Let There Be Music!

As most of you know, we really love music around here - it's a feature of our workshops and training events.

We have a bunch of resources on our main site, which include links to Amazon.com - for albums that are "must haves."

Now, let's talk about mp3 music.

A while back I downloaded my 25 free tracks from EMusic.

I loved the service so much, I joined. If you are a fan of independent music, or the Blues, or Jazz, you really need to check them out.

eMusic offers three low priced subscription plans.
All plans cost less than the price of 1 CD each month!

eMusic Basic

• 40 Song Downloads per month
• $9.99 per month

eMusic Plus

• 65 Song Downloads per month
• $14.99 per month

eMusic Premium

• 90 Song Downloads per month
• $19.99 per month

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I found both The New Pornographers, and Neko Case, (their lead singer - her albums are there too! I've blogged about her before.)

My latest "find" is a Blues concert featuring Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. If you like BLUES GUITAR, this album is a must!

Have a look, try the free downloads, and see if you do not join!

Having a Meltdown

Well, only sort of.
About a month ago my main computer started acting up - not booting from BIOS, not finding the hard drives. Finally it got bad enough that I went scurrying back to the DELL Canada website. I found a Dell, called and got a great deal, and also bought an extra LCD Monitor for Darbella's computer. 5 days later it all arrived.
This past Wednesday, the weather shifted, and we had an amazingly severe thunderstorm. Really, the thunder sounded like is was in the house.
Apparently it was.
Later that day, I went downstairs, and tried to turn on the new Dell. Nada.
No Internet connection, either through our laptop or Darbella's computer. AND, no telephone.
Next day, I had to drive a mile to get my cell phone to work.
Amazing experience.
The storm knocked out my fax machine, and Bell fixed the line.
My computer was pooched, as was our wireless router.
I connected the laptop directly, did some fiddling and got my Internet connection back.
I called Dell using Skype. God, I love Skype. (You do know that all calls to landlines in North America from Skype are free through 2006, right??) I use Skype all the time.
Anyway, after some tech support, which determined that my power supply was shot, Dell let me know that another, replacement computer would be built and shipped and I should have it in 10 days. AND they'd then send a prepaid box to ship back the pooched one.
No wonder this is the 5th Dell we've bought.
I also bought a a new router and a surge suppressor with a $100,000 insurance guarantee.
Everything works again, just in time to box it up and move it next Wednesday.
The joys of the tech life.