I really hate the Moveable Type platform so I will not be using this blog anymore.

Please visit my Travel Journal at:
http://www.FromCastleToCastle.com

I will post links to my other blogs at a later date.

About 1/3 of the way into the film - the lights went up - not all the way but enough to really be annoying. I - like most in the theater - figured that when the usher came through on their usual rounds to make sure that we weren't recording it that they would notice and turn the lights back out. But the usher didn't come in (probably figuring its hard to record a 3d movie) and the lights stayed on for I would guess at least 45 minutes until someone got frustrated enough to leave. I know this because the moment this guy came back the lights went out.

I also found the entire thing a little off. Part of me thinks that the screen was dimmer than it should have been. But it wasn't until the credits that I noticed that the right eye was in focus but the left eye was not!

So when the film was over I sought out the manager (I was a little disappointed because it wasn't the usual manager who knows me very well). I explained to him about the lights and about the focus and he said that the usher should have caught the lights that the automation must have been set wrong and that the focus thing is done by someone else and that they don't have control over it.

This is absurd. I am not saying that their inability to focus the projectors is absurd - that is probably true. But if I told him that the toilet was leaking or that the faucet was running would he tell me that he isn't allowed to fix it - only a plumber could do that.

If its broken you call the person to fix it - not explain that you can't. I guarantee you that knowing that the film was out of focus that they still ran other performances under the guise of - its easier to deal with complaints then it is to fix it!

I was upset by the answer. I was upset by the attitude.

I was there with a friend and I think he was a little taken aback that I would complain. I don't send food back at a restaurant when it is a little off but this is something that is broken and will STAY broken unless they care to fix it.

He begrudgingly (though I didn't ask) went and gave us free passes for another film. But the attitude to me and to the services they offer as a theater sucked and I am reminded about the old adage about knowing the difference between ignorance and apathy: I don't know and I don't care.

He like most of my friends these days are trying to stream programs using http://www.ustream.tv/ which is great and designed to stream programs or shows on your own channel.

Of course not everyone wants to stream using a cheap USB webcam or using a live stream at all. I know this goes against the basic concept but sometimes you do want to stream a produced show (which I think is still in the spirit of the service).

I recently cam across the program ManyCam which is designed to allow your webcam to work in many programs at once. This is fantastic and is designed to allow one video program (like yahoo messenger) to use your webcam while another video program (like skype) is also using it.

One of the cooler features is that is allows you to pick from even more sources for instance you can choose a video file or a DV/IEEE1394/Fireware camcorder that is plugged in (which you normally can only capture from) and even the screen itself (for screen casting). I recently tried this and it worked like a charm though I had to make sure to turn off the 'auto-off' and I would have needed to route the audio from the A/V cable into the sound card if I wanted it as well.

When using ManyCam there is a logo for the software on the screen but this is easily turned off from the Effects Tab by unchecking the 'show ManyCam.com Logo' in the Text Over Video item. There are lots of other cool features worth exploring and the price is definitely right.

Enjoy

Dee Perry has invited me to be a guest on Around Noon.

This is my third time on the show and it has been a lot of fun chatting with her about technology and the culture of technology. She likes to keep me on my toes so I wonder what surprises she is going to spring on me.

You can hear today's show on 90.3, live streaming, or they will post it online later in the afternoon here:
http://www.ideastream.org/an/entry/39934

If you like you can also check out my earlier visits.

My first visit:
http://www.ideastream.org/an/entry/38769

My second visit:
http://www.ideastream.org/an/entry/39300

And don't forget to check our my free iPhone and iPad apps at:
http://lemminglabs.com/

Freedman Center Spring 2011 - CaseLearns Workshops
All workshops are in KSL room 215

Sunday Series:
1/23 Digital Images Parts 1 & 2 1:30-3:30pm/3:30-5:30pm
1/30 Digital Images Parts 3 & 4 1:30-3:30pm/3:30-5:30pm
2/6 Intro to Digital Video 1:30-3:30pm
2/13 Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements 1:30-4:30pm
2/20 Desktop Publishing – Part 1 1:30-4:30pm
2/27 PowerPoint - From Intro to Advanced 1:30-4:30pm

Digital Images 1 1:30-3:30pm
--- Tues 1/18; Mon 2/14; Tues 3/15; Tues 4/12;

Digital Images 2 1:30-3:30pm
--- Thurs 1/20; Wed 2/16; Thurs 3/17; Thurs 4/14;

Digital Images 3 1:30-3:30pm
--- Tues 1/25; Mon 2/21; Tues 3/22; Tues 4/19;

Digital Images 4 1:30-3:30pm
--- Thurs 1/27; Wed 2/23; Thurs 3/24; Thurs 4/21;

Adobe Bridge/Camera Raw 1:30-3:30pm
--- Fri 2/25; Fri 4/22;

