Monday, August 31, 2009

Gothic Cycle


Gothic Cycle
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Interesting costumes and props inside the Alley Theater during Houston's Theater Open House Day.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Snow Leopard Day


Snow Leopard Day
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Made it a bit of a geek holiday by donning the Google polo shirt, taking a trip to the Apple Store midday, followed by lunch at Brio, and then a post-work Margarita happy hour at Chuy's before coming home to actually load up the new OS.

Yuengling In Texas


Yuengling In Texas
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

My buddy Rodo brought in a couple of 12 packs from Memphis since you can't find it in the Lonestar state.

iStat


iStat
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

The new iStat app for the iPhone gained a battery monitor & running processes list, but lost its Free Memory function.

St Arnolds Oktoberfest + Rocky Patel Decades


St Arnolds Oktoberfest + Rocky Patel Decades
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Catching up with my buddy Rodo over drinks & cigars at Rio 24.

Floral Chair, Hidden Dollar


Floral Chair, Hidden Dollar
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

A suspiciosly positioned dollar bill in the crevice of a chair in a public sitting area at the office.

Mushroom Kingdom


Mushroom Kingdom
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

A patch of mushrooms that sprouted in our yard overnight.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Nike+ Running Graph 2009


Nike+ Running Graph 2009
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

I need another one of those dramatic bar graph increases over the next 9 weeks in order to still hit my second half marathon of the year in New Orleans on Halloween.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Ashley At Night


Ashley At Night
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Working on her first quiz of the last semester at Florida State.

Twitter Week In Review 2009-08-15 To 2009-08-22


Finally decided to take the plunge on Things (Mac + iPhone apps) after much comparison w/OmniFocus & Remember The Milk...organize me!
5:20 PM Aug 15th from Tweetie


Finished up w/all 24 hrs of Stanford CS193P iPhone Dev videos today; really interesting course & gave me some great ideas for my own apps.
7:25 PM Aug 15th from Tweetie


2 JW/Electronica Classics this wk! Sasha/Digweed in ATL '96/Underworld in Oakland '09: http://tinyurl.com/m43dn2 http://tinyurl.com/kspb2d
11:27 AM Aug 16th from TweetDeck


Spent AM working on music blogging & loading up iPod; PM spent cleaning up home office in prep for move, then reading/TiVo w/Ash/PTR in PM.
8:17 PM Aug 16th from Tweetie


RT @rgremill Dear SEC, this is stupid! SEC, the best NCAAFB conference, has disappointed me today http://bit.ly/Y2jRM
12:21 PM Aug 17th from Tweetie


First night of last class in PM; also booked my Nov/Dec travel; I'll be flying more in those 3 weeks than the previous 3 years combined.
9:42 PM Aug 17th from Tweetie


Spent PM on homework & reading in my new Proj Mgmt book; also caught last night's Weeds & played a few rounds of Monster Pinball...awesome.
10:39 PM Aug 18th from Tweetie


This Frankie Knuckles set recorded last month at Pacha in Ibiza has definitely made my Wednesday afternoon smile-worthy. :-)
4:23 PM Aug 19th from Tweetie


For those of you interested, here's that Frankie Knuckles mix: http://tinyurl.com/kj9elg You're welcome, @mintyone !
4:46 PM Aug 19th from Tweetie


Keeping all my IM accounts logged into BeejiveIM was a tad overwhelming, but having just my Google Talk account signed in is the right mix.
7:59 PM Aug 19th from Tweetie


@dudesy916 At least it's not dipped in kerosene like the rope in Home Alone 2!
8:44 PM Aug 19th from Tweetie in reply to dudesy916


Really digging my last class @ Auburn; think it will be a good one to keep me motivated this fall; now for some reading before bed.
8:52 PM Aug 19th from Tweetie


Dear Lotus Notes: you're the most frustrating piece of software I've ever been forced to use; just when I think you can't get worse, you do.
3:01 PM Aug 20th from Tweetie


