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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
let's make a cellphone deal
I've had a few cellphones in my day. Since I got my line in the winter of 1998/9 I've used at various times a Sony CMD-500, Qualcomm QCP-800, Sony CMD-Z1, Nokia 8260 (in all three colors), Samsung SCH-850, LG TM-510, LG-VX10, Kyocera SE47, Samsung SCH-a670, Motorola RAZR v3c, and LG VX-8700. Whoof. That's probably 3% of the earth's electronic waste right there. And you know what? The only phone I was actually truly happy using was the 8700. The other ones all had their flaws: the Sony/Qualcomm phones were all the same chipset and based on mid 90s tech, the Nokias kept on fucking breaking (I had three in the span of 10 months), my first Samsung inexplicably had no texting capability, my first two LGs were the cheapest-feeling phones I ever owned, the Kyocera was awesome except for its weird egg shape and nub antenna, the external display on the a670 clouded up so bad it wasn't readable, and the RAZR was great for about two months till its shitty build quality let me down completely. But what the Mac mini did to my computing habits amd attitudes, my VX-8700 did to my cellphone tastes. You could tell once you picked this beast up that it was built well and was meant to last. I loved that thing to death and swore that I wouldn't get another till I was able to get a non-ATT iPhone. Until the screen started glitching out. Sure it still makes calls. And as long as you don't do anything requiring a lot of graphics (games, fast menu navigation or mobile internet) the screen is mostly okay. But my experience in electronics has taught me nothing if not that when one part fails, the others are doomed to follow. So I bit the bullet, called Verizon and used my contract expiration credit to order an env3. I hope this one lasts. Labels: mac, personal, tech
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
it's a funny thing, that technology
 Happy June! It's pretty hard to fathom how fast the year is going by. Just think: in January I was still thinking of putting a ring on it, and by next January a wedding will be mostly planned. Unreal.
Anyhoo, waaaaay back in the day I was rocking a Windows PC I built myself. Hard to believe, right? But you know, when I got out of high school, I had zero money for a Mac. They had those slick blue G3 towers that I wanted so bad, but they were so out of reach it wasn't funny. So with my brother's help and a couple of parts from a friend, I cobbled together a cheap beige box with a 750MHz Athlon chip and a 20GB harddrive. Oh man, that thing was a beast in 1999. And I put that thing through the wringer too.
Fast forward to 2004: On my third homebuilt rig, I have about seven years worth of data on my harddrive when I tried to install the Windows XP Service Pack 3. For some reason it didn't take, and I tried to dial it back to SP2. When that didn't work, I tried reinstalling Windows over the existing files. While that did work, it also resulted in my user folders being locked away in some weird-ass glitch so that I could no longer get to them. While I wasn't very forthright about what happened (who wants to admit they'd fucked themselves?) it was still pretty traumatic. My digital life was over! So I started anew, my lesson learned: back up religiously. And about six months later I got a Mac and it's mostly been smooth sailing since then.
Now, in 2009, I'm cleaning out my stuff in preparation to move in with my fiancee. And my brother, who now does IT for a company that makes artificial anuses (anusi?), lends me his dongle that turns any IDE/ATA device into a USB- mountable drive. On a whim, I hook up my old drives that I just never parted with and am able to pull up every single file I thought lost. It includes old photos, music, almost everything I'd written from 1997 to 2004, and old versions of my website! All this stuff that I thought I'd never see again is now available to look at and edit, and I'm made close to whole again.
So guys, let this be a lesson to you. Back up your shit. Like, four times if you have to. And if you don't, and your data gets corrupted, don't get rid of the old drives. You may be able to get at your old files one day. And if not, at least you have a long-winded blog post to write, and some ridiculous clip art to attach to it.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
memory lane
Note: This is the fourth (and possibly final) post in a series of unfinished thoughts that I hastily tacked an ending on to to bridge the gap between the past and the future of ES.com. I started this one almost exactly a year ago, on May 21, 2008. Thanks again for reading. –ES
I always felt that reminiscing was for douchebags, and it's a belief I still hold on to. Thus, it should come as no surprise that I do it frequently, albeit on the whims of whatever is going on around me. The latest round of wistfulness that was foisted on me came courtesy of the depths of ES.com, as I tried to find that perfect Joe Smiley picture I could use on my Twitter page but then got distracted by all the other random web stuff I have done since 1996.
