A while ago, I set up a Teamspeak server so that Dawn and I could do voice chat while we’re playing City of Heroes. The idea is that we can communicate far, far more effectively with verbal cues than when we have to stop down the action to type our messages.

For various reasons, before tonight, we’ve been unable to make the system work to our satisfaction. Tonight, however, could be considered a qualified success. The mild feedback problem hasn’t gone completely away, but it’s far more tolerable than it used to be. Tonight, we managed to run through several missions, communicate and coordinate, and even whisper sweet nothings in one another’s ears. Not bad for a small investment in headsets and the installation of a free bit of server code, eh?

If you are in the market for a new chassis, you could do worse than to pick up the Antec Sonata. It comes with a 380-watt power supply, and boasts some of the smartest interior design around. The whole case is meant to be generally quieter and easier to work with, and it does so splendidly.

So I took my gaming computer apart today, and put it into the new case. The old case can’t accept power supply upgrades (stupid proprietary thinking, anyway), so in order to power my two hard drives, a Pentium 4 and my GeForce 6600, I had to upgrade. I took advantage of the opportunity to trade out the slow, stubborn old DVD-ROM for a regular CD-ROM drive, and upgraded from the Soundblaster Live to a Soundblaster Live 5.1. (It’s a subtle improvement, sure, but since I had the case open anyway…)

The good news is, it all worked the first time I powered it up. That alone is almost newsworthy all by itself, as it’s unusual enough to nearly be unique in my experience.

I also may have gotten to the bottom of the trouble playing City of Heroes. Even with the new power supply, I still had the weird game crash problem… but once I turned off the antialiasing, I was able to play for two solid hours without a glitch. I’m hesitant to claim victory just yet, but it’s at least a promising start.

Now I just need to clean up this mess I created during the chassis transfer… oops…

For the first time since starting this site, I’ve managed to post every single day for an entire month. It’s appropriate, I think, that I pulled off this feat during my birth month.

I think I’ll just sit for a minute and bask in the glow of those 100% indicators just off to the left a bit, there. Yay, posting frequency!

(Now, if only I had actual substance to post about, eh? I shouldn’t complain, though. I’m a big fan of peace and quiet…)

Two more sets of questions, two more sets of answers for your amusement.

Heather got there first, so here’s hers:

1. “What have you found to be the answer to the question why do you (specifically and metaphysically) exist?” — I haven’t found that answer. I don’t even remember asking the question, lately. Maybe I’m just not that existential anymore. Hmm.
2. “What is your all time most cherished memory that makes you all gooey inside?” — My memory being what it is (namely, lousy) means that I cherish things as they come, nowadays. Luckily, it’s easy to pick out something that makes me all… well, I don’t know if I’d say “gooey inside” but, sure. Any time I get hugs from my kids, that gives me happy warm fuzzies. Every time.
3. “If you could impart a piece of true and sound advice, that you have amassed from your jurassic habitation on this planet, what would it be?” — Watch out for those velociraptors!

That busy lady, Lilith, finally came through with a set of questions as well:

1. “What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?” — Initiating a particular conversation, a couple of years ago…
2. “Where would you go (on this planet, sorry) for your dream vacation?” — It’d have to be a dream, because we all know that I’m not allowed to take a real vacation… but I think I’d go on an Alaskan cruise. (Yes, even though it would involve being out over deep water for days on end.)
3. “Would you like a foot rub?” — Why sure! I’m always up for that. Thanks!

Any other takers? Hmm? Am I going to have to come up with actual content tomorrow?

So far, response to yesterday’s meme has been… light.

Dawn asked,

1. “If given the opportunity to move anywhere, where would it be and why and who would you take with you?” — It’s crazy, but I don’t think I would ever want to leave Portland. It would take a phenomenal opportunity elsewhere to make me move, and even then it’d be an agonizing decision. Now, within Portland? I’d find a nice big house, possibly west of downtown but maybe someplace Laurelhurst-ish, and there’d be room for me and thee and a couple of guest rooms where friends or the rugrats or visitors could crash, and a big theater-basement (hey, I like Tom’s setup!), and all that good stuff. Yeah.
2. “If you could spend a day with one anime character, which one would it be?” — You are a cruel woman. Only one? Damn. Well, I’m going to weasel out of this with a coin-flip. It would be either the genius scientist (and goddess) Washuu or the late, great Maes Hughes, soldier, spy and proud papa extraordinaire. Now, if you’d asked what character I would want to spend a night with… well, let’s just not go there. Heh.
3. “Sunrise or sunset?” — Sunset. I’m not awake early enough to appreciate sunrises properly. Even if I’m up early enough, I’m still not awake enough. Besides, the ocean’s to the west of us, and sunsets over the ocean are the best sunsets.

Now, the roomie answered half of the meme but left out the questions. So I’m going to answer the sorts of questions that he might, as he put it, “blurt down the stairwell.”

1. No thanks, I already ate.
2. Sure, I’ll come take a look in just a sec’.
3. Go ahead, I bought enough so everybody could have some.

(Heh. I’m so damned clever.)

UPDATE: Mari chimed in, bless her Imperially Cute heart.

1. “Do you want to learn how to drive? Really WANT to learn, not just cause it’s the thing to do or anything like that.” — Not particularly, no. Never in my life have I had the thought, “Gee, I really want to be driving a car.” I’ve had the thought, “Gee, I probably should learn to drive at some point; it would certainly be useful at times.”
2. “What is my best or most attractive physical feature or personality attribute?” — Way to make this about you, cute stuff. (I tease because I love! Really!) Okay, seriously? Your most attractive personality attribute is your playful energy. Or energetic playfulness. Whatever you want to name it. Your “best” attribute is, I think, your willingness to call it like you see it coupled with your genuine concern for everyone involved in a situation. I’ve tried to learn from that, and I think I have some distance to go yet…
3. “What color underwear are you wearing right now?” — They’re a kind of dark blue/gray. (I don’t have any plain white underwear. Whoops, did I just cross over into TMI territory? Terribly sorry.)

So c’mon, what’s your excuse? Go on and give it a try; you know you want to.