Feh. Since iTunes won’t let you nuke and repave purchased songs so you can get the higher quality version vs. the pre-2009 DRM version, I ended up having to just flat out buy the CDs containing the Weird Al Yankovic songs I wanted on my phone. You’d figure Apple would welcome more money (it’d be a double dip), but I guess not. Now I just need to find the Battlestar Galactica season 4 OST CD for less than the nearly $40 on Amazon.
So much for the digital age making things easier…
Hope you all having a good night!
Forest fire season has started early here where I live. Had a couple of fires my region already start past couple of days. Luckily they got on top of them pretty quick.
Hoping the fire season is not bad this year like recent years. Back in 2021, They had over 100,000 people in my region on evacuation alert / orders cause of a massive blaze. Then in 2023, Another monster blaze south of the 2021 one decimated a large area. Which caused a full blown ban on tourists from coming to the region.
So currently hoping for rain. And lots of it. We got barely any snow this past winter. We only had the one storm and that was pretty much it for our winter. We even had a green Christmas which is very unusual for here. Had no snow on the ground here or in the nearby mountains at all.
That’s why I pay for the Apple one service. Always have access to everything. Kinda wish they did that with movies and tv shows to.
Yeah, not subscribing just to download the occasional song. Especially not subscribing to anything Apple. I like macOS, but have no need for other services.
My SO and I have a family sub to Apple Music because it’s cheaper that way. I kind of rejected the idea at first but it has all the music I want to listen to. I purged my own CD collection a few years ago (around 800 CDs) which was hard for me to do, but at least I can still listen to all my music through streaming.
Unfortunately Apple’s music isn’t lossless. That’s another factor for me. I’ve got good cans and my audio setup in my room is 2x Polk RTi-A9s bi-amped from a Monolith M7X + Polk MicroPro 4000 sub (one of the last good subs they made). I want as much quality as I can get. 
Someone should smack 'em with a false advertising suit, then. 
https://i.imgur.com/HiCVlD3.png
Ok, looks like they finally moved to lossless. Sadly only for their Apple Music though. iTunes does still use lossy AAC.
Since I seldom get songs though it makes little sense to get an AM sub. Thanks for the heads up about the lossless addition. That would at least make it worth it for others that are also audiophiles.
Edit: I was previously using Max (cdparanoia) in macOS to rip my CDs, but I just got done setting up Exact Audio Copy in Windows and it makes things so much simpler (once set up that is - setting it up had a high learning curve). And as a plus it doesn’t rely on iTunes for CD info and it can auto-create album folders + dual WAV/FLAC simultaneous rip. I’m happy.
*Turns into TiaCat™ and makes biscuits on the lounge sofa*
Same. I resisted subscribing to Apple Music until Verizon added it as a free perk of my cell plan. Now they’re hounding me to update my plan, as they’ve since overhauled there plan structure. The free perks I’m receiving on my grandfathered plan (Apple Music and the Disney bundle) are both $10 add-ons to their current plans.
It is nice having access to virtually any album or song I want to hear, any time, anywhere.
Mornin’ folks.
It got cold and windy overnight. From the 50s yesterday to the low 20s. So no walk this morning. I should be able to take Onyx out for some play time after work though, so she’ll get some exercise.
Now, if anyone needs me, I’ll be wrapped up in a blanket in front of the fire, savoring a cup of coffee.
Good morning.
Car decided to wear a nice layer of frost, but no lasting impact from the snowy rain nonsense. I think that’s the last time we’re going to have messy weather in regards to winter.
Sure is cold, but doesn’t seem like it’s gonna last.
Outside of that, back at work. Making very solid progress towards gearing up at S2, nearing 645 ILvl. The benefit of doing both PvE and PvP is that you have two avenues for upgrades. 
Getting some pants crafted and that should be the last remnant of my S1 tier at 626 gone.
T11s are already on lock, but Underpin double question mark? That is a giant question indeed, as all of my initial attempts Brann just up and dies. Immediately. I’m going to gear up and get him to 70 probably before trying it again.
Anyway, you all have an acceptable pre-Friday!
Good morning all!
/Notes the cold weather concerns and builds up the fire, cleans the Lounge house, and fluffs the pillows. Brews and puts out hot, fresh, coffee, the hot water kettle, cocoa, and all the fixings/toppings. Sets out bacon, eggs, toast, bagels, sausage, and some blueberry muffins.
We finally got some rain yesterday but today we have the winds. Dastardly winds. Blowing away all our lovely water. Made chili yesterday but have not done much else. Very meh. About to go get my own coffee, feed the cats, and such.
Give them a boop for me.
/grabs a cup of coffee then goes back to exploring the Milky Way in ED.
Thanks for the coffee Mirasol.
Apparently, today is the “first” day of Spring - I heard a couple red-winged blackbirds complaining about the wind and the cold.
Today is looking to be the coldest day for the next couple weeks - high temps of 50+ all next week (so far).
Yesterday was 58. Today it’s 28. Gotta love this time of year.
Yeah… Fun fun! Then it goes up to 60’s next week or something? I need to work on staining (tung oil) the raised plant stand bench and figuring out how to make a multipurpose greenhouse/bug net style cover.
Meanwhile…
All those showers. You will start to grow mold.
Looking at it though, doesn’t look like there is a lot of rain though. And most of the time, the weather is predicted wrong.
Last night, was supposed to be a storm here in Sydney, but we’ve had a clear night.