Daily Adventure #1: Podcasts, KC, Spin Pizza, and Swurl

Sunday, July 20, 2008: I drove from Springfield, Missouri to Kansas City. Even though, it is only a 3 hour drive, I hadn’t made the trip in nearly two years. My sister lives, with her family, on the Kansas side in Olathe. They come to Springfield on a regular basis, so I get to see my nephews often. However, I do enjoy all that Kansas City has to offer. During the drive, I listened to some of my favorite podcasts. I enjoyed the French music podcast,Radio Oh-La-La. In addition, I listened to Alternageek, Grammar Girl, and Net@Night with Amber MacArthur and Leo Laporte. I love that I can listen to podcasts while I drive. I learn something new and valuable, and it makes the time fly.

My brother-in-law had already made plans to take the boys camping and dirt biking on Sunday night. That meant my sister and I could have a girls’ night, which is pretty rare for us. We started by having dinner at Spin! Neopolitan Pizza in Overland Park. I loved the openness and the decor.

We started with an appetizer of Rosemary flatbread with white bean hummus. We then moved on to the Melanzane, which was a white pizza with roasted eggplant, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.
The crusts are hand-tossed, and the pizzas are stone-fired. We loved everything about Spin! The food arrived quickly, service was great, and the food was wonderful! I just had to try the gelato. They had several flavors to choose from. I opted for the blueberry butter cookie gelato. It was just the right size and taste to end the perfect meal.

Lastly, I heard about Swurl on one of the podcasts I had listened to earlier in the day. Last night, I decided to check it out and sign up. Swurl is a place that basically pulls all of your different web presences into one place. It pulls from services like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, Picasa, and some many more. Swurl then places your updates from these services into your own little Swurl “page” with your own Swurl URL. The final result is a page that looks kind of like a blog. I think I am going to like Swurl. Here is my Swurl page.

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Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog: Could Internet Movies be the Wave of the Future?

Over the last few days, I have heard talk about a new film. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is not your typical big-screen, feature film. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, and Felicia Day, this movie was made strictly for the internet. The movie is presented by Mutant Enemy Productions, and directed by Joss Whedon.

The movie was released in three acts, making it a “serial movie.” I was able to watch all three acts today on the Dr. Horrible website, free of charge. Unfortunately, I learned that they will only be available on their website until midnight, July 20, Eastern time. That means tonight, folks. However, the good news is that they can be purchased and downloaded from itunes after July 20th. They are sold as 3 separate acts for $1.99 each, making them similar to buying individual tv show episodes.

What I loved about Dr. Horrible, is that this movie breaks the traditional super-villain / super-hero mold. Dr. Horrible, as played by Harris, comes across as passionate and sincere, though misguided. On the other hand, the super-hero, Captain Hammer, is portrayed as shallow, insincere, and without a heart. I also enjoyed the cheesiness of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. I miss the cheesy super-heroes of the ’70s and ’80s. I grew up on Electra-Woman and Dyna-Girl, Christopher Reeve as Superman, The Last American Hero, and the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It seems to me that the superhero movies today are rather dark and gloomy. While not all of them are this way, I just can’t get into the dramatic, dark superhero films. Super-heroes are meant to be fun!

Dr Horrible has proven to be an internet blockbuster. It has quickly become a fast-spreading viral video across the web. I have to wonder it this medium just might be the wave of the future. Let’s face it, ticket prices have risen considerably, as have prices on other items. Ticket sales have gone down, while prices of other necessities, such as food and gas, continue to skyrocket. Though I do not bill myself as an economic analyst, I see this as a sign that ticket sales will continue to go down.

Another factor is the high costs to filmmaker’s themselves. Surely it would cost less to make an internet movie. In addition, the internet and new social media offer the opportunity for viral marketing, much of it free or low-cost.

I am looking forward to see if other internet movies make such a dramatic splash across the world wide web. I am also curious to see just how this could eventually impact the movie industry.

In the meantime, check out Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. You just might be thoroughly entertained!

Visit the Dr. Horrible website.

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An Unreal Recipe for Western Spaghetti

This is a fun and clever short film. It is brought to you by the folks at PES Films. Man, do I wish I could cook like that!

If you visit their website, you will discover even more funky, short videos.

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I am Pop-a-Rock Radio

I decided to try my hand, once again, at operating my own internet radio station. I have had internet stations, hosted through LIVE 365, a couple of different times. While there is a monthly fee, I find that I really enjoy the internet radio world. This little endeavor has afforded me opportunities to discover different music and a variety of artists. The monthly cost covers the royalties that go along with playing music that is not your own. LIVE 365 offers a nice selection of packages for personal broadcasters like myself. They also host professional stations.

I have realized that there is much to learn, both technically and legally speaking. Each station must meet the legal guidelines for their broadcasts. I have also learned about promoting my radio station, selecting music which will appeal to my listeners, and much more. I receive many requests from newer artists who would like airplay on my station. It takes a discerning ear to pick the potential “hits” from the numerous “flops” that can drive listeners away.

Since I am a personal broadcaster with my own station, I also chose to become a VIP listener. This means that I can listen ad-free. Additionally, I am able tune into any LIVE 365 VIP-only station. Another cool feature, is the mobile application. I can listen to any LIVE 365 station in my car by using my cell phone, an unlimited data plan, and a cassette adapter. I also found that I needed not one, but two, additional adapters to connect my cell phone to the cassette adapter. It took a little searching, but I found exactly what I needed. I love being able to listen to internet radio in my car! It is very cool.