The nine-six was good to me, in retrospect: I found the Open School, the Purple Press and a writing voice I didn't know existed within me (thanks, Leo). I also found GeoCities and how to make my own webpage. Now I had fooled around on the internet the year previous in Mr. Ryan's computer graphics class at Como Park Senior High (I even had an awesome CPHS email: estemme@como.stpaul.k12.mn.us) but had zero idea that I could actually create my own content on it. The 'Cities changed all of that forever.
Granted, my first effort wasn't very impressive. Coupled with that awful "ZombieMan2006" moniker, it's a wonder that I wasn't forced to quit the internet entirely. But, as I started to poke around in HTML and learn the code, I was able to branch out a bit, resulting in the not quite so unfortunate Aerosmith Tribute. It all snowballed from there, resulting in the DISH Network Tribute (?), Open graduation packet, and, finally in 1999, the first vestiges of an actual personal homepage.
I feel like over the years I have done some great work (GOTW!™) and some not so great work (The Probe) here at the .com, but the entire time I was freely expressing myself. Integrating a weblog greatly enhanced this and hastened my move away from the free website model, but without that fall of '96 I might not have had that opportunity. Or at least I would have socialized more.
Endnote: Yahoo! decided in April 2009 that GeoCities wasn't worth the billions in stock they had paid for it and is shuttering the service by the end of the year. As an internet fashionista I breathed a sigh of relief, since hundreds of horrid designs are now going away, but I still feel pangs of sadness, as GeoCities truly was ahead of its time and helped to usher in the "personal" aspect of the internet. Goodbye, old friend. Labels: internet, personal, site
Saturday, May 16, 2009
musings from an abesntee blogger
Note: This is third in a series of draft-level posts I've had in Blogger for ages that I am finishing and posting. I originally started this one August 26, 2006, and have kept up my odd writing style to maintain post integrity. New content should follow this series, get excited! Thanks for reading. –ES
 it's August! during the later days of this month, the State Fair happens, which is pretty much accepted by Minnesotans as the last desperate gasp of the summer. soon, it'll be time for shedding trees, hay rides and them pesky trick or treaters... all sings of autumn, the absolute greatest season ever. as I sit here and write this, my window is open and the crisp cool evening air is blowing in, and with it comes the aroma of a neighbor's fireplace. the scents af autumn are among the reasons I love this time of year. I also love the look of Como Lake as I bike around it, with the runners starting to wear a little heavier clothing, and the oak and maple trees in front of the stately lake houses starting to show off their color. the geese are preparing for their migration south, and the park and lake start to wind down to a peaceful calm. a lot of times, my memory takes me back to my grade school days, and I think about the anticipation of the new school year: new clothes, new supplies and new friends to make. I also remember all those glorious Sunday mornings playing football with the guys at church, and all the fall activities we'd do like haunted houses, hay bale mazes and the like.
it seems a tease, though, because like spring, autumn in Minnesota is fleeting, and if you blink you miss it. soon, the crisp air will give way to sleet and wind chills, the branches will be covered with ice and snow, and parkas and shovels are required equipment till next May. I guess my point is, get out and enjoy the fall while we have it, since like everything else in life our time with it is perilously short. and don't forget to try the apple cider!
