Pandora's Briefcase: Sucker Punch!

Yeah, you thought the briefcase had died, or disappeared, or burned in the fire (oh... I haven't told mum and dad about the fire... just keep it to yourselves...) but SURPRISE!

Today's little entry may remind you a bit of a previous posting (big non-prize for the first person to guess which previous item from Pandora's Briefcase!)

Let me present you with a box:

The crossed out writing says: Run 6/2    Swan Code

No; it does not contain a sheep, not even a small one. (Extra Non-Prize for identifying obscure reference)

The contents revealed.

And revealed a little more-so.

Let me introduce you to a roll of eight-hole punched paper tape- the name is somewhat confusing as, if you look at it closely, it isn't:

Eight Hole Punched Tape with ninth "mysterious" row of smaller holes.

As is usually the case with my Pandora's Briefcase entries, I shan't bore you with the history of this technology (this example was bought on ebay from the UK for less than AUD$10). You can knock yourself out visiting Wikipedia's entry, which will also explain why the official hole counter is actually right. And if you happen to have any 5, 6, or 7 hole tape lying around looking for a home, please drop me a line!

Lameness to the Power of Lame!

OK, so I'm a bit slow, as we have recently moved and all, and I had to rediscover were I'd put them... but this is a response to a post made by the most excellent Lee Sargent on his Blog here .

This is what I came up with after the exhaustive search, and confusion and delays:

Back in 2002 (it seems so long ago... oh... hang on... it is!) Paramount decided to release the entire series of Star Trek: The Next Generation season by season in fancy-schmancy plastic boxes for an inordinately large amount of money. So much so that I couldn't bring myself to part with said spondoolies.  (This was fortunate because they re-released it years later in a more traditional cardboard slipcase at a much more reasonable price!)


However, at the time of the original release I was able to grab some of the promotional material; namely some cardboard counter-top cut-outs! There was Riker, seen left in all his Riker-ish glory!

Standing at about the height of a DVD, I saw their collect-ability immediately!

I also grabbed myself some Worf-omeness!

But the Pièce de résistance is this piece of utter.... um... aweso... no, can't say it.... 


LAMENESS!!!

I'm so glad the design department did their research, as did the person who did final sign-off!

Then again, maybe Tom "Maverick" Cruise was at the helm when this photo was taken...

Pandora's Briefcase: It's a bit late to decide now which was Beta, Max!

Two episodes ago, on the famous podcast  The Midnight Movie Club Podcast (Ep 5, S2), "The 'Burbs", Dan makes mention of a particular recording format, already so obsolete that at least one of their younger listeners had only a vague recollection of the thing! At the time I thought, "Well, here's a chance to open up the ol' briefcase again!" But forgive me, I've been a little slow!

But finally now, for your nostalgic pleasure, I present the Betamax (also commonly called Beta) videocassette tape:

From the front

From back.

Size comparison to its arch-rival, The VHS videocassette at top.

Side-on size comparison to its arch-rival, The VHS videocassette at top (Thickness-wise, not much difference because...

... they used the same diameter (1/2 inch) magnetic tape! Beta at right. (Pen lids used to keep open the tape-protection covers)

Dodgy close-up of exposed tape.

And for a more contemporary size comparison, a "standard" (such an ephemeral word where recording media is concerned!) CD next to a Betamax tape.

Again, I'm not going to go into the details of the format, but it makes an interesting read; a case where Sony lost an epic war! You can knock yourself out understanding the post name by reading Wikipedia's excellent article on this wee little beastie! Secretly, I'm quite fond of this guy!

12 of 12, February 2011. Where have you been, oh Semi-Sane one?

OK, first things first. The last thing I want this post to be is a big, dramatic, "let's feel sorry for essgeethree". However, I feel some explanations are in order for those who really care about me, who may not be aware of where I've been lately. It is fortuitous that I occasionally participate in a 12 of 12 project (The 12 of 12 is a photography project designed to capture a day in the life of people through 12 photographs on the 12th day of each month), that may (or may not!) make this a little easier.

So, this is where I have been since the 2nd of February:

Yes, I'm in hospital. And maybe should have been some time ago- even years! Back in August maybe, when things got very dark, very panicky, very anxious, and very depressing. And got worse... and worse... and medications clashed... and well... things got pretty bad.

The view from my bed, looking up.

I was fortunate to score a single room...

