akk: Galaxy Rangers badge (GR - Badge)
Editing CS5 continues sloooowly. I finally got past the memory lane scene (cutting another bunch of descriptive half-sentences helped) and now started on working through the breakfast morning. Problem with that one: I have no clue about recipes & how those things are called in En, hence... RESEARCH. Sheesh, CS5 begins to feel like the Dekagram in that regard. :p

Unrelated side note: I finally got a hold of a smartwatch that doesn't look like a leftover of a steampunked Dick Tracy gadget (and also doesn't pack a gazillion functions I don't even use on my phone, much less so on something tied to my wrist (like voice commands, for example)).
As it is, it transfers the notifications I receive on my phone (a LOT, since I use timer, remind me, and Tasks checklist apps to organize my day & tell me in time what has to be done in time) as vibration against my wrist.

Advantage: my commandeering phone no longer disturbs my coworkers.
Disadvantage: now I hear "ALMA's voice" only at home, da sigh.

There are a few other things built in - like a step counter (slightly less nervous than the one on the phone) and puls and sleep counters (don't need & don't plan to use them; what does it help to know how I sleep when I can't change the conditions? Nada.)

Additional plus: no built-in mike. If some spy wants to listen in, s/h(e)/it listens to the rustling in the office wardrobe (I typically hang up the phone along with the coat... *eg*)

Anyway, nice weekend. :)
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
Just a brief "heads up" (since I've been so awfully quiet these last two weeks).

First week was "back at work week" with all the time it took to shovel stuff off my desk that had been raising puppies there since I've fled to vacation way before Christmas.

Second week was actually productive with respect to Business As Usual, but the power surge protection at my home computer system made weird sounds and had to be replaced, so my non-work online life was confined to my smartphone - doable for reading, not really doable for blogging & stuff.

Now, I'm back online and [personal profile] solo returned Family Matters to me with lots of comments, but luckily no major issues. I'm doing my best to get those sorted out. However, given that it likely requires online discussions between us, it will take a week at least (and that's calculated without the very significant distraction of that brilliant, shiny 10" Nexus tab lurking beside my elbow to leap back into my hands... (Really, if you are an avid lover of art and ebooks, that is *the* tab to get! *squee*)).
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
Completing your doctorate is good for your career, but sadly not so much for your shape. To correct the physical result of my degree, I started doing body weight exercises regularly since last summer (thirty minutes on four days a week). By now I can sum up the results:

on the plus side:
  1. my scale shows approx. 10 kg less (yay!)
  2. I can run up the stairs up to the 3rd floor without getting out of breath (never could that before, so - wow!)
  3. I actually manage pull-ups instead of "hanging limp like a dead pig"s (double-wow!)
  4. my back aches are gone
  5. my knee aches are gone (and I haven't stumbled or lost my balance anytime since last Autumn)
  6. I've got a posture that (a) tempted my physician to compliments and (b) gets people in the supermarket to stay the step back required not to bump into me, my bags, or the produce I'm examining without me having to growl (wow-yay-finally!)

on the down side:
  1. I learned that sore muscles can hurt like hell even when you don't move!
  2. because my upper body circumference changed, I have to replace my blouses a size larger (whine for the money)
  3. because waist and thigh circumferences changed, I have to replace my trousers a size smaller (whine for the money)
  4. I have yet to find the courage to try on the (expensive) graduation suit and see if a good tailor can salvage it!
Overall, a thumbs up. I've finally found exercises that (a) work, (b) require a manageable amount of time, and (c) don't bore me to death. I'm going to continue them. Next target: consecutive pull-ups instead of single ones.
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
After a lot of searching, I finally obtained a high-quality (as in no tears & not even yellowed, and all bandaroles intact) copy of CLAMP's Soryuden artbook. It was delivered together with CLAMP's Tokyo Babylon Postcard book (who'd thought that postcards were drawn that BIG!?) this morning.

