sasMusings

I'm Still Alive

2010-04-22T20:26:00.001-04:00

Just really busy with life...but sometime soon I should be able to get back to semi-regular posting. Just as soon as I figure out how best to get a cyber-school up and running....

Cash for Clunker Math

2009-09-22T10:10:00.001-04:00

From an unknown source...

A clunker that travels 12,000 miles a year at 15 mpg uses 800 gallons of gas a year.
A vehicle that travels 12,000 miles a year at 25 mpg uses 480 gallons a year.
So, the average Cash for Clunkers transaction will reduce US gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.
They claim 700,000 vehicles so that's 224 million gallons saved per year.
That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil.
5 million barrels is about 5 hours worth of US consumption.
More importantly, 5 million barrels of oil at $70 per barrel costs about $350 million dollars
So, the government paid $3 billion of our tax dollars to save $350 million.
We spent $8.57 for every dollar saved.

How good a deal was that ???

...gotta love government programs. Now what is that about healthcare???????

PDR Success!

2009-09-21T08:31:00.002-04:00

Sunday was a great day for a run. I completed the Philly Distance Run in 2 hours, 21 minutes and 12 seconds. That's a new PR for me! Today, I'm sore but not as bad as yesterday and that's before taking motrin.

Mission accomplished!

Philly Distance Run Tomorrow....

2009-09-19T11:26:00.004-04:00

Running the Philly Distance Run (half-marathon) tomorrow...resting today! Also, found out recently that Ryan Hall (American record holder for men's half-marathon) will be one of the elite runners in the PDR. Also the women's gold and silver medalists from the Beijing olympics, Constantina Dita of Romania, and Kenya’s Catherine “The Great” Ndereba will be running. Wow! Should make for an even more exciting day.

Tech Toy Tuesday

2009-04-21T08:57:00.003-04:00

I grew up playing games and still love playing games. It helped that just about everyone in my family would rather die than lose a game (just ask me what my brother did with a scrabble tile once...).

One of our favorites was/is Trivial Pursuit. In fact, I have been affectionately nicknamed the "repository of useless knowledge". Anyway, now the game is available for Wii systems. Definitely a "must get"!

Wacky Wednesday Canned Goods

2009-04-01T06:30:00.001-04:00

Today's treat.....

.....courtesy of Thailand.......

Thai Green Curry with Crocodile

Yuuuummmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!!!

More Mind Control Stuff...

2009-03-31T09:13:00.003-04:00

In keeping with the mind control theme, Honda announced some of it's robotic research. Click here for the fascinating story. Consider the possibilities....

Tech Toy Tuesday

2009-03-31T06:25:00.000-04:00

Mind-Flex Game from Mattel

Uses brain-wave power to control the speed of fans which in turn affect the height of a ball. Using a combination of brain-wave power and a directional knob, the ball is moved through an obstacle course.

Click here for a short video. Pretty weird! The game is supposed to be available later this year.

Cool Computer Gadget Monday-TV Wallpaper

2009-03-30T07:05:00.001-04:00

Engineers at Toshiba in Japan are on their way to making OLED TV Wallpaper, which will allow you to wallpaper any wall you choose with a very thin OLED screen.

“The wallpaper uses light that has been redirected by an ultra-fine grating that is fabricated by self-assembled nano particles.” It would seem that the effect might be similar to that of a Fresnel lens like those used in traffic lights, amplifying the intensity without requiring additional energy.”

It certainly sounds like an interesting idea. Imagine being able to paper a 100 inch screen on your wall! The possibilities.....

h/t : gadgettastic.com

Some thoughts on climate change...

2009-03-29T08:55:00.004-04:00

Interesting article about Freeman Dyson, a mathematical genius and climate change skeptic with a well-reasoned argument and world-view on climate change. All sides in the debate would do well to model his approach.

Click here for a brief summary or on the link below for full article.

**********

The article about Freeman Dyson in the Times Magazine nicely captures Mr. Dyson's independent spirit as well as a couple other appealing traits: humanism and optimism.

**********

Canned Goods to Good to Miss...Jellied Eels

2009-03-25T09:03:00.004-04:00

While not technically a "canned good", it is packaged. This info comes to us from another fine blogger at www.funfever.blogspot.com. Read on...

"Not much comes to mind when we hear the phrase "fine English cuisine," and jellied eels are a prime example of why this is the case. Caught from the murky depths of the Thames River estuary, boiled with salt and pimentos, set in gelatin and then served with a dash of chili vinegar, each bite is a gooey challenge for the average palate. The traditional dish originated in London's East End and is rumored to date back to a culinary dark age before its better-known (and more-appetizing) cousin, fish 'n' chips, had been created."

Bon Appetit!

Tech Toy Tuesday

2009-03-24T08:38:00.002-04:00

Good Morning! Sorry to have missed the post yesterday, but I had to handle a "work situation". So no cool computer gadgets this week, but I have found the cool tech toy. A handheld laser kaleidoscope! The combination of tech and lights was just too much to resist. Have fun and let me know when your light show will go "live"! Click here to see a sample and get pricing.

NCAA Results

2009-03-20T08:08:00.003-04:00

After the first round Thursday night games, my results are below:

Merck pool: 13 and 3
Home pool: 12 and 4
Lakeside pool: 15 and 1

Not bad for someone with only a passing knowledge of college basketball.

And now a word about Christmas

2009-03-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

Just letting everyone know that I'm still VERY interested in christmas light shows. We are in the final design phase for this year's show. As soon as it's done and the 2-D image has been created, I'll post a pic. Some other "housekeeping" chores that need to be done include sending 2 controllers back for repair and replacing the bent/broken flagpole section. Hopefully I won't have to buy a whole new pole.

As for the acutal display, we're looking to change things up this year somewhat. There will be more mini-trees, more arches and a different color scheme. Stay tuned.

Wacky Wednesday Canned Goods

2009-03-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

Okay....here it is....and you thought Spam was tempting...Armour presents:

Bon Appetit!!!

