Ha Ha Cafe

Ha Ha Cafe, a set on Flickr.

I took some pictures of some standup comedians at the HaHa Cafe in North Hollywood.

Really fun shoot, plus the weather was horrible, so it made for a fun car ride.

Photography as Business

I've finally decided to take the big plunge and actually start doing photography for money. And I'm so nervous, excited and scared. But mostly excited. The fact that I could be getting paid to do what I love is just thrilling.

I've been fixing computers as a source of income for as long as I can remember, and I frankly hate it. I hate fixing computers, I hate touching other peoples' nasty, crusty keyboards. It's just not something I'm in to. I can fix my own computer in minutes flat, but it seems lately that whenever I try to fix a computer for a job, every single possible thing that can go wrong, does.

Soon, my awesome-ish website will launch and that will be the goto portal for all my photographic adventures. But, for now, you can always check out my overflowing Flickr and my ever growing Facebook page.

Comparing Programming Font Pairs « 1/N

An interesting, if nerdy, look at the differences in the various typefaces used in coding.

Comparing Programming Font Pairs « 1/N

Checking iTunes Library.

Recently, I've been having a problem, where upon launching iTunes, I'd have to sit and wait for iTunes to check its library and the process would usually take somewhere in the 5-10 minute range to complete.

After some Googling, I found that the problem is caused by iTunes' Genius Library database.

So, how do you fix the problem? Simply follow these easy steps

1. Navigate to "Macintosh HD > Your Home Folder> Music > iTunes"

2. Locate the file named "iTunes Library Genius.itdb"

3. Highlight the file and either drag it to the trash or push Command + Delete.

Quit iTunes and restart it and hopefully that should fix the problem. It worked for me.

I Hurd You Like Displays

Recently, I've ditched all my computers and whittled it down to just a lone MacBook Pro; and I'm loving it. The fact that I'm never tied to a desk -- when I chose not to be -- is absolutely amazing. I've never had a laptop as a main system, and it was slightly nerve wracking thinking about possible catastrophes that could occur, it truly is wonderful to carry every bit of data I've ever created with me every where I go.

The only thing is I do like to have a desk for those rare moments when it's time for serious business, and I still keep a desk in our bedroom. A desk can make you feel productive and more creative sometimes, and it definitely keeps distractions at bay.

That being said, having a small, 15" laptop on a desk can feel odd, and it certainly doesn't make typing any easier, so I setup my old 20" Apple Cinema Display as a second monitor, a mouse and an Apple Pro Keyboard, and it feels just like a regular desktop.

Well, I do need a better keyboard, like a Matias Tactile Pro 3. It's loud and clicky, which is always nice. It's based on the Apple Extended II keyboard, which is praised as one of the best keyboards ever made. I want one just because Gruber uses one.

Oh, and a nice stand. I hear the mStand is awesome, it certainly looks nice and would solve the problem of matching heights. The only thing is tduper, extra glossy hi-res display. They also run at different color temperatures, thus giving the Cinema Display a more yellow tint.

It's amazing just how far we've come in display technology. My 15" MacBook Pro looks better, has way more screen real estate (the Cinema Display and MBP have the same pixel count, just viewable display size is different) it's brighter, and, in my opinion, is easier on my eyes. I paid $1,000 for the Cinema Display close to six years ago. And, while it shows its age, I still have much love and respect for it.

Mobile blogging

oH EM GEEZ! I IZ BLOGGING FROM IPADZ!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Merry Christmas Eve

Recently, comedian Rickey Gervais wrote a follow-up to an article he
crafted on why he doesn't believe in God.

Below is his response to a question on how he plans to spend Christmas:

"Eating and drinking too much with friends and family. Celebrating
life and remembering those that did, but can no longer.

They are not looking down on me but they live in my mind and heart
more than they ever did probably. Some, I was lucky enough to bump
into on this planet of six billion people. Others shared much of my
genetic material. One selflessly did her best for me all my life.
That’s what mums do though. They do it for no other reason than love.
Not for reward. Not for recognition. They create you. From nothing.
Miracle? They do those every day. No big deal. They are not worshiped.
They would give their life without the promise of heaven. They teach
you everything they know yet they are not declared prophets. And you
only have one."

