October 22, 2009 by dave.

As the popularity of down-loadable audio has grown (typically music) it seems other media outlets are also starting to embrace this concept.  I recently discovered that my local library offers audio books in a down-loadable format that can be played on a computer, Ipod, or other media device.  Upon investigation I discovered that a number of libraries actually subscribe to this service.  One would think that the books they offer in this format are the less popular / obscure titles that most people would not be interested in anyway….but this is not the case.  Examples of the books they offer are…general books for children, books by authors such as Ken Follett, James Patterson, Stephen King, and others…

The service itself is provided by overdrive.com and is pretty easy to use.  Libraries subscribe to the service and in turn offer it to their patrons.  There is verification involved so only patroms of subscribing libraries can use the service.  Basically an individual gets to the site from their library or they can go directly to the site, find their library, and enter their library card number.

Individuals can download a few books at a time but they do expire (and unfortunately the checkout period seems to be only a week).  The good thing is you can simply re-download it after the period has expired and continue listening.

The only drawback to this system is the software involved and how it interfaces with devices such as Ipods.  The software is not very intuitive and takes some experimenting to master.  Adjustments to your Itunes settings are also typically necessary but are not too difficult.  Another complaint is how the media breaks into multiple files / parts.  Unfortunately it breaks the media into multiple arbitrary parts that do not necessarily coincide with chapters in a book….very odd.

Despite the drawbacks this is a great service.  I have been contemplating ‘reading’ a Ken Follett book called World Without End but the book itself is 1024 pages!  I knew I couldn’t get myself to read it so instead I listen to it on my Ipod (45 hours worth of audio!).  So check out your library and see if they offer this….it’s really a terrific thing.

Posted in Fun!, Web Sites, Technology | 6 Comments »

March 23, 2009 by dave.

I occasionally get into conversations with friends, colleagues, and others about what is best in the area we work and live in.  When I use the term ‘best’ I refer to everything from services, to food, to resources, to entertainment.  The list below highlights the various things I feel are ‘the best’ and they are all accessible around the mid-NH towns of Plymouth and Meredith.  I chose these areas because I spend most of my time here (between work and home).  This is one of many installments for ‘The Best’….I welcome comments and additions:

[Best Breakfast]: The Village Kitchen (no web site), Moultonborough……This small restaurant is known to locals as ‘The VK’.  It serves what many individuals would refer to as ‘home cooking’.  The service is extremely fast, the prices are very low, and the staff are wonderful.  Though many New Englanders are not familiar with ‘biscuits and sausage gravy‘ I have to say it’s my favorite breakfast meal and they have the best.  Note that the VK also serves lunch and dinner…so check them out!

[Best Deli]: Biederman’s Deli, Plymouth……This is a fixture in Plymouth.  The sandwiches they put together are of the highest quality and their daily specials are usually very unique and creative.  I’d have to say 75% of the time I get whatever is ‘on special’ because the combination of ingredients that the staff put together always result in a top-notch meal.

[Best Tire & Car Repair Service]: Salta Tire (no web site), Laconia……Other than going ‘to the dealer’ for car repairs it can be a difficult decision to find a regular car repair service that is reasonable, of quality, and trustworthy.  I’ve found such a shop in Laconia.  Salta Tire has actually won a number of ‘best of’ awards for the Laconia area and I further endorse them based on my own experience.  I’d have to say the key reason I like Salta Tire is their staff’s integrity and their prices.  They are my ‘regular’ repair shop and I highly recommend them.

[Best Local Newspaper]: The Laconia Daily Sun….This is a daily paper that is free.  I’ve blogged about this before so check out the details here.

Posted in New Hampshire, Food / Beverage, Household Stuff, Fun! | 1 Comment »

February 19, 2009 by dave.

I’m new to the Ipod world; having finally succumbed to that urge to acquire a new piece of technology.  I’ve held off for quite a while because I couldn’t really justify the expense.  I finally lost my willpower about a month ago and started researching which model I should buy.

I initially focused on a Shuffle because, being frugal, I didn’t feel I needed to spend a lot on a device that held hundreds (or thousands) of songs.  As I started to price the Shuffle I realized that I could get a used model with a display for a little more money….so I changed my focus to a low end model with a display.  I was then tossed into the complex world of new and used Ipods on Ebay….and I had to decipher the various ‘generations‘ of each model along with capacities and styles.

I ran the numbers and finally decided on a mid-generational model (for those that are new to Ipods, when Apple releases an improved version of an existing model they increment it’s generation).  I settled on a 3rd generation Ipod Nano with a 4GB capacity….and I set myself a price limit and bought one on Ebay for about $70.  This is about half the price of a comparable new one.  Strangely enough it turned out to be the same exact one that my wife has….and I kinda messed up because she wanted one with a higher capacity so I really should have taken hers and got her an 8GB model…..oh well.

