Category Archives: technology

Google Nexus 7

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Jordon owns an iPad.  Mark has a cool HP TouchPad and I have an older Kobo Vox Android tablet.  My tablet is getting slower and slower.   After talking with Sean and Megan Shaw, I decided to upgrade my tablet and I went out today with Jordon and looked around.  After deciding between a 10″ and 7″ tablet, iOS and Android, and then between models, I decided to get a Google Nexus 7.  The model that I want needs to be ordered from Google so it will be a bit until it gets here but after looking at a iPad Mini, the cost savings of the Google Nexus more than makes up for the loss of iMessage.

While it will be nice to have faster tablet, I am most excited about the 10 hours of battery life.

Our home stereo system

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We have a Maxell Maxsound Soundbar Tabletop Speaker w/ Built-in Subwoofer for our main television.  It provides a lot better sound than our own television speakers and works really well. It integrates into our television so we don’t have to add any new remotes.  

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Jordon wanted some more volume so we added these Logitech z506 5.1 surround sound speakers for some extra volume.  They are sold at XS Cargo for about $60.  The end result is a really nice sound for about $80 total.  

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It’s not that powerful of a setup but it works pretty well.  None of us really like loud music and this manages to find that medium between quality and cost.

Dr. Larry Beasley talks urban planning with The OurYXE Podcast

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Dr. Larry Beasley

Famous urban planning Dr. Larry Beasley was in town last week.  While I had to work during this talks (I did get to see the famous Hilary though), he sat down with The OurYXE Podcast.  It’s worth a listen.  I walked away thinking how much more Saskatoon could be and how our politicians need to step up and do a better job in leading up to what we need to become.

Kudos to Sean Shaw for setting up the interview

Happy Birthday to Jordon

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Project Red iPod Nano

Jordon turns 39 today.  I gave him a Project (Red) iPod Nano (and case) while the Mark gave him some Monster NCredible NErgy headphones to go along with it.  Oliver got him a Jose Bautista McFarlane action figure and a Jose Bautista Toronto Blue Jays shirt. Maggi gave him some speakers and I tossed in a copy of Contagious and a new field watch.

On Friday I invited a bunch of friends to Winston’s Underground Cellar (which is downstairs from Winston’s and only open on weekends). While Winston’s is the loudest pub in the entire world, downstairs was nice and we were all able to sit, chat, and make fun of each other.  Jordon got some great books from friends down there and everyone seemed to enjoy the Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Tonight we are celebrated with Lee and Brittany at Jerry’s Food Emporium on 51st.  The food was good, conversation was fun and Lee and Brittany gave Jordon a great birthday card and Sport Chek gift card.  Jordon used the gift card to get himself a new badminton racket for the cabin.  It’s graphite composite with flex weave technology that will be completely useless to him when I beat him this summer.

OurYXE

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Jordon has been acting weird lately.  Text messaging people all hours of the day, spending a lot of time at OTV and on their website, walking around saying, “testing, testing, testing”.  It all started to make sense when I saw that he has launched a new project called OurYXE which is a podcast about life and politics in Saskatoon.  Their first interview with Councillor Zach Jeffries is online and it’s pretty good.  I feel sorry for Zach and his council colleagues because not only do they have to put up with Jordon, Sean, DeeAnn, & Hilary in person and online but now they have to put up with them on the record.  Good job for Zach for not flipping out on them.  Not only do they have a podcast but you can find them on iTunes.  What has happened to Apple now that Steve Jobs has gone.

I am told that there is a new interview coming up every week.  Charlie Clark is up next Monday.  I won’t hold it against him if he gives one of them a DDT.

Turning 43

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I survived by 43 trip around the sun today.  To celebrate not being tossed off the planet earth, I will celebrate my longevity with the guys today.

I woke up to some fun birthday gifts.  Jordon gave me a purple iPod Nano and a iTunes card.  Mark gave me some over the ear and JVC Xtreme Xplosive headphones (purple as well) while Oliver got me a tea infuser  and some tea from David’s Tea.  Surprisingly the dogs got me a rotisserie convection toaster oven which surprised me as well.  I am terrified to think how they got the money.

Am off to have a nice lunch with Jordon today while later tonight I will head out with all of them to celebrate.  It should be fun.

$12.88

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29257_lI was in shopping at XS Cargo last week and I noticed these webcams for $12.88.  We have a couple of webcams around the house and of course our Apple products have iSight cameras in them with Facetime as well as Skype but I was amazed at how much the prices fell.

Of course we have little use for webcams as I don’t communicate with my family and Jordon hasn’t talked to his dad in years but whatever barriers are there, cost isn’t one of them.   $13 would bring us into the same room but all of this other stuff keeps us apart.  So in the end, myself and the boys get token Christmas cards each year that just have their name on it and they get tossed in the garbage.  The one year we got a nice Christmas note, they put someone else’s card in our envelope which means that someone probably got a rather cold Christmas greeting.

While most days I am glad that I am free from everything, they still are family and some days I wish we could still be one.  Sadly my father doesn’t want to be around me and my mom wants to be around someone else she thinks is me.  For me, I just want them to accept for me for who I really am but that was a battle that I fought for about 30 years and got nowhere with.  I don’t think a webcam would help my case either.

I guess that is a long winded way of saying that if you need to upgrade your webcam, now is the time to do it.

New website and URL for The Lighthouse Supported Living

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The Lighthouse has a new URL and a new website to explore.  The theme is by Lemon Productions but the content is largely by DeeAnn Mercier and other staff at The Lighthouse.  It has a lot of information about the services that The Lighthouse offers and a lot of resources about human trafficking in Saskatchewan, homelessness in Saskatoon, and a new email newsletter.  Make sure you check it out.

Life around here

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  • We upgraded Mark’s cell phone to my old Samsung Galaxy 550 today.  It was just sitting around collecting dust and it is an upgrade to his old phone.  We didn’t pay for data for it, Samsung Galaxy 550 on Virgin Mobilejust voice and text.  He can connect to wifi to use it at home or when he is out and about in a place which has it.  Jordon downloaded and installed Angry Birds and some other games which made Mark a very happy boy.
  • I have been feeling gross about how I look some days.  Part of it is that I am 42 and I need to work harder to stay in shape, the other part of it is that I don’t like to spend money and time on myself.  After listen to me talk about it, Jordon suggested some things, one of them is heading to a tanning salon.  After checking all sorts of places out, I decided on Expressions Salon on 33rd Street.  It’s a 5 minute walk from work and home and I have been enjoying my time there a couple of times a week.  I only go for a couple of minutes each time but it is working for me and I do feel better about life and myself.  I was dreading hitting the bike and trails this summer but now I am looking forward to it.
  • The basement continues to get less cluttered.  Lee came by and picked up a bunch more of his stuff which means more room to move, organize and sort.  While I was really ashamed of the entire basement over Christmas, I am quite proud of it now.  We are going to paint the basement floor this summer with some other improvements.  I am really looking forward to how we are going to use this space going forward.
  • 2011 Score Football I spent a bit of time with Mark today doing a football card run to AJW Sportscards.  Jordon started him collecting the 2011 Score NFL football cards.  Mark always waits until he gets home and then opens then with Jordon and I.  I know sports card collecting can be expensive but the Score set that Jordon got him was only 99 cents a pack.  Jordon isn’t fanatical about collecting the entire set but they do have a lot of fun putting one together.