Saturday!

Today I am going to try to make some triggers for different conditions; Lightning, Sound and Beam-Interupt. They will aid in special photography sessions for storms, broken lightglobes, bursting baloons etc. Cool.

In other news I put together one of my metal-halide lights today. Damn they are bright! 150W Floods. They are going to be very helpfull. I modified my old tripod to mount the fixture (lighting terms - the enclosure for the lamp) on the tripod and hang it's ballast from the bottom centre of the tripod. This particular tripod has a rubber plug in the base of the vertical slide. I took this out, drilled a hole, inserted a screw + bolt and cable harness.

Screw->Flat Washer->Cable Harness->Plug->Shakeproof Washer->Nut

This is re-inserted into the vertical's base and the screw tightened so the plug is compressed, securing it very firmly. This was required because the ballast weighs about 2Kg. The ballast was hung from the cable harness using two cable ties.

Pictures Later.

With all this experimenting and no breakfast of coffee, it has occured to me that I am hungry. The cripping imploding stomach feeling also indicates this. Hrm... I really should have a rest and eat something =) But there's so much more experimenting to go today! I need to get my breadboard out and a PC powersupply.

Another thought. BUGGER! I didn't buy any 7809s (9V Regulator IC). I hope I have some in my semis box. All the circuits run off 9V and I don't have my Lab Powersupply yet.

More thoughts. I need a CRO.

2:49 PM:
Finished off the light. The method seems OK. I need to purchase some cheap-arse tripods to put lamps on.

CRW_1344

CRW_1341

CRW_1339

It works quite well. Bloody bright! I want to get some 5000K globes for them now, the ones in there are 4200K which is just under daylight. About time something worked out in this shit-house week.

7:31 PM:
I took some shots lit with my new light staring my new pint mug =)

CRW_1372	CRW_1366
CRW_1361	CRW_1359

Friday at last!

Work.

I'm not a massive fan on Limp Bizket but their lyrics from "Break Stuff" are rather appropriate today:

It's just one of those days,
When you don't wanna wake up,
Everything is fucked,
Everybody sux,
You don't really know why,
But want justify,
Rippin' someone's head off.
No human contact,
And if you interact,
Your life is on contract....

Big resounding un-enthused "meh" to today.

Work.
I may be running a city store for 2 weeks. Hrm. It seems, according to the area manager and the store manager from that store, that I have a big "challenge". If there's not enough staff there, they can go jump off something. If the store is shit or there's stuff I have to fix, they can go jump off something. I am relief managing, why should I have to fix the store that I am in? Grrrrrr. Deep sense of forboding. I really don't need to get screwed with, there is a lot of stuff that I need to fix in my own store.

10:36 PM:
Hrm, heated 'discussion' with my area manager re: Pay. Foreboding was right. It seems there are also a few other managers that have joined the bandwagon too. Others also being roughted sideways. Big can of worms. They tell us to communicate with our surrounding stores! Well. I did. I have MUD on my mind.

>look
You are in an office at the back of a retail outlet.
There is a desk up against one wall. Above the desk is a window opening onto the shop floor. Just below the window there are two telephones mounted on the wall labelled ‘Line 1’ and ‘Line 2’. On the desk is a myriad of paperwork and different coloured stationary. There is a keyboard, a monitor, a mouse, a stapler, a tape dispenser, an orange A4 envelope addressed to you and a selection of stock items that shouldn't be there. In front of the desk is an office gas lift swivel chair. You see various scattered notes on the wall behind the desk reminding you and others to complete various tasks. Under the desk is a safe, the computer's CPU a filing cabinet and a vacuum cleaner. On the floor there is a can and some screwed up paper.

> get envelope from desk
You pick up an orange A4 envelope [closed].

> use envelope
Nothing happens. Perhaps if you opened the envelope.

> open envelope
You open the envelope [open]

> look envelope
The envelope [open] contains a letter of offer.

> get letter from envelope
You slide the letter out from the envelope. It is a letter of offer addressed to you.

> use letter
Nothing happens. Perhaps if you read the letter.

> read letter
Letter of offer. You. Position. Salary: $[not enough]
You are pissed off.

> get can opener from desk
You pick up a can opener.

> look can opener
This is a shiny new Stabco can opener. It is an old style manual can opener. The brand Stabco is embossed along the small green plastic handle.

> get all from floor
You pick up a ball of paper.
You pick up a can.

> dest ball of paper
You destroy a ball of paper using your Zapper[1].

> look can
Writhetech Can 'o Worms. Once this shit starts, it’s not going to be contained easily, guaranteed. On the back of the can there is a small blurb: Writhetech pride themselves on creating situations that can’t be easily resolved. Our research and development team are always adding new features to our series of Can ‘o’ Worms. Using parallel processing and a number of random number generators this product continually adds elements to the situation as time progresses guaranteeing you long lasting chaos and a shit storm you can be proud of! Shake before use.

> use can
Nothing happens. Perhaps if you opened the can or shook the can something might happen.

> open can
You can not open the can without some sort of tool.