@bobmurrell I thought you cherished my yodeling-themed voicemails. :-(
4:41 PM Aug 20th from TweetDeck in reply to bobmurrell


@tadrian A curse on each of their houses! Actually, it's just terribly bloated by 15 yrs of design-by-committee after being bought by IBM.
4:47 PM Aug 20th from TweetDeck in reply to tadrian


Work -> Haircut -> Gumbo/Merlot for dinner w/Ash, followed by a couple of hours of new house planning + professional ambition discussions.
9:15 PM Aug 20th from Tweetie


@tadrian Indeed tomorrow WILL be different as I'll spend most of my day in Google Apps...although my coworkers will still suffer thru Lotus.
9:23 PM Aug 20th from TweetDeck in reply to tadrian


Dang, still no Facebook 3.0 iPhone app this morning. Why hast thou forsaken me "Check for Updates" iTunes button?!
6:24 AM Aug 21st from Tweetie


RT @joshuatopolsky : Apple responds to the FCC. http://bit.ly/5kkuF Some wild, wild stuff in here.
4:36 PM Aug 21st from Tweetie


@MattWestern Have a good time, man!
6:18 PM Aug 21st from TweetDeck in reply to MattWestern


Not a bad Fri: got stuff done @ work, nice lunch out @ Goose's Acre, then dinner/drinks w/Ash in PM @ Rico's; here's to a good weekend.
9:18 PM Aug 21st from Tweetie


Headed out for lunch at Market Street w/Ash & Brian + Claude...a rare "South Dallas" appearance for the happy couple!
12:04 PM Aug 22nd from Tweetie

JW / Electronica Classics 026: Ferry Corsten Live at Partynight 2000


This week's selection was the mix that made me a fan of Ferry Corsten. When I originally found it on Napster back in late 2000, it was labeled simply "Ferry Corsten - The Partynight Mix". That's how I've referred to it for the past nine years.

While trying to nail down a track listing (which Shazam + Google is awesome for, by the way), I discovered that this particular mix was broadcast on three different occasions in early 2000, and therefore goes by several names.

For those of you keeping score at home, this "Partynight Mix" is alternatively known as "Ferry Corsten - Live on Radio 1's Judge Jules Show 2000-01-14", "Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Dance Department 2000-01-20", or "Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Partynight 2000-02-05". Obviously my version was the last in that series, although the track list is consistent across each.

While I tend to post many recordings from BBC Radio 1's various broadcasts, this one is from the largest radio station in The Netherlands, Radio 538. If you see any live sets with names like "Live at Dance Department" or "Live at Partynight" from earlier in this decade, it was almost surely from this trance-friendly station in a trance-friendly country.

The picture above is from Ferry Corsten's first appearance in New Orleans on October 5, 2001, at Club 735 on Bourbon Street. I remember listening to this mix on the way to the club that evening, and then dancing more to his live performance that night than I have to any trance set since. Truly one of those Great Moments in Clubbing History (TM).

Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Partynight 2000-02-05

01 - Generation X - Lost Horizon
02 - Der Dritte Raum - Hale-Bopp (Jackdaw Mix)
03 - Saints & Sinners - Pushing Too Hard
04 - Zero Gravity - A New Sensorium (HH's Ohral Dub Mix)
05 - CFC - Rest In Hell (Timo Maas Remix)
06 - Da Hool - Wankers On Duty Duty (Hands Up-Wankers Mix)
07 - Transa - Transtar
08 - Insigma - Insigma
09 - Paul van Dyk - Another Way (Main Club Mix)
10 - Evolution - Phoenix (Breeder Remix)
11 - Nick K. - Fluctuation (Ferry Corsten Remix)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Transport of Life-Giving Nectar


Transport of Life-Giving Nectar
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

The Community Coffee truck rolls by me during my morning commute as I sip my own cup of New Orleans Blend.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Hurricane Season 2009


Hurricane Season 2009
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

This year I decided to pick up the Hurricane iPhone app. Hopefully won't need to use it to see storms barreling towards Houston or New Orleans but it's only mid-August and you can see Ana's projected path.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Twitter Weeks In Review 2009-08-02 To 2009-08-13



Posted this week's JW / Electronica Classic: Trendroid on Whoop! Radio Oct 2001; dark & upbeat progressive house! http://tinyurl.com/nkqyzl
10:03 PM Aug 2nd from TweetDeck


Busier Sun than normal; lots-o-housework, 2 mile run, 5 hrs of Stanford iPhone development vids w/bro, then a bit of blogging catchup in PM.
11:28 PM Aug 2nd from Tweetie


Active Mon @ the office, followed by another 2 hrs of iPhone Dev vids in PM; also got new MBP battery today; about to chill w/popcorn/Conan.
10:48 PM Aug 3rd from Tweetie


Awesome...just had the free business card offer pop up in my Google Voice account. 25 freebies on their way! http://tinyurl.com/lu8z3l
10:12 AM Aug 4th from Tweetie


Ha, I don't love Deadmau5 but he gets some geek cred for sampling the NES Zelda Overworld theme in the first 7 mins of his Essential Mix.
12:21 PM Aug 4th from Tweetie


Had great brainstorming session at Rio 24 in PM, then home for a delicious Italian dinner w/Ash & app dev talks w/bro over cigars/cocktails.
10:31 PM Aug 4th from Tweetie


Hit up the library & Which Wich @ lunch today; PM spent wrapping up Season 2 of Weeds on Netflix, then more dev vids & software tests w/bro.
11:25 PM Aug 5th from Tweetie


Lunch @ Benihana for my buddy Alfred's b-day; PM spent on Stanford iPhone dev vids...only a few more to go! I'm excited about CPSC again :-)
10:49 PM Aug 6th from Tweetie


Live Underworld broadcast from Oakland tonight @ 11PM CST, marketed as 1st iPhone broadcast: http://underworldlive.com Electronica me!
7:40 PM Aug 7th from web


Wow this is one of those seminal moments in tech: I'm watching one of my fav bands of all time perform live...directly on my iPhone. Stunned
11:43 PM Aug 7th from web


Totally smitten. This Underworld live concert has made my month. Classic tunes & near flawless live streaming implementation. Amazing.
11:56 PM Aug 7th from web


@dudesy916 That's awesome!
4:47 PM Aug 8th from Tweetie in reply to dudesy916


A decidedly lazy Sunday after last night's shenanigans; Weeds on TiVo & Wing Stop takeout was just what the doctor ordered.
7:57 PM Aug 9th from Tweetie


Wow, Facebook acquired FriendFeed: http://tinyurl.com/msczlo
2:35 PM Aug 10th from Tweetie


Taking my brother out to Crush & Rio 24 for his 21st birthday.
5:59 PM Aug 10th from Tweetie


Been off the grid for a few days after celebrating my bro's 21st b-day, getting the house back in order, & enjoying final few days of summer
9:59 PM Aug 12th from Tweetie


The Eric Prydz portion of last weekend's Essential Mix in Ibiza was surprisingly good; one melodic, driving peak-time tune after another.
11:03 AM Aug 13th from Tweetie


Spending this last week of summer catching up on items @ work & small projects @ home; moving prep for new house starts soon & class on Mon.
10:30 PM Aug 13th from Tweetie

JW / Electronica Classics 025: Underworld Live in Oakland 2009


For the 25th installment of the Classics series, I thought I'd post a set that, while very recent, probably merits the "instant classic" classification.

Underworld holds a special place in my heart. It was their single, "Kittens", that was the first MP3 file I ever downloaded to my computer, way back in early 1999. Their "Beaucoup Fish" album was also the first CD I ever listened to in my first new car, a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. In the 10 years since, I've purchased each of their commercial releases, and have watched their "Underworld Live - Everything Everything" DVD more times than is probably considered healthy.

