Cincy Lights

I thought I had posted the web address on this before, but the web site is cincylights.com, where I've posted the video and some still photos.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!!

Shannon

The light show is now up and running and I've posted video to the website. Busy trying to get the rest of the house ready for Christmas. The show runs each evening 6-10PM. There are directions on the site as well, so if your nearby, stop by and see the show!

Merry Christmas!

Most of the lights are up and we've tested the system. Once the final lights are hung tomorrow and the frequency sign arrives we will go live with the show on on Monday. It's a little bit later of a start then we wanted, but I knew there would be hiccups in the process that may slow progress, so it has been quite an experience.

We're operating on 90.5 FM and have seven songs in the show:

Your a Mean One Mr. Grinch
All I Want for Christmas is a Hippopotamus
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Sarajevo
Wizards in Winter
Linus and Lucy/Red Baron
Carol of the Bells
So This is Christmas

Welcome to winter... never mind what I said about it not feeling like Christmas and all that. It's down right cold and we've even seen a snowflake or two in the air. Had to break out the heavier coat this week, but still have the heavy duty coat ready for when the mercury really drops!!

We've been going over the animations and realized we had a small power issue that needs to be resolved before everything goes up. I didn't realize just how thirsty C7 lights were. We would have gone to LED lights and helped out the economy, but we're still waiting on that second economic stimulus check-- oh well, perhaps next year!

That's about all right now. We'll start putting the lights up this weekend as the light guy comes tomorrow to finish the C7's on the house outline!

Take care and stay warm!!

Fun on Halloween:
This year we spent the evening giving out candy to the kids and it was great. In years past we hadn't been able to take in Halloween as we either lived in a secure building or on a small street where not too many kids live and the one year I sat out waiting on kids, nobody came near our house. This year we stopped by a friends house and helped shell out nearly twelve bags of candy!

As I packed away all of the Halloween decorations this past weekend, I couldn't help noticed how early it's getting dark these days. Thanks to the end of DST, it's nearly dark when I get home from work, so we enter the long nights of winter.

Christmas is coming:
I heard my first Christmas songs on the radio this past week. Needless to say we were shocked in the first week of November that Frosty the Snowman greeted us at dinner. Of course all of the stores have the Christmas Trees and tinsel on the shelves. I think they go right from Halloween to Christmas these days-- so much for celebrating the grand old bird on the Thanksgiving Day!

I would have wanted to to wait, but our Christmas Light guy arrived today and installed the lights on the eaves and soffits-- all the higher stuff that we can't bring ourselves to climb the ladder to do. The guy who does our lights wanted to come our early so that he could be sure to have all of his clients lights installed by Thanksgiving, otherwise I would have been apt to wait a few weeks before putting the lights up. We're shooting for December 1st to have the display up and running, with a day or so wiggle room to work out any bugs as this is our first year doing animation, so getting the larger stuff installed now allows me concentrait on the other things that need to be done. We've also developed a good relationship with our Christmas Light guy and am really glad we found him!

We also ran a full scale test of all the controllers and sequences this weeknend by setting up the controllers in the living room and hooking up a set of lights to each channel and running through the songs. OK, I admit, sitting by the fire and listening to a few Christmas songs wasn't a bad way to spend an afternoon.

1.20.09
I think many americans are looking forward to the date above. With the stock market on a daily roller coaster ride and retirements funds taking a beating, not to mention the mortgage crunch, I think we all could use something to look forward to and think positively about. Our new President-Elect will provide is just what this country needs. hope and optimism that there are brighter days ahead.

It isn't that often that I get to go back home, but this weekend will be one of those occasions, one that comes with a little sadness too. We're going back "home" to help the in laws clear out the old homestead. They've retired and moved to Tennessee where they've bought a house and have been living for some time. In the Spring they finally put the house on the market after doing some painting and general sprucing up of the nearly 100 year old house and just last week they closed on the sale of the house and it's time to write the final chapter. We've been asked to come and help with a "house sale" to clear out any and all unwanted items that remain at the house and won't go to Tennessee or Cincinnati.

I grew up pretty much a vagabond and lived in too many towns and attended too many schools to mention, so I never knew a house as a "home" in the terms of bonding to particular structure. I'm somewhat vague in the etiquette when saying goodbye to a thirty year old friend who's been a shoulder to cry on and stable shelter to seek cover from in the worst of storms life can bring to bear.

So we go to say goodbye and prepare the house for the next leg in it's journey. May she keep the next occupants warm and safe for all the darkest of nights that may come their way.

OK folks... who decided there was still time for nearly summer weather with October already in full swing and the Halloween decorations in the yard? Traveled North with a good friend today to spend the day at the Ohio Renaissance Festival in all it's glory (jousting, sword play, and turkey legs) and made the best of a hot and sunny day trying to stave off the temptation to buy some period attire. I DID best my friend and the archery, which was quite the feat, but I rarely get the better of him so I shall revel in my victory for just a little while longer!

Christmas will be here soon enough. No need to rush things like so many stores are doing these days. Who would have expected an October day to be so summer like?

While I love setting up our Christmas display, I do often hate being subjected to mind numbing amounts of "Holiday Cheer" from October til December. With the economy in the tank, I'm sure we'll get a heavy does of in your face advertising this Christmas, trying to guilt us into showing our affections for our loved ones with loads of imported crap from China. I'm no Scrooge at all, in fact I'm really found I enjoy Christmas and the spirit of the season a little more with lights on the house. It all gets to be a bit much when they start gearing up with the Christmas before the Tricks and Treats have been put to bed and the sweet-tooth satisfied.

Here's to cooler weather ahead!

Many people in the Cincinnati area know exactly who Carson Williams is. While he may not have been the first to be inspired to do an animated Christmas display, his viral video took the internet by storm and thousands came from all over to see his amazing display. Unfortunately, this lead to problems for local traffic and became a safety concern, so Carson took his show on the road. It now seems that he might not have a place to put up his display.

Last Saturday I found that one of my sequences was corrupted somehow. The good folks at Light-O-Rama said to send them the file and they'd take a look at it. Sunday afternoon, we along with 90% of Cincinnati lost complete power following Ike bringing us 70+mph winds. We just got power this morning, unfortuntely not everyone else was so lucky!

The transmitter is ready, the software bought, the sequences are coming together. We have several done or just needing minor tweaking. We've got some standards and a surprise or two. The last two pieces are the frequency sign and voiceovers, maybe another sequence or two. Stay tuned!

It sure feel like fall! Pumpkin Spice at Starbucks is back and this weekend is all about the rain, rain, rain!! Ike will be coming ashore down in Texas, but it looks like those of us in the Midwest will be getting lots of rain as the week progresses.

Perhpaps I'll brave the rain and go out to Hobby Lobby and see what new Christmas goodies they have!!

Sending best wishes to Texas and all those directly in the path of the storm... stay safe out there!

We've been busy with choosing what songs we'll include in this years show. We'll have some of the old classics, plus a few fun selections... "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" has always been one my favorites, so I wanted to make sure it was included.

I won't give away everything as I want those that see this years show to be surprised. We have six songs in the que now and want to add at least two more, perhaps more if there is time.

We're still hoping to launch the weekend after Thanskgiving. Weather permitting and assuming we have no setbacks when actually putting up the lights!

Enjoy the cooler "fall-like" weather...

We're kicking off our first ever animated Christmas Light display this year. If you'd like to follow along on our journey, we'd be happy to have you along, here's hope for the best.

Tentative launch this year is the week after Thanksgiving.

Stay tuned...