Intro to Digital Video 1:30-3:30pm
--- Fri 1/21; Thurs 2/17; Fri 3/18; Tues 4/5;

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements 1:30-4:30pm
--- Fri 1/28; Thurs 2/24; Fri 3/25; Thurs 4/7;

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro 1:30-3:30pm
--- Thurs 3/3; Fri 4/8;

PowerPoint - From Intro to Advanced 1:30-4:30pm
--- Thurs 2/3; Fri 2/18; Thurs 3/31; Fri 4/15;

Audio Recording / Editing 1:30-4:30pm
--- Tues 2/8;

Screencasting 1:30-4:30pm
--- Fri 4/1;

Desktop Publishing – Part 1 1:30-4:30pm
--- Tues 2/1; Tues 4/26;

Desktop Publishing – Part 2 1:30-4:30pm
--- Fri 2/11; Wed 4/27;

Comic Book Authoring 1:30-3:30pm
--- Tues 2/22; Wed 3/23;

A Message to Faculty: Interested in having your students produce media projects for your class in the Freedman Center? We can customize and schedule training workshops to best fit your needs. PowerPoint and Comic Book workshops are the most popular but if you are considering assigning a video project we urge you to contact us beforehand so we can assist in the logistics of equipment, software, and copyright considerations. Contact us for more information at freedmancenter@case.edu.

PowerPoint - From Intro to Advanced: Learn PowerPoint from A to Z. More than just the technology, participants will learn how to use PowerPoint to plan, craft, design and present more effectively, taking advantage of features (such as audio and video) that you may not be aware of to produce better presentations for professional talks and for teaching purposes. In addition, participants will learn how to avoid "PowerPoint poisoning" and the pitfalls of using technology to alienate your audience instead of engaging them.

Intro to Digital Video: In this concept based workshop you will learn the fundamentals of digital video: from copyright, culture, and privacy to codecs & distribution. Learn how to plan and create video to incorporate into PowerPoint or post to YouTube. Even those with some experience will learn new tricks.

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements: This intensive workshop is designed to teach the complete fundamentals of video editing using Adobe Premiere Elements including titling, transitions, voice-over audio, and special effects.

Video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro: Building from Premiere Elements workshop (which is a REQUIRED perquisite) this workshop goes over the differences (and pitfalls) from working in Premiere Elements as well as some of the more advanced features available in Adobe Premiere Pro (now available for download on the software center) including titling, transitions, voice-over audio, and special effects. Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements is a REQUIRED prerequisite!

Digital Images - Part 1: Learn the fundamentals of digital imaging: everything from resolution and file formats to digital cameras and scanners. This workshop covers fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and theory needed to be successful in Photoshop.

Digital images - Part 2: Participants will learn how to navigate Photoshop and to learn to perform basic image editing such as cropping, advanced rotation, and the elusive "levels" feature. Even those with some experience will learn some tricks from the advanced workflow. Digital Images Part 1 - REQUIRED!

Digital Images - Part 3: Moving beyond basic workflow, this workshop covers the filter tools, painting tools, and selection tools (including blemish correction) of Photoshop. Digital Images Parts 1&2 - REQUIRED!

Digital Images - Part 4: Layers! The heart of Photoshop is in using multiple layers! This workshop will cover layers and advanced Photoshop projects. Digital Images Parts 1,2 & 3 - REQUIRED!

Desktop Publishing - Part 1: Trying to put together a flyer, newsletter, postcard, or poster and finding that Word and Photoshop just don't seem to work? Participants in this session will learn the fundamentals and concepts of desktop publishing through a variety of services and software packages.

Desktop Publishing - Part 2: Have you outgrown Microsoft Publisher? Do you have specific desktop publishing needs but can't quite figure out this complex but powerful program? Participants in this fast paced session will learn the basic ins and outs of Adobe InDesign. Desktop Publishing Part 1 - REQUIRED!

Adobe Bridge/Camera Raw: Adobe Bridge is an organizational software application that is part of the Adobe Creative Suite. Bridge has many functions such as batch rename and other utilities to help with organization, and supports editing of digital images in Camera Raw format. This workshop explores how to integrate Bridge into your workflow and an alternate color correction workflow using Camera Raw. Digital Images Parts 1&2 - REQUIRED!

Screncasting: Ever wonder how people record what is happening on their computer, like those online tutorials or recorded PowerPoint presentations with narrations? Screencasting allows you to do just that! Participants in this session will learn the fundamentals and concepts of screencasting using Camtasia.

Audio Recording / Editing: Learn the fundamentals and concepts of digital audio, from music to digitization to recording and editing your own podcasts using Adobe Soundbooth (now available on the Software Center).

Comic Book Authoring: Time and equipment constraints often overshadow our desire to create a robust media experience like video. A fun an easy alternative is to create a Comic Book using the ComicLife authoring software (for Windows AND Mac). This class goes over both the technical and aesthetic consideration that go into creating your own photographic comic book! Its fun and easy!

