Big news today!  I got the HD-DVR and component video switcher installed today.  I ended up having to do a fair amount of prep work.  I went ahead and drilled several more holes in the back of the entertainment center.  It made it easier as far as wires coming out the back, but I did it mostly to provide more opportunity for airflow.  Then, when I went to plug in my second power strip, I couldn't get the third prong into the outlet.  Something about it is jacked, so I had to switch it out with another one in the same room, just so I wouldn't have to wait to do all the setup.  Everything is hooked up and works except for the PS2.  I need to get the component cords for that, but that will just take a sec to add to the switcher.  The switcher is nice, too.  I was a little worried about how smoothly the auto-sensing would work, but it works exactly as I would want it to.

I got an unexpected bonus, as well.  As I mentioned before, I had put myself on a waiting list for the dual tuner HD-DVR.  When I picked up the HD-DVR today, I asked the lady behind the counter if she knew when they might be available.  She told me not to hold my breath.  Then she muttered something about Motorola and how she thought they were discontinued because demand was too high.  I pointed out that it would be really odd to discontinue something when more and more people were wanting it, but I let it go.  When I got home and started prepping, I was waiting for the drill to charge, so I read through the guide for the HD-DVR.  It said that the DVR had dual tuners!  And sure enough, when I got everything hooked up, both tuners work!  For once, I'm glad the people at the cable company don't know anything!

Our TiVo has been acting up for the last week or so.  It appears that the video outputs are going out.  It might have something to do with the amount of heat that fills up our entertainment center, and if anyone has any ideas on dissipating that heat feel free to share, but I digress.  This little failing has finally spurred us to move to HD.  I ordered this component A/V switcher, which should arrive tomorrow, so that everything I have can be plugged in at once and can be all component all the time.  I ordered the HD-DVR from Comcast, which I will go pick up on Wednesday.  They currently only have the single tuner DVR available, but my name is on the waiting list, so as soon as the dual tuner DVR is available, they will get in touch with me.  I'm just about 100% positive that I'm not going to like the new DVR interface as much as I like TiVo's, but renting this DVR monthly is just going to tide me over until the time that someone comes out with a standalone HD-DVR that is CableCard ready and supports multiple tuners.

Sometimes, having a great idea for a blog entry can really kill your blog.  See, several weeks ago, Jamie and I went with her folks to a shooting range named Iron Sights to try our hand shooting handguns.  We shot Beretta and Sig Sauer 9MM pistols.  We each kept a shell casing as a souvenir, and I thought that a picture of the casing would really make an entry about the experience really hit the spot.  So, I kept putting it off until I took the picture.  Notice something missing?  I decided not to wait until I wasn't too lazy to take that picture.

So, what's new around here?  I finally completed my major involvement of these sites: http://redlion.wchc.com/ and http://ticketswest.wchc.com/ for what's now known as MRM Partners.  I'm still helping them troubleshoot and tweak, but I can actually focus on some other things now, including some more work with MRM Partners.

Mark and I have begun to pursue a project together, which promises to be both fun and educational.  Hopefully, it will also prove to be profitable as well.  We've managed to complete our first milestone on time!

Jamie and I celebrated our 4th anniversary this past week.  We celebrated by spending a night at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey, which is about a mile and a half from our place.  We could actually see our condo from our hotel room balcony.  Here's the flickr photo set.  We also celebrated our anniversary with dinner at The Prado restaurant, where we were married, with Jamie's parents.  Here's yet another flickr photo set for that.

In Segues-related news, Jason was here for almost a week two weeks ago and I'm sure is now convinced that California is the place for him upon his December graduation from Duke seminary.  While Jason was here, we all went down to Street Scene in San Diego to hang with Jeff and Lindsay, where we witnessed Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas unknowingly wet her pants on stage.  Cooper and Tawny will be out here for a couple of days later on in August.  Clinton will be hosting After Dark at Baylor next month, and I will be hosting Pigskin during Baylor Homecoming at the end of October.  So, Jamie and I will be in Texas for a week in October!  For anyone who didn't hear, Craig got married on June 18th, and you can check out their website here.

