tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75603734151262918302023-08-22T06:36:39.663-05:00Pedals and ProseLiving well, laughing often, loving much.Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-37883052486797443152011-02-09T20:03:00.001-06:002011-02-09T20:03:20.551-06:00Snow Day Feb 2011<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/5421707447/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5421707447_4352f2bd6f.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/5421707447/">Snow Day Feb 2011</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">ND Wright</a>.</span></div><p>We got a lot of snow last week!</p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-59935633322313661412010-09-26T21:17:00.001-05:002010-09-26T21:17:47.156-05:00Sears 10 speed<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/5027822447/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5027822447_b44b113738.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/5027822447/">Sears 10 speed</a><br />Sears 10 speed bicycle I found at a garage sale for $1. Needs a lot of work.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p>Another great garage sale find. Needs lots of work, but I believe it can be salvaged.</p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-41956817803774268952010-07-08T20:25:00.002-05:002010-09-26T21:16:44.785-05:00Go Electric: Bike Commuting Made Easy<center><object height="344" style="background-image: url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/d9GPxvP9VGY/hqdefault.jpg);" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/d9GPxvP9VGY&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/d9GPxvP9VGY&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></center>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-27715707486124052962010-07-07T16:34:00.001-05:002010-07-07T16:34:50.465-05:00ExplorationThis country has so completely lost its heart for exploration. We went to the moon 40 years ago and we haven't been back since. It's sad. <br /><br />Those men did a great thing. Going so far. But in the following decades we have been content with barely getting out of Earth's atmosphere. To me that's like crossing the pacific only to come home to play in the pool in the backyard.<br /><br />A couple things have conspired to have me thinking about these things. First was getting the first couple discs of the show "Defying Gravity" from Netflix.<br /><br />Great show, humans decide to tour our solar system. It was cancelled before they finished airing the first season. Thankfully they released all the episodes to DVD.<br /><br />That tells you one thing. Our culture just isn't interested in space any more. Not like it used to be anyway. The second thing was that the show was set in the 2050s. Why should it take so long for us to get back to the stars?<br /><br />Second I've been watching "When We Left Earth" on the Netflix watch instantly. All about the early space program. I see what those men did and with the extremely primitive -- by our standards -- equipment, and I just have to shake my head. We should be in space now. We should have a real permanent station in orbit. We should have a colony on the moon. And we ought to be halfway to Mars.<br /><br />The third thing that got me thinking about this was learning that the International Space Station is now visible from Earth. If it's not raining I'll be able to see it traversing my sky tonight about 11:13pm. It shines brighter than the moon. But we're in for more clouds I think.<br /><br />I grew up dreaming of space travel. Reading Robert Heinlein. Heinlein expected colonies on the moon by the mid-1980s. Ships capable of interplanetary transit in days instead of months. And we could do it, but we don't. We've lost our drive. We need to get it back. <br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-77594604150947314662010-06-28T22:21:00.001-05:002010-06-28T22:21:50.005-05:00Railroad crossing<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4744626290/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4744626290_b788cb47a4.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4744626290/">Railroad crossing</a><br /><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-43987871154882831852010-06-26T17:40:00.002-05:002010-06-26T17:41:07.818-05:00Colton and Zara<div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/3357337790/" title="photo sharing"><img align="center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3541/3357337790_98fcaec355.jpg" style="border-bottom: #000000 2px solid; border-left: #000000 2px solid; border-right: #000000 2px solid; border-top: #000000 2px solid;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/3357337790/">2008 cherry blossom festival - 6</a><br />
The Cherry Blossom Festival is held each May in Cherryvale, Kan. These are from 2008.<br />
Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div>This is a photo of Colton and Zara playing at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Cherryvale, KS, May 2008.<br />
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Zara worked at the public library in Independence for a bit when Noel and I were living in Independence.<br />
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Colton and Zara have an excellent sound that Noel and I have always enjoyed. Tonight, Noel found their web site, and lo and behold they have an album out now! So I popped on over to the iTunes store and bought it straight away.<br />
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Check out their web site! <a href="http://www.coltonandzara.com/">http://www.coltonandzara.com/</a>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-27868562627992438952010-06-08T16:05:00.003-05:002010-06-08T16:07:20.813-05:00Jammin with the new guitar<center><object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/V3cEq0Zb1sw/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V3cEq0Zb1sw&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V3cEq0Zb1sw&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></center><br />
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Got a guitar again after many years without.<br />
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This is the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Ibanez-IJV50-Acoustic-Guitar-Package/dp/B0019FA5NW?ie=UTF8&tag=simplspeak-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Ibanez IJV50</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=simplspeak-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0019FA5NW" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /> JamPack. Purchased for $100 at Guitar Center in Overland Park.<br />
