"the first sounds" written by Museumchick on estrip.org

Category: life

04/07/08 02:40 - 62ºF - ID#43935

the first sounds

After work today, I sat outside under the trees, listening to podcasts and eating lunch. It felt so great to be out in the warm weather and fresh air. I've been feeling happy in general lately.

One of the podcasts I was listening to (NPR Science Friday) is about some of the first recorded sounds, some created by french scientists before Edison developed phonographic technology. Some of those first sounds are actually on this website (

).
There are actually photoautograms sounds from 1857 on it. It's not very discernible, but I still find it interesting. The first guy who really developed this kind of technology was a french scientist. He wasn't interested really in the idea of records. Mostly, he just wanted to translate sound into a record on paper. I guess that was where he and Edison differed.

Oh, and I went with a friend lately to a good Indian restaurant downtown (Gandhi's). I wasn't sure if that was the one (e:James) had suggested to me, but I liked it. They made excellent Naan(?) bread and a chicken dish that I can't remember the name of.

Permalink: the_first_sounds.html
Words: 190
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: photos

04/05/08 01:24 - 46ºF - ID#43912

some recent pictures

Picture I took of the Catskills:

A winter's night:

Pine Cone:

Sunset:

Permalink: some_recent_pictures.html
Words: 17
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: news

04/01/08 07:35 - 38ºF - ID#43866

interesting story from NPR

Permalink: interesting_story_from_NPR.html
Words: 9
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: dating

04/01/08 09:06 - 60ºF - ID#43856

i'd rather be with you

I went to see Aaron this past weekend. I had a wonderful time with him. On Friday night, we watched some movies and lounged around. On Saturday, we drove to Rochester, and he showed me around the museum that he is interning at (Rochester Museum of Science). I had never been there before. It's almost two museums in one: a science part, and a history part. I enjoyed a lot of the interactive science exhibits. We also went to lunch at a Japanese restaurant. I went back to Albany on Sunday on the greyhound.

It's always so hard to say goodbye to him, to be without him again. I get so sad not to be able to wake up next to him in the morning. Being long distance from someone is difficult. On the other hand, I'm really glad for the time that I do have with him. Maybe it's not in as a high of a quantity as I'd like, but it's great in quality. He's so good to me, and such a wonderful person all-around.

It may just be possible that I'm actually happy with someone. Strange, isn't it????

Permalink: i_d_rather_be_with_you.html
Words: 191
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: photos

03/23/08 06:44 - 32ºF - ID#43771

spring holidays

So I've been on vacation since thursday. I'm here in Jimmytown for a few more days.

Friday was Purim:

(for the megillah reading, people often dress in costume and boo/cheer with noisemakers.

(Hamantashen... a really good pastry that is often made at Purim).

My mom, who went to temple with me.

My sister, who I think is beautiful:

Last night, I hit the local bars with Roberta. The funny thing is that we didn't really drink anything-we just met up with our friend Matt and some people that we know. It was pretty fun. We also went for coffee at this fun greasy spoon place near my house and talked about old times. Her baby has grown so much. I've only been gone a few months, but she's already walking and has teeth now.

Today, I went to church with my dad. I'm not too much of a church person, but it was nice going with him.

Crazy Me:

Permalink: spring_holidays.html
Words: 172
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: albany

03/14/08 05:40 - 44ºF - ID#43669

what we all do behind your back

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this, but once in awhile, I look up my students on facebook.(Hopefully, that doesn't make me some horrifying stalker type). I think its mostly because I am curious who they are. You only see such a small slice of them in class (usually of being disinterested). So it's kind of interesting seeing aspects of their actual personalities and interests that I wouldn't get to otherwise.

It does surprise me a little just how much information some of them put out publically about themselves. It seems unsafe to me to put information such as your address, phone number, workplace, class schedule, etc. public for everyone to read. Plus, I wouldn't put stuff about drinking and/or sex out in the open like that when I know professors or employers could read it. maybe I'm just paranoid about stuff like this.

Permalink: what_we_all_do_behind_your_back.html
Words: 145
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: news

02/28/08 04:22 - 13ºF - ID#43500

american prisons

1 in 100 US Adults are currently behind bars:

That does not seem like a good thing for the most part, on many levels.