Given that brief background, you can likely appreciate how excited I was to see this post from 9to5Mac come through my Google Reader feed two Fridays ago, passing along a last-minute announcement that Underworld would be doing a live concert broadcast to iPhones later that evening. As luck would have it, I didn't have plans to go out that night, so I grabbed my headphones, iPhone, and my laptop to keep up with this thread on their fan site during the performance. I have to say, it was pretty cool getting to watch a live concert on my phone & see fans call out track IDs in real time on a message board.

From a musical stand point, Underworld demonstrates they are clearly firing on all cylinders. As you'll see from the track list below, they touched on almost each of their hit songs, sadly (for me) only missing "Kittens". For even a casual Underworld fan, this is perhaps the best recording of the group to come along in at least 5 years.

Underworld - Live at Fox Theatre Oakland 2009-08-07
Megaupload Link / Rapidshare Link

01 - Intro
02 - Nu Train / Dark Train
03 - Cowgirl
04 - Two Months Off
05 - Push Upstairs / Cups
06 - Beautiful Burnout
07 - Small Conker and a Twix / You Do Scribble
08 - Between Stars
09 - King of Snake
10 - Born Slippy (NUXX)
11 - Pearl's Girl
12 - Jumbo
13 - Spikee
14 - Moaner

JW / Electronica Classics 024: Sasha & Digweed Live in Atlanta During 1996 Olympics


This week's selection is the kind that makes you wish you could've witnessed such an evening of music in person. It's a 3 hour monster from two musical legends right at the inflection point towards international prominence for both the artists and a city. And it might be one of the best Sasha & John Digweed performances I've ever heard.

I luckily ran across this set on the Mercury Server forum last month, and it's been a mainstay in my daily music routine ever since. For those of you who may have cut your teeth on their Northern Exposure Series of albums in the late 90's, this set will feel like a familiar friend.

At the time it was recorded in Atlanta, the city was in the final week of the Centennial Olympic games. I'd visited about 5 weeks earlier to watch a Braves vs Giants game at the now-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. I recall seeing the Michael Johnson Nike ads on the sides of city buses and just perceiving a general electricity in the city as it was about to become the focal point of the world. While this show wasn't directly affiliated with the Olympics (like Tiesto's performance at the 2004 Opening Ceremonies in Athens), I feel the timing is still notable.

What really strikes me about this thirteen year old Sasha & John Digweed set is just how fresh the music sounds even today. 1996 and my memories of the Atlanta Olympic Games seem like a distant time in the past. But 1996 in the context of this performance still seems relatively modern. Probably more of a cognitive disconnect on my part, but it's stuck with me and makes this set all the more personally special.

Sasha & John Digweed - Live in Atlanta Northern Exposure Tour 1996-08-02
Megaupload Link

01. Sasha - Arkham Asylum
02. ID 12
03. Apollo 440 - Krupa (Alcatraz Within The Joint Remix)
04. ID 26
05. ID Nootropic - Cant Stop
06. ID 38 The Music
07. ID 46
08. ID 50
09. ID 54
10. ID 60 Sounds Like A POB Or Origin Track Also On Simon's Set
11. Konya - Come On
12. ID 77 Male Chanting
13. SNS - You Do Me Wrong (Violator Mix)
14. Third Man - Solar Cycle
15. The Light - Panfried (Original / Mind Over Matter Mixes)
16. Third Man - Planet Hunters
17. Universal State of Mind - All Because Of You (Mindsweeper Mix)
18. Pop In Wonderland - Beautiful People
19. Stef, Pako & Frederik - Seaside Atmosphere
20. Paul Van Dyk - Words
21. Goldie vs. RITM - Inner City Life (RITM's Vocalic City Mix)
22. AGH - Yummy
23. LSG - Hidden Sun Of Venus
24. ID 165
25. ID 170
26. BBE - 7 Days & 1 Week

Preseason Football


Preseason Football
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Between Auburn/Tulane/LSU/FSU games on Saturdays and Saints/Texans games on Sundays, the Western household is stoked for the Fall!

