We finally decided on a replacement for our venerable Kodak camera, which recently met its demise. The new addition will be the Powershot A40, which while it is only 2 megapixel, adds a lot of the manual controls that the Kodak lacked, as well as some nice features like a stitch-assist mode and the ability to use a printer without needing a computer. My favorite feature, however, is the optional waterproof case, which will not only allow us to take pictures of the submarine fauna in the crystalline San Marcos river, but which will also prevent the camera from meeting the same end that our camcorder did — drowned in a bucket of water by our children.

I’ve long been a fan of Handspring’s Visor line of personal organizers. I’ve recommended them to friends, and have been indirectly responsible for the sale of at least a half dozen of the little units.

But lately, they’ve started to frustate me. I use Mac OS X at home, and find it immeasurably superior to the old versions of the Mac OS. Handspring, however, has steadfastly refused to support it, even though Palm finished the desktop software months ago. I finally was frustrated enough that I sent them an email expressing my dismay that they weren’t supporting OS X, to which they responded “We value your input. Thanks for emailing!” (I paraphrase, of course.) So, compounding their lack of support with bad customer service, I made the decision to go back to Palm, which has been doing a good job of supporting my OS of choice.

So, last week I picked up an m130. I installed the OS X desktop software, and have been absolutely delighted with the combination. (Well, at least after I did a hard reset. The memory was a bit corrupted when I got the unit.) The new desktop software works better than the old version ever did, and the addition of color and more memory is a welcome one. CompUSA included a 64MB expansion card as well, which I’m still trying to figure out how to fill.

So, it’s been well over a year since my initial resolution to drop some weight. I’ve been pretty good about regular aerobic workouts on the treadmill or eliptical glider, and feel that I’m a good deal more fit than I had been. Unfortunately, I’ve also managed somehow to put on several pounds since I started working out, even though my diet has changed for the better. I guess my metabolism is slowing more quickly than my habits are changing, alas. I’m sure I’ve got a lot more little happy oxygen-delivering capillaries, but I’ve also got some more middle for them to deliver oxygen to.

So, on the advice of a friend who has a similar build and who has managed to drop a fair bit of weight, I’m starting strength training too. The theory is, of course, that by building more muscle mass, your body burns more calories at rest. I started in today, being careful not to overdo too much, but still hurt anyway. Squats are my least favorite exercise so far. Ow. Ow. Ow.

Texas recently passed legislation establishing a statewide “do not call” list that telemarketers must buy and use to avoid calling the people who have signed up for this service. The list has been building since January 1, and will go into effect at the beginning of July. (If you’re a Texas resident, you can sign up at http://www.texasnocall.com/. Go do it now!)

Telemarketers are evidently aware that this is going to put a dent in their marketing plans. We’ve been getting a ton of telemarketing calls lately, including the absolutely wretched ones that don’t even have a human on the other end, but only a recording.

Your days are numbered, scumbags! C’mon, July.

We bought a Kodak digital camera several years ago. It served long and well, but has finally given up the ghost, and we find ourselves in the market for a replacement. We want something digital with at least 2 megapixels. I found that my least favorite feature of the Kodak was that it was fixed focus, which tended to flatten out the composition of photos, so adjustable focus is important as well. Fancy features that don’t work well like recording video and audio are fine to skip. Finally, it needs to be pretty durable to survive life around our house.

So, if you’ve had any particularly good experiences, bad experiences, or you own stock in one of the camera companies, please let us know!

I’ve started on a new programming project today. I’ve been working on its design document once in a while for several months. It’s going to be a lot of work, so I probably won’t talk much more about it until things get more interesting, but thought I’d give you all a hint: it’s a game, and the code name for the project is “Daikaiju”.

I know you’ve all been waiting with bated breath. Well, you can put an end your asphyxia, as we have conquered the pool. A combination of siphons, a new pool pump, and loads of duct tape allowed up to completely empty the pool in a mere 10 hours, sucking out most of the bio-yuck along the way. Deep and heartfelt thanks to the McGinnis and Hendrick contingents, whose contributions would have been worthy of at least a guest spot on the Red Green Show. (Why don’t we Yanks get the movie in theaters here, anyway?)

The annual Prairie Home Companion Joke Show is now online. Some great stuff, and some delightfully bad stuff. Big fun.

Today is the day that we evict the toads, kill the waterbugs, and spread the nitrogen-rich algae over our backyard. Spring has sprung, and we’re going to be doing penance for our neglect of the pool over the winter. If you haven’t heard from us by the weekend, send in the CDC.

Chris asked me this morning about how public school was treating Emily, so I thought I’d provide an update here in case anyone else was interested. Emily was pretty nervous about her first day, and was up prowling around the house at 3:00am the night before. Since she’s actually started, however, she seems to have had little but good experiences there. She’s getting up to speed on math with a minimum of difficulty, and has been blazing through the accelerated reading program, where she’s reading books at her own rate and taking tests on the computer as she completes them.

Additionally, the TAAS test, which is the minimum academic achievement test in Texas, was earlier this week. Em apparently blazed through it, and thought she did great, though she won’t get her results back for a while. Her class is going on a number of field trips this week, including a local huge playground and the San Antonio Zoo.

So, all in all, this continues to look like a good decision for her. She’s making more friends, learning more readily, and hasn’t been subject to many of the horrors that sometimes accompany public school.