Find out more about hosting your own internet radio station by visiting the LIVE 365 website.

Visit the Pop-a-Rock Radio page on LIVE 365

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Got Grammar?

Last year, I rediscovered my long-buried enthusiasm for writing.  As a high school and college student, I was actually well-versed  at writing. I could research, draft, and edit a 10-page paper in one day. I would usually end up with an A as the final grade. However, over the years since graduation, I had written very little. Then, last year, I was turned on to the wonderful world of blogging. Alas, my interest and love for writing began to slowly creep back into my life.  I found one slight problem, though. I quickly realized that I need a serious brush-up on proper grammar.

A friend, who holds a Master’s degree in technical writing, told me about Grammar Girl. Grammar Girl is a podcast that deals with specific grammar topics. I love that each episode is short and to-the-point. Mignon Fogarty is the girl behind the grammar. She has a knack for making grammar interesting and fun! Who would ever have thought that grammar could be fun?  It is obvious that Mignon Fogarty thinks it is fun, and she shares her enthusiasm for the subject in a way that is exciting and entertaining.

Mignon released her new book this month. It is titled, Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. At this very moment, she is on a nation-wide tour promoting her book and meeting her fans. I am a huge fan of Grammar Girl.  I follower her on Twitter and Facebook, and she does likewise. I really would like to go to one of the book signings. However, the closest location is Cedar Falls, Iowa, which is an 8 to 9 hour drive from Springfield.  I do have a few days off work next week, so who knows? I may just decide to make the trip. I could also stop in Kansas City to visit family, and I could use the getaway. I actually enjoy driving long distances by myself at times. The only thing that could keep me from going, would be the out-of-control gas prices. I figure I would spend $130- $150 in gas. I have to ask myself if it is really worth it.

Last week, I spent time at a nearby lake with my family. I brought a couple of books with me, including the new Grammar Girl book. My dad, who is not really into reading, picked up the book and totally got into it. That is just further proof to me, that Mignon Fogarty has created something that can make grammar accessible and fun to a variety of people, from differing backgrounds. Kudos!

Take this little grammar quiz, brought to you by Grammar Girl, to see if you are in need of a brush-up on your grammar.

Get the Grammar Girl Quiz widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox!

Visit the Grammar Girl website.

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7 Wonders Wednesday: Cool Stuff on the World Wide Web

I have so many friends who are wonderful bloggers and writers. They have far more creativity in coming up with fun, unique, and informative ideas for posts than I have ever been able to muster. I have decided to follow suit with a weekly posting of links, articles, and other cool “finds” across the web. I have decided to call this weekly posting “7 Wonders Wednesday: Cool Stuff on the World Wide Web.” Each Wednesday, I will be posting exactly 7 fabulous finds, not one more, but not one less.

Without further adieu, here is the first of the 7 Wonders Wednesdays.  I do have to apologize that this will be posted after midnight, so technically, it will already be Thursday.

1. The Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich. Sound weird? Disgusting, you say? If those were the first thoughts that jumped into your head, think about it again. This sandwich sounded so bizarre, that I thought it just had to be great!  I decided to give it a try.  I actually really enjoyed that sandwich. It ended up being quite tasty.
2. Lifehacker: Twitter Users Worth Following. Are you perpetually asking yourself (and answering) that one question “what are you doing?”  Only true blue Twitter users will really know what I am talking about. If you are equally interested in finding out what others “are doing” and  broadening your horizons a  bit, then this Lifehacker post is just for you. Learn about some rather interesting, if not slightly unorthodox Twitterers you can, and should follow.
3. SBJ.net: Starbucks to close 600 locations. The Springfield Business Journal is a locally-based publication serving the Springfield, Missouri area. However, the 600 locations span across the United States, with the future of many of these stores remaining unknown at present. Whether you are a Starbucks lover or hater, you will most likely find this article both interesting and necessary, especially with the continuous downturn in the global economy. If it can happen to Starbucks, it can happen to many other high profile franchises too.
4. Weezer’s Pork and Beans Video offers a a fun and refreshing twist on your typical music video. Here the music group incorporates other youtube videos into their own. All of the videos used were, at some point, highly popular among youtube users.
5. If you enjoyed the Weezer video, you will definetly want to checkout the Dogoo Tech Sideshow Blog. In one post, the blog author offers a break down of the Weezer Pork and Beans video. They also went through the trouble of including links to all of the youtube video that were used in the making of the Weezer video.
6. Ten People Who Should Have Their Own Blog. Are you a mother-to-be? Or a missionary?  How about a weight-loser? If you are, then get your pen, or your keyboard ready!  Bloggersguide.net offers an informative and rather persuasive post detailing ten types of people who should consider starting their own blog.  Find out if you fall into one of these ten categories.
7. Need a dessert that is delicious, fabulous, and deceptively easy, all rolled into one? Try this recipe for a Sopapilla Cheesecake. All you need is canned crescent rolls, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cream cheese, and a stick of butter. Follow the link for the complete recipe.

Check back next Wednesday for a brand new edition of 7 Wonders Wednesday.

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