| Headphones update |
[Oct. 22nd, 2009|10:53 am] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  hopeful | ] |
YIPPEE!!
I have found a pair of affordable phenomenal headphones! Well, provided that you consider thirty bucks affordable. :)
Seriously, if you need a pair of over-the-ear 'phones and you HATE tinny ones as much as I do, then google "Koss Portapro". I picked mine up at Amazon, where they are $32.65 at the time of this posting (no tax, free shipping). Now, they aren't as comfy as my Sennheiser 201s (which are only $19.99), but the sound is better and I don't have to look like Princess Leia when I wear them.
These are the first pair of headphones that show up my mp3 player for the audio pretender that it is. Not that I'm dissing my player, mind you. I'm only saying that any low-bitrate song is gonna sound very flat. When I have it hooked up to my computer, I can actually hear interference that emits from some web pages!
OK, enough headphone talk. It's boring. Let's talk about the Pens.
8-1, baybee!! We've hit a small pothole this week, though, with the month-long absence of Sergei Gonchar. But these little adversities are sometimes just what we need to take a giant step forward. We'll see how the boys respond on Friday. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 20th, 2009|08:25 am] |
Did you ever have someone de-Friend you? And then wonder what you did?
The logical part of my mind knows that, even online, people move apart. This particular Friend has her interests and I have mine, and rarely do they intersect. It was a legit dump.
Still feels odd. Like when a neighbor moves away. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 19th, 2009|11:04 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  complacent | ] |
Gee, I was doing so well there, updating every couple of days. >_<
Let's see... Wednesday I went down to the Mellon Arena for the last day of Pens' camp. Last year I took my daughters, but this year I went alone. (I did promise them that I'd take them next year, once the boys move into their new digs across the street.)
As of today, there are only twelve short days until the games count. And that thought puts a smile on my face each time it creeps into my consciousness. See? ~~~~> :D
Today, I had a whole day off. Didn't have to be anywhere. Oh, man, it felt good. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 26th, 2009|02:57 pm] |
Ian and I went to the mall today, since it's the First Day of School for his little sisters. I think he really just wanted an excuse to spend an entire week's paycheck -- which in his case isn't all that much.
I figured I would look for a new pair of headphones, as the lovely Philips set I've had for years has decided to give up the ghost. But buying headphones isn't as easy as it was in the olden days. Used to be that one entered an electronics store and tried out headphones until finding a pair that fit (both ears and wallet). Now you find them all wrapped up in packaging and you hope for the best.
Consequently, I now have five pairs of headphones in perfect working order that I dislike. Three of them are Philips (two are the same model) and are far too tinny for my taste. One is a pair of Sennheisers that I "bought" with Pepsi points. Now I like over-the-ear 'phones, but the HD-201s are WAY over-the-ear. Think Princess Leia. The bass is wonderful on them, but they are too large to travel well.
So the ones I've been using are Skullcandy Lowriders. I got them cheap, so I don't regret buying them, but compared to my beloved Philips HS500s, the bass is bleh. They don't fit right over my ears.
******
Edited because I have a teenage daughter who believes that angels will descend from On High and do her chores for her. One of said chores is picking up her little sister from grade school. >_< I suppose I did need the exercise.
Oh, and I guess it's needless to say that I did not buy headphones. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 24th, 2009|03:43 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  awake | ] |
It's Monday. Woo.
Just got home from work. The Pittsburgh area is enjoying a lovely summer day -- that is, unless you like your lovely summer days to have temps in the 80s. It's only about 73 degrees out now, but it's sunny and clear.
Twenty-two more days till they drop the (pre-season) puck at the Mellon.
Tomorrow, it'll be three more weeks.
Thirty-nine more days till the games count, or five weeks from this Friday. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 21st, 2009|09:30 am] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  amused | ] |
K. It's been over a year since I updated. Shoot me.
Seriously, though, I couldn't post anything during the Pens' season. Where hockey is concerned (especially playoff hockey), I outdo Sid in the superstition department. Ask anyone who knows me -- it borders on the extreme.
( Way More Than You Ever Needed To Know About My Hockey Hangups )
We'll see how regular LJ updates go, now that a new season is nearly upon us (for both the Pens and the Steelers).
But I'll leave you with this: I was scrolling though a Buy.com email and happened upon a discounted Burberry purse. They wanted $470 for some leather-and-canvas handbag, which made me go "o.0". See, I don't get dropping serious coin ON a purse, preferring instead to drop it IN my purse. :) Then I read the price that Burberry wanted for the bag: $1595.00! Yeah, if you move that decimal point to the left a couple of places, I'm all over that.
Herewith, my definition of the perfect $1600 handbag: one that costs $50 and has $1550 in cash inside it. :) |
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| Yippee!! |
[Jul. 30th, 2008|04:01 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  cheerful | ] |
I just got the email that announced that Smithsonian Museum of National History's re-opening date is November 21 YAY! We are in the DC area every year from Thanksgiving Day to the Saturday after and that museum has been closed since the first trip we made two years ago.
