Friday 5 for January 20, 2012 - A Stitch in Time

The Video: "A Stitch in Time" by Smashing Pumpkins



The Meme: From Scrivener's Friday 5 - A Stitch in Time

Q & A: My responses

1. What was your first wristwatch like?

I think it was a Timex.

2. What lately seems to have been a thief of time?

Paperwork, computer graphics & layout, photo and video editing.

3. What were yesterday’s quietest five minutes like?

Sleepy

4. In what way have you lately been saving time?

Going to work early.

5. We are often charged hourly rates for labor, but we never get to reciprocate in kind when promised completion times don’t match actual completion. If you could bill people for the time you spend waiting, what would be a reasonable amount?

$1 a minute for the first 10 minutes... $3 a minute any time beyond that.

Friday 5 for January 13, 2012: Type

1. What’s a decorative font you really like?

I've used Snell Roundhand on stuff like wedding invitations.
I don't really have a favorite but that is the script font I use for that rare thing which looks good in script.

2. MS Word uses Times New Roman as the default plain font; Apple Pages uses Helvetica. Is there a plain font you like better?

I like Helvetica. For some reason my copy of Word 2008 on the Mac defaults to Calibri. I think it is the same on the office PC with Word 7 or whatever it is that is on Windows 7.

As an alternate I also like Franklin Gothic and to fill space up, Bookman.

3. In words per minute, how fast do you type? (if you Google “check your typing speed” or something like that, you’ll find many online options for testing yourself)

If I did not go back and correct mistakes as I typed perhaps a dismal 55 words per minute... of course that is looking at text someone else first wrote. I think I type a little faster if I am just writing from the top of my head without a text to look at.

4. Who in your life is just your type, but for some reason not romantically compatible with you?

There is no one in my life except the various Macintosh computers and cameras I own. They don't qualify as people, so there you go.

5. What’s your blood type?

B+

By the way I come from the old school of computerized typesetting when it was a highly specialized skill utilizing expensive, proprietary systems such as the Compugraphic or the Itek Quadritek. I spent several years typesetting for our school, a small printing firm and an ad agency before I and everyone else moved on to the Macintosh platform.

Today any schmuck can set type on their Windows PC or Macintosh computer. If they don't know much about type they usually end up with shoddy, crappy looking type.

The video shown above is a glass font wafer that was used on the old Itek Quadritek machine of which I have a page for on the my website.

Friday 5 questions from Scrivener's Friday 5 site.

Friday 5 for January 6, 2012 - Inventions

1. If they could invent a remote control for something in your house that doesn’t have one, what would you wish it to be?

A remote control that would find the missing remote controls for my devices. What I envision is a remote control that sits stationary. You clap your hands in its direction and the device locates the regular, missing remotes by activating their infrared signals and showing the location on my TV or computer screen.

2. What could your car really use that they just hasn’t invented yet?

The ability to jump over obstacles and traffic like Speed Racer's Mach 5. Also the ability for the car to have power saws to cut new roads while on the go... just like the Mach 5.... Also a car with a remote homing device camera to enable the driver to see objects way ahead of or behind him... just like the Mach 5. In fact just about everything the Mach 5 can do, I wish my car could do too. See video at top.

Of course one thing that would make cars and even some flying machines obsolete is the invention of the TRANSPORTER like they have on Star Trek. Beam me up Scotty!

3. Who among your friends could probably be a great inventor if he or she had enough funding to do it?

No one.

4. What invention seems to do its job in a less-satisfying manner than the old-fashioned way?

Mac OSX Lion - I like Snow Leopard better. Too much dumbing down of the Mac OS to make it more like iOS.

5. Lately, vending machines have gone beyond drinks and snacks: you can rent DVDs from them or even purchase iPods from them. What’s something your life could be improved by if it were available in vending machines?

Maybe one that could sell you gift cards for iTunes Store, Amazon.com, WalMart, Outback Steakhouse, and other merchants. I'm not that big on vending machines, but that could probably be popular. Never seen anything like that... though I would think someone already invented it.

Another good one would be a vending machine that sold airline ticket coupons.

Questions generated from Scivener's Friday 5 blogsite.

