology is a wonderful thing, no? I think I'm going to go ahead and order me a front camera, too, just for kicks.

All in all, it was well worth the $500 for the full package, and probably one of my all-time favorite vehicle mods!

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I hate hurricanes. One of the worst things about them is what we have to do at work to get ready for the unexpected. We have to find that fine line of not wanting to shut down so that we don't have any downtime — yet we don't want to postpone anyone's departure in case things suddenly head our way. So it is with Gustav, but we're being extra proactive and preparing for the worst. So, rather than be at church tomorrow, playing in the band, I'll be on a conference call planning the next move. For me, it's extra annoying because I'm also the CIS Manager — and that means I'm responsible for shutting down all our servers and transporting a mini-office to our evacuation site. This means all of the other departments have to do what they need to get done so that they don't get too far behind, then I have to come up after and get everything down and loaded — all while hoping I don't need to haul butt out of town. Long story kind of short, since things are still too up in the air — and since it's a holiday weekend — we're planning as though we're evacuating. We would much rather be safe than sorry, since we have a couple thousand employees counting on us for their pay every week.

It'll totally suck to miss church and not play — especially since it seems Gustav isn't heading our way. But, like I said: it's better to be safe than sorry when you're in our position as a company.

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I think I'll go crash now since I have to get up for the 5:00 am hurricane update...

Posted at 10:30pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

Taylor’s Automatic Refresher

As I was purging my photo library to make room for new images, I found the following shot I took while on vacation in San Francisco. It's a burger joint named Taylor's Automatic Refresher, and it's one of the more popular destinations in town. Anyway, this photo is a prime example of how cool cross-processing can make a picture look. I uploaded a small version of the original, and the processed version is right below (and can be viewed full size on the linked Flickr page):

Here's the modified version:

Posted at 1:27pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

New Metallica: My Apocalypse

Here's a high quality MP3 of "My Apocalypse" off Metallica's upcoming album, Death Magnetic, made available through Mission: Metallica.

http://www.maurymccown.com/downloads/sounds/My Apocalypse.mp3

You can download the MP3 by following this link.

I know some of the other songs are a bit bad (though I haven't heard the studio versions), but this song is an awesome throwback for us old skool Metallica fans.

Posted at 6:05am CDT | Permalink | Comments (2)

Varietal Tuesday (Sans Grapes)

What a title, eh?

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My oldest nephew just started college, and as he's begun this new part of his life, it got me thinking about my college days — and days older still.

Time is weird, you know? A few months ago, I was at a friend's salon waiting to get a haircut, and in walks a girl I went to school with. We passed the basic pleasantries like "how's it going?" and "how's the wife/husband," etc., etc, then we both just sat there in awkwardness. I mean, me and this girl (woman, now) grew up together, and we've known each other since we were like 5 years old — so we're talking about knowing each other for over 30 years. THIRTY! However, we had nothing to say to one another — we were just two totally different humans with totally different lives, both just happening to live on the same planet. How crazy is that? You know someone all your life yet you still have nothing to say to them.

This got me thinking about the friends I had in Jr High and High School, and most of those people have just gone by the way-side. Think of the hundreds of people you spent 5 days a week with, and think about how little you knew about most of them. Where are they now? Who knows. What are they doing? Beats me. The more you think about it, the more you (or I do, at least) think about all the stupidity and foolishness, and you wish you could take some of it back. Good grief, who knows what memories stand out when people think of me. Oh well.

What's cool, though, is the friends that were made back then who are still our friends today. Sweet Moses, the stories Jeremy and I could tell (we just need to find Wesley)! And every once in a while, I'll stumble upon another old friend, which is nice. I bumped into a gal I grew up with just the other day, and that was cool. She was the girl that was fully accepted into our Guy Flock, and she held her own quite well amid the testosterone. Now she lives in London with her hubby (isn't that what that call them over there?), which sounds about right for her.

