Observations 02-2009

For the first time in 2009, I had a look at the statistics for this (rather lifeless) site and, alas, I have more readers than ever before. My Google page rank even increased (go figure). I guess it’s the “curse” of any site that was once updated more or less regularly to get all comfy and cushy on Google and to reel in more and more unsuspecting readers, meaning readers who never hit the front page or more recent posts to find out that the site is basically left to drift in the high and low tides that are the ever-changing world of the Internet.

Well, time to add something here, just because I feel like it again.

Maybe, if the feeling stays, I will add this type of “Observations” post in a more timely fashion. Continue Reading →

Terabyte Blues

“A Terabyte Ain’t Enough!
Notes from the Sidelines of Digitization Hell”

There is still life in these old bones and while they were plunked down in front of a shiny new 1 terabyte PC, they regularly reached over to the keyboard to keep the digitizing of their CD collection alive while trying – at the same time – to keep their day job running as well.

Fact is, I have to spend a shitload of time in front of my PC or next to it and although I have already transferred a sizable number of CDs to my PC, I’ve started in earnest to make sure that while I can’t listen to my music as much on my stereo in the living room as I’d like, I can do so in my office … or elsewhere.

I’ve often stated that we collectors are plain nuts, and we are, but sometimes I get the feeling that I’m an extreme case of that rather rare subspecies. If you add to that the fact that we Germans are often considered to be anally retentive in regard to keeping order in our stuff and arranging things at right angles on our desks, what we have here is the worst case scenario: A German digitizing his CD collection. Continue Reading →

The Software! The Software!

Collecting is perhaps the most stupid hobby a human being can submit to. I mean, really, I could have taken up knitting or keeping my somewhat flabby frame in shape, but, no, I had to go for collecting … of all things.When I was young (yeah, right) I collected stamps, especially those with any space-related depictions. At that time I didn’t care that most of those were geared towards collectors or came from states that were not much bigger than the stamps they issued. Then I focused on Scandinavian countries because I lived there for years and today I have limited my activities to getting newly-issued Danish presentation packs. Still, I ended up with several cupboards full of albums. Continue Reading →