Tuesday Tech

2009-03-17T11:01:00.000-04:00

Cool tech toy for the sado-maschist in your life:

The tanks shoot at each other and when a hit is registered an electric shock is sent to the opponent's controller. A wrist strap is provided so that you don't drop the controller when shocked. Enjoy!

Incredibly shabby treatment of our veterans

2009-03-17T08:17:00.001-04:00

Last week President Obama put forth a plan to require war-injured veterans to pay for the treatment of combat disabilities with their own insurance rather than having the government pay for it. The commander of the American Legion, a veterans group, met with the president and his staff to discuss the proposal. It appears that the president wants to move forward with his plan. This is outrageous! These people willingly went into harm's way to protect our way of life and this is how we treat them? Below is an excerpt from the letter sent to President Obama by the American Legion commander.

..."There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."

"The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session with the president said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ' to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies.""

To read the entire article, click here.

I would also encourage you to contact your representatives and let them know you don't support this plan and this shabby treatment of our heroes. Use the handy reference below:

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 (ask for your state senators/representatives)
To find your state representatives, click here.

*Email and phone calls are the most expedient. Written letters can take up to 2 weeks to reach a respresentative due to security procedures.

Alma Mater is going to the Big Dance

2009-03-14T20:10:00.000-04:00

Temple just won the Atlantic -10 tournament and has secured an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Go Temple!

Pennridge Jazz Happenings

2009-03-11T10:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the Pennridge High School Jazz Bands were treated to a master class with several local jazz greats. Click here, to read the whole story.

Wacky Wednesday Canned Goods

2009-03-11T06:26:00.000-04:00

For those looking for a different kind of snack.....Enjoy!

Canned Chrysalis
NeT WT.: 4.59 oz
INGREDIENTS: Chrysalis, onion, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, water, l-glutamic and natrium

If you are into exotic food, try canned chrysalis with very unique taste.
Before emerging as a butterfly, a caterpillar goes through a stage during which it is called a "chrysalis." On the surface it appears to be a quiescent state. But this delicate process changes the humble caterpillar into a butterfly.Although it is rare today, chrysalis used to be a common snack for children in South Korea.

MANUFACTURE: Da Sol Foods, Inc.
PRODUCT OF KOREA(ROK)

Cool Computer Gadget Monday!

2009-03-09T10:32:00.000-04:00

Really cool, new fan-less mini-laptop from Asus! Click here to view or on the video below....

Nothing like waking up to merger news...

2009-03-09T06:55:00.000-04:00

So, I was doing my usual morning routine, listening to KYW, etc when it was announced that Merck (hubby's employer) was merging with Schering-Plough?!?!?! Nothing like getting news about your employer from the radio.....

Happy Monday?

Done!

2009-03-08T19:35:00.000-04:00

It's official....at 5:15pm DST I finally have all the lights, controllers, wireframes, extension cords and miscellaneous "stuff" from the 2008 display put away....neatly! I think it's time to celebrate with an adult beverage :-)

...and start to get serious about the 2009 christmas show plans! Look for some interesting changes....starting with the website.

2009-03-06T08:05:00.001-05:00

From a post on the Corner Blog from National Review:

I heartily concur with the closing sentence.

********************

Where Do You Send the Bill? [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

Robert Rector has been pointing out for longer than I can remember that America has the wealthiest poor people in the world. And here seems to be a photo illustrating that: Michelle Obama was at a homeless shelter. While distributing lunch, one of the men she was serving lunch to took a picture of her on his cell phone.

I don't envy this man's situation, whatever it is, and don't mean to make light of it. But we are a blessed people when our poor have cell phones.

Pancreatic Running Team

2009-01-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder, that I am running the marathon for Pancreatic Cancer Research. If you'd like to make a donation please click on the link below, and you'll be taken to my secure website.

To donate: Pancreatic Running Team - Sally

For more information on Pancreatic Cancer and Research: Pancreatica.org

Thanks!

22 mile Friday

2009-01-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

Well today was it. The last long run of my marathon training. 22 glorious miles on a sunny, January afternoon topping out at 45 degrees. Normally long runs are done on Saturday, but I couldn't resist the promise of "nice" weather to run outside. I still had to don gloves and a headband as the wind still had the winter's nip to it, but at least I didn't need multiple layers.

My hip started to complain after mile 9, and I decided it to split my run between outside and the treadmill just in case I needed to cut the run short. (didn't want to be 5 miles from home and have a problem) So I ran 10 miles outside and 12 miles inside.

As happened the last time, miles 16-19 were the hardest. At mile 20 I got my second wind and, even though my hip was "talking to me", I felt really energized; like I could run forever. I completed my 22 miles in 4 hours and 30 minutes. After some abs and some stretching I enjoyed a really good cup of tea.

Now it's taper time. For the next two weeks, my longest run will only be 12 miles. I'll be decreasing the mileage until race day in order to give my body a chance to rest and recover from the training so it's at peak form for 2/15/09....race day.

The only thing left to do is figure out what to do with all the free time I'm going to have.

Addicted to Tiger Woods Golf for Wii

2009-01-19T19:12:00.000-05:00

I'm really enjoying my Wii and especially the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009. With the exception of the putting, it's pretty spot on. The putting mechanism could use a lot of work. Really enjoying it.....perhaps a little too much!

Long Run Saturday

2009-01-17T18:10:00.000-05:00

Today was 22 miles. Since it was extremely cold (-10 degree windchill) the run was done on the treadmill. It wasn't quite as easy as last week's long run, but I got it in. Will definitely have to do some more work to break in the new sneakers.

24 is back

2009-01-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

24 is back and so is the irreverent episode recap by Dave Barry. Click the link below for a chuckle...

Sunday, 1/11/09: 8-10am

Regular Blogging Restart...Take 5

2009-01-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

Well, Christmas is over. The light show was well received and a lot of fun. We managed to collect $850 for the local food bank and made lots of christmas memories. Now it's full tilt marathon time!

On this past Saturday's long run I clocked 21 miles at 4 hours:8minutes:23 seconds. Surprisingly I felt really good when I was done. I do believe I could have gone further, but I refrained and stuck to the training schedule.

Donations have been coming in. I'm a member of the Pancreatic Running Team to raise awareness and funds for Pancreatic cancer research. If you'd like to contribute to the cause please click the link below and make a donation. The website is secure and the funds go to the Lorenzen Cancer Foundation.

Sally Simpson runs for Pancreatic Cancer-(click here)

Check back for the regular update.

Light Show is LIVE!!!!

2008-12-01T09:57:00.001-05:00

Saturday night saw the successful kick-off of the 2008 'TistheSimpsons Christmas light show. The debut was attended by about 50 people, the weather was cold but not bitter and everything went off without a hitch!

I was hoping to get pictures from Sunday night's running, but the weather didn't co-operate. Tonight (Monday) should be clear so I should be able to get some shots to post in the next day or two.

So....if you're in the Perkasie, PA area stop by and enjoy 28,000 lights animated by 112 channels of computerized control set to some really cool christmas music!

Show Setup kicks into high gear....

2008-11-28T06:06:00.000-05:00

Well the Thanksgiving festivities are over and lots of good food, fun and fellowship were had! Now it's time to kick the light show setup into high gear.

Over the next two days, over 20,000 lights will be artfully arranged in my front yard, connected into the appropriate controller channels and make ready for the "Illumination" on Saturday. The weather is looking to cooperate and for that and so many other things I am incredibly grateful!

Wish us luck and hope to see you at the lighting!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-27T07:35:00.001-05:00

On this day, I hope everyone can take some time to meditate on their blessings and/or good fortune. I hope you can find something to be thankful today even if it's just the fact that you woke up one more day!

I'm thankful for my family and friends. My faith, my health, our home, the dog, the cat, our church our jobs and so many things I couldn't possibly name them all and still have time to cook the turkey!

Thanks to everyone who has believed in me and my crazy ideas!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!.......now go stuff yourself :-)

Nightmares!!!

2008-11-25T06:25:00.000-05:00

Ever have one of those nightmares where you wake up scared out of your skin but you can't remember anything about the dream? Well, had one of those this morning. Woke up around 5am thinking I should be really scared but not sure what I should be scared of!?!?!?

Anyway, since I'm up, I can get an early start on the voiceover programming. Goal: get it done today and the show sequence setup in the timing grid. Sooooooooooo thankful for caffeine!

Turkey Preps

2008-11-24T08:11:00.000-05:00

Finally was able to arrange my schedule to take off the days before Thanksgiving. Now I'll have time to work on the light show stuff AND get ready for Turkey Day. I was up early getting my "battle plan" in order. The food list is done, the email has been checked and I'm ready to hit the food store before they have a chance to know what hit'em!

After that, it's time to squeeze in my 4 mile training run and then it'll be lights...lights...lights for the rest of the night!

Time out for marathon training

2008-11-22T14:22:00.000-05:00

Saturdays are my "long run" days, and today I had to do 12 miles. Well, here in eastern PA it was 20 degrees when I woke up this morning at 7am. The high was only projected to be 33 degrees. Since I had to run at 7am due to other responsibilities, it was the treadmill for me. (I don't run outside when it's below 30 degrees!!!!)

Long runs on the treadmill are not for the faint of heart; it takes a lot of self-discipline to keep going. Well, I did it. The pace was 11:32 per mile. It took me about 2 hours, 17 minutes to complete, but I did it!!!! Wish I could have done it outside!

New Transmitter

2008-11-20T19:34:00.000-05:00

I finally got it; Leon soldered it, and I configured it. My shiny new transmitter. It took an unscheduled trip to Staples to get a new adapter cable, but after it was procured and hooked up to my computer it worked flawlessly. The range is much better than my original and the sound quality is great!

Panic Attack Tuesday!?!?!??!

2008-11-18T08:57:00.000-05:00

Well it finally happened. I've been waiting for it....usually happens every year....

....Pre-show PANIC ATTACK!!!!!

Woke up very early this morning and my brain instantly went into hyper-drive listing all the things I still needed to get done for the light show debut on 11/29. As I lay there trying to tell myself "it will be fine" and tried to go back to sleep, I finally gave in, got up and started doing "things".

I'm making a list.....

Santa!!!!

2008-11-16T18:23:00.000-05:00

Amidst the light show preparations today, I assembled my new Santa. That's him in the picture. Isn't he cute? The kids should really like the new additions this year...Santa and the train. Hopefully I can post a picture of the train soon!

Did some work on the mega-tree today also! It was a tad chilly (40 degrees and windy) so it went a little slow. I'm glad we did it though because we realized we would need to rethink the tree base. Oh well, I'd rather find this out now than the day before we go live!

Started Prepping outside by taking down lights?

2008-11-15T18:05:00.000-05:00

Today I started prepping outside for decorating. First order of business...take down the tree lights from last year???? My daughter thought this a strange way to start too!

Anyway, we wanted to do a better job with stringing lights in the two trees in front of our house. After reviewing the situation, I determined that it was easier to start from scratch than to modify the existing structure (see I did learn something from Extreme Makeover: Home Addition).

So, this afternoon, I removed 2800 lights from the trees out front. I had to assume some pretty interesting positions while trying to unwrap the branches. I'm pretty sure the neighbors thought I was either a)crazy, b)going to kill myself or c)both!

But it's done...and it was 65 degrees today.

Light Show Programming - Check!

2008-11-15T07:06:00.000-05:00

Finally finished programming the songs for this year's light show. I thought I had finished a week ago, but then I reallllllllllllly wanted to do a spoof song called "Decorations" by Bob Rivers. It's set to the Beach Boys tune "Good Vibrations" and pokes fun at those of us who are incredibly enthusiastic about our displays. So......I did it.

And now....the programming is complete!

Yes...the Christmas Show is coming...

2008-11-12T16:02:00.001-05:00

I'm working feverishly to finish the show for the 11/29 grand lighting. Keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer, do the "christmas light dance" or whatever to insure that it all gets done.

I really need to start earlier next year.....

Go Phillies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

Phillies win the world series!!!!! Go Phillies!!!!!

Just try not to laugh....

2008-04-28T11:25:00.000-04:00

You can't help but at least smile....

Talk about sore losers....

