PC iPod to Mac Conversion

So, I became a Mac user.

Here's the problem:
My iPod is formatted for Windows, and the library on the iPod has a ton of music that came from different computers. All of the tricks and tips I found for migratng the library over to the Mac still required having all of the original music on the computer, not the iPod. Or it required paying for software.

I didn't have or like those options.

Now, this solution will assume that you are OK with creating a new library, and having iTunes control it.

My extremely heterogeneous OS setup is the following:
desktops: windows
laptops: windows, linux, mac
network storage drive: (I believe linux)

all on a GigE backbone, with supplemental wireless.

So, opened up my iPod on the Mac terminal. Its listed under Volumes.
I switched iTunes to manage the directory structure of the library and to store it on the network storage drive.
I copied all of the music files off of the iPod and onto the Mac into a designated folder

mkdir ~/orig_ipod/
cp -R /Volumes/MY_IPOD/iPod_Control/Music/* ~/orig_ipod/

Then i attempted to import that directly into iTunes. That didn't work. Some sort of strange permission on the directories coming off the iPod (anyone ever seen an @ on their permissions)?

So, I did the following:

mkdir ipod_cleaner
cd orig_ipod
for dir in `ls`; do cp -R $dir/* ../ipod_cleaner/; done/

Then, once both of those complete (each takes a while, depending on the size of your iPod's files, you simply run an Add to Library command from inside iTunes and let it create the new directories.

The files in the middle steps are unuseful gobbledygook. You have to check the 'Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized' or else it will stay uselessly encrypted filenames.

My end result moved 100% of my music to a new library on the network drive, and didn't require booting up my Windows laptop once.

Childrens Clothing Conspiracy

So, to prepare my new baby for daycare, I need to have changes of clothing a bit beyond what I'd normally have her in. We have one outfit that seems really comfortable for her and very convenient for playing. Only "problem"? Its supposedly a boys outfit. A nice blue romper from babyGAP. I'm looking around to find more of these types of outfits for her to learn to crawl in.

90% of the play clothes for baby girls are frilly, lacy dresses. 90% of the play clothes for baby boys are rompers. At least it seems that way. Even the rompers I do find for girls are pretty frilly.

Now, I can see this for the special occasion clothing. But do we really need all this separate styling for baby girls and baby boys when both look and act very much alike at this age? I can see the difference in the diapers. Not the exterior clothing.

Last week(s?) of pregnancy

The baby is apparently ready. I've been in the first stage of labor - but no painful contractions - for a couple weeks now. When the baby moves around now, its rather uncomfortable and nearing pain at times. Sometimes I can't quite tell if its the baby moving or an actual contraction.

My OB is worried about the size of the baby, as she cannot get a good idea of the size and thinks she may be small. I'm going in for tests today. Which might lead to my being induced soon. Or just letting the pregnancy continue as it has been.

I'm now hearing stories about women who walked around completely effaced and at 5 or 6 cm dilated for weeks. I hope I'm not one of those, although I have got the effaced portion done.

We have a cleaning service coming today to give the house a nice once-over. We will probably keep a service coming 1-2x a month after the baby's born so that there's one less thing we need to worry about. I spent last night straightening up for the cleaning service so that they don't need to jump piles of baby stuff that's being sorted.

One thing we've found really hard to find (surprisingly, we think) is a mobile that does not require a crib. Or just a mobile stand. Or something.

We have the car seat set, we have a bassinet in our room. We have a changing table, and about 2 weeks worth of diapers (some of the cloth variety we need to see how well they work before buying a whole bunch). We have formula for supplementing feeding. We have the breast pump for expressing milk. We should have enough baby clothes.

The only major thing we don't have is the stroller. I may be buying that later today. I know which one we want, the only issue is one of my SILs said she would buy that for us. But I haven't heard back from her on that yet.

Oh, and we need to figure out how to pick up the remaining big items from a different SILs house - the crib and swing.

My parents are coming for 4 days in March. I have either a SIL or a BIL coming for a long weekend right after the baby's born (depending on the on call schedule).

All in all... things are pretty much in place.

Condo Close

Its sold.

I see the money in one account, anyways. The other two should be closed out by end of the day tomorrow.

And I managed to just dodge a huge special assessment in the condo building.