Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Video Woes Part 2

I know...it's been a few days. I'm sure you're hanging on by your fingernails to see what happened with the video. Well.............it worked! I was able to load everything up to the splice and everything after the splice. It just wouldn't play through the spliced part.

So, I'm done loading video and just about done editing it. FANTABULICIOUS!!!!

Now, the only thing that's not edited at all is the video of the Hungarian quartet - and I just couldn't contain myself right after I saw them. They were just wonderful.

I think that's all I have on the video front for right now. I'm sure that y'all have just hung on every word. NOT!!!!!

I'll be back with more random stuff.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Video Woes Part 1

Ok. Just to let you know, before last night, I'd never seen the inside of a Mini DV cassette (the tape that goes in my camcorder). Now, I think I'm very familiar with all of it's video guts delicate inner workings.

I mentioned before that I edit some video from time to time. Well, last night was one of those times. I was putting the video of a ladies meeting we'd had back in September onto the computer to edit and burn onto DVD (Why I waited 6 months to do this, I'll never know.) - and I was missing Tape #2. That just means that every tape in the house had to be looked at.

I'd found a tape that had some issues. The problem was that the actual filmy tape inside had been snapped into (like it's some kind of green bean). I then decided that I would splice the two ends back together. Which means that I must go to Wal-Mart to gather all the necessary supplies required for video tape splicing (whatever those are). While there, I managed to find the smallest screwdriver set known to man (for a whopping $.88! WooHoo!), some packing tape (because you do want the connection to be secure), and an exacto knife. Is that what you really use? I don't know. I've never done this before. We're experimenting!

I go home to begin the procedure, and let me just say right now - I'VE NEVER SEEN SCREWS SOOOOOO SMALL!!!!! And since the screws are sooo small, you know one of them has to hit the floor, right?! Yup. Maybe it was because God granted me X-ray vision for a very short period of time that I was able to find said dropped screw and place it back in it's respective crevice. Much rejoicing took place at that time. Then, it was on to the "hard stuff".

The ends went together very nicely - and the outer shell went back together very nicely, too. I then put the cassette into the video camera and closed the door. It would only load the tray into the camera halfway. WHAZUP WIT DAT?! Well, after weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth, and checking of the owner's manual, I decide to press the "reset" button on the camcorder. BIG MISTAKE! At this point I got really frustrated and went to practice - and then on to bed. Just couldn't handle it anymore.

So, at 6:30 am (yuck), I took the cassette apart - AGAIN! (Can't you hear me muttering under my breath about now? I thought so.) There was one little plasitc part I didn't see earlier. I put it back into it's place and put it all back together again. Attempting to play it in the camcorder again, I jam gently place the cassette back into the holder, close it, and voila! Now I can play the video.

Seeing as how I have NO STINKIN' CLUE about what's on this particular tape (remember I checked EVERY OTHER one in the house), I hit play. IT'S TAPE #2!!!!! Now I'm concerned that what took place will not be able to be played because the tape has been mangled.

More later...........I'm just too stinkin tired for the rest of the story right now. See ya!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Back in the saddle...

Well, last night was interesting.

After being bribed into meeting my aunt & uncle (lots of arm twisting going on here) at O'Charley's for dinner (you can see that it hurt me greatly - NOT!), I went to Mom's to raid the stash of sheet music (She's kept everything that everybody's ever done since the beginning of time. Including all of the All-State music for me, her and my dad - you see, it really was the beginning of time.) So you can see we have a plethora of musical temptations to choose from. Lots of classical and southern gospel (the latter isn't really my favorite type of music, but it was available.).

Then I went home and attempted to have C help me change out the tape decks in the stereo. Well after much huffing and puffing and a lot of me telling him to "hold this", we got it all moved around, but I had to make sure that it really worked. So, I stuck a tape in to see what I had to work with.

Might I say that - IT! WAS! REALLY! REALLY! LOUD!!! I'm sure that the neighbors were really digging that music that was rattling absolutely everything within a 100 yard radius. I then located the volume knob and gave it a good twist slight turn to the left. Much better! Now I could hear C talking to me instead of just seeing his mouth move. Although I'm going to have to remember that little fact the next time I just want him to STOP! TALKING! It just might work.

On the rehersal front, I did manage to make it through one entire book before I peeled scraped very carefully took my contacts out to soak before going to bed. It was a rather long evening.

And so, I'm back in the rehersal saddle and trying to get some other "techy" stuff done (like editing video). Once I get that done, it'll be time to start making some clothes for S (my 4-yr old niece) and myself (since I can't find everything I want when I go shopping).

See y'all later.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Lots of notes

Well, I've decided that after 10 years of slacking on the vocal practice, I'm going to get back in the saddle.

Most of the "hard stuff" is on cassette, right now, but I'm hoping that will change soon. So, since the cassette player in my BIG sound system won't work, I'm going to patch hubby's little one in.

He looked at me like I was from Mars when I told him that's what I was going to do. He said, "How are you going to manage that?" Oh, poor hubby - even after working for a company that dealt with sound equipment, he didn't get it. Well, he was the warehouse manager. He never installed anything. He just pulled all the pieces that the other guys would need.

So, when we moved the last time, he looked at the surround sound sitting with the TV and said "Good luck with that." - and I took care of it thankyouverymuch. Now when we watch TV we can REALLY! HEAR! IT!!!!

So, I'm going to sing my big "music-lovin" heart out this evening.

See y'all later.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Makes me want to take up classical music again!!!!

Last night, I went to see a Hungarian quartet sing at one of our "sister" churches.

THEY WERE TOO COOL!!!!!

They did most of their music in English, but they did a few pieces in Hungarian.

I was sooooooooo excited. I've been into music since I could talk. Then, when I was in high school, I was in every choir I could be in. Then there were all the honors choirs.

There was one year that I was in All-State choir - and at the same time, I was in All-State Chamber choir. In the chamber choir, (the more exclusive choir) I was singing at the top of my range, and in the other choir, I was singing at the bottom of my range. It was quite an experience - seeing as how I was sick.

Yes, it was real fun hacking and gagging and trying to sing all at the same time. Good times.

Try singing Hebrew with all the "gutteral" sounds you have to make in your throat while you've got a gallon of gooey stuff running down your throat at the same time. Real good times.

Now I remember what I've been missing. It's awesome when God gives you a gift - like music - and you "get out of practice" with it. That's something I've been lacking as of late. That's never what I intended to do after getting out on my own. It's just a little harder to fit in some major practice time when you work full-time, but that's really no excuse.

I think it's time to drag out all the old "long-hair" classical music I've been neglecting.

"Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!"

Psalm 150

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Hello and Welcome.

Welcome to my blog. I'm happy to see you here.

I'm not a mommy yet, but we keep my sister's little girl some on the weekends - and that's enough for right now.

I hope we can have some serious conversations, some thought provoking conversations, and just some down-right-good belly laughs.

Thanks for stopping by - come back soon.