2008-02-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

Now that Castro has stepped aside, all sorts of stories are coming out about the "benevolent" (?) dictator. Seems when he lost a round of golf to another "fine guerrilla icon"-Che Guevara, he decided that golf was a "yankee" game and closed Cuba's golf courses.

Gives new meaning to the moniker...sore loser!

MegaTree 2008

2008-02-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

Lest you think I've forgotten my roots, this post is announce the arrival of the flagpole that will be used as the basis of my new mega-tree for the 2008 Christmas Light show. The tree will be 20 feet! (Last year's was 10') It will have at least 6500 lights. Perhaps even a few curtain strobes for effect.

The pole of choice was the Sunsetter telescoping flagpole pictured to the right. It is in four sections. The lights can be attached at ground level and the pole raised with joints reinforced to handle the weight of the lights. The pole can be removed when not in use and stored.

After it is assembled it should look something like the picture on the left. I can't wait! It will be sweet!

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-21T11:25:00.000-05:00

Last night us sky watchers got a double treat. A full moon and a lunar eclipse. It started around 8:30pm and, when I went to bed around 10:30pm, it was fully eclipsed and a really cool shade of orangey-red. Nature can be so cool!

Quirky Canned Goods

2008-02-15T11:36:00.000-05:00

In the quirky canned goods category, here is the next entry...

It's a 50 ounce can containing a whole chicken complete with gelatinous globs of gravy. Yum! Don't you feel yourself getting hungry?!?!?!

Cheeseburger in a Can...Oh my!

2008-01-30T18:19:00.000-05:00

Just when I've gotten over my twitching whenever anyone mentions spam.There's this....

Canned Cheeseburgers!

A marvel of german engineering. More info is here. This could be the start of a weekly post...quirky canned goods. Enjoy!

New Nine-Mile Route

2008-01-27T15:20:00.000-05:00

Today I'm hoping for 9 miles. It's a balmy 40 degrees which is wonderful for this time of year. Using the google map features in my Runner's World Training log, I mapped out a new 9 mile route. It combines some of the usual routes but in a different configuration.

Be back shortly....

I did it! I ran 9 miles even thought about 10 but my quads reminded me that I was already pushing my luck. Overall pace was 11:47 per mile which is good...for me.

Christmas is still my favorite holiday

2008-01-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

Lest anyone think I've forgotten my first love, christmas, based on my last couple of posts don't worry! It's always on my mind. However, I'm still putting christmas '07 away...and don't feel I can turn my attention to christmas '08 until '07 is done and put away...which should be soon!

Just to give you a hint of what I'm thinking for '08...fireworks (not real ones...light fireworks) based on Action Lighting's Light Storms. To see what they look like click the link below.

Light Storm

When I get the prototype made I'll post a picture. Plans are also in the works for redesigning my website. So while running, politics, football and other topics may pop up you can rest assured that thoughts of "christmas" are always lurking!

Super Bowl XLII

2008-01-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a night for football! The Patriots won (of course) but so did the Giants (shocker)!?! I was really looking forward to seeing the Favre/Brady match up. Oh well, hopefully the Giants can keep the momentum going enough to make the game interesting.

And btw, Happy Monday!

Romney wins Nevada

2008-01-20T18:35:00.000-05:00

Romney wins Nevada!

However in reading the headlines today you'd have a hard time finding that information. I think it's interesting how much the MSM is under-reporting Romney's successes and pushing McCain. To me, if liberal/progressive media types are hyping a "conservative" candidate that should raise a really big RED flag!

Just my two cents. Oh well...back to the football games...

Saturday Long Run

2008-01-19T18:27:00.000-05:00

Well, today is Saturday which means it's my long run day. 8 miles is the goal. Only problem is the cold. The high is 35 degrees. I hate running in the cold, but tomorrow is supposed to be colder, and I certainly don't want to do 8 miles on a treadmill so I bundled up and took off.

This was a hard run. The cold made my knee hurt and my calves, which are normally tight, were even tighter. After two miles, I stopped to stretch a little and my knee really complained. I almost gave up but decided to see if I could walk out the cramp. I did.

I slowed my pace down to 12 min/mile and that seemed to help. I managed to complete the run...all 8 miles but the last mile was sheer determination and discipline. I was really happy when I was done. Now for recovery....

Stay warm!

Running continues...

2008-01-16T11:28:00.000-05:00

Even though I haven't talked much about it, my love of running continues. In September 07 I completed the Philadelphia Distance Run (which is a half-marathon). My goals were to finish the 13.1 mile course in under 3 hours and healthy. I did both! My finish time was 2 hours and 43 minutes, and I was walking when it was over.

It was a lot of fun! In fact and as a result, several ladies (7) where I work have formed two marathon relay teams, and we will be competing in the New Jersey Marathon on 5/4/08. We're in the process of formalizing and naming the teams now.

Training is on-going. Yesterday I did 4 tempo miles on the treadmill. (ugh) Running 4 miles isn't bad, running it on a treadmill is deadly....even with the TV.

TistheSimpsons 2007 Christmas Light Show is in the books!

2008-01-08T00:33:00.000-05:00

Well, this past weekend, the 'TistheSimpsons 2007 Christmas Light Show ran for the last time on Friday night and was taken down and put away on Saturday and Sunday. A picture is above. This year's display featured 27,000 lights and 96 channels of computer animation. The show included Christmas music from TSO, Aerosmith, Dr. Seuss and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I was really pleased with the response from the community. Lots of people came by to see it several more than once.

We also accepted donations for a charity that will build a safe play area for orphans/children in the Darfur region of the Sudan which has been wracked by intense tribal fighting and genocide. Mercy Corp offers a "playground kit" for $400. We collected $720 and every penny will go to the charity. As an added bonus, hubby works for Merck who will match the donation! So we were able to donate $1440 which should go along way to bringing lots of happiness to kids who could use a place where they can just be kids. Thanks to everyone who donated!

If you didn't get a chance to see the display in person you can go to www.tisthesimpsons.com and click on the links to 3 videos I've posted on YouTube. Again thanks for everyone who came by and made some Christmas memories!