There's probably some stuff I left out, but I'm kind of caught up now, which should free me to post some other stuff as it happens, instead of waiting on that dang picture!

Don had his first art show last night in Fallbrook.  It was a lot of fun.  A lot of friends and family came as well as members of the local art community.  He even sold several of his pieces.  Here's a link to the photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoulter/sets/566173/.  I apologize for Jamie's artsy photos (read blurry).  I promise I'll teach her how to use the camera.

Hey there, got our July 4th photo set up on flickr, thanks to Mark. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoulter/sets/547927/)

For those who might have heard about this earthquake, we didn't feel it.  I didn't hear about it until I saw the article.  The house appears to be in sound condition.  Everybody's fine.  Working on some pics and such to upload soon.  One day...

We park in a garage now instead of on the street.  It's now actually worth washing the car, because you get to enjoy the cleanliness for more than just the rest of the day.

Last Friday marked a big day for me.  I finally got the 42" Plasma screen that I've been waiting for so long to hit a reasonable price point.  It now sits on our living room floor.  I bought a wall mount for it, and I'm now sitting at home waiting for CompUSA Digital Living people to come give me a tech orientation for my new home.  They'll tell me how much it will cost for them to mount the TV and the speakers.  I'm hoping that it's cheap enough that I don't have to do it myself.  But back to Friday.  The granite guy came and ground out the scratches on one of kitchen counters.  The Best Buy service guy came and fixed our new washer, which had filled with water and then stopped.  The building warranty guy came and fixed the gas connection to the dryer.  And I came home from work looking forward to spending a relaxing weekend in our new place.

On Saturday, we did some unpacking in the morning.  Don & Connie came up in the afternoon to take me out for my birthday dinner to Saddle Peak Lodge, which, having done it two years running, has become a birthday tradition.  It was a nice leisurely drive up the PCH and then back through the Santa Monica Mountains.  Along the PCH, you could see where they had moved a lot of mud and dirt off the road after the recent landslides caused by the unusual amount of rain.  The road was definitely narrower than it used to be.  The dinner was excellent; I had buffalo.  Also, I was sporting one of my spiffy new shirts that Jamie got me for my birthday.  Side note: I love tagless T's.  The Siebers spent the night on our air mattress, and then we headed to the Omelette Parlor or Factory or something like that for breakfast.  I think there was a quirky-commercial-guy convention nearby, because we saw a bunch of random guys that are in a lot of current commercials, like the State Farm commercial where the wife runs over her husband's toe.  After that, Don & Connie headed to San Diego, and Jamie and I did some more work on the house.

Things are coming together slowly.  With Jamie and I both working a lot, it just takes a while.  Hopefully, my desk will be delivered this week, so I can start putting together my office.  I bought a label maker and labeled both ends of all my home entertainment system wires.  There will eventually be some rewiring that I'll have to do on that as I upgrade my components, but I've got the basics set up for now.

Oh, there is one thing that is done.  The kitchen and Jamie's office are all set up and ready to go.  I've run enough water and ice through our refrigerator dispenser so we can start using that.  We sealed our granite counter tops, so we could finally pick things up off the floor and set things on the counter.

Two last things:  I plugged the phone line in my office into my computer modem, and now caller ID shows up on my computer screen.  Thank you Windows Media Center!  Also, Mark hooked me up with a flickr Pro account, which means that I'll be uploading some high res photos of the place very soon as we finish putting stuff together.

Sorry to keep everyone in suspense.  I was without internet for a while during the move.  Here it is in all of its glory.

Brandon Wilson
English 8-1
2-4-91

Falling In Love...

Falling in love can be very easy at times.  I have been in love before, and even as we speak I am.  I have been in love with the same girl for nearly a year now.  People have told me she is interested in me, but when I have asked her she has turned me down, but I know she likes me.  I have been so close, but right when I think I have her she slips out of my hands.  Still, I will keep on trying.  Like John Paul Jones said, "I have not yet begun to fight."

By the way, B-dub, I don't know why I still have it.  I know that I had it in order to read during announcements at UBC a long time ago, but I'm not sure why I kept it.  Maybe I'm holding it ransom for a Billabong hat.