Now, some of you might wonder why I spent so much time and effort on obtaining an artbook that's not part of Tokyo Babylon and/or X, and which consists to 2/3 of manga stories I cannot read, because I don't know Japanese (though I hope there are translations out there to be found). Anyway, here's a very visual reason behind the cut ). :) One of many, actually.
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
Normally, I use my tech devices until they cease to function or are so outdated that they fail to perform acceptably in the contemporary world (exception: computers, but then, they are always too old, too slow, too-- *g*), when I got my Samsung Wave smartphone in early Autumn 2010, I pretty much expected the standard procedure there.
The Wave did virtually everything of a whole bunch of devices I used to carry around - MP3 player, calendar, and so on... plus a lot of things handy when doing most of your creative work while commuting: HD video playback, scanlations & other images, etc. pp. And thus I didn't look at new smartphones coming out most of the time.
Last week, I got hit over the head with an information that made me instantly hurry to find confirmation (and hardware specs):

The Samsung Galaxy Note comes with a Wacom pen for drawing and writing (when screen keyboard is not sufficient), plus it has a screen size almost on the way towards a small tablet (5.3"), enough real estate for full websites and therefore ebooks! I couldn't stop myself and plundered my savings...
...the two things I always wished my Wave could do: writing & epubs? I had to try that!

Well, I did and here's the

new hardware squee - Galaxy Note: )
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
Tuesday:
Disputation passed. project doctor rer. nat. finished (discounting formalities)
[yay!... *thud*]

Wednesday )
spontaneous decision to change the OS of my home system from Vista 32 bit to Windows 7 64 bit (as a way to keep me occupied and away from fretting over work/mail). Progress blubbered into the world via Twitter (sorry to all who didn't unfollow me fast enough).

Thursday )

Friday )

Saturday )

Sunday )

Regarding the stories:

The last few weeks/months have been stressed-out stress, which affected my writing more than I care to admit. I'm rereading 36° now and will then edit Family Matters for the polished pdf/ebook version, which should help keeping things straight for the continuation of Business As Usual. Stay tuned.
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
I spent the last two days with switching my OS vom Vista (x86) to Win7 (x64) [For the record: yes, it looks shiny and yes, it is faster & more stable on my system.].
What pissed me off was the same as in Vista, quite a bunch of my proggies always trigger the UAC, blubbering about "this file was downloaded from the internets" (about three years ago and it didn't blow up since then, but its unsigned because the guys who write it can't afford to cough up the 200 bucks a year for having it licensed!) "are you really, really sure you want to start it?" (yes, I do want to play BlockOut again, thank you very much!). During the installation frickery, I stumbled upon a very useful detail:

if a file is triggered by the UAC, it helps to put it into a 7z container (native compression format of 7-zip) and unpack it again, then delete the triggery file and copy the previously packed file into its place. Windoof then considers the file as "nice and safe and totally from your computer!" (*SNORT*) without having to reduce your system's security level, frickle with oldfashioned FAT32 partitions (to get rid of the streams holding the incriminating information by copying to and fro) or additional command line tools. But beware: Windows' inbuilt zip packer does not work.

Frankly, after two main OS installations with multiple service packs, one should assume they'd be able to add an option for a user permanently store a clearance with files and programs without performing a breakdance through burning loops.
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
WOOOOT!

My 2nd reviewed paper was accepted for publication by Applied Spectroscopy!

Yes!!
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
After over three years, I replaced my trusty Nokia 6131 flip phone (you know, the model that opens with like a ST:TOS communicator at the press of a button) with a shiny new Samsung Wave smartphone. Squee! )
akk: Definitions of terms commonly used in Academia! (Academia Translation)
If you want to see what I write for a living, here's my latest research article (free abstract). You'll need a subscription (or access through a library or university network) for the full text. However, be warned: there's a distinct lack of talkative trees and explicit scenes in it! ;-)
akk: Definitions of terms commonly used in Academia! (Academia Translation)
With only two minor revisions that were done within 24 hours!
:D
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
Since this Wednesday, I'm the proud owner of a Sony PRS-505 e-book reader (in silver). I've been wary about e-book reading devices for a long time - expensive, incompatible proprietary formats, horribly overpriced e-books in Germany, DRM, intrusive companies (Amazon deleted bought books on the fly!) - but recently, Sony dropped the price for the key-operated device by a hundred euros, adopted the open standard epub along with its proprietary formats and - let's face it - the lack of inbuilt WiFi (in comparison to the Amazon devices) comes as a large plus with respect to my books & privacy, so...