New Year's Resolution 2008

2008-01-07T10:21:00.000-05:00

I resolve to post on a more regular basis. Perhaps every couple of days. The topics may be more "eclectic" but hopefully interesting.

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Monday Tempo Run

2007-07-09T19:39:00.000-04:00

Today is Monday, must be time for a tempo run. A tempo run consists of 1 mile warmup at a slow, easy pace and then 3 miles at your 5k pace (which for me is currently 10 minutes a mile). Hubby and I got up at 5:15 am to stretch and prep so we could be on the road by 5:45 am. The outside temperature was already 70 degrees and HUMID. (just as an FYI, optimal tempo run temperature is in the low 60's).

We ran what we thought was the 10 min pace but at the end of the 3 miles found we actually around 10:40 pace. Slightly disappointing, but I'll blame the weather! Humidity is a tempo killer!

Christmas Eve Sarajevo-TSO

2007-07-09T01:28:00.000-04:00

Continued working on the finale song for the 2007 Christmas light show. I knew this one would be the hardest to do that's why I decided to tackle it first. There is a lot of stuff happening in that song not the least of which is the interweaving of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with "The Carol of the Bells".

The mega-tree, which will be doubled layered this year (3200 green lights AND 3200 red lights), plays a prominent role especially at the end of the song. I spent at least 2 hours trying to get the effect I "saw" in my head while listening to the music. I'm close, but it's not precisely what I want. I'm going to take my own advice and leave it alone for a while and come back with a fresh set of eyes and ears. For now, the song is done, but I'm sure there will be tweaking before we go live. One song down, 4 to go!

On the construction side, the light arch instructions have been downloaded and the materials list printed. Hopefully this coming weekend, I can borrow the Explorer and head to Home Depot to get the PVC.

Saturday Long Run

2007-07-07T20:21:00.000-04:00

Today I completed 8 miles!!! I've NEVER run 8 miles at one time before. Average mile time was 11 minutes 53 seconds. I seemed okay...until I stopped. I walked half a mile to start the cool down process and finished up with some serious stretching and some ab work. Was going to do some weight work, but my quads and hamstrings had other plans.

I felt those 8 miles for the rest of the day! I was sore! I also rewarded myself with several ice cream treats throughout the day. I didn't gain any additional weight, but I didn't lose any either. Note: next week only 1 ice cream treat after the long run!

If this is how 8 feels I wonder how 9 will feel next week?!?

And now a break for Christmas...

2007-07-02T01:00:00.000-04:00

Received my "wind-o-light" window frames for the christmas display. These are cool. They are basically customizable plastic strips with holes evenly spaced to hold mini-lights. The frames, once assembled, sit in the window frame and outline the window with evenly spaced lights that don't sag or droop. In addition, after christmas, the frames can be removed and stored for the coming years. They don't need to be disassembled. Another really attractive feature is that each set only cost $6 and worth every penny.

The kit came with the plastic frames and a string of 50 white mini-lights which fit the perimeter perfectly. The only trick is to make sure that the frames are positioned so the lights show past any window frame that may be in the way. I set up two and tested them out. They are perfect! I'm starting to get excited for this year's show.

Saturday Long Run

2007-06-30T15:31:00.000-04:00

Today I upped the mileage to 7. Ran the first 2 miles with hubby and the dog. After depositing them back at home, I picked up my water bottle and proceeded on my way. Was only going to do 6, but felt like pushing it. When I was done, I definitely felt like I had run 7 miles, but I wasn't wiped.

Musical accompaniment for this run was the Podrunner recording of "Velocity Angels". A really cool mix at 172 bpm. It really helps to have a "running soundtrack" to go with the mental imagery I have going of crossing the finish line!

One amusing thing I saw on my run was two bunnies fighting. They faced off, one would charge, the other would hop over the one charging, they would both turn around and face each other again and repeat the process. I didn't stick around to see the conclusion, but it made me chuckle!

Tex-Mex 5k

2007-06-28T08:15:00.000-04:00

Ran the Tex-Mex 5k (3.1 miles for my non-metric buddies) last night. Temperature was 92 degrees with, oh about, 95% humidity!?!?! Not the easiest run I've ever done. I was hoping for an under 30 minute time, but I'll probably have to settle for 31.5 minute time. They used timing chips so the exact times won't be posted until some time today...

A word about the timing chip, you got an ankle strap with a chip linked to you. Your time didn't start until you crossed the start line and then it stopped when you crossed the finish line. This is great for those of us who run at the back of the pack! Very high-tech....very cool!

Of course, the taco, beer and margharita buffet after the race was pretty cool too!

I'm back!!!!

2007-06-26T08:28:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a while, and just so you don't think I've been lying around eating bon-bons I'll give you a quick update. Daughter #1 has graduated high school and is headed for college in the Fall. Son #1 has successfully completed his freshman year in high school and is looking forward to daughter #1 going to college in the Fall.

Work on the 2007 TistheSimpsons Christmas Light Show is in progress. Due to all the graduation hub-bub I'm a little behind, but I'm hoping to make up some time the next few weeks. I'm doubling the number of channels from 48 to 96 and upping the light count to about 20,000. I need to build 15 mini-trees and two 5 foot light arches. To date I have 1.5 trees done. There will be 5 songs with the feature cartoon character this year being the grinch. Stay tuned!

I've also set myself a goal to run my first marathon in two years which will be a milestone birthday for me. The most I've run is a 10k which is 6.2 miles so I have my work cut out for me. I started training for a half-marathon (13.1 miles) in September. Three weeks in I'm up to running 5 miles without feeling like I've run 5 miles. From here on out, each week the long runs increase by 1 mile. I feel good and am looking forward to reaching what has always been one of those "things that I've wanted to do before I die".

Also hoping to post more consistently about the progress of both passions. Wish me luck!

Personal Responsibility?

2007-02-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Seems to me this takes the "nanny state" idea a bit too far!!

2006 is in the books!

2007-01-06T19:29:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's been a while since I've last posted. Setting up the light show, then running the light show. Dealing with all the fun christmas season stuff and, of course, my 9-5 job.