Workstations:
We have upgraded to Office 2010 and Adobe CS5 - thanks to ITS for the Software Center!
We have replaced the keyboards on the viewing and scanning stations with new washable ones!
We have new computers on our 10 scanning workstations!
We have a new Sheet Fed Document Scanner!

Loaned Equipment:
Everyone asked and we answered - we now lend tapeless Sony Digital Camcorders.
That's right: No more need to purchase Mini DV tapes, and no more waiting to capture your video, just plug in the USB cable and transfer directly to your computer!
(We will still lend the Sony MiniDV Camcorders upon request.)

We have new tripods (same model - we just retired some of the beat up ones)!

We have new larger camera bags!

We have more digital voice recorders!

We have more digital audio recorders!

We now loan cables and mice a-la-carte!
Just need to borrow a USB, Firewire, or Network cable?
You can now borrow cables (or a mouse) without borrowing a camera or a computer.

New Premium Services and New Prices:
We now sell USB Flash Drives:
2GB for $8
16GB for $28

Glossy Prints:
8x10 = $2 (New Low Price)
11x14 = $6 (By appointment)
17x22 = $10 (By appointment)
Prepaid print card - (20) 8x10" Prints for only $35

Color Laser Prints:
8.5x11 = $1.00 per side
11x14 = $3.00 per side (By appointment)

MiniDV Tapes are now only $5 each!

Looking forward to another great semester email or call if you have any questions!

This is not a simple matter of tagging and deleting - I don't mean that - I mean can I get my email archive in one place in a portable and backupable format!

Over the years I have used many POP email systems - primarily my CWRU email account and my Earthlink email account. For simplicity sake I have had my CWRU email forwarded to my Earthlink email and that email has been saved to one local computer.

I had used Eudora for a while then I moved to Outlook Express and later to Thunderbird where it has resided for years - this isn't how I check my mail mind you - it is just where I store it.

I also had some old AOL Personal Filing Cabinets out there with a lot of email too.

Of course now everything I do runs through GMAIL and I access everything online but I really wanted to have once nice archive of my email. I started saving all of my email *yes all* back in 1990. Actually its not true I delete almost all alerts - I keep all true correspondence (and most of my email lists).

So the first question was - which email client would I use? I don't like Outlook because of their PST files and I didn't want to stay in Thunderbird because it was too slow and not easy to get out of. I almost went back to Outlook Express but they have a mailbox limit of 2GB!

So... after much research I opted on Windows Live Mail. The reason is not because it is the best program but because it stores each email individually as standard EML files and this bodes well for future migrations.

Now I have several sources of email to deal with:
My Thunderbird Files
My Old Outlook Express DBX files
My Old AOL Files
My GMAIL Account

The Gmail account was the easiest - just setup the IMAP settings on the client and tell it to download. And wait for it to download the 52,000 files which I know is about 4GB (because it tells me on the bottom of the page).

Outlook Express was almost as easy - I placed my DBX files back in the identity folder in windows and when I opened Outlook Express it could see all my old email. I then told Windows Live Mail to import my Outlook Express email and viola I have my first archive complete.

Thunderbird doesn't have a native import/export feature but there is this add-on which allows you to export the files as individual EML files. I did that for all of my folders and then went into Windows Live Mail and told it to import those folders and viola I have my second archive. I wish I could tell you it was fast - because it wasn't. I wanted to go carefully through all of the folders and then I took the EML files and organized them into different folders before I let Windows Live Mail import them.

For the old AOL PFC files I purchased a copy of ePreserver. Since I wanted to maintain control of things I first went and cleaned out my Outlook Express folders again (to start over) and told ePreserver to put my mail into Outlook Express - I also told it to ignore duplicates which is good because I had like 10 copies of the PFCs and I put them all together. Once all the email was in Outlook Express I went back into Windows Live Mail and imported Outlook Express again.

I also went and moved all the source files out of the way - I really ONLY want one archive of all of my mail.

Now here is the real challenge - I am sure - VERY sure that I have a lot of duplicate emails and will start looking into tools for doing duplicate removals. But alas that is for another day!

Total number of emails is about 280,000 and about 13GB total.

For those who don't know the program awards 20 artists with fellowships worth $20,000 and a bunch of other benefits. It runs in two yer cycles between visual and performing arts.

The process is easy and anyone who have been a resident of Cuyahoga county for 3 years can enter. In the end only 310 entries were submitted. While I know the selection process isn't random, I still felt my odds were pretty good. I was submitted my interactive multimedia installations which are community works and quite popular.

You could submit either 15 photos or 3 minutes of video. My work is hard to understand without actually experiencing it so I created 4 short video clips to walk them through the work.