Wether you believe or not, agree or disagree with his beliefs, I think
his message is so important: Love one another.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Coffee or tea. Which is the right drink for me?

Woke up extremely late, 11:45. Didn't want to get out of bed but my kid insisted on going I. The front and watching TV. Not my ideal way of starting the afternoon.

Lila woke up a few minutes later and asked me to make coffee while she cleaned up. I also made Mac and Cheese at this point. I am in a state of confusion. I feel like I'm wandering through life.

I need something to do, I don't want a hobby. A hobby is just a fancy way of saying "I'm spending money." I want something that will bring in cash. A job. But I'm so lazy and I hate working and I hate people, what am I to do?

I know, I will sit on this stupid recliner, eat and get fat, like world's fattest, fat. Then, maybe, I will get on Maury Povich and I'll get paid to lose weight and some diet and weight loss company will hire me to be their spokesperson.

Things are looking up!

Now, excuse me. I have a date with a bag of Doritos.

Men? Policemen?

Today, as I was watching my kid watch her marathon of Sesame Street on our Apple TV, I developed a sudden headache of epic proportions. I ended up sleeping for about 45-minutes at three different times throughout the day, I also had about twelve Advil and that only made me feel about 40% better.

Today is also the day I remembered that a cheese and tomato sandwich is probably the best sandwich ever.

My head started feeling better after my last nap at around 9:30PM, which is an awful time for a nap seeing as how it’s now five-in-the-morning and I’m watching Blade Runner and writing a blog post. I’ve tried closing my eyes, but it’s like they’re spring loaded and wont stay shut. I’ve tried reading boring things on the interwebs and that usually puts me to sleep, but tonight, not so much.

I suppose the reason I’m not sleepy is because a wild-hair climbed up my butt and decided it would be a good idea to invest in the stock market. I thought it would be real nice to actually have a use for the stocks app on my phone, and the potential income would be a great benefit, but I figured it’s too late to invest in the companies that I give two hoots about. I’ve got about $500 that I could invest, but that would buy one share of Apple, and a couple of shares of Coke. Unfortunately, while having a nice chunk of money in the future would be nice, I need cash now.

After my dreams of being the next Warren Buffet faded away, I decided to turn on Blade Runner. I actually love this movie, but I often forget how much love I have for it. Every time I watch it, I appreciate some little detail, a silent stare or a head tilt and I am reminded at how much of a masterpiece it truly is.

Another interesting thing is the whole “Is Deckard a replicant or not” sub-plot, once you know about it, every word, reaction shot, blank stare, every question becomes a possible hint to the fact that Deckard is as clueless to his own humanity as Rachel is when first being interviewed. Blade Runner brought up the theory of questioning our own humanity seventeen years before The Matrix slowed down its first bullet.

There’s nothing quite like it, and there hasn’t been anything like it since. I cannot think of one movie that comes close to what Blade Runner delivers. 

I’m going to finish re-watching Deckard fight Pris, and I’ll watch Batty beg his father for more life, and maybe then I’ll dream of Electric Sheep.

I might have a problem.

So, I’m bored and I thought I’d list all the Apple gear I own and have owned through the years. Let’s begin.

Computers:

• iBook (Dual USB) - Came with OS X 10.0 and was returned.
• iBook (Late 2001) - Sold
• PowerBook G4 867 MHz - Purchase as an early wedding gift April 2003. Sold.
• Mac Mini - Ordered day it was announced in January 2005. Sold.
• MacBook - White. Purchased July 2006. Sold.
• MacPro - Quad-Core Xeon 2.66 GHz. Sold.
• MacBook Pro (Late 2007) - 15” Glossy Screen, 2.2GHz. Sold.
• MacBook Pro (Mid 2009) - Unibody 13”. Sold.
• iMac (Late 2009) - 27” Core i5. Sold.
• MacBook Pro (Mid 2010) - 15” Glossy Hi-Res, 2.4 GHz. Current machine. 