Anyway, today we took down all, and I mean all, the decorations. They are down boxed, labelled and put away. We started at 10:30am and finished at 5:30pm. The weather couldn't have been nicer. Today it was a balmy 70 degrees in Perkasie, PA which usually sees a high of 39 degrees.

Thank you, Jesus!

Now, I'm tired. I will update the blog with a summary of our 'TistheSimpsons 2006 light show experience in the next few days. Stay tuned! Next year should be even more fun!

95%

2006-11-19T23:40:00.000-05:00

Worked like a dog this weekend...and enjoyed every minute of it! Put up the rest of the light show components including the mega-tree. We moved it out of the garage and put 32 100 count light strings on it...yes that's 3200 lights. It looks awesome.

We plugged in most of the extension cords (we still need 5 permanent ones)and ran a test of the show. It works....It works....IT WORKS!

We'll put the finishing touches on it between now and Saturday, 11-25, but as of this moment, TIStheSimpsons is on track and ready to go!

Now I'm going to bed!

Been busy...

2006-11-08T17:51:00.000-05:00

It's been almost a month since my last post, but I've have a good reason. I've been very busy! Work continues on the sequences, the mega tree is just waiting to be moved to it's home outside, half the lights for it have been purchased; I just need 15 more sets. Thank heavens for Wal-mart! I exchanged the red lights with white wires for red lights with green wires. Now I just need the rest of the leaves to fall off the tree. If it doesn't happen soon I may be forced to do it by hand!?!? We have purchased almost all of the 44 extension cords we need, and I've purchased the rubbermaid tote to hold the controller that will go on the porch. Jeremy came over last Saturday and strung the lights on the roof peaks which happen to be 30 feet above ground. That's him in the picture! This weekend I'll be putting up more lights and laying extension cords. So far everything is on schedule for the 11/25/06 debut. 17 days!

Busy week

2006-10-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

Well it has been a very productive week! My electrician friend installed three dedicated circuits (one for each of the controllers), and he ran the ethernet cables. I finished the mega-tree frame and got it painted; now it only needs lights which can't be put on until we move it outside. Hubby and I modified the FM transmitter and tested it. The FM dial is very loaded in this area, but I was able to find a free one: 90.7 FM. The transmitter reaches our entire cul-de-sac and around the corner. The FCC shouldn't feel the need to knock on my door. We also started to map out the extension cords. We have 44 channels and will need 44 extension cords. If you hear about a good sale, let us know!

***41 days until the debut***

Electricity is Coming...

2006-10-08T12:14:00.000-04:00

Our good friend, Ed, is wiring the house for the christmas lights. We are adding 3 additional 30 amp circuits; one for each of the controllers. He's also running the CAT5 cable for the connections between the controllers. It's always good to get an expert's opinion because he was able to suggest an alternative way to place the controllers so that only 1 of three would be exposed to the elements. All three are strategically positioned to minimize the amount/length of extension cords we will need to run; we'll still need many, many feet, but it will be much less than originally thought. The only downside is that the cost of the wire and circuits was higher than I had anticipated so my budget for additional items has been seriously depleted. Oh well...there's always next year!

2nd Sequence is Done

2006-10-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

Was feeling under the weather today so I decided to stay home and nurse my very bad head cold. In between naps I was able to finish up the second sequence, "Run, Run Rudolph". This song has special significance to our family...it's the one we usually decorate the tree to. It started when the offspring was little, and we can't decorate without it. Two down...two to go...

Mega-Tree Progress

2006-09-30T19:19:00.000-04:00

Work continues on the mega-tree. I've assembled the two base rings as well as the light ring. I've created the center support poles. I ran into some problems with the center support bracket. I'll have to redo it because one of the guides was not at the right angle. Aside from that, things are progressing, and hubby is even offering to help.

This will be a light weekend due to a football game and a competition, but I do have Sunday!

What a Weekend!

2006-09-24T19:17:00.000-04:00

Wow! Started work on the mega-tree. Made the initial cuts of the PVC lengths, and only have to re-buy 4 pieces of the grey PVC pipe. We cut the wrong end and left the connector end on but shouldn't have. So next up is starting to put it together!

Also, opened the LOR controllers and set them up. Loaded the software onto the laptop and got them configured. The LOR hardware control program found all three! After some adjustments to the install procedure. It does help when you read the instructions!

Anyway, I hooked up the 10 mini-trees I made to their respective channels and ran one of the sequences. It worked!!!! It is so cool!!! I'm ready to get the whole thing set up and going.

It also has rekindled my drive to get a few more sequences completed. Christmas here we come!!!

Finished the mini's!

2006-09-18T00:27:00.000-04:00

I finally finished making the mini-trees...10 to be exact. It took 10 frames, 3000 lights, and over 1400 cable ties. I positioned them and plugged them in, and it was fantastic!!! I'm hoping to have a picture up soon!

The controllers have arrived!

2006-09-12T19:33:00.000-04:00

The LOR controllers were on my doorstep today! Wow was that box heavy! I refrained from opening it however. I want to finish the mini-trees before I do. I'm afraid I'll get distracted. Plus it gives me incentive to complete the trees.

The Mega-Tree is Here

2006-09-03T11:29:00.000-04:00

Well the kit that is...Opened the box which contained mainly pvc connectors, coat hooks and instructions, and my sister-in-law was not impressed. I said to be patient, we had to get several additional pieces from Home Depot. The instructional DVD is priceless. It will save lots of time. Hubby and siser-in-law are skeptical, but I am determined. I'm thinking about taking a couple days off at work to catch up on Christmas stuff since I have a few "comp" days coming my way. Regardless, I am READY to move into Christmas mode!!!

The Mega-Tree!!!!

2006-08-30T22:04:00.000-04:00

I did it! Today I ordered the 10' mega-tree kit from Darryl at www.christmaslightshow.com; it comes highly recommended. It comes with just about everything including an instructional DVD. I will have to purchase some of the items such as 10' lengths of PVC pipe. Can't wait for it to get here, and start assembling. The only quandry...transporting 10' lengths of PVC home from Home Depot. Wish me luck!

Hopefully when it's done it will look like this....