> shake can
The can starts to violently shake in your hand and works it’s way out of your grip. The can drops to the floor still shaking violently. After about 10 seconds pass, the shaking settles down to a dull rumble.

> get can
You pick up a can [rumbling].

> use can opener with can
At arms length you begin to open your Writhetech Can ‘o’ Worms. I guess you want to start some major shit! The can hisses as you break the seal. You start working your way around the edge of the can using a levering action. You progress to three quarters the way around and the lid leaps off explosively. Using all your strength you maintain your grip on the can as it unleashes nothing less than an earthquaketyphoonocane! Stock is falling off shelves, paper is blowing around your office wildly. Phones, faxes printers are all operating at random. Your computer monitor explodes. Silence. You peer over the steaming mouth of the can read on the bottom inside face: Consider your shit started.

Work. For a bit then a manager's metting at H/O. Maybe I will shout at my Area Manager, I don't know yet. This whole pay situation is RIDICULOUS. The other fun (not) part of the day will be the after hours ELECTRONICS TRAINING like I need goddam electronics training, especially IN MY OWN FRAKKING TIME! FFS! A wholly un-fun week, feeling rather unstable at the moment, job/pay wise and very under-valued. The whole cap on my salary when I had my own little store was understandable. NOW, however, I am in a store that is currently running second in the COMPANY (Australia AND New Zealand). Where's my frakking payrise you tightarsed bastards.

1:23 AM:
Home! Sleep time! I got myself a pair of OLD pint mugs. I had to drink 10 pints of OLD to get them!well in reality, I only had 5 pints and employed a dubious method of duplicating the stamps on my card but that's a secret !

What a terrific night! Plenty of OLD and Sourcream, Chilli Sauce and Wedges and also Nachos.

7:17 AM:
Kel off to work. Back to sleep for me in a minute!

11:47 AM:
That chicken from the fridge was bloody YUMMY! Off for more Sleep.

5:02 PM:
Woken up because Kel got home from work

7:34 PM:

Tomorrow will be my 100th Blog! (If I do one...) Time for some dinner! 

Work.

Yay for the new timetable! It still doesn't fix the other passengers that I have to sit/stand next to. I had to endure sitting in between two fat, smelly Indians. How much more unpleasant can you get? Why do they smell like that? Obviously, not all of them do but WHY?!? Do they do it on purpose? Racist?! Nay! I am simply describing my observation/experience and drawing attention to the fact that they stank and that I was squished. Don't dare place comments re: racism... Sure there are plenty of other stinky people, not just Indians. They piss me off just as much.

1:06 PM:

The new Foamy should be out today but it's not up yet.

2:47 PM:

New Foamy up. http://www.illwillpress.com/

Work.

Not such an interesting day. I started work on a store map for the new store I am working in. Should be usefull later when we do stocktake or if we need to re-merchendise anything. 

Work.

Had a stack today... Dropped 3 large coffees. PISSED OFF. Bruised Knee, sore calf... $10 down the drain, or on the path as it were. So not impressed. I got up, kicked the cup and kept walking.

New addition to the family (of cameras). The status of my DX4330 was confirmed by the repairer as: Totally and Thoroughly Borked... Plus he can't get parts for it anyway. Here is it's replacement. Finally I have a Carry-Around camera again!!!

Canon Powershot A75

 

Sunday. Yay.

Re-Organised the lounge room today.

Noodles!

 

Let's start off this section with my favorite instrumental "build up" either from a song or a movie be it for suspense or for another effect.

1. Code Red composed by Elliot Goldenthal from Final Fantasy - The Spirit Within. Damn this song builds up from a whisper to a thunderous overture. It is from the scene where Dr. Aki is operating on Cpt. Edwards to remove a phantom contamination.

2. Timecrash - The Fifth Element Soundtrack. Only my favorite movie! 

3. Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene Part II. Builds from a simple synth lead into an intricate and technical piece with consistant beat all the way through.

4. Bolero - This piece runs through a number of soft instruments and builds each cycle adding more instruments.

5. The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah - Therion. The first 1min 10sec. Similar to Bolero in method starting with a single instrument and adding layers.

Saturday.

I don't know why, but I have a fascination with this song by Enya. It is called "Tempus Vernum" - That's Spring Time in English... The song it totally in Latin. It is a song about the contrast of elements. There are some direct translation problems but you get the idea as a lot of English is Rooted in Latin. Why is it that I can remember and recite the lyrics to this song but the things i do need to remember fall out somewhere?!?!?

Ergo,
oceanus, maritimus,
ergo
opacare, matutinus,
ergo
septentrio, meridies,
ergo
occidens et orientis,
ergo
oceanus, maritimus,
opacare, matutinus,
septentrio, meridies,
occidens et orientis,
ergo
terra, stella,
hiems et aestas,
ergo
autumnus et
tempus vernum,
ergo
radius solis
et umbra,
ignis, aqua
caelum, luna,
terra, stella,
hierns et aestas,
autumnus et
tempus vernum...

tempus vernum...

Work.

New goodies have arrived. A BG-ED3 - A battery Grip and an EP-EX15 - An eyepiece extender so my nose isn't so squished. 