Now, when the Caps get ticket ordering info up on their site, I can get tix to the Nov. 28 game vs. the Habs. This trip is so gonna rock! |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 4th, 2008|08:53 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | downstairs | ] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  contemplative | ] |
OK. It's official. I'm sick of all the 'bring Jagr back' crap.
I don't want him. I don't care if he'd score 40 goals (I don't think he would, but it's arguable). I don't care if he has matured as a person and a player. His basic personality is the same and I don't see it fitting into the Pens' dressing room. He, like Recchi before him, is a relic from those old 'country club' days. And just look how well the Recchin' Ball turned out.
The last rumor I heard had Sydor getting traded to clear cap space (which I firmly believe will happen eventually), but to sweeten the deal, is swapped along with one other d-man (either Scuds or USS Gill).
Now, yesterday I said that if the price of Brooks' and Marc-André's long-term deals was the loss of Hossa, then so be it. But if the price of signing Jagr is either Scuds or Gill, then forget it.
We have three of the best centers in the league. I'd even count Max Talbot in that 'elite center' list, since I think he'd be a second-line center on most other teams (would that we never find that out for sure!) On top of that, we have a coach who delights in playing ducks-and-drakes with player positioning, so we know that both Geno and Jordan are also phenomenal wingers.
Critics say that we lost grit. No way. We have the grittiest captain in the league, and his attitude and leadership bring that element to every Penguin's game. The only guy I never saw develop that edge was Erik Christensen, which is why he's no longer here.
I'm excited to see this team back on the ice in September. Just the way it stands right now. |
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| MAF signs!! |
[Jul. 3rd, 2008|05:11 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | downstairs | ] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  jubilant | ] |
| [ | I'm listening to |
| | Fairly Oddparents | ] |
Seven years! $5M/year cap hit!
I couldn't be more excited!
If I had to choose between Flower and Brooksie's long-term deals and keeping Hossa, it's no freaking contest. Good riddance, Marian.
The slight shadow you see across my heart are the departures of Georges Laraque and Jarkko Ruutu, who both crossed the northern border. They wanted longer terms than King Shero was offering, so there are no hard feelings. How could you be bitter when you hear that guys want to play here long-term?
Also, the King proved our faith in him was grounded when he waited out the big-ticket names and signed Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko to one-years. Can't wait to see which forwards these two develop chemistry with! |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 2nd, 2008|04:39 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | upstairs | ] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  sad | ] |
Well, this has been an up-and-down day.
For the UP, my computers are now networked, for a total outlay of $80. I got a wireless-g w/speedbooster router for $40, with a great deal of thanks to an LJ community called poor_skills. One of the posts last week alerted members to the fact that Google Marketplace was offering a $10 bonus for Buy.com merchandise, if you signed up for their service and paid for your stuff through them.
I'm on the upstairs computer right now, in fact. Speed is much better than I expected. All my bookmarks are friggin' ancient, but that'll change over time.
I guess that, if you know me and are familiar with my vast Pens love, you can figure out what the DOWN is.
A few days ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts. Sad, but expected.
Yesterday, they decided they wanted Adam Hall as well. OK, that's disappointing, but we re-upped Pascal Dupuis and formally announced that Geno's deal was as good as done, so... Then we went and signed some goon from Calgary who had TWO WHOLE POINTS last season, signaling the end of the Laraque era. We lost Ty Conklin to the Wings, and while I was sad to lose him, was happy for him. He deserves a shot at a starting position. And it was only for a year.
Then today, I figured that with all the overspending of July 1, we were positioned well for signing both Hossa and Orpik, possibly even Ruutu.
Then Hossa went and signed a FREAKING ONE-YEAR with Detroit. Dude was all set up for a long-term deal (five to seven years) and he took a one-year??
So the Pens hurried up and formally announced that Geno had indeed signed his extension. Good cover there. Keep morale high.
Then Ruutu goes and defects to Canada. Three-year deal with Ottawa.
And we still haven't signed Orpik (as of 5:00 pm Eastern), even though rumors have been saying that he's made his decision since about 11:30 am.
Well, gotta go make dinner. 2008 Free Agency sux.
Just checked the ticker! Orpik, six years, 22.5M (3.5 avg.)! WITH US!!! |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 25th, 2008|07:30 am] |
| [ | I'm |
| | contemplative | ] |
I was happy yesterday. The possibilities, the potential, the matchups, and all the pre-series hype was distilling. Excitement was in the air.
It's today now. And it's time for my boys to Go To Work.
I'm not down today, really I'm not. I wasn't one of those bandwagoners who had the Penguins sweeping the Final. In fact, I wouldn't (and still won't) predict an outcome. That road has always led to disappointment for me.