With bed...

An en-suite...

A table and (after four days) a chair...

A view of the oldest continuously operating Theatre in Australia...

And the Pub next door to the theatre, that has provided some "excitement and entertainment" some nights (yikes!)

My good friend Gorbak provided much needed hours of entertainment (I love it!)

I am quite enjoying some books that are most entertaining (if you've seen the show QI, you might get an idea of the type of things these books might contain)...

And I'm not so enthusiastically reading the books they'd probably prefer I read!

But they are keeping me fed.

And I'm getting better. Honest.

But for the cachers out there, maybe you may now understand why I call my MIBH period my "Van Gogh/Spike Milligan" period.

Please don't be offended, but I'm really restricting visitors.  Truth is, I overwhelm easily at the moment, and, more importantly, if you haven't been to the Psych Ward before, you won't know what hit you! It is a very confronting place!

I now have occasional release (so I'm whipping this blog post off at home), but don't have my laptop in hospital. I do have a phone that allows me to check emails, and check any blog posts, etc, so I'm not completely cut off from the outside world. But I'm not good at talking on the phone!

Sorry if this has come as a shock, but let me assure you it's been more of a shock to me!

Take care all, and I'll hopefully see you on the trail some time soon!

EDIT: I arrived back at hospital after posting this, went back to be let back into my room, only to be told that "I'm afraid we've had to move you to another ward, in a 4 bed room!" I'd been warned that that could happen at any time, but it was still a shock to the system! However, it was an inner comfort to realize that it wasn't anywhere near as overwhelming as when I first arrived at hospital, and was put in a 4 bed ward- for about 15 minutes, before they asked if I'd like a single room!

My meal was lost in transit, so I ate whatever was spare, and rang Wendy with the news. I then went back to my room to make it "home" as much as I could.  The next moment the nurse came in, and said the Doctor wanted to see me.  Odd, because it was Saturday evening... I hadn't met him before, so we had a bit of a chat. He asked how I felt I was going, and I said the last four days had certainly been an improvement.  He then dropped the bombshell: "would you like to go home?"  He gave full disclosure- "Beds were real tight, but we'd never send you home if you, or they, didn't feel I was ready."

So... I'm writing this Edit at MY kitchen table! There is a long road ahead, but I'm feeling safer, and happier, than I have in quite a while. I'm still fully expecting stumbles. I haven't been to work since the first of December, so that is going to be a challenge, to get back on the horse (they have been so wonderfully supportive at work)

Just understand that I'm changed in many ways. My passion for things is variable. My memory is shot. My attention span is very random, and my ability to spell (which was already woeful) has suffered too. I may seem rude, abrupt, or distracted (OK, maybe that hasn't changed!)

But I now have a far greater "appreciation" and understanding of the absolute reality of Mental illness.  I ache for all those I passed and nodded greetings to in those lonely hospital corridors. I ache for all those I have judged flippantly in the past, with a casual "Oh, get over it!" without having a clue as to what they were/are going through. And I long for the Black Dog to stay out of our yard!

God bless.

Pandora's Briefcase: Harry Potter's Wand Box

It has been a while since I last opened Pandora's Briefcase; life has been a bit crazy, and the briefcase has been buried under more pressing life-matters.  But I thought now was the time to open it up and see if I could find some magic. This is what I found:

Looking for all the world to be a Wand Box from Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley, it is only upon opening the box that you find something only slightly less interesting:

A Piano Roll is the music storage medium used to operate the player piano, pianola or a reproducing piano. The piano roll was the first medium which could be produced and copied industrially and made it possible to provide the customer with actual music quickly and easily. So says Wikipedia!


I was surprised to discover that three piano roll companies were initially established in Australia, one of which was still manufacturing and selling rolls right up until 2005!

I have attempted to track down a recording of the piece of music contained on this roll, but to no avail.  The closest I have come is a copy of the sheet music, found here.

A number of years ago I purchased a 61 key Casio keyboard from a local musical keyboard dealer and instructor, Geoff Long. On a whim I asked him if he knew where I could get my hands on a Piano Roll. With a quizzical look he asked if I were after any title in particular. I replied no, and explained the nature of Pandora's Briefcase. He asked me to wait a moment, and within minutes he came back with this little beauty.  I asked him how much it would cost me, and he said I could have it. I thank him for his generosity in helping keep Pandora's Briefcase so diverse.