Is This Thing On?

Hello, and welcome to another episode of "Is This Thing On?" (Download MP3 or listen to the stream) * Hello everyone. We finally have a voice mail number! - You can call us at 1-206-350-7638 that's (206) 350-SNET. * For music, I'm turning to geeks who are wiser than I. - Recently one singer/songwriter has gotten a lot of play on podcasts lately -- Jonathan Coulton. - The first time I heard him, Mur Lafferty played his song "Skullcrusher Mountain" on Valentine's Day. - Then last week, Michael and Evo interviewed him and shared some much-too-short clips of his other songs. - Which he gives away for free on his website. http://www.jonathancoulton.com - You have to check it out so you can hear the rest of his zany, geeky, weird musical genius. - Only a handful are podsafe, though, so I present to you a couple of my favorites. - First, "The Future Soon". * We started off talking about how much we enjoyed watching "V For Vendetta". - It is an awesome action tale with an important message. Anarchy vs Fascism. - *SPOILER ALERT* * AOL has recently unveiled a new online, broadband TV show streaming service called In2TV. - Amongst their lineup of syndicated rerun shows are Babylon 5, Brisco County Jr., Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid, and a whole slew of action, drama, sci-fi, and sitcoms. - The shows are free to watch or download, but there are commercials in the shows, like regular broadcast TV. - So, you get the convenience of downloading shows like from iTunes, but you don't have to pay-per-view. - The biggest catch is that the DRM only works in Windows Media Player 10, so Mac and Linux viewers are SOL. But at least you don't need AOL. - If this catches on, they may start running other content. Newer content. But if you are a fan of classic reruns, you'll like this and surely there's a whole slew of syndicated material to fill up In2TV until then. - http://television.aol.com/in2tv/ * LibraryThing.com is a website in beta-testing right now which is another social networking site. - Only this site lets you share with others your favorite books you own or have read. - All you have to enter is a keyword (or more details if you like) about a book, it will search for it on Amazon and other library sites, then let you choose which ones you've read. - It then lets you see the most popular books, authors, and who has books you like. - You can enter comments, reviews, and get to know people who share your passion for books. - And if you're a geek like me, it makes a great catalog of your bookshelf! * The World of Darkness has an offical wiki page, for discussing their RPG systems. - They cover old and new, list chat rooms, various games, discuss rules and ways people play the games. - http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php/Main_Page * International Podcast Expo - April 21-23, 2006 - This is a virtual online expo for and by podcasters! - There will be a 24-hour-a-day Live Podcasting Marathon for 48 hours. - Tickets are $11, and that lets you in to the website for the expo. - http://www.internationalpodcastingexpo.com * Michelle talked about our new bookshelves we recently bought from IKEA. - We don't plan to move anymore -- too tired of moving furniture. - She turned a small DVD/CD rack into a Pepsi 12-pack stand. * Laurell K. Hamilton's GUILTY PLEASURES is on it's way becoming a series of comic books. - The first book in the series, ANITA BLAKE: VAMPIRE HUNTER in GUILTY PLEASURES, will hit shelves in June, 2006. - The adaptation will also be published in two graphic novel volumes, available respectively by January and July, 2007. - http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/DabelPR.htm * This caused us to ponder when Joseph Michael Linsner's DARK IVORY comic will be released? - Why do I love writers who can't stick to deadlines? Ah, my idols. * Finally, a song that I swear made me cry the first time I heard it, "I Crush Everything", also by Jonathan Coulton. ~ If you want to join us on our podcast, Skype me at IsThisThingOnPodcast. - We don't have a scheduled time yet, but watch the status on Skype of IsThisThingOnPodcast. If you have any comments about this podcast, feel free to drop a note at shaurette.net/podmail. Or, if you'd rather leave us some voice mail, you can call us at 1-206-350-7638 that's (206) 350-SNET. Thanks for listening. This Blog and PodCast are © Copyright 2006 by Dan Shaurette, under the Creative Commons "Attribution with No Derivatives" License. Some Rights Reserved. Music for this podcast was provided by the PodShow Podsafe Music Network. The theme music came from the royalty-free collection at http://www.musicloops.com. Technorati Tags:Podcast, Podsafe Music, Jonathan Coulton

