Jim McIntosh

Mia and Mom after Swim Lesson #1

The McIntosh household is kicking off a new initiative to get out of the house and exercise more regularly. We started yesterday with swim lessons yesterday for the girls. Today we went for runs and a trip to the park.

Kelly and I feel that we need to be better examples for the kids, and we both want to get in better shape.

Look for more pots about the program in the coming weeks.

Birthday Card from my Mom

In the new age of social media, with hundreds of “friends and followers” watching your every move it can be a little creepy. That is until they wish you Happy Birthday. I’ve received more than 35 comments on FB today from people I haven’t talked to in some time. It made today a little nicer.

The best was coming home to the kids who ran into the garage as I got home and getting a funny card from my Mom that is now on display in my man cave.

Bookends / Simon & Garfunkel

Last week my mom sent me an article from the USA Today titled Vinyle Records Spin Back Into Vogue. It described how record sales are picking up again to levels they hadn’t been at since 1991. The article points out that no one thinks the medium is making a comeback that would make it the predominant medium, but I don’t think it did much to describe the fact that not all record collectors are audiophiles, or purists. I think part of the up tick in interest is from a group of people like me who just want to engage with the experience again, something that is lost with itunes, pandora or grooveshark.

When I was 9 or 10 years old I started collecting music. I collected albums from bands Forigner and Billy Joel, but Kiss was by far my favorite. I used to sit with my best friend in my room and play the same albums over and over. It was something I did to pass time like recreation.

Since then of corse digital music has changed this kind of experience. Some changes are good and some not so good. The added convenience is great, but the experience of an album is completely lost in my opinion.

About a year and a half ago I bought a turn table and started to collect many of the albums because I wanted that engagement. I also wanted to do it as a way to collect and remember. And, I think a growing number of people are like me – people that just want some of the old experience but aren’t willing to give up on convenience.

The bottom line for me is that vinyl really brings back the experience and doesn’t replace sound. But, it doesn’t mean I’m not collecting what I want to listen to via digital download.

At the beginning of February, as Indian was about to be blanketed by a foot of ice, Kelly, Mia, Ellie and I boarded a plane and were off to Florida. This was our first official family vacation and I don’t think we could have chosen a better place to go. We had great weather, stayed at a great hotel, and had a blast at the parks. We even got to catch up with Todd and Krista the last day at the Magic Kingdom. My wife did a great job of scheduling everything.