Dave's Journal, Dec2022
This was a trial to make an mp4 video of my computer screen while I edited a picture. This video shows a simple image manipulation procedure using the GIMP. I downsized the final video a bit to keep the file size for this web page small. In practice, file size would stay whatever quality you need for the video.
There is no audio track.
(Hopefully the cats will be well behaved.)
A few years back, I sat on those steps on the right, drank coffee and watched the day come alive. Oh my.
One of the largest festive markets in the country, the Montepulciano Christmas Village is a merry showcase in the heart of Tuscan wine country, dominating Piazza Grande and Via San Donato and fanning out into their adjoining streets.
This massive village packs in everything but the gift-wrapped kitchen sink. Stalls, street food vendors, and entertainment designed specifically for the occasion keep this from feeling like a strictly "Santa-and-kids" kind of affair.
Gift ideas on offer include handmade artisanal goods, clothes, sweets and leather items, along with a wealth of festive decorations. Hot foods and drinks, of course, are also not in short supply. (Tip: Indulge in a glass of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or other local ruby reds after a full day of browsing and heckling.)
The village will stay open from 10.30am-7.30pm every weekend in December, and then again daily from the 22nd until January 6. A bonus for all the active types who go a bit stir-crazy on Christmas Day: Unlike other markets in the mix that close for the full day on the 25th, the Montepulciano village will be open in the afternoon.
Power outage today - local car wipes out local power pole. We walked around the house with lanterns for a while, and I got a picture of the ghost of Christmas as she passed through the living room.
As the house temperature dropped, we had to call Mike in to connect and start the generator. He also stayed here as the power company kept extending their time to complete repair.
Mike even went out and brought back very lovely Sushi goodies for dinner.
Well, like Mama always said "If it isn't one thing, it's another". Today it's the exhaust pipes on the (2004 !) Subaru.
No, I am not buying a new car !! Repairs, as bad as they are, cost a lot less than monthly new car payments.
Calm down, you're going to be fine. Take deep breaths .....
For Godzilla fans ....
Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex is a 3D-animated Godzilla short film written and directed by Takuya Uenishi. It is a sequel to Uenishi's 2019 fan film G vs. G, which he submitted to GEMSTONE's Godzilla contest, winning the chance to work with Toho in an official capacity. It was screened during Godzilla Fest 2022 on November 3, 2022 and subsequently released on YouTube.
Here are 34 seconds of G vs G Rex ....
The full 6mins are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObDeGGRH-PY
I am a G fan. Must have 20 DVDs of Godzilla movies, but I am painfully ignorant of the eras of Godzilla that the true fanatics talk about. Well that gives me something to study up on.
And here is the encyclopedia of G: https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Godzilla
This movie was never released in the US, yet it has a cult following around the world. Last year I bought a 2-disk DVD set, but unfortunately it does not play in US DVD players, so it's been sitting dormant in my DVD pile.
Few days back, I watched this excellent Youtube review of the movie, and where it fits in the Godzilla universe:
Shin Godzilla Retrospective
So .... I ran the Japanese language version through Handbrake and converted it to an mp4, and .... it worked !!!!
This screen capture includes the window frame, but the actual mp4 just shows the movie.
This Godzilla is a tragic, deformed, sorrowful, doomed-at-birth creature striking out at the world out of fear and confusion.
My task today is to see if the English language DVD converts to mp4 just as well.
.........................
Yes! ... the English version converted to mp4 !
This scene shows Godzilla in his pathetic form as he first emerges from the sea. Apparently he evolves physically through the movie but is always a physical wreck ... bleeding and wounded even before they start shooting at him.
I have not watched the whole movie yet and I am anxious to get all the facts.
From what I see so far, this is actually a restart of the Godzilla saga. This is his original "birth" in Tokyo harbor out of nuclear and man-made pollution. He evolves physically as the movie progresses. He is a confused, terrified creature striking out at this new world he's born into.
Eggs, wheat bran, flax seed meal, half&half, olive oil, onion, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, salt, organic French spices.
Chef must still be in his pyjamas.
At the vet - annual checks for Tux and Luka. As ever, vet says "no more weight !!" but all else checks okay. Luka got rabies and anti-virus shots.
(Be a child for 2 minutes.)
Nice local museum that always has good stuff on their walls (almost always).
On a side note: Rebekah started my education about choreography. I never thought much about it, and it sounds very interesting (how she creates dances based on stories). Must keep talking about this.
