Recording Podcasts Easily w/Audioboo

I don't quite know how I stumbled across Audioboo, but I did. Oh, I first recall that iPhone users had been tweeting about it. But I thought that it was just for iPhones. But it is not.

Folks who don't have an iPhone or the Audioboo iPhone app, can use the Web interface to take advantage of Audioboo. Count me in.

The platform is super simple. You can record audio w/their recorder (if you have a working microphone on your laptop or computer). Or you can upload your audio file to Audioboo.

They have a social networking component where you can follow people's 'boos' and they can follow yours. You can also easily share your 'boos' on other social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. Let me know if you're using Audioboo, so that I can add you to my list of followers.

On top of all of that, you can grab an embed code and post the audio on your blog or Web site.

I've decided to use Audioboo to document my teaching this semester. On the brief podcast above, the audio quality is not the best. I used the mic on my laptop. I think I will begin to use my Zoom H2 recorder and upload the files.

My only problem w/Audioboo is the name. Enough said.

Music Monday 48 :: Joyce's Sleepful Slumber

A former student, Joyce, loves music. She attends lots of concerts and has a good ear for good stuff. She recently posted this list of music on Facebook. It's her playlist for falling off to sleep. I like the list. Many of her friends like it. I'm guessing that you'll join the rest of us in liking the list as well ... and getting a good night's rest.

Oh, and after a great deal of discussion, me and some others convinced Joyce that she should start a blog. You'll find her on Posterous.

Here's the 'sleepful slumber' playlist (that's the name that I've given to the list).

1. Lover Tonight - Will Hoge (Again Somewhere Tomorrow version)
2. Arms of A Women - Amos Lee
3. My Love - Gareth Asher
4. Leaving Again - Chad Perrone (Live At Tupelo Music Hall version)
5. Over You - Jay Nash
6. Barcelona - Jay Nash
7. I Cant Make You Love Me - Tony Lucca
8. She Burns Like Summer Sun - James Morrison
9. The Wind - Amos Lee
10. Quit You - Chad Perrone (Live At Tupelo Music Hall version)
11. Something That You Do - Gareth Asher
12. Use Me Up - Hanson
13. The Right Time (Honeygirl) - Gareth Asher
14. Unstoppable - Keaton Simons
15. Carousel - Will Hoge
16. Hang - Matchbox Twenty
17. Misery - Hanson
18. 30 Some Days - Matt Duke
19. Dirty Little War - Will Hoge
20. Flower In Rain - Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers
21. Globes and Maps - Something Corporate
22. Ash Like Snow - Matt Duke (Acoustic Kingdom Underground version)
23. Hammers And Strings (A Lullaby) - Jack's Mannequin
24. Colorblind - Counting Crows
25. Tables and Chairs - Backseat Goodbye
26. Forever - Ben Harper
27. Close Your Eyes - Dave Barnes
28. Sea and the Rhythm - Iron & Wine
29. The End - Jason Reeves
30. Walk Away - Jay Nash
31. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
32. Burn - Ray LaMontagne
33. Never Think - Rob Pattinson

MAP: The American University in Cairo Campus

I've been playing around w/UMapper. Instead of getting quality sleep, I make maps.

I was unable to get the campus map from the campus folks, so I went out and took a pick of the campus map that is posted all around the AUC campus.

Only problem is that I wanted to enlarge the image and I could not quite figure out how to do that. I was able to zoom in on it while working in Picasa, but no luck on zooming in so that some of the locations are more distinguishable.

So here's my crafty work. Note the audio is NOT from campus, but just some audio I had available to test out the audio function.

Overall, I like UMapper. Especially that I could add my own image to begin creating a map. Oh, I did not use Google Maps because you can only get so close and it's not close enough. As for images, I had to resize them and make them smaller, around 100kb for size.

Thanks for stopping by.

Images and Sounds from Rosetta, Egypt

I recently went on a day trip to Rosetta, Egypt (Rashid in Arabic). Unfortunately, it's about a three and a half hour drive from Cairo. Fortunately, we were on a nice bus. Still, there's not much to see in Egypt's former port town. There's a museum and the location where the Rosetta Stone was found, but not much else in terms of sight seeing.

Life seems busy in Rashid, but not nearly has crowded or busy as Cairo (thank goodness).

Take a look at this short video that I created using some nat sound along w/some images.

BOOK REVIEW: "Sag Harbor" by Colson Whitehead

BOOK REVIEW: "Sag Harbor" by Colson Whitehead (2009)

I read "Sag Harbor" rather swiftly in January. It was and is an easy read. It's about a kid who spent his summers on Sag Harbor, New York. Colson Whitehead writes a nice trip down memory lane circa the 80s. This is the first book that I've read by Whitehead. Though I'm afraid that I may have began reading his first book "The Intuitionist", but never finished it. I recall the title of that one, but I don't recall the plot and that probably means that I never read it.

"Sag Harbor" is the first reading selection for my reading group for 2010. Nice start. I'm afraid to write much more about this title because I surely don't want to give away meaningful parts of the novel for those who have not read it. Let's just say it full of teenage boy antics, but not in that 'crazy-white-boy' kind of way. There is no big dramatic ending where someone commits suicide. Though this book could use a meaty middle or ending, in my opinion.

I am curious to know, though, that sense this book is sort of a relic of Whitehead's life, how much are the parents in the book similar to his parents?

Check out more on "Sag Harbor":

• The New York Times Book Review of "Sag Harbor" by Toure'
• VIDEO: Colson Whitehead talks about Sag Harbor, the book and the city
• AUDIO INTERVIEW: Colson Whitehead on "On Point with Tom Ashbrook"
  

Music Monday 47 :: Gerogia Anne Muldrow

Here it is another Monday and time to focus on music.

Have you heard of Georgia Anne Muldrow? I hope so. If you have, then you already know. What a distinct voice. Love that.

I checked out and early track along w/her partner Dudley Perkins. It was then that I became a fan of "T. Biggums" that was Oh No's "Exodus Into Unknown Rhythms" project.

• Georgia Anne Muldrow bio on Stones Throw

She's gotten some love from the Okayplayer Web site and that is all good. You can listen to one of my recent favs "Roses".

Traveling Woman Update

I've been getting in a fair amount of travel, mostly in Egypt. Nice that my teaching schedule allows for so much flexibility.

Here's a Google map w/some details of my travels.


View Traveling Woman in a larger map