I just learned about the “reactable” – a whole new kind of musical instrument…

They call it a “multi-user electro-acoustic music instrument with a tabletop tangible user interface” – have a look.
See the videos :)

It still sounds more or less a little less than terrible but somehow I can see what they have in mind :P People like Cheetah should get their hands on something like that…

Then, I remembered the multi-touch interface videos that went around last year.. look on youTube for it or here Amazing, isn’t it? Remember your classroom’s whiteboard replaced with that. :D

Hmm.. but also this I have seen recently. In the presentation of Apple’s iPhone. Seen the zooming functions? Using two fingers? ;)

I wonder if they only bought the patent or bought the whole university and the developers :D

Update: Apparently they live on a friendship basis: I just found this article by Jeff Han, he is apparently the “father” of multi-touch interfaces.

Outspoken criticism of Muslim extremists and Egypt’s president earns an Egyptian man a four-year prison sentence.
Here the article on WIRED

It always makes me sad to read such things, if I imagine some men in black suits come arresting me for issuing critizism on my company, the major of Amsterdam or the Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende… Just imagine.. he is being mocked in almost every newspaper.

On the other hand: these people are not running a blog to remember the time when they had time to write a diary and to entertain themselves, they use it as a political means to get their voice heard in a system that does not allow free speech. Makes me feel silly, somehow.

I who complain that some neighbourhood gang has vandalized my motorcycle in front of my house on wednesday. tearing cables and the battery out. Pityful compared with people that risk torture and jail for writing a blog.

One of my neighbours (thanks!) reported to the police that some gang of kids are manipulating on my motorcycle, they tore the plastic that covers the battery and destroyed some of the electronics there.
If I only knew why they did that :( Idiots!

What scares me is that the neighbour reported this at 1600, that is in bright daylight.
These people have no fear at all :(
Makes you wonder when they will come over, smash your windows and rob you while you are in the shower in the morning..

I am very much hurt, not because of the material damage, it’s more that for the first time something has been touched that I worked night-shift in a factory for six weeks in Summer 1996, something I did a shitty job for, for every single cent on that thing, something that Anna invested thousand euros in when I moved together with her because it was desolated… I know now how it feels to want revenge.

I am so hurt and I am so angry, I don’t like this feeling at all. The “dark side” is tempting, oh yes.

At least Anna is back from the UK and my life is structured again.

Off to work, there is a lot of things to do.

We are sitting on the couch and watching the kicks and jumps of the small guy inside Anna’s belly. It’s a creepy/funny/crazy/wonderful all-in-one sensation to see some bump appear on the left of the belly and then move over to the other side. :)

Considering the nausea, the restrictions in mobility and other “inconveniences” of her pregnancy Anna is actually enjoying her pregnancy quite a lot.
Lots of attention, beautiful hair and complexion due to hormones (so she says), strong bond in the family and a husband that doesn’t have an excuse anymore for not helping in the household :P

Today we ordered our stroller, which will be about as expensive as a second hand (ok, fourth- or fifth hand it is) car and has delivery times like a Trabant ;) (8 till 12 weeks, the woman said)
We chose for a Dutch model, Mutsy 4rider, after testing lots of other models for weight, flexibility, colour choice, maneuverability, etc, etc.. I think the shop owner made 3 crosses after we finally left the shop.
I’m still a little unhappy about not buying the Bugaboo but it was just too expensive to be reasonable. Although it’s pretty and flashy! A baby-gadget! :)

The painting of the baby-room has been postponed to tomorrow due to lack of daylight and a major hangover from yesterday :P

Now we are couching, I am recovering and Anna is treating her belly with precious oil. The small guy continues to do his kung-fu exercises :)

I am starting to feel like a father

finally, snow, I am so happy :)

We went to buy orange paint and white paint and have begun re-designing the guestroom which will be the baby-room soon. It feels a little strange to me that there is going to sleep a new human being but as Anna’s belly is growing and growing the idea is getting more and more real in my head aswell. Thanks god :P I thought I’d never get it right in my head ;)

Cisco’s website was down over the weekend and if it was up, KPN’s DSL was down, so I did not do any training over the weekend which (according to Anna) boosted my household- productivity by 100 % ;)
I have to admit, learning to become network engineer is addictive but it consumes a lot of time. I might have to slow down the learning a little.. but after the child is born, not before :)

Oh, the weekend: I realized (Anna too) that it’s an incredible relaxation if you take free the friday and enjoy the prolonged weekend, I might do that more often, even sacrificing my annual vacation for it, it’s such a relaxing sensation if you have the whole friday to relax, the saturday to be productive and the sunday to relax again. It feels like my batteries are supercharged. Pity that I only have about 25 days of vacation per year, so I can’t take free every friday :P