#sub-etheric

[copperbadge]

Post office bounty! Look at all these awesome holiday cards. This was the first batch I thought I’d lost, but sure enough they were on my desk at work. So what have we go?

Godzilla and King Kong in love from @kyburg, a classy hipster reindeer from @shygryf (I did wish the kitties a merry Christmas from you!), NARWHALIDAYS from @rosegoldplated, beautiful kitties from @bookfanatic, POE from Kris & Josh (I’m sorry I NEVER remember your username even though I’m fairly sure I know it -- but I did pet the kitties in your honor!) and a Teeny Tiny Penguin (definitely my penguin form!) from @sub-etheric. And there was a lovely set of cat toys and a funny kitty holiday card, which I THINK are from Gisa, but I can’t quite read the handwriting -- let me know if I’ve misread it! 

I love all the cat cards and cat paraphenalia I got this year :D Cats and puns, that’s me! 

[copperbadge]

Hi Sam, just wanted to thank you for inspiring me to start running last year! I've built up from 60 second intervals to being finally brave enough to complete my first race - I did the final 5.3 mile leg of a marathon relay today. Managed about 4 miles before walking a bit then running the big finish - I may have been equally cursing you part way round for starting this and using your reassurance on walking to help! I averaged 10:59 pace and have a snazzy medal so am super happy :D Thank you!

Oh my god, that’s awesome! Better than I can do after two years, so well done you. Congratulations, show off that medal! 

[copperbadge]

Sam, can I ask what process/software you use for your video archaeology please? I'm still at the stage of having far too many video tapes to get rid of and not entirely sure how best to start!

Well, remember I’m not converting straight from videocassette to digital. Ten years ago I converted VHS to DVD using a piece of equipment that was a combined VHS player and DVD recorder -- you popped in a cassette, put in a blank DVD-R or DVD-RW, hooked it up to a TV, and hit “record” on the DVR when the videocassette was where you wanted it. 

What I’m doing now is using a ripping program (123 Copy DVD) to rip those recordings I made ten years ago from DVD to digital, using the DVD player on my laptop. 

I believe that you can buy specialized equipment that will rip a cassette straight to digital. It’s a little VCR-type device you plug into your laptop. If you have a VCR you can also buy cables to plug it straight into your laptop, and there are how-to guides online. 

So I’m of limited help in this case because I never converted VHS straight to digital. But if you’re going to, I suggest doing it soon -- the impetus for me to finish converting from DVD to digital was that the last VCR maker in the world has stopped making them, and DVD players probably aren’t far behind. 

(There are also pay services that will convert for you, but it’s like $20 a tape. I am having this done for one tape I still had, which was of my senior thesis performance for theatre school.)