But I was right there with the "Pens in 6 or 7" crowd. Most of those in that boat realize that that particular outcome requires the boys to lose. MORE THAN ONCE. Still, I'm sure that the "6 or 7" crowd foresaw those potential losses as being more like Game 2 against the Rangers, where the winning team gets a fortunate bounce leading to a goal and the losers run up against a hot goalie.
But this game was not like that. I don't know whether it was nerves, fear, travel fatigue, loss of focus -- or any combination of that list -- but the boys didn't look sharp. They had a Bad Game.
There are a LOT of April and May fans who haven't seen this team have a Bad Game, but for we diehards who have been following them since last fall, we've seen this fish before.
Bad Games will happen. They happen to EVERY team. And it's nonsense to preach that Good Teams find a way to win Bad Games. They don't.
Good teams SURVIVE Bad Games. They learn from the results of their actions and they play better next time. They believe in themselves and each other. They pull closer together.
And their true fans don't give up on them. They take the losses with grace. They realize that the wins will be so much sweeter in contrast.
In short, they BELIEVE. |
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| Just got next week's schedule. Not happy. |
[May. 3rd, 2008|12:33 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  nervous | ] |
I'm working tomorrow. Biggest game of the series (barring the unspeakable) and I'm working from 2-9.
I can't stand this. I'm nervous anyway and now this? Not being able to see it is going to kill me.
Letters to people who will not be reading them:
Boys,
Play hard. Stick together. Score early and often. Be the cyclone fence in front of that Flowered brick wall. Wear their guys down.
Do all that and they'll be congratulating you in front of that loud love-filled crowd.
Michel, mon amour?
Le lignes ? Ne pas les déplacer, ne touche rien. Même si tout se passe mal. Ton jouers trouveront leur chemin. Ils te feront fier ! Je crois en toi.
Ah, oui... excuse mon français. Il est très mauvaise. |
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| Still sad |
[Feb. 29th, 2008|12:16 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  crushed | ] |
I couldn't post on Tuesday trade day. It wasn't the utter sadness which stopped me -- in fact, I didn't get the details until I was already at work.
I simply couldn't put into words how sad I am to see Colby go.
I can't even be hopeful that he'll ever be back, since I have been a hockey fan for long enough to know that it's so rare for that to happen.
I went through the motions for the rest of Tuesday night, watched the third period of Pens/Isles when I got home, then woke up at 4:00 am Wednesday morning with the Garou song "Quand Je Manque de Toi" running through my head. The fic ideas rolled around until I got my family off to work and school, then I had about an hour and a half to myself to write.
I hate the story that came from it. It has no life, no spark.
I hate the trade. I want Colby back where he belongs.
It's Friday, and if anything, I'm sadder than I was Tuesday night.
Adieu, Colby. Bonne chance en Atlanta. Tu seras aimé, même comme tu es aimé ici. Je suis désolée qu'il faut terminer. |
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| (no subject) |
[Feb. 5th, 2008|03:49 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  creative | ] |
It's been, like, forever.
I have no excuse.
Now that mea culpa time is past, I give you the real reason for my post: I am writing again.
( Cut for flist protection ) |
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| Here we go, Steelers... |
[Sep. 23rd, 2007|03:50 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  giddy | ] |
| [ | I'm listening to |
| | 102.5 WDVE, Bill and Tunch | ] |
One special teams touchdown.
One offensive touchdown.
One defensive touchdown.
I love my boys! |
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| I'm on vacation (continued...) |
[Sep. 18th, 2007|11:28 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Steeler Country! | ] |
| [ | I'm |
| |  optimistic | ] |
| [ | I'm listening to |
| | CSN - Wasted On the Way | ] |
I had a rather aimless day yesterday -- I was being a tad self-indulgent, I guess. Then this morning, my net connection went all wonky, later dropping altogether. In the midst of my call to Comcast, it magically reappeared YAY!
As I haven't had a true update in over a month, I'll put all this behind a cut.
( Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends... ) |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 17th, 2007|09:29 am] |
| [ | I'm |
| | cheerful | ] |
I'M ON VACATION!!!
More later, k?
*loads entire music library on Media Player, hits Shuffle* |
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| Hockey Fic: What Are Friends For? |
[Jul. 16th, 2007|12:18 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| | nervous | ] |
Title: What Are Friends For?
Author: Michelle, a.k.a. nofaves
Rating: G
Genre: Gen fic, strictly friendship. I'm not responsible for anyone else's interpretation, though...
Players: Sidney Crosby, Colby Armstrong
Summary: Inspired by the Post-Gazette article last week, where Colby mentioned that Sid had called him. All dialogue.
Author's note: My first hockey!fic. Comments make Michelle a happy writer!
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| I love living where I do! |
[Jul. 15th, 2007|11:01 pm] |
| [ | I'm |
| | cheerful | ] |
It's just a tiny little town you've never heard of in Western PA, but I think it's wonderful. Where else could a family of modest means have views like this, practically from one's own back yard?
( Click for pics! ) |
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