At seven a.m., I walked Beatrice. The weather was not that hot in the early morning (it later neared or exceeded 100). She loved her morning walk.
I had a mission this morning. I had volunteered to do a live transcription of a talk by a computer programmer at the Fedora Flock convention in Charleston, South Carolina[Fedora is a linux operating system that I use on my computer. Flock is a gathering of Fedora users], I was doing the recording here at my home in Allen. I was to watch the stream (a google+ hangout) and type the transcript into an IRC site (using, as it happens, xchat). "My" speaker, a fellow from Berlin (with whom I am unacquainted) was to speak about use of free music and art in video games. This topic interests me. The talk I was to record was at 10.a.m. my time.
I signed on-line at 8 a.m. to hear the keynote address, about using open source hardware and software 3-D printers.It ran long due to an equipment/slideshow hassle, throwing off the schedule (i.e., like every convention ever held). Then I went to the IRC chat room in which the talk I was to record was to occur. The prior talk, though, did not have its feed working. They got a new computer as the talk went on, and someone in the lecture room transcripted that talk. I was worried I would not be able to see the talk I was to transcribe. The Fedora folks at the site worked to fix it all, though, and succeeded.
Luckily [i.e., through someone's effort and focus], just at 10 a.m., they got a new laptop set up for the streaming. They opened a google+ chat hangout, and I was in business transcripting. The speaker I was logging spoke excellent second language English, but the audio feed was very imperfect. As I swiftly typed, I tried to make out all the words. Though I had his slides open, I found it hard to watch the video, type into the IRC screen and also keep up with the slides. I felt like I was missing a lot.
45 minutes later it was over. My chat log got posted on a fedora site. It was no masterpiece, but it read okay. I wish I had captured more. As a lawyer, I have had a career-long respect for court reporters, who use a stenographic shorthand to type up to 300 words a minute. My respect increased, if its very high level could increase.
At noon I took a shower. I headed out to get lunch. I learned that Allen has a new Vietnamese place, Pho is for Lovers. I went to its opening day. I had a chicken pho and spring rolls. It was great, in a very casual and clean "order-at-the-front" setting. It is my view that Virginia is for lovers, and pho is for breakfast (though I eat it for lunch and dinner). But I liked the new place very much.
Then I went to the Heard Natural Science Center. I loved taking a hike there.
I saw snowy egret, great blue heron, tiger swallowtail butterflies, green herons, turkey vultures, tufted titmouse, and carolina chickadees. I liked a dad and his two little boys who were hiking the wetlands trail. I let the boy use my binoculars to try to see the green herons and the snowy egret. They were all great folks.
When I arrived home, I watched the animated film by Paul Fierlinger and Sandra Fierlinger called "My Dog Tulip". I am a good way into the film and love it.
The protagonist's story of this dog adoption story reminded me of
microbie a little bit, though the narrator and microbie are very dissimilar folks. I will watch the rest tonight, unless I exceeded my rental time, in which case I will rent it again.My wife got home from a training class that occupied her Saturday afternoon. We
went to the Turkish restaurant on Legacy Drive in Plano, where I had grilled salmon.
We spent the rest of the evening watching Woody Allen's movie "Blue Jasmine".
We really liked the movie. Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins both gave
Oscar-quality performances. The casting of Andrew Dice Clay was the best job of casting since Mickey Rourke was cast as "The Wrestler".
I got a thoughtful note from my first cousin tonight, after a good call with a different first cousin last night. I am grateful for family.