Tongue To The Spatula


Tongue To The Spatula
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Puggles making the weekend grilling power move!

The Thinker


The Thinker
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Rodin would be proud.

Stately Puggle


Stately Puggle
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Sporting his most-presidential 100 yard reflection gaze.

Modern Pizza


Modern Pizza
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

My how far pizza delivery has come from the days when I'd order a small pepperoni to eat while watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the 80's.

Friday Afternoon Learning


Friday Afternoon Learning
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Watching an iPhone app development video about OpenGL.

Friday, August 14, 2009

A Shadowy Puggle


A Shadowy Puggle
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

The little guy with very little lighting.

Brother's 21st Birthday


Brother's 21st Birthday
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Took my brother out for his first of age drink with a gin and tonic at Baker Street Pub, and then next door for a few glasses of scotch and a couple of cigars. A proper birthday celebration.

Google Voice Calling Cards


Google Voice Calling Cards
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

My free pack of 25 cards featuring my Google Voice number arrived in the mail this week.

A Rave In Houston


A Rave In Houston
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Uberzone spinning underneath an illuminated ferris wheel during the Funtastic Voyage 2 event last Saturday night at the Fun Plex.

Underworld Live In Oakland


Underworld Live In Oakland
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

As seen streaming live on my iPhone last Friday night...technology is awesome.

The World According To Twitter


The World According To Twitter
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Got my new book in on Friday. Truly hilarious stuff!

Friday, August 07, 2009

Benihana Birthday


Benihana Birthday
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Alfred celebrates his birthday with hibachi at Benihana...complete with festive hat.

Building 3


Building 3
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

The entrance to the 6 story office building overlooking Lake Woodlands.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Go Bag


Go Bag
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

My trusty Booq Bag that has been my daily work travel companion since December 2007.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Stanford CS193P


Stanford CS193P
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Watching the iPhone development course videos with my brother on a Monday night.

Monday, August 03, 2009

New Office In SketchUp


New Office In SketchUp
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

My initial sketch of the floor plan. I'll be adding various furniture configurations to the model soon. Pretty neat software.

Chocolate Creme Pie & Pinot Noir


Chocolate Creme Pie & Pinot Noir
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Not a bad way to wrap up a Saturday evening steak dinner with the family.

A New Toy


A New Toy
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

Few things in this world seem to please a Puggle more than a new stuffed yellow duck.

JW / Blog July 2009 Summary

Articles

Ethical Implications Of Modifying Modern Mobile Computing Platforms

Music

JW / Electronica Classics 020: Erick Morillo & Harry Choo Choo Romero Essential Mix
JW / Electronica Classics 021: Julius Papp Test Press July 2000
JW / Electronica Classics 022: Platipus Sound System Live Set

Twitter

Twitter Weeks In Review 2009-06-21 To 2009-07-04
Twitter Week In Review 2009-07-04 To 2009-07-11
Twitter Weeks In Review 2009-07-12 To 2009-07-25

Photos

Seven Oh One On Seven Oh One
Pie Town!
Portofino Fountain
Catholic Perks?
Star-Spangled Salute
Independence Day 2009
Research and Learn
Reflections of Knowledge
Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 7
Grillin' With Puggles!
Gelato
A Very Sushi Lunch
Damian Lazarus
Detailed Car
Lamborghini At Red Light
Floppy Disk Letter Opener
Black Forest Cake
Cigar Bar
Jones Hall From Above
MacBook Pro Surgery
Astros vs Cardinals
Hewitt BMW's
Ticket To A New Premium App?
Largest Burrito Ever
Freebirds Party Van
Guadalajara Margarita
Puggles & His Piggle
OWC Mercury On-The-Go Enclosure
Afternoon Puggles
Android on OS X
Fried Catfish
Western MacBooks