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I enjoy playing it very much.<br />
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To go with the guitar I also picked up <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Guitar-Method-Grade-Expanded/dp/0786613696?ie=UTF8&tag=simplspeak-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method Grade 1</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=simplspeak-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0786613696" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" />. I am fairly proficient at playing chords and such but I wanted to <i>really</i> learn to play the guitar, for reals. In the video I play a couple of songs from the book.Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-45928108599115329242010-06-06T18:41:00.000-05:002010-06-06T18:41:10.714-05:00Oil SpillThe oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a massive disaster. Here's a widget to keep tabs on it.<br />
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<center><iframe src="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/oil-ticker/video.html" height="490" style="align:center;" width="300px" marginheight="5" marginwidth="5" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-51525264882740750532010-05-25T08:24:00.001-05:002010-06-12T23:27:46.919-05:00Who You Gonna Call?<center><object style="background-image:url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/wKB7zfopiUA/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wKB7zfopiUA&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wKB7zfopiUA&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div></center><br />
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</div><div>I love Improv Everywhere. So great, bringing smiles to folks!</div>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-80692154434700857042010-04-27T17:36:00.001-05:002010-04-27T17:37:36.385-05:00Life and deathI've decided that I don't believe in death. <br /><br />Hundreds of my cells "die" each day, yet I do not die.<br /><br />Could it be that we are just "cells" of a more complex system? <br /><br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-80981024736273839862010-04-25T10:45:00.001-05:002010-04-27T17:37:20.440-05:00Emotional and physical scarsMany folks today are under the impression that once a past emotional injury has healed that it can no longer pain you. And that if you do experience pain over past hurts then you have obviously not allowed that to heal. <br /><br />I've been thinking about this lately and I have decided that I flat do not believe it. <br /><br />I severely injured my wrist many years ago, left quite a scar. It has completely and fully healed. I've even regained the feeling in my fingers that doctors said I might not. But sometimes when I lift something or otherwise stress that wrist, it will hurt like hell. I believe that emotional scars are much the same way.<br /><br />My childhood wasn't -- by far -- the worst, but there are a number of emotional scars back there. I believe that I've made peace with my past, and that those hurts have healed. Still, under the right conditions they do cause me pain.<br /><br />Folks expect me to behave as though the pain doesn't exist. But I can assure you that if you come up and stick your thumb in the scar on my wrist I'm going to yelp and probably try to slug you. I don't know why I would react any differently to folks shoving their thumbs in my emotional scars. <br /><br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-4005929868418180282010-04-15T17:26:00.000-05:002010-04-15T17:27:01.258-05:00Gambling and the lotterySome folks we know will be put off to find that we occasionally play the lottery.<br /><br />Why? Because they believe that gambling is wrong. <br /><br />But most of those people have health insurance. <br /><br />So which is worse? Gambling that something bad is going to happen? Or gambling that something good will happen?<br /><br />At least when I lose my gamble the money goes for a good purpose, helping public schools. When they lose their gamble the money just goes to make rich people richer. <br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-67230467439752505062010-04-15T14:05:00.001-05:002010-04-15T14:05:20.902-05:00Garage sale findsHere are a couple great bikes I found at a garage sale today. Great stuff. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://www.flickr.com/photos/34770521@N07/4524089156/'><img src='http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4524089156_37f61b9bac_m.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://www.flickr.com/photos/34770521@N07/4524089704/'><img src='http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4524089704_4aa7a344d8_m.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-66599816818656836412010-04-11T11:58:00.004-05:002010-06-12T23:27:15.543-05:00At the fort<center><object width="500" height="375"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpedalingprose%2Fsets%2F72157623826735756%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpedalingprose%2Fsets%2F72157623826735756%2F&set_id=72157623826735756&jump_to="></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpedalingprose%2Fsets%2F72157623826735756%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fpedalingprose%2Fsets%2F72157623826735756%2F&set_id=72157623826735756&jump_to=" width="500" height="375"></embed></object></center><br />
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The family spent some time at the old fort here in Fort Scott, Kansas, before folks started home.Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-72947264827402585742010-04-09T20:08:00.001-05:002010-04-09T20:08:33.168-05:00Courthouse tulips<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4506809858/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4506809858_baeb89bccb.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4506809858/">Courthouse tulips</a><br />Tulips in bloom at the Vernon County Courthouse in Nevada, MO.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-11855954467176792232010-04-07T18:22:00.001-05:002010-04-07T18:23:03.576-05:00The Nation's Finest<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4500151441/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2791/4500151441_b9c4903aae.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4500151441/">10roll3 - 06</a><br />The home of Key Work Clothes, the Nation's Finest, in downtown Fort Scott, Kan.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-45840823295093174862010-04-07T18:19:00.001-05:002010-04-07T18:19:11.499-05:00Jesus is Lord<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4500802168/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4500802168_147a10f131.