Labels: local, personal
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
#34, 1961-2006
Note: This is another in a series of posts from the "unfinished" heap, originally intended for publication on March 8, 2006. I have retained my odd writing style from that period to make my thought seem more seamless. A thousand pardons for the not-so-new content as I figure out this blog's direction. Thanks again for reading. – ES
 on Sunday, [March 5, 2006,] one of my very favorite baseball players was felled by a massive stroke. the next evening, after compulsively checking the Star Tribune and ESPN for updates all day, I found out that Kirby Puckett had finally passed from us without ever regaining conciousness. I couldn't believe it; things like this aren't supposed to happen to your heroes. in 2000, I worked at an Audio King in Edina's Centennial Lakes Plaza. Kirby was a frequent customer, and one fall Sunday afternoon I visited the store just as he was finalizing the purchase of a bedroom television. I was there with my family, and he looked over and recognized my dad from some work he had done on one of Kirby's vehicles. we all walked over to him where he was standing with his son and daughter, and my dad shook his hand and said hi. he then introduced my sister, my brothers and I and Kirby introduced his kids to us. the only problem: my mom was standing a bit behind us kids and my dad failed to introduce her to him, which she has never let him forget to this day.
the reason I bring this anecdote up is to show what kind of guy Kirby was in my interactions with him. I ran into him a few more times in my two years at that store, and though he didn't recognize me all the time, he always had a smile on his face and joked around with everyone around him. and this is what I will choose to remember about him as I go forward in my life. we all have things in our lives that we have done and regret, but we shouldn't let those things define us. Kirby Puckett was a shining example of this. while the final years of his life were controversial, he did a lot of good for the community and remains one of the premier role models of a sport that seems to have lost its way.
RIP, Puck. don't forget to touch 'em all up there.
Labels: bestof, local, personal, twins
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
anatomy of a favorite band
... or, alternatively, I explain in long-winded detail my music tastes.
Note: I started writing this post waaaaay back in September. I came across it while cleaning up in my stunted posts and decided to finish it. Lucky you! Thanks for reading. – ES Music is a funny thing. It's almost like politics, in the way that so many people are so deeply passionate about it. And like politics, which I do my very best to avoid in this here blog, music strikes a nerve because it really is an extension of a persona. Here, let me try to demonstrate, using my musical timeline as an example: 1980-1992: What is 'music'? Ah, them 80's. Hey, remember them? Because I sure as fuck do. Well, most of them anyway. Starting when I was the tender age of zero, my dad played album rock stuff wherever he could. If it was on the freeform KQRS, it got played. This probably played a large factor in later listening habits. Anyhoo, as I grew up, I started listening to the top-40 radio stations (at that time, WLOL and KDWB) and all these weird-ass trends started to take place, like new wave and Prince. Back then, I listened to it all but like most kids at that age was pretty unaware and/or oblivious to who actually made music. Nevertheless, all these nameless dudes and in some cases chicks helped to provide a soundtrack to my childhood (thanks, Roxette and Timmy T.!). Once I hit them awkward preteen years though, it started to matter more: I remember agonizing over what to put on a mixtape for the first girl I crushed on, even though I don't remember her name. Um, Mr. Big made it on there. (cough)  '93-'03: I live in the past
For Christmas in 1993 I got two things that probably had some effect on my life: I got my first CD boom box and Aerosmith's Get a Grip to play on it. I remember asking for the latter, because of Alicia Silverstone in the videos, but I soon wore out that CD and had to buy a second one to replace it. In short order, Aerosmith had officially become my favorite band. I started with their then-recent stuff, but as I dived into their back catalog I heard all these songs that I first heard on KQ back in the day, which in turn led me into exploring classic rock. I slowly abandoned top-40 music, leaving it almost completely behind me by 1996 or so, when I found my new favorite band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. These guys jumpstarted my affinity for classic rock, and by the time I graduated from high school I listened to classic rock almost exclusively, leaving me oblivious to ridiculous trends like boy bands and Christina Aguilera. So, I guess it wasn't all bad...  2004+: I embrace new music again I wasn't always stuck on the old-skool, though: I definitely bought everything the Dave Matthews Band released, but I still listened to mostly pre-1990 stuff. But then in the fall of 2001, I discovered John Mayer purely by happenstance, and he quickly became me new favorite artist. Also, because of the influence of his music on me, I began listening to current mainstream music again. Mostly Cities 97 fare at first, I started to branch out and listen to different genres of music entirely, exploring at various times bluegrass and folk, modern classical, and the not-really-a-genre "indie" scene. Now though, I think I have learned to appreciate almost anything of value out there. No, I won't be actively listening to the Pussycat Dolls anytime soon, but I can now enjoy a finely-crafted pop song, underground rap, and even the occasional Rascal Flatts.