Fast-forward to college, and the cycle repeats. My greatest friendships were born in college — the main one being with my wife. Other than her, I have guys I know I could call at any hour of the day for anything, and they'd do their dadgum best to help out in any way they could. Friends you can go for years not seeing, but when you're back together, it's like you pick up right where you left off. That's cool — and chances are, we'll always stay in touch with each other until one of us finally kicks out.

All of this makes me reflect on days long gone, and part of me wishes I could go back and keep my mouth shut at times, and then open it at others. But such is life, no? I hope my old friends are doing well, the ones I never talk to any longer. I hope they have found happiness, contentment, fulfillment. I hope they have discovered that there's a God in Heaven that loves them just as they are. I hope they have found true joy, and that they have found someone to love and cherish. I hope they are doing something they love, and that they're making the world a better place, one home at a time.

So Trip, if you're reading this, take it all in. Never rush yourself. This is one of the best times of your life, and it's here that you'll make those life-long friends that will always be there for you — and that you can be there for. Be yourself, and don't try to live up to anyone's expectations that don't fit who you really are. Push to be the best you can be, never settling for just the mediocre — and surround yourself with people who live out that same philosophy. Of course, I must interject that Dave and Jim are probably getting a kick out of me saying that, but we were the best at what we did, which was being cool, of course. =)

Oh, and if you are reading my site and you see me talking about all the cigars I smoke, you uh, shouldn't do that. It's bad for you. And make sure the girls you date live at least 50 miles away from one another — 70, if you call pull it off.

Posted at 3:17pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (4)

Week Wrap-Up

The rest of my Jeep's subwoofer hardware arrived today, so I'm going to try and get it all installed tomorrow. I can't wait to find out how 25Hz feels. w00t!

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We've been Tivoing the Olympics to watch the volleyball, and the men are playing especially awesome (we're still at 10-1 US in the 3rd set). I used to love playing volleyball back in the day, but my fat butt would only last about 10 minutes nowadays.

I have a feeling we're going to win...

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WE WON!

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And yeah, that's about all that's happened this week...

Posted at 9:15pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yes, It Has Landed

My source called me around noon today to let me know that our local AT&T did, in fact, receive a shipment of iPhones — which is the first shipment they've received since the original July 11 release. Luckily, I was already in the area, so I was able to run over and get mine before they sold out. Getting on the "pre-order" list was the best the local shop could do, as they aren't allowed to hold iPhones for anyone — so I'm glad my contact came through with the tipoff. I showed up before they even started checking them in, and by the time I left, they only had 2 white and 1 black iPhone left (out of an original shipment of 10).

I opted for the black 16GB model so that I could at least carry my main iTunes playlist (which is only 8.52GB) and still having plenty of room for Lord knows what. So far, I really like it — but I'm still transferring contacts, email accounts, iTunes tracks, etc., so I haven't really been able to dive into the features. I do hope there some way to permanently set the local area code, because I already hate having to dial it when making a local call. Of course, if I have my Contacts setup properly, I'll rarely have to dial anyone's number — but ti's an annoyance nonetheless (so far).

So for now, I really like the iPhone, and I'm sure I'll like even more once I "think different" on what all a "phone" can do for me.

Posted at 5:40pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

My iPhone Is Landing (Maybe)…

A little birdie has let me know that the 16GB iPhone I "pre-ordered" I don't know how long ago may be arriving tomorrow, so that's pretty cool. I love new toys, and this is one toy that will actually make my life a LOT easier since — while I love my current phone (SMT5800) — it will better integrate with all my systems. I'm needing a good calendar sync solution more and more, and it just makes sense to use the iCal calendars I already use. Not to mention address book integration, etc., etc.

So now I wait and see if it really arrives, so here's to hoping it will...