Hello, and welcome to another episode of "Is This Thing On?" (Download MP3 or listen to the stream) * First, I'm sorry for the delay between podcasts. - I just bought a new computer and I've been getting files transferred to it. * Also I bought a TiVo and have been playing with it. - It is so cool watching stuff I normally miss because it's on to late or I forget what day it's on. - But even cooler is the ability to watch recorded shows on my PC, which I can then burn to DVD. - Then, going the other way, I can listen to music that's on my PC on the TiVo in the living room! - Also, what totally rocks is being able to listen to podcasts on the TiVo. - How did we ever live without TiVo? * Since we've been gone, I was a guest on Wingin' It #51! Not only was I the "studio audience", but be sure to listen for the "Charlie the Beer Guy" leader and the "Voice Mail Show" intro. That's me! It was awesome getting to meet everyone at the Dragon Page. They're so Snakes on a Plane! * By the way, Michael, you're right. Restaurants suck! - Case in point, Sunday Michelle and I wanted to go to one of our favorites, RockFish at the Desert Ridge mall, but they went out of business. - So we went to On The Border instead and had a MISERABLE time there. - We both had the Bandera Sirloin and hated it. - Michelle sent hers back and it was barely tolerable after that. * So we went to the RockFish at the Chandler Fashion Square Monday night. - We had teased that RockFish was now the main reason to go to Chandler. - We like the mall, but it doesn't have anything you can't find elsewhere. Except now -- they have the only RockFish. - One just comes to realize that they do have just about everything in one place. - No Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, though. But they do have a Fuzziwigs candy store! So, that works. * We enjoyed RockFish, as usual, and decided to do some shopping. - First, we hit the Game Daze, and I almost bought Killer Bunnies. Then we almost bought Munchkin Bites. - But we found a board game called "Fury of Dracula" which looks good and cried out to be part of our vampire collection. - We'll play it and let you all know how it goes. - We bought "Prince of the City" a while back, and like it, but really need to play more to really say much about it. * Then we went to Fuzziwigs candy shop, and I bought some Violet Crumbles! - I also happened to buy a piece of Chocolate covered honeycomb candy -- stuff I've bought at Rocky Mtn. before. They call it Seafoam there. - Little did I know that's exactly what Violet Crumbles are. - So Mike and Evo, stop by Fuzziwigs to find some more Violet Crumbles, and failing that, try the Honeycomb candy. * Then we went to Hot Topic. We like looking around, laughing at the shirts and buttons, etc. - I found a black felt Fedora hat for only $24! - We had just spent an evening last week trolling Scottsdale for a Fedora to replace one that was stolen before. - Yet, there it was, as a great deal in HOT TOPIC in Chandler. - Chandler Fashion mall has redeemed itself. * So, enough prattling about shopping. We invited Heidi Joy Niswonger-Dulom from imagesinwords.com back to the podcast. - We wanted to find out how Mardi Gras was... and talk about her writing. Finally. * Before getting to the chat, I decided to carry on the New Orleans spirit with an Irish flair, in honor of St. Paddy's Day coming up. I found two songs by folk singer James Connolly, both of which are favorites of mine. The first is "House of the Rising Sun". * We started with talking about different languages. French for example in New Orleans. - Could we be getting lazy, and tired of speaking English? - We definitely need to celebrate our mother cultures more. * That's why we need to celebrate Cinco De Mayo, St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras, etc. - Heidi mentioned that St. Patrick's Day in New Orleans is "cajunized". - Not only do they throw beads, but they throw potatoes and cabbages (fresh) but such that they are easy to catch. (Amazing.) * They have drive-thru daquiri's in New Orleans. - Lids on the cups keep you legal so long as you don't drink it while driving. - Here in AZ we have drive-thru package liquor stores, but