Now, what does this say as an extension of my persona, as I alluded to earlier? I'll be honest with you, I'm not exactly sure. But I think the fact that I am able to take most everything in while rejecting a minimal amount says something good about me. At least I hope it does. Labels: bestof, media, music, personal
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
bo-ring!
Oh hey. Yeah I haven't been around so much, sorry. I was busy working, schooling and getting engaged. Anyhoo, enough with the chitchat and on to the blog post!
I've been browsing these internets a long time. And one thing I've noticed in said internets is that while most sites in general are either visually interesting or informative, sites that specifically focus on PCs or Windows are usually giant bags of hurt that fulfill neither niche. Examples, you say? Alright then, Chester, please to consider:
 1) PC World. Taking visual cues from (or giving them to) sister publication Macworld results in a mixed bag for IDG flagship PC World. Do they even publish a magazine? I've never seen it on newsstands. Anyway, on both sites there is a clean banner up top with a search box and the omnipresent strip Flash ad, but the similarities end there. There is one column in the middle of the page for them to pimp news, which can't be customized. AWFUL. If you want people to come to your site first for news you need to be able to let them streamline the flow so they can see what they want to. Also on PCW.com there is one of those ridiculous sidebars that should never be used. Lesson to web developers: If you have more than like seven sections on your site that won't fit in horizontal navigation, try eliminating some sections. There is no reason that someone should have to scroll down below the e-fold to get to a section that might contain what they came to your site for. What is this, a news site or a link farm?
 2) Computer Shopper. Speaking of link farms, there really isn't a way to dignify what Computer Shopper does to the internet. If you have never seen the dead-tree version, it's basically a giant catalog of vendors and parts, like Newegg with a cover charge and longer lead time. And in the end, that's really all CS.com is. You can try to dress it up with how-to videos, but at the end of the day all it is is a link farm. Ups to them though for not pretending like they are anything different. Fun side note: check out what is the most popular item on their website! That's right, iWork '09, an Apple product. But even this site isn't that bad, compared to...
 3) PC Magazine. God, this site is a verifiable treasure trove of how-not-tos. If you were looking for a website that replicated the feeling of wandering aimlessly in OfficeMax then PCmag.com is the place for you, my friend. Everything about it screams boring and desperate, from the myriad advertising links on the top, bottom, left and right of the site, the tiny print of the leads for articles, the countless sections in the top navigation, right down to a prominent section of free downloadable whitepapers. Oh man, whitepapers! Now that will keep people coming back! Another trouble spot: John C. Dvorak. The only tech columnist known to man that actually hates all technology, who also happens to write the back page column for PC Mag. Dudes, really. This would be the same as Us Weekly putting George F. Will on their back page to cover all of whatever fashion no-nos happen to occur in Hollywood.
Now, do you wanna know how it's done? Go to wired.com right now. That is the way to do it: big type for the headlines, no summaries, and five easy sections so you can go where you want to right off the bat. It truly is the way the internet was supposed to be done.
now playing on iTunes: PMB "Flooding" Labels: internet, mac, media, review, tech, web2.0
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Hi, I'm Ehren. Welcome to my website.
I am a straight-shooter with a heart of gold and balls of steel. I coach a hard-luck peewee hockey team full of working-class misfits. My sweat is considered currency in developing nations. I once appeared nude on a Wheaties box. I operate a greasy-spoon diner on the outskirts of humanity. Also, I'm afraid of clowns and small children. |
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