today's agenda

First, an apology to Hotelmeister Adam, whose BBQ I missed last night (will there be other BBQing nights?). I ended up spending a long time talking with my father about the immediate future; by the end of that conversation it was around 8PM, and I schlepped over to the teriyaki place for dinner.

Today, I'm going to try to do several computer-related things. I want to record another video or two for upload onto YouTube; I then need to get over to the public library to try to perform the upload; finally, I want to spend the afternoon seeking out whatever electronics shops are in the area so I can think about purchasing a small laptop.

It's killing me to have all this data and no consistent way to upload it to the blog in a timely manner. I'm coming around to the conclusion that a laptop's benefits outweigh its risks. Those risks, by the way, almost all pertain to the laptop's exposure to inclement weather. If, however, I'm able to walk large chunks of the US with a chase car, this problem should be minimal-- the only major concern with a car is the mini-greenhouse effect during hot weather: I don't want my computer to fry in the summer heat next year.

What I would need is a laptop that has a decent processor (2GB or higher), a decent amount of memory for storing photos and movies (say, 40-80 gigs for starters; I'm not talking about anything larger than YouTube shorts), fast WiFi capability to take advantage of the motels and hotels I stay in, and a suite of programs related to word processing and graphic design (which might also be a way for me to earn a little cash, either by making more CafePress designs or by doing freelance design work for people willing to shell out). I might also be interested in some sort of filmmaking software, but that's out of my price range right now.

Lots to do today.

UPDATE: I might need to scale down my memory and performance requirements, and think about getting something like this. I've been quietly watching the progress of these minis for a while.


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