Squee! )
akk: (Seishiro - Eyes in the Dark)
current chapter word count: 5254
less again because I decided against the shower (and the fan service) and for the Seishiro-Makoto talk and some Subaru contemplation time
resulting in better characterization and more focus on the plot than the butt.
continuing with Subaru-Michiko (one scene given, since working speed is closer to normal now)
character in for a tough talk: Makoto
character clearing the premises: Subaru
character actually drawing an ofuda: Ameru
character more professionally savvy now: Michiko
quote of the day: His pulse. Not Sado's.

totally unrelated side-note: cut over drool tech )
akk: (Dreamwidth Sheep)
Yay! Paid account status positive!
I'm finally able to add the "academia translation" icon and edit my comments!
You always spot the embarrassing type the moment *after* you clicked "Post"!
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Default)
On cleaning )

On drool-tech (as in "to drool over" and "technology") )

I'm so looking forward to type in all the scribbles for chapter 17 that accumulated over the last few days. Granny Talk 2 got a makeover, and the intro to Daylight Sex is finally written. Though there's still a gap to be closed in that scene... :)
akk: (SeiSub - Kiss Inbetween)
current chapter word count: 6433
because of extensive tinkering in the first third of the chapter
resulting in better read, more liveliness of the plot
amount of chapter in continuous text: 75%
amount of chapter considered done: more than that, but there are fat gaps and skeletal scenes in between
research of the day: kamidana equipment
quote of the day: "Jasmine doesn't suit you."

Unrelated: Starting tomorrow (or probably Saturday, depending on exact time of arrival and amount of time moving takes) this shiny black'n'red baby is going to take a central place in my writing environment. Say "hi" to my new Samsung R560 Aura laptop, replacing my old (beloved) silver Samsung P30, which is facing retirement at my mom's desk after having been my companion for over five years. :)
akk: (Seishiro - Yes!)
New shiny white teeth all in, all done, no longer "smile and the world runs screaming!" for me!

Yes! *rawr*
akk: (Seishiro - Yes!)
It feels great...
...to have your data available again.
...to have more desk space than before (because 2 500 GB drives fit l&r under the TFT, whereas the 1TB drive box did not)
...to have two silver 4 USB 2.0 ports on top of each (I'm a physicist - we're suckers for symmetries!)
...to have now enough ports for all of my periphery at once!
...to have the whole system back behind high-grade surge protection (*)
...to have all the black & silver wires neatly bound back again
...to finally be able to focus on writing!

(*) yes, I'm paranoid. You should see my UPS!
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Seishiro: Yes!)
I finally went around and bought English TB in seven books. The first 4 arrived today. I *love* the bigger size, the color folding poster in the front and the glossary at the end (I didn't know about the last two things when deciding to spend the money!) Now if only books 3, 5, and 7 were here already...
akk: AKK - Schriftzug aus Blitzen (Asami - all I want I get)
I got around and a new USB Stick, because I was kind of sick growling at my old 4 GB (Intenso) model for its *comfortable speed* (as in "comfortable for the usb stick, uncomfortable for my patience). And after a weekend of testing, running fat image-burdened openoffice docs (60 MBs +) right off of it, all I can say is: wow, despite its kind of embarassing brand name -- *cough*power-ram *cough* safe-stick *cough* -- and the weird sensation of having a blue flexible -- *cough* rubber *cough* -- USB stick that actually bounced when falling off the desk.
Of course, said blue rubber is the reason the thing is not only "drop-safe", but able to survive a trip through the washing machine (40°C, easy to clean), so yeah.
Maybe no glitzy optics, but cool performance! YeaH!

(and thanks to [insanejournal.com profile] solo____ for calling my attention to the double entrende of it! *eg*)

Tree-Talk

...Go. Learn...

January 2025

S M T W T F S
   12 34
567891011
1213 1415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 

Most Popular Tags

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated 2025-07-30 15:07
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios