However one significant beef I have with this option is that the controls on the factory system are terrible for selecting music. I have 3770 songs in my library, and scrolling through them with a slow-to-react wheel is definitely not the most efficient method of selecting music. Especially when I need to do it quickly and get back to keeping my attention on the road.

To circumvent this problem I’ve gotten into the habit of picking an album or playlist before I get into the car and then plugging my phone into the USB port. Once that happens, you relinquish control of your music to the car’s controls, which, as previously mentioned, are shitty.

But I shouldn’t have to do that. I want to be able to quickly find what I want to listen to and get on with the driving. I hate to say it, but I think Ford’s Sync technology actually does a great job of this.

One way that I like to listen to my music, and maybe this is weird, is to put my library on shuffle, find a song from an album I like, then turn shuffle off to hear songs from that album. I can’t do this in the CSX, though, because it sorts songs by song name and not by album.

My solution is to create a playlist with all the songs in my library sorted by album name as opposed to song name. It should allow me to do what I want to do – scan through a bunch of songs until I find the one I want and then turn off shuffle to hear that album.

Despite my grief with using the system this way, I should say that the USB port in the car is a really amazing feature and something that sold me on the car originally.

Realizing it’s been a while since I discussed how it’s going, I decided it’s time for a quick update on my situation. Avoiding beer drinking is actually going quite well. Last night I finally rid myself of the Red Stripe that had been lingering around in my fridge, taunting me. Other than that, I”ve been able to do all the fun things I normally do and find great alternatives to drinking beer – either not drinking at all, or enjoying a glass of wine or two.

One interesting effect of my choice to abstain from that most delightful combination of malts and hops is that I just drink less in general. I find myself in situations where normally I’d have a beer or two without thinking about it and since I can’t do that, I decide to have water or nothing at all to drink. And I think that’s where this choice is really going to make an impact for me. I’m not completely cutting myself off, but at the same time, I’m drinking a lot less and that has made me feel much better, health-wise.

I also started playing dodgeball one night a week, which has brought back some familiar injuries originating from my days as a box lacrosse player – specifically my weak knee. It’s been a struggle coming back every week without crumbling but I think the more abuse I give my body, the more it can take.

So I’m starting an ultimate frisbee team for the spring league – but I need more players (girls especially). Any0ne in Winnipeg who is interested, do me a solid and fill out this survey.

Every time Facebook comes out with a redesign of their website, cries from the huddled masses decree it to be the worst atrocity since Snooki was punched in the face.

Well, this time around I’m taking a preemptive strike. I’m calling out all of you who will undoubtedly whine and cry about the impending update to Facebook; start groups petitioning the admins to allow you to go back in time; and eventually come into the present with the rest of us kicking and screaming.  No matter what you do, it’s going to happen anyway, so I’m attempting to save you a lot of the time and effort you’ll waste railing against something you can’t change. Just suck it up.

The fact of the matter is Facebook is free for all and that means, although they’re incredibly receptive to the feedback of their users, they can pretty much do whatever they want with the site.

I believe web developers generally have the best interest of users at heart. They spend hours looking at research about how people use their sites so they can engineer better ways for you to interact. Faster ways. More efficient ways.

That’s a good thing. So cry if you like, but it’s happening.

But then it came down to the nitty gritty. The little daily-use apps that help workflow, help me remember things, and generally get stuff done. So I turned to my friend Mike Tighe, a web developer in Calgary who I met when we were both working at Critical Mass. He’s a wealth of information and he didn’t disappoint when I asked him what applications I should download for my shiny new Mac. So without further ado, I give you Mike’s list of must-have Mac apps.

• 1Password for storing login information and autofilling forms on the web.
• Adium for MSN, Google Talk, AIM and Facebook Chat
• AppZapper for uninstalling programs
• Coda for web development – coding, text editor + file transfer + svn + css + terminal + books + more = whoah.
• Evernote for note taking
• Google Chrome for fast browsing
• Jing for screencasts and screen grabs
• OmniGraffle for diagrams / information architecture
• OmniOutliner for notes
• OmniFocus for time management
• Silverback for UX testing
• Versions for SVN
• Twhirl for Twitter (Mike likes Twhirl, my suggestion is Tweetie)
• Transmit for FTP
• VLC for video

I have to say that I’ve not tried all of these apps just yet but the ones I have started using have been really useful. Below, I’ve added a few of my own favourite apps that weren’t in Mike’s list.

• Skype for cheap long distance / video chat
• Growl for notifications + GrowlTunes for iTunes notifications
• Chromatic Tuner for tuning guitars + other instruments
• Logic Studio for music production
• Final Cut Studio for video editing
• Handbrake for DVD ripping
• Toast for CD/DVD burning
• Picasa for photo organizing (if you don’t like iPhoto)
• Parallels Desktop for running Windows apps

I couldn’t imagine really needing much more software than that … but if you guys can think of anything essential that I’m missing here, by all means, comment away. And by the way, thanks Mike!

So now that I own both the iPhone 3G S and a MacBook Pro, I really don’t see what possible use I could have for the new iPad. First off, what a terrible name. I’ve been reading for weeks that the rumoured names for the device were iSlate, iTablet, iPad … and iPad wins. Get ready for the maxi pad jokes, Apple. Actually, MADtv has that pretty much covered in this sketch from four years ago.

And okay, it’s a nice device for consuming media, and the iBook store is neat, but the iPad falls in its ability to be a do-everything device. It lacks a camera and it doesn’t multitask. I heard one defence for the iPad stating that it was made this way on purpose, as to not pull sales away from the MacBooks. That makes sense, but then what do I need the iPad for? I haven’t quite figured it out.

So the fanfare and the hype that has been building up for weeks didn’t quite deliver what it promised, but when does it ever do that? I’d say rarely ever. Maybe iPad version 2.0 will take some of the critics cries into consideration.

Another disappointment I felt during the whole Apple CES keynote was that I expected iPhone OS 4.0 to be released, but it looks like I’m going to have to wait for that, too. I guess that’s okay, though, as I don’t think I’ll upgrade to OS 4.0 until blackra1n or somebody else figures out how to jailbreak it. And my guess is Apple is going to make it a lot harder to do this time around.

All being said, yes. I’m a total Apple fanboy now.

And look at the super awesome shiny wonderful case I am getting for my MacBook! Excited!

Apps I Use Every Day

Facebook
Tweetie 2 (twitter app)
Google Mobile (has voice-activated searching)
Evernote (for keeping track of ideas)
Remember the Milk (for tasks)
Remote (to remote-control your computer’s iTunes library)
CameraBag (neat photo taking app with filters)

Apps I Use Rather Frequently

Flixster Movies
Air Canada
Bump (contact sharing app for iPhones)
Urbanspoon (restaurant suggestion app)
Epicurious (recipes)
LinkedIn (social network for business)
eBuddy (multi-platform instant messaging app – MSN/Google Talk)
Photoshop mobile (photo editing app)
Shazam (recognizes music and tells you what it is – from the commercials)

Other Fun Things

PocketGuitar
Ocarina (flute application – blow into the microphone and press on the buttons to make sounds)
Boxcar (push notifications for twitter)
Kijiji
NESynth
Rogers My Account
FS5 Hockey – air hockey game
Tetris
Shrek Kart (like mario kart)

That’s about all for now. have fun! You might also consider jailbreaking your phone to allow it to install apps not sanctioned by Apple. These are things like MyWi (which turns your phone into a wireless network hub, so you can access your phone’s internet connection from any laptop, anywhere), a flashlight application, et cetera. There are myriad customizations you can do to your phone with an app called Winterboard, but be wary. It may slow down the phone’s performance.

Don’t get me wrong, there are interesting things about places in Saskatchewan. Saskatoon has a decent music scene, but not nearly as good as Winnipeg. Watrous’ claim to fame is both the Manitou Springs Mineral Spa and the fact that it was selected as a location for TSN’s Sportscentre broadcast in August 2009.

As I tweeted about on Thursday, I was mighty disappointed with the music scene on a Thursday night in Regina. I want to go into a bit more detail than 140 characters will allow.

It was Thursday night and I had just finished a long day of client visits. None of my Regina coworkers were up to anything but I had a rental car and some free time, so I decided to check out what was going on downtown. I hit up a sushi place first and then popped next door to a pub called O’Hanlon’s to see what was going on. I took a little tour around the pub, which looked really nice. High ceilings, just the right amount of Guinness and Keith’s ads (and mirrors) on the walls. So I go up to the barkeep, a nondescript looking chap wearing plaid, as cool kids do, and asked him if there was to be a band at the pub that night. No, but a DJ is spinning tonight. Okay, no thanks, unless it’s RJD2, Kid Koala or Girl Talk, I’ll pass.

So I ask him if there are any other venues around with live music tonight. His reply? “No, not on a Thursday.”

Not on a Thursday? Maybe Winnipeg has spoiled me, but I expect there to be live music happening somewhere pretty much every night of the week. Especially Thursday through Sunday. That’s a given, isn’t it?

I implore you, people of Regina – either do a better job of promoting your music, if in fact there is music happening that said bartender is unaware of, or just make it happen. That’s all. Have a lovely weekend.

Let’s start with the other night. A repeat of my previous outing, wherein my guitarist comes over and we swap song ideas and then head out on the town. This time we make our way to Carlos and Murphy’s, a fine Mexican establishment in Osborne Village. We sit down and while pondering that near-impossible choice between burritos and enchiladas (I swear they’re exactly the same), the waitress takes our drink orders. One Corona and one water, please.

And wouldn’t you know it, she returns with two Coronas and no waters. Now I am forced to do two totally cringe-worthy things: number one, let that delicious beer sit untouched on the table, and two, tell the waitress that yes, I wanted a water and not a beer. She says “oh, I just assumed you wanted the same.” Under normal circumstances, yes, absolutely. But not for the next 362 days.

So, vow-breaking situation averted, I managed to get through the night without a beer again. I think I may eventually just have to remove myself from situations where drinking is encouraged. But I refuse to abstain, bull-headed as it may sound. But how, dear reader, can I remove myself from this?

Apparently staying home is even something I have to worry about – because my friends come over with beer and leave a single solitary Red Stripe in my fridge, just to taunt me. You bastards.

So, Thursday night, my guitarist and I had a bit of a writing session and then went for a drink after at the Toad in the Hole, my favourite establishment in Winnipeg and probably the place where I consume the most beer. It was a virtual gauntlet-running for me, as I had to deny myself of routine: typically the first thing I do when I walk in the door is step up to the bar, and I don’t normally have to order. Cliff, the friendly neighbourhood beer-slinger, knows when I step up and give him a nod, it’s his cue to slide a cold pint of Keith’s my way.

Needless to say he was a little thrown off when I ordered a red wine. I happen to quite enjoy a glass of red wine, but it’s definitely not what the Toad is known for, as far as quality goes. Despite this, it was surprisingly potable. Delightful, even. But for fuck’s sake, it wasn’t a beer. I was met by confused looks from the regulars I normally see. What’s with the vino, bro? Oh, you’re not drinking beer for a whole year? Are you fucking insane? Yes, yes I am. And I’ll thank you to curb your follow-up questions.

The rest of the night was spent making my quest to avoid malts and hops a point of every conversation, getting advice on what the best low-cal drinks are, and trying some of them. Red wine turned to long island iced tea (definitely out, too much sugar content) and then to ceasars (also ixnayed, for its hangover-inducing qualities).

Last night, I tried a rum and juice on for size, which I’m also tossing out as an option, as the juice is just too heavy. I could only consume one before getting that feeling you get when you drink too much juice. You know, where it just sits in the pit of your stomach, sloshing around and reminding you not to drink too much juice? Yeah, that one. I ended up back at the Toad (I told you it was my favourite), and without a clue what to try next, stuck with water.

I have one concoction to try still, before I give in to just drinking vodka/waters, which I have a feeling aren’t particularly tasty. It’s something that my new twitter friends at Boozeblogger wrote a whole post on just for me … and it’s called The Resolute. Thanks boys! I’m going to give it a shot.

Considering it’s already mid-January, I deem the following statement not to be a new year’s resolution, but more of a challenge to myself and a step toward better health. For the next 365 days, I shall not consume a drop of the frothy, delicious, buzz-inducing, malty, hoppy goodness known as beer.

I can hear the gasps of horror and groans of disappointment for miles around. I can also hear the snickers of cynicism. Am I insane for attempting such a thing? Maybe. But I promise to you, dear reader, that during the next year, I will do everything in my power to ensure that not an ale, lager, stout or draught will touch these lips.

Now don’t get me wrong – that doesn’t mean I’m going altogether dry. What, do you think I’m crazy? No way. It just means that after a healthy amount of consideration, I have deemed that there are other ways to get a nice buzz on and keep my caloric intake to a minimum. That’s where I need your help – what’s the healthiest drink? Wine? Martinis? Tequila? God, I hope it’s not tequila. That would be awful.

Also don’t think that this idea doesn’t scare the absolute poop out of me. Beer is a big part of socializing for me. I like to have them at the pub during a rousing chat with friends, whilst watching a great live show and sometimes with a meal at home. This is going to be tough. But I’m convinced that I’m going to come out feeling better about myself.

Also, when my year is up, and I reward myself with a lovely pint, it is going to taste like the best beer I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. My plan after that is to keep beers in the mix, but to consume in moderation. We’ll see how it goes, folks.

So here we go. 2010 – a year without beer. Be afraid. Be very afraid.