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4500802168/">10roll3 - 04</a><br />A mural on the side of a building declares that "Jesus is Lord over Ft. Scott."<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-51831255698720680112010-03-23T21:53:00.001-05:002010-04-07T18:17:37.486-05:00Milo and the Turtle<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><center><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="375" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=dd6af9fc92&photo_id=4458319589&flickr_show_info_box=true"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=dd6af9fc92&photo_id=4458319589&flickr_show_info_box=true" height="375" width="500"></embed></object></center><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4458319589/">Milo and the Turtle</a><br />Our pup Milo meets Mr. Turtle.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p class="flickr-yourcomment">I've been having a hay day uploading some old stuff I've found in the laptop.<br /><br />I thought I'd put this stuff up years ago, but I guess I didn't.</p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-12054386296161486262010-03-20T21:19:00.001-05:002010-04-07T18:17:20.644-05:00Boots<div style="text-align: center; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/3344893779/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3344893779_c028868bd3.jpg" align="center" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/3344893779/">Boots</a><br />These boots were made for walkin'.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div><p>I purchased this pair of Doc Martin's boots in March 2007.<br /><br />I have worn the heck out of them. I finally got around to replacing them this past week.<br /><br />I don't know that I've ever had a pair of shoes to last three years before. Especially taking into account what I put shoes through.<br /><br />I really wanted to get another pair just like these, but there was one thing stopping me. Waterproofing.<br /><br />These weren't. And when they got wet, my feet got soaked. And I got miserable.<br /><br />I had picked out a pair of shoes. I wore them one night on the job at the college and I took them back the next morning. They just hurt my feet.<br /><br />When I took the others back, I found some more boots on an isle I had missed the day before. I liked the look of them, then I saw the magic label "waterproof."<br /><br />I tried them on, and that was that. They are a pair of Skechers, sorry don't know which model.<br /><br />They are some of the most comfortable boots I've ever worn.<br /><br />And with all the snow we've gotten today, I am definitely loving the waterproofing.</p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-91915085183447714072010-03-20T18:40:00.002-05:002010-03-20T18:58:17.814-05:00Zonkers<div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4443788489/" title="photo sharing"><img align="center" alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4443788489_2884f2a898.jpg" style="border-bottom: #000000 2px solid; border-left: #000000 2px solid; border-right: #000000 2px solid; border-top: #000000 2px solid;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4443788489/">10roll2 - 26</a><br />
Family shots from Zonkers.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></div>This past week was Spring Break for the school district I work for, so we spent most of it at my Beloved's sister's house.<br />
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One of the things we did was go with the kids to Zonkers. A small kind of indoor amusement park. They had games and rides, etc. I took along my camera and got a few snaps while they were at it.<br />
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We were planning on returning Saturday morning so that I could be at the college for my shift. But when I woke from my afternoon nap Friday, I checked the weather to find winter storm warnings for our area. I had no desire to repeat what we did last Christmas (i.e. - drive home through a blizzard), and we had turned off all the heat in the camper. So we came home that evening.<br />
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I really can't believe this weather. It's completely crazy. It's been snowing all day, pretty heavy. I'll post some pics later.<br />
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I want spring back! Luckily I won't have to wait long.<br />
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PS - Notice my Beloved's new hair cut? That's another thing we did while up in KC.Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-5089689346682656552010-02-21T13:04:00.001-06:002010-03-20T18:35:03.955-05:00Shop Historic Downtown Fort Scott<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376017823/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4376017823_aeee794468_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376017823/">10roll1 - 24</a> <br />Shop Historic Downtown Fort Scott, Kan., Feb. 20, 2010.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></center><br clear="all" /><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-34462684074767980382010-02-21T13:02:00.001-06:002010-03-20T18:35:03.957-05:00City Scales<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376016321/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4376016321_3c690d472f_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376016321/">10roll1 - 23</a> <br />The City Scales in downtown Fort Scott, Kan., Feb. 20, 2010.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></center><br clear="all" /><p>Was able to wander around Fort Scott a little yesterday while visiting the Grands.</p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-47185556953563012232010-02-21T10:31:00.001-06:002010-03-20T18:35:03.958-05:00Osage Prairie - 2<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376335636/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4376335636_1693e3b470_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedalingprose/4376335636/">Osage Prairie - 2</a> <br />Blue sky over the Osage Prairie Conservation Area near Nevada, Mo.<br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/pedalingprose/">Nick David Wright</a></span></center><br clear="all" /><p></p>Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-65837314760867851232010-02-16T12:08:00.000-06:002010-02-16T12:10:04.640-06:00Camera problem solvedI think, maybe.<br /><br />In my review of my iPod I lamented the fact that it does not include a camera.<br /><br />But I think that problem can be solved by finding the right cellphone. And I think I might have found that phone in the LG 290C.<br /><br />The phone is being offered on the new Straight Talk service which offers very reasonable rates. And the sample photos from it are very nice indeed.<br /><br />I think I'll have to give it a try.<br /><br /><br />~ posted from my iPod.<br /><br />Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560373415126291830.post-35577150934800884152010-02-15T14:19:00.000-06:002010-02-15T14:19:18.896-06:00iPod TouchPart of my job driving busses is driving activity trips. These are longer trips (sometimes overnight) where I drive the students to some activity (sports, museum, etc) and then bring them back.<br />