I posted them to YouTube and they can be seen here:

I knew in the judging that they would only look at the first minute which I put forward as the Hands-Across video.

I have to tell you it is hard NOT to get excited. You try to stay humble but then you have confidence in your work and the odds and you just start feeling good :) Even dream about what you might do with $20,000.

The judging is public and they bring in a panel from outside of the area that watches for one minute, discusses for 2, and then votes.

If you get less than 4 votes you are out, 4 votes you go on to round two, and 5 to 7 votes you go right to round three.

I attended yesterday and part of today to see the process. The judges were fair but very tough. They had harsh comments and only once or twice did you hear them argue with each other (a sign I took as someone getting only a few votes). They would then announce later in the day who got what votes but after an embarrassing round of announcing the 0 and 1 votes they instead just announced the scores for those who got 4 or higher.

In the end it was very few. From each batch of 30 there were between 3 to 5 who made it through.

This morning was my turn. They played the Hands-Across video and you could tell they didn't like it. First, they said so. They hated the voice-over explanation, they wanted to experience the work, not be told about it. They also said is sounded like a science video. This I will cop to because that is indeed my style but the other comment I take issue with. I knew they could never experience the work - at best I could take them through it. Perhaps I should have docented them through it from a first person perspective instead. To be honest I am very bad at documenting my installations and didn't have the footage to do that. In fact even now I look at my most recent installation and realize I have no video of it in action.

They spoke kindly of the innovative idea, which after watching them for a day I realized was them just being dismissive. One reviewer said it appeared the project was never ending - which while correct in concept they didn't get and I think took as a negative.

They didn't like my backdrop. Neither did I! But alas in the field I had little choices and in my mind getting a fellowship was about taking my work to the next level. I realize now they wanted me one level up already and to take it to the NEXT next level. That is acceptable.

One last note was a third reviewer chimed in that they didn't show the Kaleidoscope video and that he loved seeing the fingers drawing on the screen (but still hated my voice-over) and wanted to see more of that (which of course is something I am doing MORE of). I felt I got one vote but I knew then that I wasn't going to go further - which was verified just a few minutes ago.

The installation after mine had no voice over but used entirely too much text which they commented on and I thought was funny that with installation there may be no winning. Next year is the performance art one and there is a way I could package this for that one as hybrid community engagement - who knows. For now its time to lick my wounds.

It is hard not to get your hopes up and its hard not to have your hopes dashed. I will get over this and I will keep working but it would have been nice :)

Jared

PS In no way do I want this to come out as negative against the organization or the judges. I think the process was smooth and fair and their opinions valid. I just wanted a chance to reply even if just to the Internet.

So several years ago I was in the market for an HDTV. I had a budget and I knew I wanted the largest screen LCD I could get within that budget. I planned on spending the day driving around pricing and looking - I like to purchase these types of items locally instead of online because I like to see what I am getting and for the instant gratification.

I started at HHGregg (where I didn't expect to buy) and found a nice 52" Samsung for $1900 (it was on sale). This was going to be the baseline for the day.

I went next door to Best Buy and they had the same TV but no price tag on it. I had two salespeople helping me and one of them turned out to be a manager. They came back and told me that the TV was on sale for $1900 (same as HHGregg) but alas it was their last one. The manager said he would knock some of the price down if I took it - and when I asked him how much he said I could have it for $1400. This floored me (and also the other sales person). He suggested I get the extended warranty (which I am now told is really called a Service Plan) but did warn me that if they ever failed to fix the TV that instead of replacing it they would just give me a $1400 credit (which I was fine with). He also told me he would give me 10% off anything else I purchased that day. So I got a nice stand, my cables, and an antenna (for free HD over the air).

Anyways - its a great TV - 52" is very nice and I have been happy with it. However about a year ago it failed to turn on. I called tech support - they sent out a guy - he reset something and it was fine.

Then a few months ago it failed to turn on again and they sent out another tech and this time he replaces some capacitors. In fact he even replaced the good ones to be preventative.

Then last week it broke again! So I called and they told me that they were going to fix it again and that if it broke a 4th time that they would do something 'else'. This time the guy that came out said he needed to order parts and that it would be a week. To be honest at this point I wasn't thrilled - I mean I knew it would be fixed but watching TV on my computer monitor in the meantime was a little less than thrilling. I was happy though that I had purchased the 4 year plan and that I was covered till 2012.

Then yesterday Best Buy called to tell me that the parts were not available and that they had decided to replace the TV. Now as exciting as this sounds I wanted to make sure that I wasn't getting shafted. They gave me a confirmation number and a model number. I called the local store and they told me to just come on in with the old TV and that they would give me the new TV. The new TV was a Samsung LCD 120hz 55" TV which is actually a better TV! So far so good. When I asked about the warranty the lady on the phone wasn't sure but thought that it would just get transferred to the new TV.

