BilikFamily.com

iMac - Since 2001 Apple has named it's major operating system releases after felines. There's been Cheetah (10.0), Puma (10.1), Jaguar (10.2), Panther (10.3), and Tiger (10.4). In spring of 2007 we'll see Leopard (10.5). When the current Tiger came out in spring of 2005, I didn't bother updating our original machine, the iMac. It's a bit like leaving your PC on Windows 2000 when most machines nowadays are on Windows XP. (Don't ask me what the XP stands for...)

Today I finally got an excuse to get off my duff and bring it up to date. All of our iTunes Music Store downloads are on that old machine so that they can be broadcast to the stereo via AirTunes. Meanwhile I synchronize my iPod and Claire's iPod Shuffle from my laptop. Someone finally developed the software I was looking for: Syncopation. According to the developer:

“Syncopation provides a hands-free solution to keep your iTunes® music collection synchronized across multiple computers running Mac OS X. Once installed on two or more Macs, Syncopation goes to work, finding music that is on one computer but not the others, and automatically transfers the songs between them so that they both contain your complete music collection…”

Unfortunately, it only runs on the current version operating system — 10.4 Tiger. It took a few hours, but the iMac is now completely up-to-date. I tried out the software and it worked as advertised. All the music purchased on the iMac is now on the laptop as well. After some browsing and purchasing of about twenty new songs on the iMac, I reran the software and bam! again the laptop was in sync with the new purchases.

Jetta - Part of the motivation for getting the music in sync between the computers was that Saturday I got the iPod adaptor installed in the VW. While it's not perfect, it definitely cleaned up the signal enormously compared to the FM Modulator from Monster.

After we went to pick my car back up from the installer, we swung by Target where I bought Abby a copy of Super Princess Peach. It's a bit of a typical Mario-style Nintendo game, except this time it's Mario and Luigi who are kidnapped for a change and Peach must save them. Sort of a Grrrl Power theme. Anyway, Abby is enjoying it. After leaving Target without any issues, Michelle and I took the kids to Bentley's Roast Beef for dinner. It's such a small place, I feel like we dominate the restaurant when we eat there. Luckily the owner is very friendly and seems happy to have large families visit.

Sunday - Today was a bit more difficult. We've had rain on and off all day. It drizzled when we went to Mass. It poured when we left. After donuts the kids played games inside most of the morning. After Timothy's nap we took the kids candlepin bowling. It was our first time taking the boys. Even though the local alley doesn't have any options for 'bumper bowling', the boys each managed to do pretty well for their first time. Afterwards we went home and enjoyed some takeout Chinese food. In between bowling, dinner, etc. was when I did all the updates to the iMac.

Week ahead - After this needed rain today, the next several days look like we'll have nice weather. Tomorrow my car goes in for its 10K oil change and tire rotation. Can you believe it? 10 thousand miles since Easter! I think back to all those many years when I'd put 5-6K miles on in a year. Now this other extreme… Michelle teaches three aerobics classes this week. She has a birthday on Wednesday. I take her Odyssey for its 60K service (cha-ching!) on Thursday. Claire has piano lessons on Monday. She and the boys have gymnastics on Tuesday. In other words… it's a typical week.