It's Friday

[peterbirks]

Not through any level of superstition, but mainly through tiredness and laziness, I decided to do the newsletter from home today. It doesn't really save me that much time, but it makes for a change. Twice in the past two days I've slept through the radio coming on at 5.30 -- a definite indication of tiredness. Then again, I've been pushing it at the gym this week and I'm getting back to pre-Vegas condition.

Obviously, since I decided to work at home, the Informa server decided to crash at 5am. This didn't affect my link into the system, but did bugger up all external e-mails. I'm still waiting for the newsletter, which I sent out moree than two hours ago, to arrive at a computer two feet away on the same desk. Obviously, it has to go via a server in West Byfleet, but you do wonder whether the so-called instant system of e-mail is all that some people say that it is.

I'm rejigging the Rio Karma, putting the "genres" into my own categories. With luck this will make the construction of random playlists easier. At the moment the genres are a bit of a mix'n'match, depending on record labels' own opinions.

Comments

[jellymillion.livejournal.com]

My iRiver is just permanently set fo "Shuffle". Happily, it now has some additional Rolling Stones tracks. I owe you one.

[(Anonymous)]

Pete,

Been reading your blog for a few weeks now, after stumbling upon it when looking at another poker blog. Don't know if you remember me, Matt Harrison, used to be in to board games etc and met you several times at MidCon, ManorCon etc. Last time I met you, you were certainly still drinking, which must make it a while ago.

The thing that prompted this posting was that your music listening has trackedd mine (or vice versa) for the last few postings. Last evening for example, I downloaded Tim Buckley Goodbye and Hello - for no apparent reason, and then it appears on your post today, and last week I was listening to that St Etienne album.

As for the genres thing, I tried this sometime ago, but with something like 15,000 songs on iTunes I soon gave up, far too hard. Some stuff clearly cuts across several genres, and some bands tend to change genre over time. I've set myslef the more achievable target of getting all the years right on my music collection, no more Greatest Hits albums dated from the year of release of the compilation.

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

Hi Matt:

Yes, I remember you. I quit drinking in April 1999, so that just about dates the Midcons where you might have seen me absolutely legless.

Coincidence? Well, yes and no. Perhaps we both use Oink and have similar predilections. Sorted.

:-)

PJ

[geoffchall.livejournal.com]

Actually there's endless fun to be had in the Gracenote genre system. Right now I have a brain in a condition similar to swiss cheese (full of holes, a bit runny and with no real taste) so I can't actually remember any of these surreal contradictions. I'm sure you know the kind of thing I mean.

I also have the intention to do a lot more by way of playlists. I have the iPod on shuffle at the gym and occasionally it comes up with something that is really ideal for the cross-trainer or whatever and I plan to jot it down (but never do). I no I can shove it into the On-The-Go thing but the whole library needs a thorough clearout after the end of Jan.

161 Tax Returns to do in 18 days which should be pretty knackering but is always financially rewarding. My cashflow is now ludicrously lopsided with approaching a third of our billing during one month. It also means I get to work late in the office with Muse on extremely loud.

Genres

[(Anonymous)]

I gave up on Genres very early on in my iTunes experience, about the time that I found that someone had labelled all my Man albums, (obscure Welsh Rock band, with strong West Coast leanings) as Latin. Any idea I had that any thought had gone into the genre settings disappeared immediately. I do like the fact that Geoff has Dido labelled under "Girlie Singers" though.

John W

Re: Genres

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

The Rio Karma, for reasons that I can't fathom, has no automatic random selection. You can playlist it via just about any category, but can't tell it to make up its own mind, unless you tell it to play a genre (or a year) in which case it will do so randomly. With me?

One of the genres I have is called "Gym Track". So, that means I can get on the rowing machine (on which it's a bit difficult to lean down and skip a track) and fire up "Gym Track" as a genre, and guarantee that the music played will be suitable.

I've utterly dumped the Gracenote system, because it seems far to thinly spread and, in cases, incorrect. What I would LIKE is to be able to put songs into more than one genre.

Awesome dude, man.

PJ

PS: Man? I thought they were some kind of German industrial company, or a financial services group, or something.