At the store I found out that the warranty would not be transferred and that replacing the TV was considered fulfillment of the previous warranty and that we just start fresh. She also told me if I wanted to I could purchase a warranty on the new TV for like $300. This isn't bad but I really didn't want to spend anything nor did I want to walk out without a warranty on my TV.

This is when it got fun. She explained that since corporate had picked this TV out as a replacement that in fact what I was getting was a Best Buy gift card worth $1850 (which was the price of the new TV included the tax) to spend as a saw fit! So I went shopping and found they had a lovely Sony 55" 120hz TV on sale for $1400 which I then put an extended warranty on and even with the tax I have money left on the gift card for some Blu-Rays.

So we are almost all good to go - the old TV is in the store - the new TV is propped up at the register and then BAM - the computer asks for an override because they are giving me a greater value on the new TV then I paid for in the first place - the computer finally realized I only paid $1400 for the first TV.

The manager comes by - looks it all over and explains that since corporate and their computers had made all of these determinations that he was going to let it go through and told his associate that while it should get fixed in the system it shouldn't be taken out on me (since they had indeed called me up and told ME what I was getting).

So here I am with a new 55" Sony TV with a 4 year warranty, money left on a gift card, and they even gave me my Reward Zone points!

Thank You Best Buy - you Rock!

"KaleidoDoodle" by the Lemming Labs (the creative team of Jared Bendis and Larry Hatch) is a Kaleidoscopic Drawing program for the iPad that allowed participants at the 2010 Ingenuity Festival to paint and design their own Kaleidoscopic Mandalas using a variety of symmetrical patterns and a wide color palette. These Kaleidoscopic Mandalas form part of a larger collected work entitled "The Digital Kaleidoscopic Mandala Project" that is displayed on a large screen and also available online. "The Digital Kaleidoscopic Mandala Project" is about community, creation, transformation, and participation. People enjoy expressing themselves artistically and this project gives everyone the opportunity to not only try -- but to succeed in their own creation while being part of a larger community as a whole.

All 1262 images were assembled into this video:

Today the Library had a big event and I was asked to create a short video and here it is:

Every semester people ask if I can put together my schedule of multimedia workshops. So here they are.

Also thank to ITS for putting all of the Adobe Software on the software center! http://softwarecenter.case.edu

A Quick Message to Faculty:
Interested in having your students produce media projects for your class in the Freedman Center? We can customize and schedule training workshops to best fit your needs. PowerPoint and Comic Book workshops are the most popular but if you are considering assigning a video project we urge you to contact us beforehand so we can assist in the logistics of equipment, software, and copyright considerations. Contact us for more information at freedmancenter@case.edu.

PowerPoint – From Intro to Advanced: Learn PowerPoint from A to Z. More than just the technology, participants will learn how to use PowerPoint to plan, craft, design and present more effectively, taking advantage of features (such as audio and video) that you may not be aware of to produce better presentations for professional talks and for teaching purposes. In addition, participants will learn how to avoid “PowerPoint poisoning” and the pitfalls of using technology to alienate your audience instead of engaging them.

Multimedia Authoring: Creating your own interactive multimedia experience can be rich and rewarding. Pachyderm is an easy-to-use multimedia authoring tool designed for people who have little or no multimedia authoring experience. It’s accessed through a web browser and is as easy to use as filling out a web form. Authors upload their own media (images, audio clips, and short video segments) and place them into pre-designed templates, which include built-in functionality for playing video and audio, linking to other templates, and other features.

Intro to Digital Video: In this concept based workshop you will learn the fundamentals of digital video: everything from codecs to distribution. Learn how to capture video, perform basic editing and encoding, incorporate your video into PowerPoint or post to YouTube. Even those with some experience will learn new tricks.

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements: This intensive workshop is designed to teach the complete fundamentals of video editing using Adobe Premiere Elements including titling, transitions, voice-over audio, and special effects.

Video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro – Part 1 & 2: This intensive 2-part workshop is designed to teach the complete fundamentals of video editing using Adobe Premiere Pro (now available for download on the software center) including titling, transitions, voice-over audio, and special effects.

Digital Images - Part 1: Learn the fundamentals of digital imaging: everything from resolution and file formats to digital cameras and scanners. This workshop covers fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and theory needed to be successful in Photoshop.

Digital images - Part 2: Participants will learn how to navigate Photoshop and to learn to perform basic image editing such as cropping, advanced rotation, and the elusive “levels” feature. Even those with some experience will learn some tricks from the advanced workflow. Digital Images Part 1 – REQUIRED!

Digital Images - Part 3: Moving beyond basic workflow, this workshop covers the filter tools, painting tools, and selection tools (including blemish correction) of Photoshop. Digital Images Parts 1&2 – REQUIRED!