that's not quite the same. - Michelle was shocked when she moved here to find Walgreen's drug store sold liquor. - We're still "blue" on Sunday in AZ - so most places still don't sell liquor until 1PM. * So, how was Mardi Gras? - Like the reports said, there were not as many people there, but that meant the crowds were small and well-behaved. - It was still a lot of fun, the parades rolled through, and everyone was happy to see them. - Heidi didn't make it to the French Quarter this year, but she said her husband did and a good time was had there also. - There were a few celebraties there. Michael Keaton was the king of the Bacchus Krewe. * Heidi is a poet and writer of stories and articles. - "Antonio" is still my favorite of her short stories, this one has a delicious twist. -- http://www.sensualvenus.com/romantic/christinaantonio.htm - Heidi shared with us the story behind the story of Antonio. - Michelle mentioned that she plays the harmonica and Heidi would love to learn the ol' blues harp. - But she, like most of us, just has no time to do everything we want to do. - We need clones. But I saw Multiplicity.. that will just not work out. * She's also a self-published author. Her books: - "READ MY LOVE, The First Collection", which is a collection of erotica under the pen name "Christina Soaring". - "IMAGES IN WORDS, Volume 1" is a collection of poetry and flash fiction. * She wants to write screen plays and see her writing on the big screen. - She has so many ideas though that she finds it hard to finish them all. * She'd like to help put together an anthology of vampire related stories. - This is one of the many projects of mine, to pull together stories and fiction from The Lurkers' Domain. - Perhaps we could collect a group of stories from writers on VampireRave. * Then we tangented again. Michelle was looking for swag for the Ball we will be putting on this Halloween. - We started talking about that an other events coming up later this year, like Burning Man. * Daire popped into a chat with Heidi and told her to say Hi. - Hi Daire! Maybe we can get you back on the podcast for St. Paddy's Day? - There's an Irish/Italian parade in New Orleans for St. Patrick's Day. * If you'd like to read some of Heidi's writings, check her out at her websites... - http://www.imagesinwords.com - Her personal website - http://groups.msn.com/HeidiCentral - HeidiCentral, her cultural/spiritual site - http://www.soulengravings.com - She's an editor for "A Tangled Script of Intangible Soul Engravings" - http://www.vampirerave.com/profiles2.php?profile=imagesinwords - VR Profile - http://allpoetry.com/poets/imagesinwords - Her poetry at allpoetry.com - http://www.forumhost.us/lurkers/search.php?search_author=imagesinwords - Her posts on The Lurkers' Domain (we hope to see more of her there!) * Finally, to prepare for St. Patrick's Day, I played a song I love, but only this time of year, "Danny Boy", also by James Connolly. If you want to join us on our podcast, Skype me at IsThisThingOnPodcast. - We don't have a scheduled time yet, but watch the status on Skype of IsThisThingOnPodcast. If you have any comments about this podcast, feel free to drop a note at shaurette.net/podmail. Thanks for visiting. This Blog and PodCast are © Copyright 2006 by Dan Shaurette, under the Creative Commons "Attribution with No Derivatives" License. Some Rights Reserved. Music for this podcast was provided by the PodShow Podsafe Music Network. The theme music came from the royalty-free collection at http://www.musicloops.com. Technorati Tags:Podcast, Podsafe Music, James Connolly, imagesinwords

Hey everyone, I just got home from being a guest on someone else's podcast! Believe it or not I was on The Dragon Page - Wingin' It! It was an honor to be invited as a guest, as this is my favorite podcast out there, and has been a great inspiration to me. I had a blast with Michael, Evo, Joe, Summer, and Charlie. Today was so Snakes on a plane! Today's episode will be released later this week, as a two-part show. Wednesday and Friday, I believe. BTW, yes it's been almost a month since our last 'cast. We took a mini hiatus as I have a new PC and have been migrating software and schtuff to it. But we'll be back soon, hopefully in a day or two. Until then, check out The Dragon Page and all of their excellent productions (if you don't already) and listen for me later this week on the show! Visit http://www.dragonpage.com for more Sci-Fi goodness!