PA/NJ Mini-Plus

2006-08-27T18:59:00.000-04:00

Attended the Mini-Plus. I got a chance to meet some of the people I've been exchanging ideas with over this past year at Planet Christmas. Jeff and Dawn hosted the event, and it was wonderful. Lots of good food, good conversation and good ideas! It was great to be among a group of new friends who share the same crazy interest as me.

I learned lots about lights, something about making printed circuit boards, constructing mega-trees and even some tips on take-down and storage. We had to leave early due to a family function, but would have loved to stay. This may become a bi-annual event. Here's hoping!

PA/NJ Mini-Plus

2006-08-26T09:42:00.000-04:00

Today is the PA/NJ Mini-Plus meeting. Can't wait! I also noticed that someone from Schwenksville, PA (which is a few towns over from me) will be attending also.

On the homefront, I finished the second mini-tree, and after realizing that September is just around the corner, have become VERY motivated to get the remaining 8 finished.

Also looking to finalize the purchase of the "mega-tree" kit and the FM transmitter which will probably be a "Ramsey". Stay tuned!

Long Time...No Post

2006-08-03T08:12:00.000-04:00

Greetings!
It's been awhile, and I didn't realize how long it's been until I looked at the last post update date...time flies!!!! Right after school let out the fam went on a short-term Missions Trip to help out the folks of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. Even though the hurricane is now almost a year old the damage is still extensive. To hear the stories and see the devastation breaks your heart. Keep them in your prayers.

While my Christmas work has been slightly sidelined, it has been moving forward. I'm working on the sequence for my second song, Jimmy Buffet's version of "Run, Run Rudolph". Also, have been strategizing with an electrician friend how best to handle the additional power pull and where to place the controllers (which are coming in September...I can't wait). Additionally, JeffMills (from Planet Christmas) has graciously offered to host a mini-PM for those of us in the Philly area on 8-26, and I will be attending that. As a newbie I need all the pointers I can get! If you're interested check out the Planet Christmas Chat room site and look for the PHilly PM discussion thread.

Have a great day and stay cool!

The order is in....

2006-05-27T07:57:00.000-04:00

Light-O-Rama (aka LOR) finally announced that their April Sale would take place in May: May 22nd to May 29th to be exact. LOR is the company that makes the controllers that connect to my computer and runs the light show sequences that I am creating. Anyway, I placed my order yesterday! Being the frugal person that I am, and not wishing to put hubby into credit card shock, I chose their SAVE10 promotion which takes an additional 10% off the sale price if you will wait 3 months for delivery.

This will give me time to finish the sequencing and order the FM transmitter and the 10' mega tree. Also, the 9 other mini-trees and...and....and... but it's all fun!

That's a Wrap...

2006-04-23T01:59:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not posting in a while, life intrudes on my hobbies every so often, and this was one of those oftens. There is some good news though, I completed sequencing my first song. The reactions from the people I've shown it to are either "that's incredible" or "you are crazy". Maybe it's a little of both. Anyway, I'm now on to my next song, "Run, Run Rudolph". Also starting to research FM transmitters, but that topic is for another post.

Mini-Tree Quest

2006-04-10T02:45:00.000-04:00

After a very nice breakfast with the offspring (hubby is in Myrtle Beach golfing with some buds), church and umpire clinic drop-off, I headed out to find the proper sized wire frame for my mini-trees. First stop..Joanne's Crafts. They had a 30" frame which I thought was perfect. However, after having learned my lesson with the 24" frame, I sought out a ruler. Good thing I did, because the 30" frame still had 10" legs which only gave me a 20" tree...still too small. Joanne's didn't have 36" frames so I trekked over to AC Moore Crafts and was rewarded for my diligence. They had 36" frames (lots of them) and their legs were 10" (I'm noticing a pattern) which gave me 26" for lights...PERFECT! I got 11 and a bag of Good and Plenty for the road.
Once the evening responsiblities and the laundry were attended to, I sat down to watch the final round of The Masters and construct my mini-tree. These things take a lot of cable ties; I'm definitely going to need more. It took me about 2 hours to finish the tree, but you've got to remember I was watching golf and doing the laundry at the same time so it can probably be done faster, but I have until November so I think I'll be okay.
Anyway, it looks great! I may want to add one more set of lights, but for now I'm satisfied. Only 10 more to go....

Mini-Trees and The Masters

2006-04-09T01:36:00.000-04:00

Got back from the drumline championships where the offspring took 2nd place! I taped The Masters golf tournament and am now ready to watch my favs (Phil and Freddy) and tackle my first mini-tree.
I got the first frame, 3 sets of lights, and a bag of cable ties, and I'm off. After getting the first set of lights on I noticed that it seemed a little small. I measured the area of the frame that holds the lights, and it was only 14 inches. Problem...I neglected to account for the length of frame that would need to go into the ground to hold them in place. The 24" easel had 10" legs which made the tree too small. Stymied...I'm going to have to check out the 30" or 36" easels, but that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.

"Queen of Winter" Update

2006-04-08T18:10:00.000-04:00

In between the offsprings' Jazz Band and Indoor drumline competitions (and watching the Masters),I worked on the sequencing for "Queen of Winter". The song is 3 minutes and 13 seconds long. I have completed the first 2 minutes and enjoyed every minute of it. I'd say those 2 minutes took me about 4 hours of programming. The "experts" at Planet Christmas tell me the first song takes the longest...

Animation Window II

2006-04-05T00:05:00.000-04:00

Finished setting up the animation window! It's looks pretty good!

Animation Window I

2006-04-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

Since my light stringing outside is on hold until September, I decided to turn my attention to the sequencing software. I had already setup the channels. Now I needed to create the Animation window. The animation window is a 100x100 block grid that you set up to represent your light setup. I had a few minutes before my daughter's indoor guard championship meet so I started the process. Because this is all new, it's going a little slow at the moment, but it's not as hard as I thought it might be...stay tuned...

Green and Red Trees

2006-03-31T21:36:00.000-05:00

OK, so the weather in sunny PA was a balmy 70 degrees which is wonderful for this time of year. I decided to bag work early and come home to finish putting the green lights in the green tree and put red lights in the red tree. I want to get them in before the trees bud and the window of opportunity was closing fast.

