Home Of The Groundblog tag:toddwachob.com,2010-02-03://4 2010-06-29T00:32:26Z Or Sometimes I Think I Think Too Much... Movable Type Pro 5.01 Categorize that iTune! tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.8 2010-06-29T00:18:24Z 2010-06-29T00:32:26Z I sat down this evening to set up some smart playlists in iTunes. And I discovered the downside to being an ultra-organized person with an eclectic taste in music: what genre do I tag some songs with? Take Enter Sandman for... Todd I sat down this evening to set up some smart playlists in iTunes. And I discovered the downside to being an ultra-organized person with an eclectic taste in music: what genre do I tag some songs with?

Take Enter Sandman for instance. The version from Metallica is easy: tag it as metal.  The version from S&M is still metal, even though, with The San Francisco Orchestra played with Metallica for that concert, it could be considered classical. The cover by Iron Horse is a different story. That recording is straight-up bluegrass. And then there is the heavy metal-sounding cello quartet Apocalyptica.

How in the world do I tag these? They could all be considered metal. But having the bluegrass version pop up after a Bad Religion or Iron Maiden song would be a bit jarring. Yet having a screeching cello version play after listening to Brahm's Cradle Song wouldn't be any better.

Another example is Paul Simon's Graceland album. Nine songs he sang with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, making it World genre, one zydeco number with Clifton Chenier fits under my Cajun/ Zydeco tag and one pop/ rock song. Making this album, what? Singer-songwriter, folk, world, cajun/ zydeco, pop?

And then there's this genre-bending album. Gangstagrass!? Really?

Take a deep breath and relax, Todd. It's just music...

]]> Maple Season Wrap-up tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.7 2010-03-30T23:17:31Z 2010-06-29T00:18:59Z Another maple syrup season is complete. One of these seasons, we’ll get some early Spring weather that lasts for a few weeks. Going from mid-winter weather to late spring weather within two weeks doesn't work so well for maple production.... Todd Another maple syrup season is complete. One of these seasons, we’ll get some early Spring weather that lasts for a few weeks. Going from mid-winter weather to late spring weather within two weeks doesn't work so well for maple production. We did get enough sap for four gallons of syrup, though. That should keep us and a few friends supplied for another year.

]]> Resumé Advice? tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.6 2010-03-11T23:56:43Z 2010-03-27T12:40:39Z The officeformac Twitter feed says "use templates". And at the Wired How-to Wiki page "Supercharge Your Resumé" (third bullet point) says lose the template. Always fun deciding which advice to follow, but easy. If it involves a company making money... Todd The officeformac Twitter feed says "use templates".

And at the Wired How-to Wiki page "Supercharge Your Resumé" (third bullet point) says lose the template.

Always fun deciding which advice to follow, but easy. If it involves a company making money from the advice, the advice is safe to ignore.

]]> Trees are tapped tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.5 2010-03-06T16:47:11Z 2010-06-23T01:09:56Z We tapped the maple trees on Feb. 22. So far we have 80 gallons of sap. The production should go up a good bit this week since the weather forecast is calling for lots of sun, daytime temperatures in the... Todd We tapped the maple trees on Feb. 22. So far we have 80 gallons of sap. The production should go up a good bit this week since the weather forecast is calling for lots of sun, daytime temperatures in the 40's and nighttime temperatures in the 20's. That's perfect maple weather. I'll add some more photos once we start cooking down the sap.

 

 

]]> Maple Season? Already? tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.4 2010-02-22T01:48:54Z 2010-02-22T01:48:55Z My Dad and I have made our own maple syrup for the past 32 years. Some years the weather co-operates and gives us a good yield of syrup. Then there were the other 30 years where the conditions were -... Todd maple syrup for the past 32 years. Some years the weather co-operates and gives us a good yield of syrup. Then there were the other 30 years where the conditions were - well, let's call it 'less than favorable'. Carrying two 5-gallon buckets of maple sap (about 80 pounds) through three feet of snow after the March 1994 snow storm wasn't easy. Other years, the temperatures aren't favorable for good sap flow. The best weather is sunny days with temperatures in the low 40's and night-time temperatures in the low to mid-20's. Some seasons, the daytime temperatures spike from the 20's straight to the 50's. The sap will flow, but not as well. Another problem with the warmer temperatures is that the sap will spoil quicker. Due to the small scale of our operation, we boil sap once a week. If the temperatures get too warm, the sap will spoil and we can't use it. Like most farming operations, maple syrup production is heavily dependent on the weather: there are no guarantees of a good return on all of the work. And boy, is there work! We gather our sap with buckets, which means carrying those 80 pounds of sap about 150 yards from the far tree to the shed. We boil the sap down over an open fire, which means cutting about a cord of firewood. But after a long winter - such as this one - we enjoy being out in the woods tapping trees and gathering sap. And checking Accu-Weather's long-term forecast, tomorrow looks like a good day to start the season. ]]> That Writing Thing tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.3 2010-02-18T00:05:18Z 2010-02-18T00:05:22Z Found out today that National Public Radio is holding a writing contest. Write a story that can be read aloud in three minutes, which is about 600 words. Sounds like a good way for an aspiring writer to get a... Todd National Public Radio is holding a writing contest. Write a story that can be read aloud in three minutes, which is about 600 words. Sounds like a good way for an aspiring writer to get a start.]]> Here we go again... tag:toddwachob.com,2010://4.2 2010-02-04T01:14:04Z 2010-02-04T01:17:23Z Yet another attempt at writing Home Of The Groundblog. This is what, the 10th attempt? Maybe it'll stick this time...... Todd Yet another attempt at writing Home Of The Groundblog. This is what, the 10th attempt? Maybe it'll stick this time...