Friday 5 for December 30: Closing Time

WalMart's always open. This is good when you have to buy stuff at 2 in the morning.

From Scrivener's Friday 5 website:

1. What business establishment’s recent closing was the most disappointing for you?

Rainbow Records near University Ave. They were around for a very long time. Used to sell a good selection of used books, records, CDs, and videos. Now gone. Jellys' remains the biggest retailer of used books, records, CDs and videos in Honolulu. Online is killing brick and mortar music, video and book stores.

2. At what place of business or service are you most likely to be the day’s last customer out the door?

Perhaps McDonalds' -- my friend and I spend some time there because of the free wi-fi access.

3. What place of business or service seems to be closed at times inconvenient to you?

Hawaii State Library system.

4. Where in the real world (not online) will you most likely spend your last 2011 money?

More than likely Don Quijote store at Kaheka in Honolulu. I have to buy groceries after I get back to Honolulu tomorrow.

5. What business or service has been the biggest blessing to you because it is always open?

WalMart

Friday 5 for December 16 - Award Season

Golden Globes nominees were announced this week, and while it should be clear by now to anyone paying attention that they are fully irrelevant, they do kick off the season for reflective retrospection, at least in certain parts of life. In that spirit, please announce your awards for the year 2011 in these categories!

From Scrivener's Friday 5:

1. What wins your award for Best Supporting Household Appliance?

Rice Cooker.

2. What wins your award for Outstanding Performance by Something that Comes in a Bottle or Can?

Bottled Water

3. Who wins your award for Excellence in Poor Timing?

Anyone who brings in something for me to do at the last minute and wants it an hour from now... or even tomorrow. Depending on what it is. I hate to produce last minute stuff, unless I know well in advance that there could be last minute stuff in the workflow... like breaking news for example.

4. What wins your award for Wardrobe Newcomer of the Year?

Nothing. I'm not big on fashion.

5. What wins your award for Outstanding Achievement in Stealing Time?

Angry Birds - It's a good thing I have it on only one Mac!

6. (bonus question!) The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences calls its trophy the Oscar. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences calls its trophy the Grammy. What do you call yours?



The Grouchies

Thanks for participating, and have an award-winning weekend!

Friday 5 for December 9: Toppings

From Scrivener's Friday 5: When in doubt: go to food.



1. What’s your favorite ice cream topping?

Chocolate hot fudge... any type of chocolate hot fudge sundae is good.

2. What’s your favorite pizza topping?

Supreme - pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, onions, hamburger beef, cheese

3. What’s your favorite thing to sprinkle cocoa powder on?

Probably mix it up in ice cream or make a chocolate milk shake. Isn't this kind of like Nestles' Quick or Ovaltene? Hot chocolate is nice.

4. What’s your favorite thing to put whipped cream on?

Um... Chocolate hot fudge sundae (see top photo) or any kind of marangue or pumpkin pie... or maybe.... like her... below...



5. What do you like to put upon a cracker?



Toasted with butter and cinnamon.

http://macpro.freeshell.org/crackertoast.html

Friday 5 for November 25: Leftovers.

From the Friday 5 website: LEFTOVERS.

1. Leftover from April 17, 2009: What’s a creature comfort (practically unnecessary) you must take with you on an overnight trip in the great outdoors? Please consider a phone something that has practical necessity!

iPod Touch and another camera. I don't own a cell phone. iPod Touch comes in handy for listening to music, taking pictures or video, light reading, video viewing and more. Camera... well I use that to take pictures.

2. Leftover from August 31, 2007: What did yesterday cost you? Thanksgiving in the U.S., but answer it for wherever you are and whatever you did!

For starters $210 round trip fare from Honolulu to Big Island of Hawaii and back. Travel cost to get to Honokaa from Hilo + meal costs contributed to family meal.

3. Leftover from January 25, 2008: What was your excuse the last time you were REALLY late for something?

Could not find my keys.

4. Leftover from February 18, 2011: What was your first online purchase?

It was probably a CD from Amazon.com in 1997.

5. Leftover from December 25, 2009: Which of your gifts do you think you do not put to its best, fullest use?

Color rotating light fixture. It's still in the box from the person I got it from. Haven't used it.