Day: September 29, 2005

One day only! Hurry up and get your free copy of the DivX Create Bundle during their 5th year anniversary. Sure, I’ve already paid for my copy, but I’m making sure to get a couple extra serial numbers while I’ve got the chance.

I’m still a little miffed at how DivX handled the whole release of version 6, but I’m also somewhat attached to the codec. You see, the Create Bundle comes with a little app the gives you a no frills way to quickly convert videos to DivX6. Unfortunately it was initially buggy as all hell and crashed with the most useless messages. DivX’s response was… nothing. They took about a month to really communicate with their paying customers and rather rudely pointed out how to get refunds since we were so impatient rather than provide us with any real information on when things would be fixed.

But there really aren’t many other options for decent video codecs out there. XviD will never release a standard binary that assures all videos will play properly on different machines. WMV is just way too proprietary and leaves me with DRM nightmares. Quicktime is one of the biggest pieces of crap, and pretty much forces you to install the horrid iTunes along with it. Real… well that goes without saying. Nero Digital looks most promising, and since I paid for Nero I already own it. However, it’s still in limited use and there’s no guarantees I’ll ever be able to play it on my precious DVP642.

That leaves me with the least of many evils… for now.

(thanks to Owen, for the link not the rant)

Oh yeah, I’m sportin’ some fine threads today. After deciding I couldnt’ do crap to help the poor, I figured it was best to finally recruit reinforcements for my rapidly dwindling trouser brigade. Last night, after swinging by Lisa’s school for some prep work, we headed over to Paramus Park for the necessary Chick-fil-A dinner and then decided a stop at Macy’s was in order. What a brilliant move that turned out to be.

I wandered around the “Men’s Store” for a while and, once I realized they weren’t going to sell me a human companion, began searching for khakis. But they make it so difficult with all of the beautiful Kenneth Cole and INC shirts sitting brilliantly out on their racks. But… but… FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I HAVE TOO MANY SHIRTS! That’s a lie. At least in my mind it is. But I must keep saying it until my closet once again obtains a sane shirt-to-pant ratio.

Their selection of pants was sadly filled with my archnemesis – the dreaded pleat. Don’t get me wrong, I actually love a nice pleated trouser. Unfortunately that doesn’t change the problem I have with their look on me. You see, I tend to look formal. Nice clothes that would look casual on most people make me look like I’m going to an interview at a prep school for young Republicans. And that’s just not the look I’m going for.

Yes, I know it could be worse and I could be one of those people that looks like a slob in a suit, but it doesn’t change the fact that I tend to shy away from putting on said pants because I don’t want to wear them to work and suddenly two years go by and I’ve worn said pants twice even though they cost me $50 and actually look great on me. Capiche?

Anywho, where was I? Oh yes, inspite of many inviting possibilities, there was naught in my hands when Lisa finally spotted the mother lode – the Docker’s section. w00t! And with my amazing shopper’s luck, there was a one day sale going on with flat-front twill chinos going for 20 bucks. TWENTY DOLLARS! Four pairs later and I’m searching through the clearance rack for $9.99 specials, too. I ended up with 7 pairs of pants that set me back just over a hundred dollars (plus a $50 jacket), including the ones I’m wearing today. I think that deserves another w00t! Best of all, I’ve now got tan, brown, blue, grey, etc. pairs to give me some variety – and ain’t that the spice o’ life?

Papa’s got a brand new bag, indeed!