Displays: 

• 20” Cinema Display - DVI

iPhone:

• iPhone - 4GB
• iPhone 3G - 8GB
• iPhone 3GS - 16GB
• iPhone 4 - 32GB

iPad: 

• iPad 16GB - Wi-Fi only.
• iPad 16GB - 3G + Wi-Fi.

iPod: 

• iPod - Original, Mac-only, 5GB, scroll wheel.
• iPod (Dock Connector) - 10GB
• iPod mini - Pink for the Mrs.
• iPod (Click Wheel) -
• iPod Shuffle - Won during a raffle at CompUSA.
• iPod nano - Original Black.
• iPod nano - Original White.
• iPod (5th Generation)
• iPod nano - Black
• iPod Classic - 80GB
• iPod Shuffle (3rd generation)
• iPod Touch (3rd generation)

Homescreen.me

I've been fortunate to receive an invite to a new website that's in beta right now, it's called homescreen.me.

The idea is you take a screenshot of your iOS home screen and upload to the site and explain the various bits and pieces of your daily, digital experience.

It's a neat idea, but at this time there is no way to easily find other peoples' home screens. Hopefully, this will be a feature implemented before it leaves beta.

You can check out my homescreen here: http://homescreen.me/batfish

iPad and beer

This day was a relaxing day.

I Want to Beat the Heat

"Another day, another dollar." If you live in Bakersfield it might as well be, "Another day, another hundred-dollars added to the electricity bill."

It's the oppressive heat that's been having me in a funk, lately. Almost near a point of depression. I wake-up in the morning and I immediately want to go back to bed and not have to deal with heat. How I long and beg for the cold, wet winter months to roll through town again.

I miss sitting in a slightly cold house. Watching the fog roll across the front porch, leaving the ground damp and soggy. I miss the smell of clean air. I miss not having to take another shower forty-five minutes after taking the first.

Such is life. 

So, today was an uneventful Saturday. Ate In-N-Out. I actually tasted the spread for the first time in my life. Let me tell you, I wasn't very impressed. I don't see why people freak-out for the spread. I didn't hate it, but I think mustard is far superior.

After burgers, we walked around the mall for about an hour and came home. Kaitlin has had a cough for the last couple days. I'm hoping it doesn't develop in to whooping cough, and though I highly doubt it, I suppose it's still a possibility.

This is the first time I've done a nothing-in-particular type blog post in forever. I really got back in to the swing of this. Trying to make an epic story out of things has lead to a rather lonely looking and out-of-date blog.

"Blogging for the sake of blogging"

That's my new motto. And I intend to stick to it, at least until the morning, anyway. 

HI

Goodbye. But not really.

Sleep Writing

I had just fallen asleep on my recliner. I concentrated of the quietness, the sounds of the cars. I let my mind float away. This came out:

"The quiet sounds like the number seven.
My subconscious drifts to the back of my skull.
It awakens, wraps around, waving goodbye to my eardrums and slams on the brakes when it reaches my ocular cavity."

  I should do that more often. Maybe not, I dunno.

I love Google and Apple

Let's try and be friends, guys. I love you both and your constant fighting is making me feel like my parents are getting a divorce.

Think of the children for God's sake!

30 Simple Pleasures

I especially like #3 and #27

1. The First Sip of a Beverage When You’re Thirsty – You just finished mowing the lawn or taking a long jog. The only thing on your mind is an ice-cold glass of water. When you are really, really thirsty, that first sip of any liquid beverage is sheer bliss.
2. Catching a Glimpse of Bare Skin on the Opposite Sex – For guys, it’s when the waitress bends over a little too far. For girls it’s seeing that buff guy in a Speedo. Either way, when you see a bit more skin than you were expecting on the opposite sex, you can’t help but to smirk on the inside.

You can read the whole list at Pretty Young Things

May Cause Flashbacks

So, here I am. 26-years-old. Married with a child, and I'm still doing the same shit I was doing when I started this damn website: Thinking the stuff I type is way more important that what it really is and listening to Radiohead.

I may have changed over the years, but my taste in music sure hasn't.

Dead Bodies 50% off at The Grove

LAPD found a dead body at The Grove in Los Angeles. Here's a section from the Los Angeles Times 

LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith said detectives suspect the unidentified man might have died of a drug overdose and could have been inside his truck for some time.

"He may have been there for a couple of days," Smith said.

You can read the whole article here

TODO: Call Your Mother

It's Mother's Day. Have you called your mom? You really should. This is a picture of my mom and me. Yeah, it's the 80s.