Work.

The last day in my store 

RIP Tandy North Sydney October 2002 -> October 2005.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  

Sunday.

I made a DVD section. Now, I need to implement some sort of template so I can keep the DVD bits consistant.

9:24 PM:
I have 17 DVDs in there now. Not bad. Looks nice. 

V8 Juice

Saturday! Up early. Seeing a pattern? Cat...

Shopping today. Bought some more DVDs. Constantine, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Day after Tomorrow and Escape From LA. I know, I know, Escape from LA. It's a tad cheesy. I like it anyway... 'Tis an entertaining movie to me.

Quote Block - Yeah it works. Theres 120 in there, random stuff, I haven't actually read it all yet (dumbass...) but it works. It won't be above the menu and in a block when I am done...

10:34 PM:

I found myself quite distressed tonight after completing the modifications to th quote of the day plugin. All was well with the plugin and it's running but something was amiss when the search for quote material began.

I thought about where I would get quotes. I then remembered my tome  of character sheets from our various games. Contained in that was over 5 years of RPG gaming and also what I needed; quotes from the games. Now, where was the tome of character containment ? I could not think where it was. After about 20 minutes of forreging I found it phew!

Work.

Friday at bloody last! My store is so empty now (of both stock and fittings) that it has an echo!

Today I actually remembered to take home the stuff that I bought for my tripod... So now I can play with my shiny new stuff =P I was very dissapointed yesterday when  I forgot it and arrived home empty handed...

Work...

I got to central. There was a broken down train on my usual incoming platfom. So, I came in on a different one. Waited for my north shore train. No probs. The guy announced Hornsby and the indicator board also indicated Hornsby. Arriving at Town Hall I was a little confused when we arrived into platform 6, the indicator board displaying Liverpool. WTF!? I thought to myself, that's OK, we'll prolly switch in the tunnels to the north shore line. Pulling into Wynyard's platform 6 and the indicator board still showing Liverpool I was a tad worried. I got off and went upstairs to platforms 3 and 4 for the North Shore. Now 30 minutes late with TWO stores to open... Pissed off... After all the shitting around with getting up early and getting onto a train early I may as well have left at normal time!

10:50 AM:

On a lighter note. I have new goodies for my tripod. Manfrotto is teh win! These things are the only Repairable tripods and also the only tripods you can buy parts for. I saw Morris today at my favorite camera shop Foto and Frame; he had good news for me, my portrait adapter elbow, spiked feet and tripod bag had arrived!!! I ordered a battery grip for my D60 and also a 15mm Viewfinder extension so my nose doesn't get squashed  

Work.

Feeling very un-inspired... 

Work. First day back in 3 weeks actually. Well, officially. I happened to run the chatswood store on sunday and opened it late because the website was wrong about opening hours, we will not speak of that again.

I sent my 28-70 f/2.8 EX DF off to be serviced. In it's travels it's front element and front body have come loose - NO FOCUS FOR YOU! To focus I must hold the element toward the camera body. Yay. It's like juggling.

I also sent away my little DX4330. It's borked too. Hopefully it will be an easy fix. Kodak want $265 to LOOK. I don't get that back wether they fix it or not. 'Sif.

While at the camera store I bought an awesome tripod. It's very nicely engineered. A Manfrotto 190CLB tripod and a 128RC fluid head. Together, a very nice bit of kit.

mf128rc

mf190clb

MF 128RC SPECIFICATIONS

A lightweight fluid head with adjustable pan bar and quick-release camera plate with secondary security. Ideal for cameras up to 8.9lbs in weight. The head has smooth fluid movements, pan and tilt locks. The adjustable pan bar can be positioned either on the left or right side.

• Finish: Black
• Video: Yes
• Maximum Load Capacity: 4.0 kg (8.9 lbs)
• Head Height: 12 cm (4.6 inches)
• Pan: 360°
• Tilt: -60° +90°
• QR Plate Supplied: 200PL
• Weight:1.0 kg (2.3 lbs)

MF 190CLB SPECIFICATIONS

Lightweight, compact and sturdy, this tripod is ideal for 35mm SLR cameras, especially when on the move outdoors.

Key features include:

• four leg angle settings
• centre column with an innovative three faced design
• low angle adapter built in the centre column for ground level shots
• rapid action lever leg locks with just 45° run

• Finish: Black
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Series: 3001
• Still Photography: Yes
• Video: Yes
• Sports Optics: Yes
• Column Type: Rapid
• Maximum Height with extended center column: 145 cm (57.1 inches)
• Maximum Height: 116 cm (45.7 inches)
• Minimum Height: 17 cm (6.7 inches)
• Closed Length: 53 cm (20.9 inches)
• Leg Sections: 3
  
• Maximum Load Capacity: 5.0 kg (11.1 lbs)
• Head Mount: 3/8" threaded mount
• Weight: 1.8 kg (3.9 lbs)

 Because I got a fluid head I can make good use of the tripod in video as well for smooth pans and tilts. Very cool. It looks like I will have to purchase a portrait angle or something because it doesn't have an axis to rotate to portrait.