I did not catch this significant piece of news last week. One of my favorite authors and storytellers, Michael Crichton, died. His name is popular to many of us because of the movie Jurassic Park – but he was a well-known author as far back as 1969 with The Andromeda Strain. As you look through his list of novels, you see Hollywood picked up many and created movies based upon them. We are all very fortunate to have benefit of his many public contributions.
Quick follow up to my post regarding my television needing a new projector lamp . . .
I followed the progress of my package via UPS Tracking, and it had been placed on the truck for delivery at 6:42 a.m. so I felt confident it would be on my doorstep when I arrived home from work about 5:30 p.m. Of all the things to look forward to all day long, the anticipation – I realize it doesn’t take much to add a little excitement to my day – I was checking the UPS site as I wrapped up my day at work and found that the lamp had not yet been delivered. Bummer. Should I stay at work awhile so the package would be awaiting my arrival? Or should I race home in case the delivery required a signature? Easy. I raced home.
Still no package. Another hour expired before the rumble of the brown truck signalled the new projector lamp was here! Now that I’ve intalled it (very simple) I realize the prior lamp may have been decreasing in intensity for quite a while. Why? Because the new lamp is freaking bright! Whites are much whiter, greens are much greener and blues are much bluer! I even double-checked my picture settings to be sure they had not changed. The newly-lit screen has a much more even brightness across its full width as well.
It’s almost like a brand new TV. I’m happy.
Last night about the time CNN was declaring Barack Obama the next President of the United States, my 4 year-old Toshiba DLP TV decided to celebrate with some fireworks of its own. With a loud “pop” the screen went black but the status lights on the front panel were speaking to me in some dot-dot-dot dash-dash-dash dot-dot-dot sequence. A power cycle continued the light show from the front panel, so I had to resort to watching the election returns via the CNN Election Central website.
According the the Toshiba owner’s manual I dug out of my filing cabinet, the projection lamp had expired. Much to my dismay, an affordable solution was found on the web – so, no new Plasma for me this Christmas.
A quick search found
DLP Lamps.com where I found the part I needed and placed my order. (I used Google Checkout for the first time and actually saved $5.00.) Some basic reseach found that this online retailer had excellent reviews and quick shipping. I’ll likely agree with those reviews, since I already have a UPS tracking number and the package is expected to arrive in a couple days.
So for now I’ll have to use my
Slingbox via a computer to watch TV, though I’m already missing the big screen. (Photo shows the graphic remains of the broken lamp.)
Winter in Indiana isn’t so much about snow and cold, it’s about holding on during the endless few months of gray days, holding on for the promise of spring. Today came the abrupt reminder that winter is here. As I walked out of the office late this afternoon I noticed to my shock that the sun had set and darkness was following closely behind. What? No more spending a couple hours outside after work, enjoying the remainder of the day?
Indeed, since Hoosiers now follow most of the rest of the country in turning back the clocks to observe Daylight Saving Time, darkness now comes earlier than I have become accustomed to during the long summer. And those clocks were turned back over the weekend, so today I drove home from work in near darkness.
So, it’s time to buckle down and hold on – winter has arrived.
I did not catch this significant piece of news last week. One of my favorite authors and storytellers, Michael Crichton, died. His name is popular to many of us because of the movie Jurassic Park – but he was a well-known author as far back as 1969 with The Andromeda Strain. As you look through his list of novels, you see Hollywood picked up many and created movies based upon them. We are all very fortunate to have benefit of his many public contributions.