In the spirit of Easter I'm following my ex-wife's lead and posting this embarrassing video of Shelby from Easter seven years ago.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
HTML5 Video
Technical note... I've started switching videos on this site from Flash to H.264, using HTML5 Video instead of a Flash player.
Update
Well, maybe I'll not convert the older videos just yet. The file sizes seem quite a bit different. I should consider this further. But new videos will be H.264.
Update
Well, maybe I'll not convert the older videos just yet. The file sizes seem quite a bit different. I should consider this further. But new videos will be H.264.
Nothing to see here
Darby only had a walk and a strikeout at softball tonight, though she had a couple good defensive plays. Her best play of the night was her slide into home on a passed ball, scoring one of the team's nine runs. But, I wasn't ready for it, so I missed getting it on film.
The best thing I got on film was this foul ball, which, come to think of it, might have been the only time she got her bat on the ball tonight.
The best thing I got on film was this foul ball, which, come to think of it, might have been the only time she got her bat on the ball tonight.
Now Historic
It was announced today that the building I live in is now a historic place. Which is pretty neat. And no, it's not because I live here. I don't think. Maybe I should check on that?
Nah...
More pictures can be found here and here, for the further curious.
Nah...
More pictures can be found here and here, for the further curious.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
More Softball... and Dragons
Finished off Darby's tournament today. It was a much better weather day than yesterday, though still pretty chilly this morning. While Darby's day behind the plate wasn't strong (mostly foul balls and strike outs), she had a VERY excellent defensive day.
This is not an example of her good defense (strong effort notwithstanding), but it wasn't her fault. The catcher's throwdown on a steal was off to say the least...
However, this shot IS an example of her defense. This became a put-out at first, and was sandwiched by two fly-outs she caught, retiring the side essentially on her own.
Other game notes include Darby being pegged in the shin during another throwdown attempt, giving her a nice bruise, and she was also bowled over by a runner while trying to make a play on the ball. The runner was called out, which ended the inning.
Following the game we needed to relax for a bit, so we caught the movie How to Train Your Dragon in 3D. It was an excellent movie. Well done in all regards (3D included). I really can't think of anything about it I didn't like. Six thumbs up from this family.
This is not an example of her good defense (strong effort notwithstanding), but it wasn't her fault. The catcher's throwdown on a steal was off to say the least...
However, this shot IS an example of her defense. This became a put-out at first, and was sandwiched by two fly-outs she caught, retiring the side essentially on her own.
Other game notes include Darby being pegged in the shin during another throwdown attempt, giving her a nice bruise, and she was also bowled over by a runner while trying to make a play on the ball. The runner was called out, which ended the inning.
Following the game we needed to relax for a bit, so we caught the movie How to Train Your Dragon in 3D. It was an excellent movie. Well done in all regards (3D included). I really can't think of anything about it I didn't like. Six thumbs up from this family.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Softball and piano heat up as Spring temps sputter
Darby played her first game of her 14U season today, but it wasn't pretty. With a temp of 55 and a strong wind from the North, it was FREEZING out there, clearly impacting the quality of play. Of course, it didn't help that we were playing a second year 14U TRAVELING team. We got thumped. And then we had to miss the second game for a prior obligation. It's okay, we have more games tomorrow.
Darby's prior obligation for this afternoon was a district piano audition, which included an aural test, a written theory test, and a playing audition. She scored well enough to qualify for state auditions in May, so, yay! So, on deck for piano is lots of work over the next month getting her next piece perfected. On deck for softball is another 20-30 games by summer. I'm tired already.
Shelby was supposed to have an orchestra contest today. But, she was ruled ineligible. Grades. Ugh.
Darby's prior obligation for this afternoon was a district piano audition, which included an aural test, a written theory test, and a playing audition. She scored well enough to qualify for state auditions in May, so, yay! So, on deck for piano is lots of work over the next month getting her next piece perfected. On deck for softball is another 20-30 games by summer. I'm tired already.
