Time to catch up on a few important things that have been whirling around these past few weeks. I hope some of them might be useful. So, in no particular order:
1) Two weeks ago I turned comments off on the blog… and stopped blogging. I think there may be a connection, so I’ve turned them back on again. There goes that experiment! I’d love to keep hearing from you as usual 
2) Turning off comments and stopping blogging meant I got far far far more done in the last two weeks, supporting the theory that the only way to get anything done is to a) remove all distraction and b) have a real mission to get on with. In this case it was to finish our latest Spanish project before baby turns up!
3) I’m loving the new ‘Genius’ feature in the latest update of iTunes. You pick a song you like, hit the ‘Genius’ button, and it makes you a playlist from all your other tunes, based on that first pick. It’s a wonderful way of rediscovering old music from your collection.
4) I’ve rediscovered “God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot” by “Buffy Sainte-Marie” as a result. What a song!
5) I’m going to be living vicariously through Tom, one of my oldest bestest mates, over the next few months, as he travels across South America. He’s started out in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, where he is doing a Spanish course. Check out his progress and podcasts at http://www.earthoria.com/
6) Just got back from the market. Walking up the hill with 7 packed shopping bag, the question once again came up, how do those Spanish grannies manage to so effortless occupy the ENTIRE pavement/sidewalk, while moving at 0.2 km/h, thus making it impossible for anyone else to pass them EVER, or get home before the combined weight of the shopping bags turns your hands BLUE?!
7) Had to have a number seven. Anyone know what it is about the number 7 that is so important? If you ask someone to think of a number between 1 and 10, most people will say 7. Why?! (P.S. this is a good party trick – you guess 7 when you ask people to pick a number, and they think you have ESP or something…)
genius
gary
11 Oct 08 at 3:50 pm
Seven is the magig mumber for a list on the internet…
Welcome back
gary
11 Oct 08 at 3:50 pm
Seven is the magic number for a list on the internet…
Welcome back
ValenciaSon
11 Oct 08 at 3:57 pm
I also think Genius is great and quite clever how it also makes purchase suggestions. Years ago I worked at a start-up that had an iTunes library that everyone shared on their work PCs. It was a really great set up that must be even neater with Genius. I wonder if you could apply Genius to your podcasts.
Palmerito
11 Oct 08 at 4:34 pm
Thanks for the link to your friend’s blog, earthoria. It’s fascinating and I look forward to hearing about the rest of his trip.
Jon Hundt
11 Oct 08 at 5:15 pm
well howdy stranger – when’s that baby comin,?
BrianA
11 Oct 08 at 5:59 pm
@6 – get yourself a shopping trolley. It holds the shopping and acts as a mini bulldozer to clear the pavement
@2 watch that GPS though: see http://newsbiscuit.com/article/sat-navs-starting-to-chat-make-racist-comments-378
Ben
11 Oct 08 at 9:15 pm
Brian, that’s great
Wish my GPS did that!
Embug2000
12 Oct 08 at 3:04 am
I HEART GENIUS TOO! Although it has caused me to buy way too much music since it has been launched and my pocketbook hates me for it!
Very glad to have you back!
cascade dusel
12 Nov 08 at 3:22 pm
So whats the deal?? Any baby yet??