Posted at 4:46pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (2)

And We’re Back, Plus More

Well, we made it back home from MD Anderson. Much thanks for the prayers and kind words — and we're thrilled to report that there's not a dadgum thing wrong with Dad's heart. Everything checks out fine, including the existing asbestosis scarring — and they were able to culture some bacteria from the bronchoscope. That means, for all intents and purposes, that Dad's current shortness of breath is more likely than not being caused by this bacterial infection. What that means is that his breathing capacity should return to his normal state once the antibiotics kill the little buggers. The downside is that he's currently in his lowest week from chemo, so his body is going to have an extra hard time fighting off the bacteria — but the Docs expect Dad's breathing to make a comeback. They even commented that we may be taking antibiotics the whole time, just to be safe, since Dad's asbestosis scarring already makes him extra vulnerable to infection.

But all in all, we received the good news we were praying and hoping for, and we're still praying that things will pan-out in the above manner. We're going up for blood work twice a week for now, just to closely monitor everything while we work through this first hump.

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Since I've been out with family stuff, it's been 2 weeks since I've played at church — and I miss doing so quite a bit. I miss the faces, the conversations, the music, the playing. Hopefully things will begin to even out so that I can get back into playing — but we'll see. Dad's the top priority, of course.

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I've begun my Jeep sound system upgrades, and I've started with the sub. Like I've said before, the stock system is actually pretty decent (Infinity), but it's not quite where I want it. That said, I bought a Profile AP1000M amp, which I'll run at 310 watts and 4 ohms.

This will let me use the sub I've been wanting to try for months: the Rockford Fosgate T110D2. This dual coil monster will churn-out bass frequencies between 20 and 200 Hz, so I'll have no problems hearing — and feeling — the low foundation notes I've always liked. I could have opted for a 4 ohm version which would let me run the amp at 500 watts — but that'd just be CRAZY loud.

I'll set everything into a ported enclosure, bolted to the Jeep, and be good to go. All the goodies are still on order, so it may be a couple of weeks before I have everything installed — but it'll be well worth the wait! Then I'll move on to the 6 remaining speakers...

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I think we'll have meat loaf for dinner tonight. There's just nothing quite like a loaf of meat, is there?

Posted at 11:06am CDT | Permalink | Comments (1)

Going Back

My brother stayed with Dad last night, so I came home around 9:30pm to get some decent rest before heading back to MD Anderson in a few minutes. Please pray that the Doctors would being us good news, and that the shortness of breath on exertion issue would be nothing more than a simple infection that can be easily treated — and that the breathing issue would only be temporary with no permanent "damage." We're also hoping to come home sometime this weekend, as being in the hospital for 6 days has gotten quite tiresome to him.

Posted at 5:55am CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Jeep Has Landed

I got my Jeep today, and I dadgum LOVE IT. The thing rides as smooth as my Titan, even for a 4-wheel drive. And the sound system? It's actually pretty dadgum sweet once I got it equalized — and the factory sub is comparable to my Bazooka. Here are some pics taken with my cell phone:

Jeep offers Remote Start as an option, and I've already grown quite fond of it for getting the AC going. It seemed like a silly "luxury" to add to a Jeep, but I'm glad I got it. The only thing they couldn't get me was the 105mm recoilless rifle to mount on the back to clear out slow traffic. Oh well.

So fare-thee-well, Titan: you were nice while I had you — but don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Posted at 4:43pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cycle 2, Day 5

Things are going good and not so good with Dad's treatment, though "not so good" is probably best stated as "what's up with that?" Let's start with the obvious good, though. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, Dad's body is responding well to the treatment. The lump under his arm is completely gone, and the mass in his chest has almost totally dissipated to my laymen's eyes. THAT is AWESOME, and yet another answer to prayer. He has yet to experience any pain or nausea, but his hair is finally falling out — but that's not too big a deal. So all in all, things are going great.

Having said that, he began experiencing shortness of breath last Thursday and Friday, and it got progressively worse on Saturday in the wee hours of the morning. We hauled up to MD Anderson's emergency room around 6:30am, and we've been here ever since. CAT, CT, and x-rays all show, well, that nothing's amiss — which is great. Everything is stable as far as previous scan comparison goes, but his white counts are higher than they like, which is a sign of infection. Unfortunately — or fortunately — they really aren't able to see any pneumonia in his lungs, so the Docs are admittedly scratching their heads. But, based on all their data, they feel it best to treat him for infection, so we've been getting strong antibiotics every 12 hours. The pulmonary team will also be evaluating him sometime today.