Part one of the plan went flawlessly. I got the taller ladder which allowed me to add some lights higher up in the tree. I found an extra set of green lights and added that too. I think I have about 900 lights in the tree now. My neighbor came home and said, "Tell me you're not putting lights in a tree in March"...to which I replied, "you betcha, I'd rather string lights in 70 degree weather rather than 30 degrees"; an idea she agreed with.

Anyway, I'm in full light-stringing mode. I'm ready to start the red tree. I get the lights from their hiding place, open the first box (of 9)and came to a dead stop. When I bought the lights in December I didn't realize that the wires were WHITE! I need green wire; I can't put white wire lights in a brown tree; it would look dumb! What to do? I went online to try to find lights that I could have overnighted, but the only ones I could find were commerical grade at $12 each. No way was I paying $12 for lights that I can get at Wal-Mart for $2.88 (and that's not on sale. I tried eBay but the shipping prices were outrageous, and I wouldn't get them for at least a week which would be too late anyway because the tree was a day or two away from budding.

I reluctantly gave up the idea of getting the red lights up before the Fall, put the red lights w/white wire away to be returned in the Fall away and went on to the next item on the to-do list. Oh, well at least the green tree is done!

Sequencing "Queen of Winter"

2006-03-30T22:44:00.000-05:00

I had a few spare minutes so I decided to start sequencing my first song. I've chosen "Queen of Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I completed the LOR (Light-O-Rama) tutorials and am ready to jump in. Since I've decided to use LOR's controllers, I thought it would be a good idea to use LOR's Sequence Software. It's pretty straight forward.

First I copied the songs from the CDs to my PC. Then I opened LOR and created a new musical sequence file based on the chosen song. I already know I'll have 3-16 channel controllers to work with and have done some preliminary assignments. I set all that up and recorded the beat track. Now I'm working on the animation window. That's a separate screen that functions as a test for the light show. Next step is to start adding the effects. Wish me luck!

Frames are Here!

2006-03-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

I received the mini-tree frames a few days ago, but the online store was sold out of 4" cable ties. I need those to secure the lights to the frame. After checking with the Facilities Manager where I work, I went on a field trip to Lowe's and found a plethora of cable ties. I purchased 500 ties; hopefully that will be enough. The supplies are safely tucked away. I plan on starting work on the trees the weekend of April 8th. Hubby will be in Myrtle Beach for a much deserved golf vacation, and I will be holding down the fort. Since I, too, am a golf nut, I plan to watch as much of the Masters Tournament as I can while constructing mini-trees. Should be lots of fun! Check back for pictures.

Mini-Tree Time

2006-03-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the website and blogsite are up and running. Now it's time to get back to the mini-trees. Mini-trees (for me) are 2 ft trees constructed using some sort of frame and 3-100 lightstrings. The original PlanetChristmas mini-trees were made with floral easels, the lights and lots of cable ties. Others have used tomato cages for frames or even made their own from wire. The Gremler "tomato cage" variety are very nice, but I think would take too much time so I am opting for the tried and true...the original PC(Planet Christmas)version.

It took me a little while to track the suckers down, but I finally found them on Hobby Lobby's website for $2.00 each. There was a floral supply site in CA that sold them for $1.10 each but you had to order at least $50 from them. The added bonus at the Hobby Lobby webstore was that they sold green cable tie wraps which are needed to attach the light strings to the easel.

So the order has been placed and should arrive in a couple of days. Hopefully I can start working on the prototype soon. After the first one is done, I'll post a picture of my handiwork.

The website is up!

2006-03-19T12:12:00.000-05:00

Finally got the website up! The color scheme isn't exactly the way I want it, but will do for the moment until I have time to do some more playing. If you're so inclined feel free to check it out at: http://tisthesimpsons.com

I want to add a countdown calendar that counts down to the debut date. I've looked at a couple but haven't found what I want. If anyone has a good one or knows where to find one leave me a comment!

And we're off...

2006-03-18T00:10:00.000-05:00

*This is summary of my work to date...
12-15-05
My husband sent me a video that was making the rounds of the internet. It was a house in Ohio that had its christmas lights synchronized to music. I was intrigued. I "googled" the video, found it to be legit and found a link that described how he created the show. It was computerized. I was hooked! I decided that I was going to do something similar next year. After all, this combined three things I really love...christmas lights...christmas music...and computers.

I joined the users at PlanetChristmas to learn from their experience and get ideas. What a fun group. Feel free to check it out at www.planetchristmas.com.

12-20-05
I downloaded the Light-O-Rama sequencing software to start playing. What a hoot! Also started to gather ideas for light layouts. Also put together a shopping list to hit the after-Christmas sales.

12-26-05
Got up early to hit the sales at Wal-Mart and Target. Got lots of stuff...2-36 inch lighted wreaths, 50 sets of 100 light strings, 12 sets of blue icicile lights and 8 sets of white icicle lights.

1-10-06
Laid out the light plan for the house and picked a few of the songs. The big one at the moment is going to be "Queen of Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

1-30-06
Waiting for the Light-O-Rama controllers to go on sale. Word is that that will be in April. We've set a date of the Saturday after Thanksgiving for the official unveiling.

2-10-06
Researching the best way to create the mega-tree. I did find a site that offers a pre-fab 15' tree. The only thing that I would have to add would be the lights. Costs about $100 which seems to me to be a pretty good deal.

3-17-06
Had to spend the last month focusing on a database project at work so haven't had a lot of time to devote to my light show, but now that things are calming down (so to speak) I can get back to my new hobby. I'm trying to find the 2' floral frames to make the mini-trees with. Someone suggested Lowe's, but that was a deadend. I'm going to have to do an internet search. Also I need about 500 black tie wraps. Can't wait to see my Roger's (husband) reaction to this assembly. He already thinks I'm moderately crazy, but he loves me.

The weather is getting warmer which means Spring is coming. I want to get the trees wrapped prior to the leaves budding so that I'm not doing it in the cold this Fall.