Twitter Week In Review 2009-07-26 To 2009-07-31



Posted this week's JW/Electronica Classic: Platipus Sound System set; Art of Trance, Terra Ferma, & POB goodness! http://tinyurl.com/nrw9oz
10:24 PM Jul 26th from TweetDeck


Some of the comments on my YouTube video uploads are downright scary. Reminds me of this comic: http://xkcd.com/202/
10:53 PM Jul 27th from Tweetie


My 1st time @ Freebirds Burritos for lunch today...reminds me on Juan's in NOLA; watched "Weeds" season 1 on Netflix in PM...hilarious show.
10:55 PM Jul 27th from Tweetie


RT @crjones I don't think it's a surprise to anyone, but it was AT&T that objected to Google Voice apps. Sigh. http://bit.ly/aPyMw
5:48 PM Jul 28th from Tweetie


@dudesy916 I wondered where you were today. Hope you have a good time over there, man.
2:21 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie in reply to dudesy916


Must've had some weird hair hang-up today: cut @ Sportsclips in PM, then dropped 2 bills on a Braun + clippers @ Best Buy...get yo groom on!
10:21 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie


@ronniehiggins I presume these things are somehow linked, but the two seemingly unrelated sentences makes your tweet hilarious++. :-)
10:24 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie in reply to ronniehiggins


Anyone ever played with Google's SketchUp? I'm considering modeling my new home office in it so I can gauge furniture layout before move in.
10:28 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie


@netfuel I'm experiencing the same thing, & unfortunately this previously used un-link trick doesn't work now: http://tinyurl.com/djrmar
10:35 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie in reply to netfuel


RT @dsilverman: RT @mashable: TWITTER TAKEOVER: Twitter Overwhelms Facebook Feeds - http://bit.ly/GMn47 | this explains it.
11:30 PM Jul 29th from TweetDeck


Observation on rumored iTablet: why would I want Verizon 3G in it? If I pull out something that big to use, odds are I'm in range of Wi-Fi.
11:38 PM Jul 29th from Tweetie


Last week to enter the the Evernote Fujitsu ScanSnap giveaway. Tweet with #evernote_scansnap before its too late. (via @evernote)
12:08 PM Jul 30th from Tweetie


A decidedly geeky day; solved problems @ work, spent evening w/iPhone SDK videos, iTunes tweaks, & helping bro setup his Google Voice acct.
11:26 PM Jul 30th from Tweetie


Interesting article about Mac/PC market share: http://tinyurl.com/mgfag6 Similar to a piece I wrote 2 years ago: http://tinyurl.com/ldbwkk
11:57 AM Jul 31st from TweetDeck


@pineoaks Don't sweat it, man. Pick up a GRE prep book & then focus on the Math portion. My GMAT math scores went way up from practice tests
9:51 PM Jul 31st from Tweetie in reply to pineoaks


Short day @ office, w/lunch @ new pizza joint in Market St; iPhone dev vids w/bro, welcomed in-laws into town for wkend, & Cajun feast in PM
11:17 PM Jul 31st from Tweetie

JW / Electronica Classics 023: Trendroid Live on Whoop! Radio October 2001


I've been on a darker progressive house kick this weekend, so this set from Trendroid seemed like an appropriate selection.

I believe I originally stumbled across this mix while browsing Audiogalaxy in early 2002, around the time Trendroid was garnering press coverage for their soon to be released Transport 6 album. It's truly one of the better snapshots of the darker, but perpetually upbeat sound popularized by acts such as Saeed & Palash during late 2001 & and most of 2002.

The photo above is one I took when the two members of Trendroid, Matt & Pankaj, came to Club Hyperia with Satoshii Tomiie in June 2002. This Whoop! Radio mix is quite similar in feel to that performance while at Hyperia in Houston. Enjoy!

Trendroid - Live on Whoop! Radio October 2001
Megaupload Link / Rapidshare Link

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Western MacBooks


Western MacBooks
Originally uploaded by Juston Western

The MacBook & 2 MacBook Pros of Ashley, me, & my brother resting on the living room ottoman post dinner.