Digital Images - Part 4: Layers! The heart of Photoshop is in using multiple layers! This workshop will cover layers and advanced Photoshop projects. Digital Images Parts 1,2 & 3 – REQUIRED!

Desktop Publishing - Part 1: Trying to put together a flyer, newsletter, postcard, or poster and finding that Word and Photoshop just don’t seem to work? Participants in this session will learn the fundamentals and concepts of desktop publishing through a variety of services and software packages.

Desktop Publishing - Part 2: Have you outgrown Microsoft Publisher? Do you have specific desktop publishing needs but can’t quite figure out this complex but powerful program? Participants in this fast paced session will learn the basic ins and outs of Adobe InDesign. Desktop Publishing Part 1 – REQUIRED!

Adobe Bridge/Camera Raw: Adobe Bridge is an organizational software application that is part of the Adobe Creative Suite. Bridge has many functions such as batch rename and other utilities to help with organization, and supports editing of digital images in Camera Raw format. This workshop explores how to integrate Bridge into your workflow and an alternate color correction workflow using Camera Raw. Digital Images Parts 1&2 – REQUIRED!

Screncasting: Ever wonder how people record what is happening on their computer, like those online tutorials or recorded PowerPoint presentations with narrations? Screencasting allows you to do just that! Participants in this session will learn the fundamentals and concepts of screencasting using Camtasia.

Adobe Soundbooth: Learn the fundamentals and concepts of digital audio, from music to digitization to recording and editing your own podcasts using Adobe Soundbooth (now available on the Software Center).

All multimedia workshops are in KSL room 215

Sunday Series:
9/19 Digital Images Parts 1 & 2 - 1:30-3:30pm/3:30-5:30pm
9/26 Digital Images Parts 2 & 3 - 1:30-3:30pm/3:30-5:30pm
10/3 Intro to Digital Video - 1:30-3:30pm
10/10 Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements - 1:30-4:30pm
10/17 PowerPoint - From Intro to Advanced - 1:30-4:30pm
10/24 Desktop Publishing – Part 1 - 1:30-4:30pm

Digital Images 1 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Monday, 9/13; Tuesday, 10/12; Monday, 11/15

Digital Images 2 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Wed, 9/15; Thursday, 10/14; Wed, 11/17

Digital Images 3 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Monday, 9/20; Tuesday, 10/19; Tuesday, 11/23

Digital Images 4 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Thursday, 10/21; Wed, 11/24

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Elements - 2:00-5:00pm
---Tuesday, 9/14; Wed, 10/6; Thursday, 11/11; Mon, 12/6

Adobe Bridge/Camera Raw - 2:00-4:00pm
---Thursday, 9/23; Tuesday, 10/26; Tuesday, 11/30

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro – Part 1 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Tuesday, 9/28; Monday, 11/1

Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro – Part 2 - 2:00-4:00pm
---Wed, 9/29; Wed, 11/3

Intro to Digital Video - 2:00-4:00pm
---Wed, 9/8; Monday, 10/4; Monday, 11/8

PowerPoint - From Intro to Advanced - 2:00-5:00pm
---Tue, 9/7; Thursday, 10/7; Thursday, 11/18; Thursday, 12/2

Multimedia Authoring - 2:00-5:00pm
---Wed, 10/13; Wed, 12/8

Screencasting - 2:00-5:00pm
---Monday, 10/18

Desktop Publishing – Part 1 - 2:00-5:00pm
---Monday, 10/25; Wed, 11/10

Desktop Publishing – Part 2 - 2:00-5:00pm
---Monday, 12/13

Adobe Soundbooth - 2:00-5:00pm
---Wed, 10/27; Thursday, 12/9

Also check out my funny Istanbul shots - it certainly was a day for them!

This is it folks - the last of the Turkey trip - written hastily on Sunday morning as we are heading to the airport!

Friday - Istanbul Day 6 - Turkey Day 26

On Friday we were going to do museums. On the way to our first one we saw some wonderful views of the Haghia Sophia. Our fist stop though was the Palace Mosaic Museum which was very nice - they just built a building around the mosaics they found.

We then went to the Archeological Museum - which really was worth it - we spent hours and hours there and it just went on and on. We have a great time exploring and reading though it would have been nice if all of it had air conditioning (it got stuffy at times). The Tiled Kiosk (also part of the Museum) was truly amazing and a real spot of color on a very monochromatic museum.

Yesterday we had passed another museum and we took a tram back out to see the Panorama 1452 museum. This museum is a giant dome that gives you an immersive experience when you stare out at this giant painting. It was clearly for children - who were having a great time. It did kind of grow on you after a while but it could just have been cognitive dissonance too.

Lastly we headed to Sirkeci Station which was the final destination for The Orient Express. Just some doors and some signs but it was very much (like the entire day was) - stepping back into history.