What does ‘Scott Sigler‘ have to do with my Ipod?…keep reading:  The final thing that pushed me to get an Ipod was the ability to have Podcasts at my disposal.  I had seen what was available (for free) when looking at my wife’s Itunes and I have always been a fan of NPR’s Car Talk so I am one of the few individuals that mainly listens to Podcasts on their Ipod.  If you have never listened to a Podcast you are missing out.  Grab a couple and try them out….

When I got my Ipod from the seller on Ebay I proceeded with configuring it and loading it with various Podcasts (I have since started ripping some select music onto it from my CD collection…so I’m expanding past Podcasts).  I discovered a number of Audiobooks (organized into episodes & chapters) were shown via Itunes that were…..well…FREE!

They were from an author named Scott Sigler.  Wow!  They are terrific….it seems the author is well known for Podcasting his books.  Strangely enough, in this case, free does equal very high quality!  The style of the books he produces are what I would call ‘action-based freakish science fiction’.  He’s a great author (though ‘twisted’ by his own admission) and I strongly suggest you investigate his work, either in hard-copy or via his Podcasts.  I finally got to check out his web site but haven’t yet dug into it too deep.  I feel like I need to send some money his way….to compensate for all his ‘free stuff’ (hey - the guy needs to be able to live) and once I have more time I’ll be looking into it via his site. Check out his stuff - he offers it from his web site or you can subscribe to it via the Itunes Podcast section….and if you like it send him some money or buy his books.

Posted in Fun!, Web Sites, Technology | 3 Comments »

July 16, 2008 by dave.

I handful of years ago I accidentally discovered National Public Radio (specifically NHPR) when I was scanning some stations for ’something different’.  The program that got my attention was Car Talk.  I’ve been a fan ever since.  NPR stations have a lot of terrific programming but this one really stands out.

Car Talk is a show hosted by two Italian Bostonians who just so happen to be brothers (Tom and Ray Magliozzi).  They are also known as ‘Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers’.  The brothers help callers with problems related to car repair, car issues, and quite often some very odd life issues.  The intersperse humor with real advice.  Within the shows they include interesting facts, a weekly ‘puzzler’ for listeners to try and solve, and one of my favorite parts of the show is when they followup with someone they gave advice to in order to determine if the ‘car problem’ they identified was correct.

These guys know their stuff and give listeners some good entertainment.  They are actual mechanics who own their own repair shop and interestingly enough Tom actually has a Ph.D…..yeah folks….he’s a “Doctor” who did some time as a college professor until he realized (these are his words) “teaching sucks”.

Anyway….check them out on your local NPR station or you can even listen to old shows online.

Posted in Fun!, Web Sites | 1 Comment »

July 9, 2008 by dave.

I am reliving my childhood through my own kids.  One of the enjoyable things I remember as a kid was building tree houses and forts.  My wife and I try to keep our kids active and engaged in activities without watching TV so we spend a lot of time outside.  This summer I started building them a tree house.  They try to help but since they are still kind of young they tend to act more as ’supervisors’.  The tree house is triangular shaped (because I had 3 good trees to attach the structure to), it will have 3 windows, a door, and access will be via a ramp.  At this point I have all the walls, floor, and ramp in place.  The roof is going to be tricky due to the triangular shape but I have some ideas.  All of the wood was scrap that I had or got from my father-in-law.  I even have shingles for the roof.  At this point it appears the only costs associated with the tree house will hinges for the door and Plexiglas or screening for the windows.  Check out the current picture below.  Note the ramp is not done yet:

Posted in Household Stuff, Fun!, Parenthood | 2 Comments »

May 12, 2008 by dave.

I already raved about the Kettler Trikes in an earlier Blog but this weekend we found an accessory to one of the bikes in my shed.

It is a component that basically changes one of the bikes into a tandem. I recall seeing this a while back and had asked that relatives give it to one of my kids for Christmas. Well when we got it and tried it out we discovered that it is really not for use until the kids can actually steer them self - because the bike ends up being too unruly to maneuver.

I had shared this frustration with Kettler because they didn’t have any notation regarding this on the product or on sites that sold it. After I complained they ended up sending me a new rear wheel assembly where the wheels are able to swivel from (left-to-right).  That was better but it was still awkward since we were still in the stage where we used the pushbar and we controlled where the bikes went. I never got around to pushing the issue further with Kettler and the accessory ended up in the shed.

Well….now that my kids are older and can peddle and steer I put the tandem accessory on my son’s bike and it is actually kinda cool. One child can drive and the other can ride. It’s built well but again….they need to be old enough to control the bike them self and have the strength to transport the extra weight. I left my daughter’s bike alone so now they have a tandem they can use and a regular bike. You can see how it works by checking out this Flash movie from the manufacturer.

Posted in Fun!, Parenthood | 2 Comments »