In the spirit of Web 2.0, I'm doing a relatively quick update here.
So...do you like what I've done w/ the site? I think it looks pretty cool...with its three columns and new feature "The Tauz Pause" and revamped Link Park. The Tauz Pause is a list of stuff that is going on, each individually rated as good (Applauds) or bad (Flawed). Easy to update. Easy to read. Short, informative and entertaining. Woo.
The latest ongoing saga around here has been the preparations for Retreat '07 and everything that's been getting in the way. I thought that this year, with the Mac, doing the slideshow would be easier than ever.
I was wrong. And how! First I had to decide which program to use: iMovie or Final Cut Express. I ended up using iMovie for the soundtrack and FCE for the rest. But the learning curve on FCE turned out to be quite a stressor. Poor Dan Dewey witnessed me flipping out a few times while trying to figure out how to do simple stuff in FCE. It was annoying because I work in a program like this every damn day at work, but the interface and simple commands are different between programs. So that was a challenge.
It was one that caused me to go for a walk at one point so I didn't turn to Dan and crack him in the mug for no reason other than it would have been a release of frustrations. (Sorry, Dan, for even thinking about harming you!)
So, after a few stress-packed nights, I'd figured out how to operate inside FCE. I then moved on to getting pissed off at the peripheral media I'm using. Things were moving along swimmingly until the flash drive we've been using decided to lose pictures and therefore scrap an entire 30 seconds of pictures in my timeline. Now, that might not sound like much, but it took me about 2 hours to realize that I couldn't bring them back, and then another hour to replace them. That's, of course, after the 10 minutes of throwing swear words and aggravated questions at my monitor. (The iTauz did not answer me back when asked questions. I think it was upset at the language and tone I was using.)
So that's where I stand right now: less than halfway done with the slideshow that needs to be finished up in its entirety by Sunday night (but preferably Friday night). Guh.
The catch is, however, that I have OTHER shit to do before Sunday night. Like pack. And even though I don't normally pack until the night before I leave anyway, this year is a bit different.
A while back, I decided that I'd go to Wizard Comicon in Philly two days before Retreat. I knew it'd be a 'risky' move, but I want to go, dammit. Cuz it sounds like fun. And Claire the Indestructible Cheerleader will be there! WOO! So that's all day Saturday with Joe (of the internet's fourhman.com) and Molyneaux (of Molyneaux fame).
Then Sunday is Father's Day and Mark and I might be taking Pop to a York Revolution game in order to celebrate the awesomeness that is My Dad. (Seriously...my dad could totally out-awesome your dad anyday.)
Bring it.
Oh yeah! And I got drafted to an Ultimate Frisbee Team in Stewartstown last week! I really didn't even know I was "eligible" to be drafted, but one of the guys who played with us in the rain last time picked me for his team. That made me proud of myself. I must have impressed him when I kept playing after this happened:
It also turns out that a guy who went to high school with my bro Jeff saw and recognized The Tauz brand name and was going to draft me for his team, but I'd been taken by the time he got to me. Cool, eh?
When I told Jeff about this he quipped "My little brother the athlete." That's right, bro...the tallest one and the most sports-activity-involved of the Tauzin boys. Figure that one out. (Although Mark gets the nod for the strongest--but only cuz he has to restrain little kids all day at work.)
All that being said, I was supposed to make my Ultimate Frisbee debut with the Black Team at 6:30 Sunday night, but there's no fucking way I'll even come close to having time to do that on this particular day.
No...I'm sure I'll be frantically finishing up the slideshow, swearing at my computer, sweating every little detail, and then stay up until like, 4am packing my bag.
So whatever your inclination is, send me a good vibe or a prayer or have a good thought for me...cuz this shit is driving me crazy. Which sucks, cuz that's not what this is all about...it's supposed to be fun. This year, unfortunately, the not-fun has dwarfed the fun. Hopefully this year's slideshow will get done, and next year's will be much easier thanks to this ordeal.
(This was not a short entry. Sorry Web 2.0.)