Istanbul Day 6 - Summary:
Palace Mosaic Museum
Archeological Museum
Panorama 1452 Museum
Sirkeci Station

Saturday - Istanbul Day 7 - Turkey Day 27

Saturday - our last full day in Istanbul and we have done everything on my list and then some! Today was pickup shopping day - we needed to get the last of our souvenirs. Since we did have some time to kill we took the trains out to Cevahir - the largest mall in Europe (and 6th largest mall in the world), It was fun to see the 6 stories of mall and marvel at the similarities and the differences.

We had lunch at the food course (which was awesome) and as we decided to go to a movie. We went to see Salt. Now yes I would be back in the US tomorrow but its always a fun experience. For instance - it was assigned seating! You picked where you would sit and an usher helped you in. The had cans of drinks in the theater. No butter on the popcorn. And half way through - an intermission - they just stopped the movie - the lights went up and an ad played for a few minutes. See you learn something - oh and the movie sucked - but we all knew that. I wasn't about to go see inception and be distracted by the Turkish subtitles.

We then headed back to the Grand Bazaar to do some more shopping (outside it not inside it) and I took some photos of Istanbul University (which is very pretty) and even though it was mostly covered we walked to see the outside of the Suleymainye Mosque and the Tomb of the Sultan Suleyman I. We then went back shopping (all sorts of humor was had trying to find the price of fake perfume) and without rescuing a Turkish kitten headed back to the hotel.

We stopped for dinner VERY near the hotel and the lights went out everywhere - the blackout lasted for some time but the restaurant hand emergency power so we had a nice time waiting for it to restore.

Finally we came back to the hotel where we played music bags. Eventually we decided on having me take the souvenirs and Jenny take the dirty laundry - we will see if the balance of weight works (and if customs thinks I am crazy for having no clothes).

Right before we went to bed I went to the top of the hotel and got this amazing night shot of the Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sophia.

Istanbul Day 7 - Summary:
Cevahir Shopping Center
Istanbul University
Suleymainye Mosque
Tomb of the Sultan Suleyman I.

Sunday - Istanbul Day 8 - Turkey Day 28
Up and out! Jenny's flight is at 9am mine is at 11:20am we will be home tonight around 11pm!

Thanks for watching everyone!
A month is a long time to be gone!

Wednesday - Istanbul Day 4 - Turkey Day 24

After an extensive (and expensive) trip through the Bosphorus on Tuesday I figured we might try and learn some local transportation. Not that I wanted to go all bus crazy but at least to use the tram system. From the cruise I had seen 2 different palaces (on each side of the Bosphorus) and though it might be fun to hit them today.

We took a tram out of the old city to the first palace but when I got there I noticed there were some ferries going across the water. The guy told me they were like $1 and left every 10 minutes. So we headed across back to Asia and then took a very short taxi ride to Beylerbeyi Palace. This was a very very ornate palace (with no heating or kitchens!) and no photography on the inside so I only have one or two shots of the interior. Some gorgeous - well everything. They made us put shower caps on our shoes which was pretty funny (and apparently the theme for the day. After we had lunch and headed back via taxi to the ferry and then via ferry to Europe again.

Once we were back in Europe we headed to Dolmabache Palace - which is enormous (and expensive). We walked the ground for a bit (no photography indoors) and then headed to the Harem section. Most of it was under renovation and everything was by tour only. The good thing was that the tour just meant a group of people with the guide saying little and a rear guard moving along the stragglers (us). It was interesting but short. The clock museum was apparently close but the aviary and Crystal Atrium were wonderful - there were birds just walking around it was pretty neat. We finally headed into the palace proper and got into an English tour group (required) that was too big and most people didn't speak English. So from the back you could hear nothing and people kept pushing and showing. We stayed in the back (cause otherwise people ran all over you) and these 3 really rude ladies in front of us started arguing with the security guard who was telling them not to linger. The funny thing was - we were behind them so we could take our time and he would yell at them. One of the three had a perfume bottle and every few minutes would spray herself (and the surrounding area) with some lemon stuff. She bumped me really good once and said "I'm sorry" I asked if she was sorry because she did it or because I was upset that she did it. She was not amused. But let me let you after you are behind some obnoxious people for 40 minutes you aren't either. The rear guard kept looking at me for sympathy and boy did he have it. That aside the palace was amazing and the last room they showed you was this main hall with giant ceiling and huge columns and it was probably one of the most spectacular rooms (that I wasn't allowed to photograph) that I have ever seen in my life (and think of all the places I have been!)

We were done fairly early and since we had no more palaces to see that day I took my friend Karyn's advice and headed via Funicular to Taksim Square. It was really an active place though not much to photograph except the crowds. We stopped at Starbucks (which was very grounding) and then started to walk around the Istiklal Caddesi neighborhood. It was just a SEA of people and shopping. There was a sweet shop I was looking for with some Art Nouveau decorations but I realized it was very far away. So we headed back to the square and hopped on the old street car which took us right through the entire neighborhood! We found the sweet shop but it was fairly modernizes and the Art Nouveau decor while great wasn't worth photographing (not what I do). As we walked we saw some street performers (whose CD I purchased) and headed on.

