I learned today that I am subscribed to 93 different podcast feeds! And that is just AUDIO! I have at least 20 video casts that I subscribe to watch on my apple TV.
I guess I am hooked
I found this out when I exported the podcast subscriptions from my Droid phone (Google Listen / Google Reader) and imported them to itunes (Which took me a while to figure out how). I’m switching back from my phone to my ipod for a podcast catcher. Not because the phone doesn’t work well, it’s only because I want to be able to use my phone for other things while I’m driving or working. I have the 30gig iPod video ( Just like the classic with a smaller hard drive) and that will be plenty to hold what I do listen to. This way I can have podcasts going and answer the phone without screwing up my podcast listening. I will keep things the way they are on the phone also (Bonus downloads!) for when I am out in the middle of noplace and wan to listen to the latest “whatever” podcast. I will be able to download it to the phone and listen in Google Listen.
I look forward to getting re-acquainted with my long lost ipod
Catch me later!
-Mike
PS. Likely I will be doing audio updates this weekend as I will be camping. The iPadio app on my phone works great for that sort of thing.
Okay,I’m going to the try this using the voice to text thing on my android phone. It seems to work but it only does 1 sentence at a time. This is better for doing text messages instead a blog entries. I also had to do a little bit correcting but it is a little bit faster then hand typing.
I hope everybody’s having a great day or night or evening for the case may be.
I learned today that I don’t have all the parts I need to install the mower deck on my John Deere tractor and that iTunes can be a royal pain in the A$$ if it wants to be.
This morning, I took my plow blade off my 1973 John Deere Tractor in hopes of putting on the mower deck that hasn’t been installed in over 10 years. I thought I had all the parts but found out that I had the mounting hardware and the belt, but couldn’t figure out how the mower would be lifted up and down. I called my dad (who I got the tractor from) and he said there was some “hooky things” that connected to “something” under the tractor. Well, I don’t have any hooky things. So he said he will search around and see if he can find them. No biggie. I don’t need the tractor to mow my lawn. I just wanted to get the deck on there because it would take my mowing time down from 1.5 hours to .75 hours if I did use it. (not that big of a time saver)
I also found out that itunes can really suck if you setup your podcast the wrong way and then later, you want to change it. I found that out by working with a client for 2 hours via Skype to London, England and only getting a little ways along fixing the problem. I’m sure in time I will get it all worked out but Apple’s itunes podcast listing moves at the speed molasses in winter. The good news it the podcast in question is working from it’s wordpress feed and it’s blubrry listing is ok. It’s just itunes that is messed up. That is why I started the “So, you want to podcast” podcast. So people will get a proper start in podcasting so that later, I don’t have to solve the strange problems later.
As you can see, I don’t think this is going to be a “Daily” blog, but it will be as close as I can get.
I am heading to bed as it’s around noon and that is my Midnight working the overnight shift that I do. The plan is (barring any more over seas podcast support issues) to do an episode of “So, you want to podcast” and “Mike Dell’s World“. A twofer podcast day!
I learned today that having a whole day to myself can be productive.
I got out of bed around 7am which is early for me on Saturday. Kathy had to work today so I had most of the day to myself to get things done and to goof off.
Yesterday I went and got the camper and got new tires put on it. (I’m sure the tires on it were from the 80′s sometime) Today was the day to get the camper ready to go for a campout we are doing next weekend in the local area. I got the battery off from it and put it on the charger and put up the TV antenna to see if I can get that to work right with the new 22” flat Screen HD TV we will have in there (roughing it huh?). I didn’t have much luck with the antenna but I did find the problem. I went to radio shack and get some new coax and will re-wire the thing on Sunday.
I also got the lawn mowed put down more seed (in more of the blank spots) and watered the lawn and the plants.
I then took to working inside. On my trip to radio shack (What a mess that place was!) I picked up a set of cheap PC Speakers for my Ubuntu machine. I have this ubuntu machine as sort of a server in the house. I use it as a print server and I also use it as an Xastir APRS iGate. What’s that you say? APRS is Automatic Position Reporting System. It’s something we use in ham radio where some of us have a GPS hooked to a radio and the APRS software or firmware transmits our position every 2 min. or so. and an iGate is a fixed station hooked to the internet so that your position reports can be seen online (see APRS.fi or “track me” at the top of this page). My iGate runs 24/7 and any APRS station within radio shot are retransmitted both on RF and to the internet. The speakers are for a feature in Xastir (the software I use for the igate) which reads out the callsign of the station and how far they are from you when one comes into range. It’s real geeky but it is interesting to “hear” who’s driving though.
It also lets me know when someone has downloaded and configured iAPRS (an iphone app). The developer of the app decided that the default location would be 100 yards up the road from my house. So whenever someone signs on for the first time, they show up here. Now my ubuntu machine will call out the callsigns from all over the world as they sign on to iAPRS for the first time.
So, here is my attempt to do just that. An online acquaintance of mine (Phil Madsen) does something that I’m going to copy. He does a daily blog where he starts his posts with “I learned today… “. Well, that’s what I’m doing. I’m starting a category on Mike Dell’s World called “Learned Today” and will attempt to put something on there every day. Even if it’s just a short blip from my phone or a Mike Dell Unplugged audio blog update.
So, today I learned that I have no idea how to setup a Compressor, Limiter, gate and audio expander box. I’ve messed with it over and over again and every time it just doesn’t sound right. If you are a listener of Mike Dell’s World podcast, you will hear that it doesn’t sound like it should. I’m working on it. I think it was better yesterday but still not good. I spend a lot of time navel gazing about podcasting and my audio and keep coming to the same conclusion. I’m never happy with my audio. What I need to do is find a setting that sounds good and then quit messing with it! I also need to quit worrying about it. So, I will try.
I also learned today that I’ve almost quit using ham radio. It’s not something I’ve tried to do, but over the last few years, I’m using it less and less. I get on the HF bands on Sunday mornings (most weeks) to talk to friends who gather for the IOOK net (IOOK = International Order Of Krazies) and I still use APRS in my car and from home to keep track of other APRS users around the world. I don’t get on 2m or 440mhz much anymore. Like I said, there isn’t really a reason for this other then I’m busy with other things when I’m driving and I have almost no time at home to just rag chew. Besides, I’m VERY connected these days with Skype, Chat, Facebook, Twitter, Buzz, email and every thing else that is on my droid phone, laptop and desktop. Ham Radio is kind of old school in most cases. I still enjoy it, but it’s not the major part of my life that it once was.
I talk about a new music group I found. www.gangstagrass.com – it’s a little weird, but cool just the same. *** warning, not completely work safe***
Listen for the super secret codeword for the Summer of podcasts II contest in this episode. Go to www.podcastmadness.com and put the code in for a chance to win. Also check out these podcasts for more chances to win:
I played music from: Gangstagrass, Big money Grip and Jimmie Bratcher
I talked about the passing of Capt. Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie, an Alaskan Crab boat from the Discovery Show “the Deadliest Catch” and I play a tribute to Phil by Mike Rowe.
Not much else going on around here.
I started another podcast (Oh yeah, Like I need that) called “So, You Want To Podcast?” over at so-you-want-to-podcast.com (a real crappy domain name huh?) or SYWTP.com (a bit better but still crappy!) It’s a show about podcasting and how to set things up the right way.
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