tech « The Dubious Monk

Sep 19 2007

words that mean things other than what they say

I find myself enamoured with the idea of translators. Probably because my own language ability is so mediocre. My horrible novel I’ve been plowing 1000 words/day into features a translator, though I’m finding myself staying away from anything that makes him interesting. Too scared to write the cool stuff I guess. And too scared to fall completely down the research rabbit hole to make stuff cool as that means my words aren’t getting churned. Whatever.

When I got back from my weekend away I heard from the editor I’ve been editing this one story with. He’s going to bring it to the Chief editor guy now with a recommendation to publish it. Hopefully the top guy likes it, and I’ll be in a magazine. Or more accurately, the part of me that’s embedded in those 700 words about a hitch hiker meeting David Lynch will be in a magazine.

I really wish my computer would detect our WiFi network more reliably than once every couple of days, though I guess it keeps me from getting lost looking out the Google window all day. Into those rabbit warrens of the network.

Tagged language, texas bound, translators

Dec 15 2006

1 Comment

tech

sancho panza popped off the page

I can’t remember if I’ve been talking about this already this week but I’m getting really into brainmaps and things. The idea of them. Software held in our skulls and combining into some sort of future network of consciousness.

I was at my mom’s last night and took a telephone survey about internet usage and movies and stuff. One of the questions was “How much time do you spend online in a week?” I had no idea. It’s like asking “How much time do you spend ingesting liquids in a week?” Who keeps track of these things?

Another question was “What do you use the internet for?” and the guy suggested browsing. I agreed and said, “Oh yeah, and email obviously, the other communication kinds of things, but that’s about it” since I don’t do tonnes of p2p downloading anymore. He asked “Shopping?” Well, yeah, but isn’t that the same as browsing? “Banking?” Yes, but that counted as part of my answer for browsing. “Research?” What the hell do you think the word browsing means? It’s such a stupid idea to talk about those things as if they’re different. I’m online. I do things online. I ride my lightcycle all over the freakin’ place. Gah.

Tagged future, internet, rant, surveys

Sep 26 2006

boys need warm hands too

I want these.

Aug 12 2006

my busy days

I didn’t end up seeing Superman Returns. I’ve been working very hard at various and sundry things. Oh the sundering that will go on when these things are completed would make your tear ducts put in for overtime.

To be honest it’s pretty much just been doing up new resumes and cover letters for new applications and stuff. And planning a few purchases to replace equipment of mine that has had the dust bitten right out of it (as if by one of the GIGANTIC HOUNDS that prowl around this neighbourhood).

Even though technically I might not need one, I’ve been eyeing those new MacBooks. My Powerbook’s been having loads of difficulties talking to things as basic as my iPod and my undisclosed new toy I got in China. But the more essential purchases are things along the lines of ProTools (which could be seen as part of the excuse for the new MacBook) and a high quality audio recorder.

Yippee for hostels with free internet.

Tagged bucharest, romania, superman

Jul 21 2006

1 Comment

tech, 中国

just like love

Beijing has embraced the internet it seems. At least in a heavily-throttled definitely not broadband kind of sense. But every other time I’ve been in this megalopolic city it’s been a pain and 7/8ths to find a freakin’ WangBa. Now they have sprouted. I was probably just looking in all the wrong places. These can’t be new, can they?

Also, I bought a new toy with the remainder of my Chinese currency. It was a touch more than I thought it would be so Aileen and I almost faced a final three days in China without eating (she’s been generously letting me pay for everything so I didn’t have to take thousands of yuan out of the country to try and exchange them for our now-muscular Canadian dollar – she’ll pay me back in Ukraine where she’ll be doing all the talking anyway). Eventually the lure of DQ Blizzards was too much so I changed a few Hong Kong dollars into RMB for our final days in this communist paradise.

I realize the blogging has been light on details. I’ll fill it all in later. (No I won’t.)

Tagged aileen, beijing, internet

Sep 19 2004

2 Comments

tech

giving ecto another chance

I’m testing it again and it looks like I’ve got some things fixed up. We’ll see if I can start using it for real.

Tibetan Black Magicians Ft. C from the album Visions Of Gandhi-Real Retail by Jedi Mind Tricks

[Posted with ecto]

The Dubious Monk

chinese curses since twenty aught two

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