Eventually we go to the Galata Tower (whose ORIGIN dates back to the 6th century). Its very neat and the inside has elevators to the 7th floor - the views however are from the 9nth floor. When you get up to the top it is lovely but way to crowded - the sun was setting and I got some nice pictures of old Istanbul (and the haze). There is a dinner show at the top that is like 90 Euros (that's right Euros) per person but he told me if it was cash it could be cheaper. We passed. We went downstairs and had a lovely dinner from the base of the tower - which is very castle like.

We walked back to the Metro and headed home - very tired but much cheaper transportation costs!

Istanbul Day 4 - Summary:
Beylerbeyi Palace
Dolmabache Palace
Taksim Square
Istiklal Caddesi
Galata Tower

Thursday - Istanbul Day 5 - Turkey Day 25

As you can see I travel at quite a pace and we have been very tired. The temp is in the 90s and so is the humidity. Everyday is an ode to how much can I perspire! The trip has been shaping quite nicely. And the goal for today was to hit the outer walls of Istanbul. There was once castle in particular I wanted to see but I also noticed the ruin of a palace both in the guidebook and on a taxi ride and decided we would start there. Regretfully it also started to rain.

We walked in the rain down the coastal walls for a bit and eventually stopped for lunch - we got a late start - which is fine since we are really going through my checklist fast. When we came to the ruin of the Bucoleon Palace it was just cleared for a minute to get some photos of the really nice ruins of windows. It was at this point we ran into some serious trouble. All over Istanbul there are cats. Feral cats. Wild cats. Stray cats. They mostly beg for food and look kinda sickly - some are interesting and most seem unafraid of tourists. I find them all delightful and am amazed at how many there are. Usually you can see momma and babies or brothers and sisters. Well we came across a very very small kitten and it was very very friendly. It was also adorable. I have to note that this is the 100th cat we have seen so this isn't me just being a pushover it was meowing and mewing and following us and it let Jenny place with her and it was adorable. Eventually we had to make sure it didn't follow us. Last night I spent a lot of time figuring out the proper legal procedures for importing a cat. It isn't as hard as you think especially if they are kittens but if you do it wrong they will destroy it at the border. Updates on the kitten situation as we continue our research (and assuming we can find it again if we do decide to rescue it).

We walked (well short taxi then a walk) to the train station and headed to Yedikule. This was an OLD train and (but not like the cable car nostalgic one ) and there were no tourists on it. When we got off I asked some old men where the… he cut me off and just pointed. One block away and you couldn't miss Yedikule Castle or the Fortress of the 7 towers. There was a film shoot going on in one of the towers but otherwise it was perfect a big open and empty castle with full access and views of the water and the walls. One of the stairwell has a railing which was nice (though many others did not) and it was a very fun exploration. Plus at the very top you could see all of these ships in the Sea of Marmara it was amazing!

After the castle we flagged down a cab take us to the Church of St. Savior in Chora. Its a little out of the way for most people but inside were the most amazing frescoes and mosaics. Its hard to describe just how breathtaking it all was and Jenny thought they were better than at the Haghia Sofia (and made me upgrade my book selection for the one with even better pictures).

We walked (I say that I lot don't I) back to the metro station and along the way we stopped and saw the old Theodosian Walls. This was something I wanted to see and it goes on and on and on. Also so do the vagrants who don't just hang out at the walls but apparently have set up shanties IN the walls. We didn't stay too long and then we headed back to the Metro station. We found some more cats (a momma and a baby) and then realized we were looking at a very old cemetery with some beautiful tombstones that were cast side and hidden away. I took some photos - Jenny played with the cats (without touching them - these didn't seem great) and then really headed to the metro and to the final destination for the day: Al Muhiddin Haci Bekir. This sweet shop has been open since 1777 and this is the guy who invented Turkish Delight and its still run by the same family! We went in - had some samples - got some sweets and headed out. We also stopped at a specialty stop nearby that gave us samples till we were full! We did purchase some things there too. We will not be bringing back food presents for people though - its just too much of a hassle.

We found a great place for dinner and their dessert menu was very robust except they only had one item on the entire menu! (Yes Monty Python Cheese Shop jokes ensued). A quick metro back home and my only problem now is that I have filled my computer with pictures and have 2 more days left of touring. I hope you are enjoying this so far I really wanted to catch up on my quick stories.

Istanbul Day 5 - Summary:
Bucoleon Palace Ruin
Yedikule Castle
Church of St. Savior in Chora
Theodosian Walls
Al Muhiddin Haci Bekir - Sweet Shop