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The Happy Thread


Duncy H

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The step daughter really struggles with social situations and has no really concept of what's going around her socially; she's never been assessed or diagnosed because she doesn't display at school.  She moves up to high school in September and is almost guaranteed to struggle in a normal school environment with social circles and bullying.

For a couple of years now, she has been singing in a choir that occasionally performs in the cathedral and a local private school has an annual "Try out as a Choirister for a Day" with associated auditions for those that want to try to get a place.  She did the day last year, loved it and went again last month, then with two weeks to prepare for the audition.  We've spent the two weeks trying to get her to actually chose a song that she is comfortable and capable of singing to a reasonable standard - it has been fraught, but finally got there in the end.

Despite being really nervous before the audition, she went in, did her stuff and afterwards said it really wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be.  We had told her just to go and try her best, the chances of her getting a choirister position are slim to none (they have one vacancy this year and had 50+ hopefuls) and not to get her hopes up but it was a good experience for her.

Got a message from the wife this morning, they don't want her for a choirister position, however they want her as a music scholar - the headteacher loved her personality and feels that she's got great potential!  She's been learning violin for the last couple of years and whilst progress is slow she has got good solid exam results.

Just the minor issue of 12 grand a year for fees but we should qualify for a bursary grant as I am sole income in the household, fingers crossed it all gets granted :)

TL : DR Stepdaughter got a place at posh school which will prevent her being a depressed psychopathic teenager in a couple of years time :)

Edited by forteh
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After my phone dying the other week I took it back to Carphone Warehouse and after loads of searching they found that despite it being 17 months old it was still covered under warranty. Left it with them to go back to the warehouse and didn't hear a thing till the other day saying it was ready for collection. Went into the store on Monday and the guy in there said they hadn't received it back yet but he'd keep an eye out and let me know the score. Got a phone call this morning saying they'd lost it so the warehouse team has agreed to give me £399.99 credit towards any new handset.

TLDR: Carphone warehouse lost my phone but giving me a brand new one of my choice!

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On 5.2.2017 at 10:58 PM, Greetings said:

Cooked some General Tso's chicken today. It completely blew me and my friend away. I still can't get over how good it was, the craving for more set in as soon as all the dishes were licked clean and it won't go away.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/04/the-food-lab-bringing-home-general-tsos-chick.html

Don't get put off by how complicated this recipe is, it's really worth it.

I'll try that on Valentines Day to surprise my missus. She's at work and I can labor at home. :)

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On 08/02/2017 at 1:06 PM, isitafox said:

After my phone dying the other week I took it back to Carphone Warehouse and after loads of searching they found that despite it being 17 months old it was still covered under warranty. Left it with them to go back to the warehouse and didn't hear a thing till the other day saying it was ready for collection. Went into the store on Monday and the guy in there said they hadn't received it back yet but he'd keep an eye out and let me know the score. Got a phone call this morning saying they'd lost it so the warehouse team has agreed to give me £399.99 credit towards any new handset.

TLDR: Carphone warehouse lost my phone but giving me a brand new one of my choice!

Was there anything stored on it? 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Upgraded my rpi network streaming turntable. Now a NAD turntable that actually sounds great, and I've added a second rpi with a dac on my amp so that you can run it a bit more simply without having to use the mac/iTunes.

next up alter the source rpi to send a lossless stream (not that I think the USB phono dac warrants this...)

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13 hours ago, manuel said:

Upgraded my rpi network streaming turntable. Now a NAD turntable that actually sounds great, and I've added a second rpi with a dac on my amp so that you can run it a bit more simply without having to use the mac/iTunes.

next up alter the source rpi to send a lossless stream (not that I think the USB phono dac warrants this...)

have you got some pics of this set up? have you just set up the turntable to stream over a network?

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On 3/10/2017 at 10:23 AM, Davetrials said:

have you got some pics of this set up? have you just set up the turntable to stream over a network?

Yeah so, the problem I had is technology cupboard/corner is full...

IMG_0785.JPG

technology corner on the left has wifi and Mac mini on top of cupboard, 5.1 + stereo second zone inside with PS3 wii u, network switches, cable modem etc... it was perfect - all the tv cables speaker wires hidden (under floor). Sound is pumped around the house on airplay to various rpi/receivers. Then I inherited a load of old vinyl, and the only shelf space for records and the player is a different corner so no way to connect to the amp.

IMG_0789.JPG

nad 533 turntable in pretty good condition. 

IMG_0787.JPG

Into behringer ufo202 phono dac thingy (seems ok) into original rpi running either darkice/icecast (MP3) or liquidsoap/icecast (flac) to create a network stream to pump round the house.

IMG_0788.JPG

 Now for a little more simplicity in using the player a rpi zero + phatdac running moodeaudio on boot straight into a spare line in - bonus point that it runs off the USB socket on the amp so only on when the amp is on.

 

Did get lossless working direct to the amp but macs don't do flac apparently so may look at othe higher q streams instead!

 

 

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