Some other good news that ties with the above, is that he feels fine. As long as he doesn't try to do much, he's totally fine — it's only when he walks too much. So the shortness of breath is what's causing the issues.

Hopefully the Doctor will be making his rounds soon, and we'll know more about what the next step is. Please pray that there will be no new discoveries, and that whatever is causing this breathing problem will be taken care of with the least amount of issue possible.

Excuse any spelling or grammar, as I've gotten about 6 hours of sleep since Saturday.

Posted at 8:15am CDT | Permalink | Comments (2)

I’m Now A Jeeper

I am now the soon-to-be proud owner of a 4-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara! w00t! I got it in Jeep Green with a Khaki hard-top (but it also comes with a black soft-top), and this is how Jeep's website renders it:

I can't find a larger image, but oh well. Also, the khaki top isn't quite that color — so who knows what Jeep was thinking as far as their web images go. Anyway, I am totally stoked about getting this, and there's a really good chance I'll be able to pick it up from the dealer tomorrow.

I got it loaded to the max, too, and I'm particularly looking forward to the built-in GPS and 30GB hard drive for music storage. I also like the idea that I can take off the doors, the top, and lower the front windshield for a super-convertible. I was pleasantly surprised that I fit into the thing, too, and I'm actually driving with the seat pulled forward a bit. I was also surprised that it drove as smoothly (or more smoothly, even) than my Titan, especially since the Jeep is 4-wheel drive.

Now I have to begin planning for a stereo redo, though it's nice that it already has a built-in sub...

Posted at 9:09pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (4)

It’s Wednesday

Dang, it's only Wednesday? This week seems like it's been going on forever. Ugh.

Oh well.

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The "storm" that blew through — which I predicted 36 hours before landfall to be nothing but a dud — ended up postponing my Dad's second chemo cycle until tomorrow. It stinks, but it's only 2 days late — and the Doc said that was no problem. Things continue to go well overall, though he's getting tired easily, and losing weight more rapidly than he'd like. Nothing crazy has happened so far, so God continues to be merciful.

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I'm still hunting for a new vehicle. The LR3 was cool and all, but it was just too small. The Infiniti QXs are sweet, but I think those are too big. I now have my sight on 2 other vehicles — the first being the one I wanted back when they came out a few years ago: the FJ Cruiser. When I first started car hunting, I was worried about having a big enough back seat for toting people wherever we were going, but that doesn't really happen all that often. So, I'll be trying out an FJ Cruiser again this weekend (I've already done the test drive and loved it). I'll also be checking out the Jeep Unlimited 4-doors. These SUVs look bloody awesome in my opinion, so I'm hoping they're spacious enough for me to be comfortable. I know the ride will be more bumpy in the Jeep — but it's a Jeep. I'll be giving them a go this weekend, too.

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I have a cool photo shoot coming up this weekend that I'm really looking forward to. Hopefully the weather will turn nice and bright and sunny...

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We have rats at work again, stealing lollipops and trying to drag them under doors. Vermin.

Posted at 3:56pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (2)

RAILhead Effects Io Teaser Clip

Here's another teaser clip, this time showcasing my RAILhead Effects io Super-Distortion. This particular sample was recorded with my 88 Les Paul in the bridge pickup position, with the tone at about 50%. I start off playing clean so you can hear my amp, then I play the same progression with the io's Gain at 12 o'clock, then the same progression with Gain at 3 o'clock, and finally with the gain maxed-out. Fall in love with the bedroom-level feedback...

http://www.railheadeffects.com/sounds/RHFX-io-001.mp3

Posted at 4:42pm CDT | Permalink | Comments (2)