Shelby was supposed to have an orchestra contest today. But, she was ruled ineligible. Grades. Ugh.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Jazzing It Up
The girls' school orchestra puts on an annual show at the UCO Jazz Lab, and tonight was the night. It was a great show, and I can't believe how good some of the high school kids (Strings III through V) are at their instruments. I'm quite certain some of those boys and girls have college scholarships locked up already, and I'm not sure any of them were within a couple years of graduation yet.
Here's a pic of Darby's orchestra (but low strings only). Her group is Strings I, so it's kids that have only been playing a couple years (Darby is a piano major, this is just an elective for her).
And a video, though it was the first performance of the evening, so the audience hadn't quite settled yet. Oh, and I didn't press record early enough to catch the beginning of the number.
Here's a pic of Shelby's orchestra (also low strings). Shelby is a strings major, so she's in Strings II, even though she's two grades lower than Darby.
Here's the video of Shelby's group.
Here's a pic of Darby's orchestra (but low strings only). Her group is Strings I, so it's kids that have only been playing a couple years (Darby is a piano major, this is just an elective for her).
And a video, though it was the first performance of the evening, so the audience hadn't quite settled yet. Oh, and I didn't press record early enough to catch the beginning of the number.
Here's a pic of Shelby's orchestra (also low strings). Shelby is a strings major, so she's in Strings II, even though she's two grades lower than Darby.
Here's the video of Shelby's group.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Total mortification
Tags:
church
Have you ever been late for mass, but thought you were early, because you forgot they changed mass times a couple months ago, and so you barge into the side-door during what turned out to be the homily, causing the entire congregation to stare at you?
Well, I have.
Now.
Well, I have.
Now.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Irish?
Tags:
holiday
You can't really tell, but there IS a teensy touch of Irish in there... so, yes.
Update, 18 July
Thanks to research my dad is doing, interesting genealogical details recently confirmed that I am AT LEAST one-sixteenth Irish (could be more). The interesting part of that detail is that, though I was born in Thailand, I am only one-sixteenth Thai. Adding in my one-quarter Chinese, I can now account for six-sixteenths of my heritage with reasonable certainty. The rest is just a jumbled mess.
Update, 18 July
Thanks to research my dad is doing, interesting genealogical details recently confirmed that I am AT LEAST one-sixteenth Irish (could be more). The interesting part of that detail is that, though I was born in Thailand, I am only one-sixteenth Thai. Adding in my one-quarter Chinese, I can now account for six-sixteenths of my heritage with reasonable certainty. The rest is just a jumbled mess.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pardon the Disarray
Tags:
blog
Generally, I'm a fan of the big G(oogle). I'm a user of most of their products and services. I tend to evangelize their merits to the uninitiated. And I often defend them in arguments with skeptics and haters.
But their recent decision to abandon one of the oldest protocols on the internet as a means of publishing to one's blog perturbs me to no end. I could rant profusely, but I shall refrain. Just know big G, this is a big strike against you in my book.
Due to the impending change, I haven't posted since they made the announcement, as I pondered the way ahead. Whether to switch platforms. How to migrate if I stayed, etc. Well, this week I began migrating away from FTP publishing. I think the hardest part is done, but you may find broken links, missing images, dysfunctional videos, or other forms of technological malformation. My apologies. But it could take me awhile to get it all worked out.
One particular change to note is the Atom/RSS feed address. If you follow this blog via a reader, you'll want to update the link:
Old: http://blogs.shawnwright.com/feeds/news.xml
New: http://blog.shawnwright.com/feeds/posts/default
But their recent decision to abandon one of the oldest protocols on the internet as a means of publishing to one's blog perturbs me to no end. I could rant profusely, but I shall refrain. Just know big G, this is a big strike against you in my book.
Due to the impending change, I haven't posted since they made the announcement, as I pondered the way ahead. Whether to switch platforms. How to migrate if I stayed, etc. Well, this week I began migrating away from FTP publishing. I think the hardest part is done, but you may find broken links, missing images, dysfunctional videos, or other forms of technological malformation. My apologies. But it could take me awhile to get it all worked out.
One particular change to note is the Atom/RSS feed address. If you follow this blog via a reader, you'll want to update the link:
Old: http://blogs.shawnwright.com/feeds/news.xml
New: http://blog.shawnwright.com/feeds/posts/default
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