laurashapiro

I got my shiny new computer yesterday. I briefly considered not setting it up last night, as I was tired and headachy and menstrual and I thought I might not have the energy for it. P. was all "OMGWTF IT'S SO SHINY MUST SET UP NOW!!!" But in a nice way. (: So I let him talk me into it.

There were the usual interesting challenges, like when we thought that Apple sent me the wrong adapter for my (non-Apple) monitor, and the even more fun part when we thought that we couldn't do the data migration from the old iMac. Both of these problems were resolved -- by P. I hasten to say -- but the worst was yet to come.

I ejected both my externals from my old machine so that I could power them down and then attach them to the new machine. TARDIS ejected and powered down happily enough. CAPTAIN JACK ejected, but when I pressed the power button it started blinking at me. With an ominous clicking noise.

CAPTAIN JACK has been down for the count before, occasionally wigging out as though I had disconnected without ejecting him, which I would never ever do. But he's always come back, just like his namesake. And he's never clicked at me before. It was such a...mechanical sound. I was scared.

CAPTAIN JACK and TARDIS have been receiving dual backups for a couple of years now, so much of what's on CAPTAIN JACK is safe on TARDIS as well. But CAPTAIN JACK is a lot bigger than TARDIS (I know, I know, but I got TARDIS first), so I've been using the extra space on him for things that I want to keep, really rather a lot, but are replaceable.

Like ripped VOB files for full seasons of Doctor Who, Angel, BSG, Buffy, Firefly...not to mention all the clips for my VVC Premiere vid this year.

I did all the usual stuff, rebooting, checking connections, swapping cords, nothing worked, and CAPTAIN JACK kept clicking and blinking away and refusing to mount (I know, I know, I can't imagine a Captain Jack who won't mount, either). I spent half an hour on the phone this morning (and $25, grr) with an iOmega support guy who knew less than I did -- and nothing at all about Macs. He told me a blinking light meant drive failure and I should give it up and buy a new one. I was beginning to get sweaty and hysterical. I gave up, took a shower, and got dressed.

Just before leaving for work, I thought I'd just shut everything off since I'm going to be out tonight. I ejected TARDIS, powered down both computers, and pushed the blinking and clicking power button on CAPTAIN JACK.

With a grand and familiar whooshing noise, he came to life.

Now sweaty for different reasons, I turned everything back on and plugged CAPTAIN JACK into my new Mac Pro. And he mounted like a dream! (Yes, yes, that's what he/she/the potted plant said.)

In conclusion: I named that drive CAPTAIN JACK because I wanted him to be unkillable. Turns out he is even more aptly named than I thought: you can kill him, and he'll just get right back up again. Sometimes he stays down long enough to scare you, but after a little while, he will get up on his feet and save the day.

Maybe he wasn't clicking and blinking. Maybe he was winking at me.

Title: Loving You
Vidder: laurashapiro
Fandom: Marzipan
Artist: Toxic Audio
Summary: Just what the Internet needs: another schmoopy cat video.



Notes: Many thanks to charmax, from whom I stole this idea, and to P., who shot at least half of the footage.

Five years ago, P. gave me the best birthday present I've ever received; the gift that keeps on giving: Marzipan. As today is my Marzipanniversary (TM lucitania), I wanted to share the love. I realize there are only about four people in Marzipan fandom, but maybe I can convert some of you unbelievers to the cause. (:

counteragent makes a lot of smart meta vids, but I didn't know she was also a brilliant comic artist. This mini-comic has such power, I'm totally blown away.

I am thinking about offering "In the Rough", the DVD of my latest vids, for download. This would work in the typical way: you'd get a set of files to download, unpack, and author for a shiny DVD of your very own. Plus cover art, because I'm nice like that.

For your reference, here's what's on "In the Rough":
Suspended in Gaffa (FS)
Circles (TWW)
Late Model Love (BtVS)
Mixed Nuts (FS)
Barcelona (BSG)
Goody Two Shoes (DS)
I Put You There (meta)
A Day Like Today (BSG)
Monster (Monsters, Inc.)
The Lonely People (DW)
Let’s Go Crazy (BSG)
Sawatte Kawatte (Heroes)
Shut Up and Drive (DW)
Queen Bitch (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)
Half Acre (SFU)
They Don’t Know (DW)
Mothership (DW)
I Want Candy (multi)

What I'm curious about is whether there's enough interest in this to merit the effort. Considering that the DivX versions of these vids on my site are pretty shiny and delicious, and so many people can burn them to disk and play them on a DVD player/TV, is it really that much cooler to have an authored DVD with a menu and everything?

Take my poll and tell me!

Poll #1995 In The Rough DVD download
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 14

Would you like to download my latest vid DVD?

prillalar, this one's for you.

( Kittens riding a Roomba )

I'm looking for someone who can do a quick project for New Job. This would be either grappling with/debugging existing code or writing a new script for a single page of our website.

Turnaround-time is ASAP, unfortunately, but we can be quite specific about the job spec and will of course compensate appropriately and promptly.

If you're interested, please drop me a comment with your contact info. Comments are screened.

Mind you, I have no idea what to do with the thing, but I have invitations to give out. Comment with your email if you'd like one. Comments will be screened.

I noticed there's a Vidding Love Meme going around, and I just wanted to say that I adore the vids of everybody who's participating, and I don't tell any of you that often enough.

I am sadly way too busy with my OMG New Job Overwhelm(TM) and my one remaining freelance client to give each of you individually the love you deserve. But I am thinking of you and relishing your vids in my mind right now!

In conclusion: ♥

Vidder: laurashapiro
Fandom: Angel the Series
Artist: Billie Holiday
Summary: Good night, folks.

Notes: Oh, Lorne. ::sigh::

Thanks are due to the ever-fabulous elynross, who in addition to her usual impressive vid-wrangling, zeroed right in on The One Thing That Made It All Work. Thanks also to P., who's becoming quite a fine beta in his own right, and to lim for tossing me the song.

Andy Hallett, RIP.

Get it: Download the vid (31.1 MB DivX) | Download subtitle file

Stream at Blip.tv (with optional subtitles) | Stream at BAM

( Embeds under the cut )
For subtitles: Download both the vid and the subtitle file and put them in the same folder. If you play the vid with VLC, subtitles should show automatically.

To see the subtitles when streaming, choose the Blip.tv stream and click "CC" at the bottom to turn on subtitles.