MySpace – Yikes

I created a MySpace account today. Several of my friends have a MySpace account, and I realized if I want to be able to read their MySpace pages, I need an account. While I was in there I went ahead and filled out my profile, even though that’s not really required to look at other MySpace members’ pages. Let me just say that MySpace.com must have one of the most horrendous user experiences of any web service I’ve encountered. Aside from the fact that the site is just plain ugly, it’s UI is laid out very poorly, and is very user-unfriendly. Switching between your Home page, and viewing your profile requires that you use your browser’s back button. There is no link from your profile page, to any of your profile settings. Inviting people to be part of your network is a huge hassle. I spent probably 15 minutes just trying to figure out how to do it, and once I figured it out I thought that the process was bloated and inefficient. Also, the search engine used for searching for people on MySpace isn’t very powerful. You can search by name, and then can only narrow your search by geographic location. How about further narrowing your search by keyword? Or age? That would come in very handy. I found myself clicking through pages of search results for my friend April, because I didn’t know where she lives now, but new she was a couple of years older than me. Narrowing the search by age would have helped a lot. (I’d also like to note that in all my searches, probably 80% of all the people that came up were in the 14-21 year old age group.) I don’t like MySpace at all. For the most part I feel that it’s just the new web-trend for exhabitionist teenagers.

Geez, I’m getting crotchity and old. If I’m not careful I’ll be yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn…

Movie – The Prestige

Chrissy and I went to see The Prestige last Sunday, and I gotta say, it’s a GREAT movie.

Written and Directed by Chistopher Nolan (of Memento, Insomnia, and Batman Returns fame) this movie tells the story of 2 competing Magicians in the late 1800s. Like Nolan’s “Memento”, the movie does not run in chronological order, but jumps back and forth between flashbacks and “current” time. Even with story being told in a “jumpy” manner, the flow of the story is not interupted and is still easy to understand. The movie’s visuals, costumes, and acting are stunning (as is Scarlett Johannson as a magicians assistant) and the world in which this story takes place borders on history and fantasy.

The Prestige is a very entertaining movie with unexpected twists and a nicely “wrapped up” plot at the end which doesn’t leave you asking questions, or finding plot holes. Go see this movie.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Oh wait, did I mention that David Bowie plays Nicola Telsa in the movie?

First Cold Ride on the VTX

I had my first cold ride on the bike this morning. It was by no means the coldest ride I’ve ever had, but it’s the first on my new bike.

This morning I was so proud of myself. I left the house early and planned to be at work earlier than usual. I got about 1/4 of a mile down the road and realized that it was colder outside than I thought. So, I turned the bike around, went home, changed my jacket to a heavier one, and put on a scarf. I then headed back out for work and started my long trek down Millbrook Rd to Hwy 70. A little ways down Millbrook, a lady in a large sedan decided she wanted my lane even though I was still in it. I prompty blared my horn at her, and thankfully she got the message and got out of my lane.

Further down Millbrook, before I could even get to Six Forks I came upon a wreck bad enough for a Raleigh police officer to tell everyone to turn around and go back the way we came. So much for my early arrival at work. I had to head back, and bypass the blocked section. That added about 10 minutes to my travel time. All the way to work, it seemed that every traffic light was set up to stop me, and they did. I hit red light after red light. I actually ended up getting to work late on my self-impossed “getting to work early day.” By the time I got to work, my thighs were frozen, and I kind of had to waddle down the stairs of the parking deck.

What a great morning. Hopefully the rest of the day will be better.

Apple MacBook SMC 1.1 Update – So Far, So Good

As I’ve posted here before, my MacBook has been experiencing the Random Shutdown problem that many MacBook owners have reported. My MacBook has had it’s logic board replaced, and about 2 weeks ago, the random shutdowns began happening again. Apple recently released v1.1 of their SMC update, and they state that the update should help address the RSD issue.

“The SMC Update improves the MacBook’s internal monitoring system and addresses issues with unexpected shutdowns. This update is recommended for all MacBook systems, including those that received warranty repair.”

I installed the update the day they released it, and since then I have not experienced one RSD. So far, so good. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Get the Apple SMC Update HERE.

New Motorcycle

The day has arrived! I am a motorcycle rider again! Today after work I went to Performance Honda of Raleigh and bought myself a Honda VTX 1300C cruiser.

My Honda VTX 1300C

The picture kinda sucks since I took it when it was already getting dark outside. The bike fits me prefectly, and is a blast to ride. It’s got plenty or torque, and doesn’t handle as slugish as you’d think a 600+ lb bike would. Man I love this thing…

Bored…hmm…ooh! How about my favorite movies?

I was bored and wanted to post something. So, I figured, why not post a list of my top 5 favorite movies? Now keep in mind that I am a movie junkie. There is a metric buttload of movies that I like. I could have a top 5 list for about every movie genre, and every movie budget category. This list is a collection of movies that make my top 5 because they mean something to me; not just because they’re a good, fun, escape from reality.

5. Grosse Point Blank – How can you not like this movie? I mean com’on… It’s got John Cusak, Dan Ackroyd, guns, and a great “dark comedy” vibe. I feel this is John Cusak’s best movie.

4. Donnie Darko – This film is in my Top 5 because it’s so different. I like “different” movies; movies that make you think. This is one of those movies that you watch with a crowd, and an hour after the movie is over, everyone is still discussing the meaning of the movie. I dig that.

3. The Girl Next Door – I like this comedy a lot. Granted, there’s a lot of hot women in the movie, and that’s always a good thing, but the main reason I like this movie is that it’s a teen comedy that isn’t trite, and has a lot of heart. I can relate to the main character in this movie a lot. (Not with his porn aspirations obviously.) He’s the guy in High School who always followed the rules, and was an all-around good kid. That was also me in High School, and in retrospect I should have been raising hell and having fun like everybody else. (Damn parents and their morality! 😉 )

2. Big Fish – This movie is incredibly imaginative, with great characters and great visuals. If you don’t feel something at the end of this movie, you have a rock for a heart. I relate to this movie a lot because my father died when I was 15, and the father-son centered plot connects with me.

1. Almost Famous – I love this movie. The best part about the movie is the characters. They’re extremely well developed and “real” feeling. You experience everything that they do, from the comfort of your theater seat. Hell, even the jerks in the movie are likable. This movie is loosely based on Carmeron Crowe’s life, so that adds another dimension to the film. Like I said, I love this movie.

New Monitor for my MacBook

I purchased a new LCD Monitor today for my MacBook. It’s the Samsung 940BW. Office Max had it on sale for $200, which was a great deal. I got the last one. It’s a 19″ Widescreen LCD with VGA and DVI inputs. (VGA and DVI cables are included.) The Mac’s OS even had a color profile for it, so I didn’t have to worry about syncing up the colors with my MacBook screen. The picture quality is great, and the refresh rate is REALLY low. It’s pretty dang bright too. If you’re looking for an inexpensive LCD monitor to extend your laptop’s desktop space, I highly recommend the Samsung 940BW.