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I've been longing for something to take with me on these trips so that I can having something to do while waiting for the kids to finish what they're doing and return to the bus.<br />
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There were essentially three choices, Nintendo DSi, Playstation Portable, or the Apple iPod Touch.<br />
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My four main objectives with one of these devices were: music, movies, games and internet.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=simplspeak-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002M3SOBU&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I went with Apple's 8GB iPod Touch for the following two reasons.<br />
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Music: All of the music I currently own has been purchased through the iTunes Store. Which means that most of it has digital copy protection which prevents you from playing it on non-Apple devices. The DSi doesn't play music at all to my knowledge, but the PSP does; but I wouldn't be able to use the music I already own. So there's one notch for the iPod.<br />
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Internet: The iPod Touch offers as close to a real web experience as you can find on such a small device. The Nintendo and PSP -- from what I understand -- only offer stripped down browsing capabilities. Not to mention the many apps you can download for the iPod that allow you to have great access to your favorite web sites on the smaller device.<br />
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Now for some review notes.<br />
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I had reservations about the kinds of games I would be able to get for the iPod, but a couple days use quickly put away those fears. The games that I've tried have been very well done and work wonderfully.<br />
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A couple of game suggestions: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id284832142?mt=8">Bejeweled2</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackjack-world-pro/id317053746?mt=8">Blackjack World Pro</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/warheads/id352026783?mt=8">Warheads</a>, and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skee-ball/id329902698?mt=8">Skee-Ball</a>.<br />
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As I said above, the internet experience on the iPod Touch is very nice. Most of my internet activity is centered around a few web sites. Primarily Gmail, Google Reader, Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr.<br />
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Gmail and Google Reader have web sites optimized for the iPod that are very slick and work very well.<br />
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Facebook has its own <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook/id284882215?mt=8">free app</a> you can download that I like very much. In fact, I had pretty much quit using Facebook before, but I've really come to like it again since getting the app.<br />
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Twitter has a good mobile web site as well, but I highly recommend AteBits' application <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tweetie-2/id333903271?mt=8">Tweetie 2</a> if you do a lot of tweeting. It's a very well-made program.<br />
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Flickr I'm a little torn on. I've got their <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flickr/id328407587?mt=8">free app</a>, and I've used their mobile site. And I keep going back and forth between the two. I can't decide which I like better. And it's not really because they're both really good. They both have some real issues as far as I'm concerned. They do work, I just don't care -- yet -- for how they work.<br />
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My one big gripe -- and to me it is a big gripe -- is that my iPod does not have a camera on it like the iPhone. The case has the cut outs for it since they apparently use the same shell, but they just won't put one in. My digital P&S is a pretty tight fit for my pocket so I don't always carry it with me, and I'm always seeing stuff I wish I could shoot a picture of. A camera in my iPod would make me very happy.<br />
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So why didn't I just get an iPhone? I'd get my camera, and I'd be able to access the internet anywhere I had cell signal, I wouldn't have to hunt up a wifi hot spot. I didn't get the iPhone because it requires a two-year contract and the iPhone plans start about $60 per month. I'm simply not willing to pay that much money per month. Wifi hot spots are everywhere nowadays, I don't need to have constant access to the net.<br />
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And when I can't find a hot spot, that's what the music, movies and games are for.<br />
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I chose the 8GB over the faster, larger capacity models because I simply don't need the speed or the space. The $100 I saved getting the smaller iPod could buy a lot of music, and I don't mind not being able to put my entire library on the thing at once anyway.<br />
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When Apple announced their iPad a couple weeks ago, that put a new kink in my decision making process. But ultimately I decided that I wanted something that would go in my pocket.<br />
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So that's that. I really like the thing. It does take a bit getting used to. But it works very well for what it does. I really should have bought one of these things a long time ago.Ozarks Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04532958488559452074noreply@blogger.com0