Oh, and I agree with you (e:metalpeter) about "Across the Universe". I love that movie, and thought the music and the visuals for it was awesome. They should have nominated songs from it, but I think it had to be an original song.

metalpeter writes at 09:12:25 02/28/08 - Comment #32232: I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought about that for across the universe and Now that you say it you are right that it was for best song.

In terms of the race thing. I think the numbers speak for them selves they really do. I hate to say it but race is a factor, it isn't the only factor but it is a big one. Lets face it if "Mr White boy" gets a black guy who is accused of something and a white guy accused of the same thing even if he doesn't want to he will fight harder (even if he is a shitty lawyer with shitty pay or maybe he is good) for the black guy. Deep down he doesn't care if he is innocent cause if he is locked up he can't sell drugs to his cousin or break into his house. I'm not saying that he thinks these things but they are ingrained in there. But the reason that the % is so high for blacks (when you take in there % of society it gets really scary) is because of Poverty. Then when Dad goes to jail and never see his kids guess what happens son is fucked up and becomes a criminal and the cycle continues. But you just can't say race isn't a factor it is a big one. But poverty is why most people go to jail. Oh wait I forgot they did a crime. But why most people get away or don't get away with something does have a lot to do with the legal team and if they can pay for jury experts and the poor can't.

james writes at 08:29:36 02/28/08 - Comment #32229

What amuses me about these statistics is that they always, always, always break them down by race. As if helping blacks and hispanics is suggested as the cure. They never do these stats by class.

America has been playing the race game to death and aren't getting anywhere because we refuse to talk about class.

gets off soap box*

museumchick writes at 07:44:01 02/28/08 - Comment #32221: (e:tiburon1724) -I edited the one comment I had out, because I didn't mean to make it sound the way it came out probably sounding. It really bothers me that there is such a high prison rate from a lot of perspective- a moral and ethical one, as well as a financial one. I'm also strongly against the death penalty.

tiburon1724 writes at 05:55:35 02/28/08 - Comment #32217: send 'em all to the chair...imagine the savings

ajay writes at 05:46:41 02/28/08 - Comment #32216: If we stop criminalizing marijuana possession, this number may come down dramatically.

There is *no* reason to lock up a person for possessing a piece of a plant that grows wild in some areas.

Permalink: american_prisons.html
Words: 95
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: news

02/25/08 10:34 - 26ºF - ID#43452

primaries and oscars

Thanks (e:ladycroft) and (e:leetee) for the comments from my last post. I'm doing okay. I was kind of sad for the past couple of days, and really missing somebody- but I'm feeling better today.

I actually watched the Oscars last night while I worked on some school stuff. It wasn't bad. I mostly wanted to see it because Jon Stewart was hosting the show. The Oscar Orchestra is annoying, though. I hate how they cut into people's speeches.

I think the primaries have been the real entertainment this year. It's been the most interesting primary season that I've seen in my lifetime (granted, I was born in 1982).

Permalink: primaries_and_oscars.html
Words: 109
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: poems

02/23/08 09:30 - 23ºF - ID#43440

turned to blue

"My life has turned to blue" Maya Angelou

Our summer's gone,
the golden days are through.
The rosy dawns I used to
wake with you
have turned to gray,
my life has turned to blue.

The once-green lawns
glisten now with dew.
Red robin's gone,
down to the South he flew.
Left here alone,
my life has turned to blue.

I've heard the new
that winter too will pass,
that spring's a sign
that summer's due at last.
But until I see you
lying in green grass,
my life has turned to blue.

Permalink: turned_to_blue.html
Words: 96
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: news

02/13/08 09:20 - 19ºF - ID#43317

a freeby divorce giveaway

Oh, man... a radio station in West Virginia is having a contest to give away a "free divorce" for Valentine's Day:

Because nothing says "I love you" like a divorce contest. Anyway, I hope all of you will have a nice Valentine's Day. I realize the contrived nature of the holiday, but I guess I still have a soft spot for it. I'm not really doing anything special tomorrow, but hopefully, Aaron may be able to come up on Sunday for a visit.

Permalink: a_freeby_divorce_giveaway.html
Words: 97
Location: Buffalo, NY