Instead, the software program that I downloaded to record the podcasts decided to stop working for no apparent reason. There was no warning; no harbinger for the frustration that caused radiating waves of pain to shoot down the left side of my body. I could have at least used an error message. Something like “You are too stupid to operate this machine.” That I would have understood.
The oddest thing about the situation is that once I tried to record our conversation, CSzem could no longer hear me. I could hear him fine, but he couldn’t hear a word I said.
So, not only was last night’s podcast DOA, but our five minute preamble conversation setting up said podcast took place without the audio troubles that have plagued our previous efforts. Of course.
My lack of technical knowledge is severely limited, as I’ve articulated before on this blog, and CSzem isn’t much better. Truthfully, I don’t even want to explain the techniques we used to try to record the podcast last night because it’s much too embarrassing. I’m confident a four year old just learning how to use a computer would have looked at our efforts and said “You two are morons.”
I have come to the conclusion that, since the recording software was obtained with a free download, I was in some type of free trial period without my knowledge. The trial must be over and that is the reason why I can no longer record conversations.
I suppose that is just karma for me not wanting to pay for something. So, now I am forced to actually pay for a recording program. Any suggestions for ones that are good and don’t cost a lot of money? That second point is of the utmost importance. Do you know how much money I have in my wallet right now? 71 cents. That’s not a joke. It’s just the depressing reality of my life.
Actually, the more I think about it, something just doesn’t add up about the technical issues. It’s fine that I wasn’t able to record the conversation, but it doesn’t make sense that then I could hear CSzem, but he couldn’t hear me.
I bet he made the entire thing up!
That wouldn’t surprise me considering the verbal roasting I was planning on giving him for his March Madness ‘expertise.’
The only 'problem' last night was that my intrepid podcast guest was suffering from an acute bout of hubris. After attempting to flex some gambling muscle in his column on Wednesday, the Madness has chewed CSzem up and spit him out.
Do you realize that for all his blustering about point spreads and in-depth dissections of various schools, CSzem only correctly picked one team to make it to the Final Four (Duke)? I, on the other hand, picked teams based on seeding and where I would go to school. I ended up correctly picking two entrants to the Final Four (West Virginia and Michigan State).
How embarrassing that must be for him. No wonder he didn’t want to record a podcast last night.
I would love for CSzem to defend himself in the comment section. He owes an explanation to all of you.
For those readers needing their podcast fix, fear not. I have a very special Easter Weekend podcast(s?) planned and it (they?) will not disappoint. I want to keep the guest list and discussion topics quiet for now, but I will allow CSzem a few minutes to redeem himself with his Final Four picks.
Posts
3 comments:
A few key points as I attempt to salvage a shred of dignity regarding my sports knowledge.
First off, let’s tackle the success rate of your picks, Tewks (I always find that tearing other people down is an effective way to make myself feel better). Saying that you got 2 Final Four teams correct is a bit of revisionist history. You didn’t actually pick the Elite 8 games, and basically by default you had both teams in the toughest game to pick (Kentucky v. West Virginia). I also had both of those teams moving to the Elite 8, and if I hadn’t made a pick, I would successfully have a second team to the Final Four as well. But I digress.
Looking back a little further, at my own picks, if you’ll notice, I actually went 6-2 “Against the Spread” in the Sweet 16 round (which any gambler worth his salt will tell you is a rather successful round of picks). The biggest problem I had was that picking straight up, I only went 5-3, because (while I had them to cover), I didn’t have Butler winning outright over Syracuse. Worse still, another of my Final Four teams was among those 3 straight up losses (Ohio St.’s loss to Tennessee, which still puzzles me).
This really threw off my chances of having more Final Four teams right, since I only had 2 teams playing at this point. If given the opportunity to “re-pick” before the Elite 8 games, I would have gone 2-2 (believe me, I have two winning bets and two losing bets to prove it), nailing Duke (-5) and Michigan St (+1.5), while missing on K-State and Kentucky (both -4).
And finally, but certainly relevant to the conversation, I had barely a moment’s notice that you were planning on letting me have it a bit for my picks, and we both know there’s no way I would have come up with such a cunning ruse in that timeframe.
CSzem
I am going with both.
“My lack of technical knowledge is severely limited, as I’ve articulated before on this blog,” – I developed a saying in my previous life as a LAN administrator and the unbelievable calls I would get daily from the technically challenged - “it’s not the equipment it’s the user”. Believe me I actually got those kinds of calls that you read about and think no one is that thick. I am thinking in this case my saying applies.
When a free trial ends the software will still run, but not let you do anything except register. The whole idea is to get you to buy and so the software will let you do that, but nothing else until you do. Sounds like it worked in part as you could hear, but the other party could not? Doesn't sound like the trial period ending.
“Do you know how much money I have in my wallet right now? 71 cents. That’s not a joke. It’s just the depressing reality of my life.” – No wonder you were ticked when I found that dollar. That instantly made me 29% richer than you and all I had to do was pick it up off the floor.
AG
that picture of the supremely talented and lovely eve muirhead just brightened my monday morning. thank you tewks.
TDR
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