Nine Inch Nails, Sony CMT-CPZ1

Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails is coming to Finland to conclude their 2007 European tour in April. Cool, that, and I've got tickets with my wife (and friends). NIN was one of the really big groups in my teenage years and I like them still, which is easy, since they've only released good albums. I hear from last time's witnesses that they are really very good live, which is of course a good thing, too.

Sony CMT-CPZ1

Related to music, we got a new stereo set last night, a Sony CMT-CPZ1 mini-system (weighing in at 300€). We've been without a set for years, settling for portable players and TV output and I have to say that it feels good to hear music properly again.

It's only a mini-set, as I can't fathom putting 200€-plus on just an amplifier, let alone some speakers, but an audible revelation it is, nonetheless. We went with Sony due to it sounding better than the other sub-500€ sets.

It was also the only not hideous-looking set on the shelves, which is just weird. You'd think they'd design 200-600€ worth of electronics a little more pleasing on the eyes. I see now that the set has got favorable reviews and general praise for sound quality, which is always nice. So far I have no problems with it.

Winter

It snowed yesterday. I understand they already have knee-high snow to tread through further up north, but it's often anybody's guess if the capital area gets snow before Christmas. I think it's the sea which warms this area so much that winter is all wet and rarely white and beautiful for more than a couple of weeks in the heart of winter. I do vastly prefer winter's snow and light freezing to fall's wet and cold.

While winter is the darkest time of the year, the world actually feels much lighter once it snows - simply because light reflects off the snow and illuminates the night. And it's lovely how snow changes the city soundscape, muffling the noise. And while the absolute amount of sunlight is reduced, it's often clear in the winter, as opposed to the permanently overcast fall skies.

My sports goal was to keep running until it snows. I accomplished that. Granted, I've slipped to once a week for the past three weeks, but I haven't missed a single week and I have plenty of excuses (flu, hurt knee, hurt ankle, wedding anniversary trip) for the slower pace. Now we'll see how I find running in the winter. It's not an unpleasant thing to consider and the track I use should be in a running condition through the winter. Progress has been slower than I thought, but I don't mind, really.

All in all, things are pretty sweet right now. Work is super exciting due to new colleagues and clients, I just ordered a new PC (my first in, what, someting like eight years) and there's plenty of good stuff on the TV. Oh, and my second to last "must see" band, Nine Inch Nails, is coming to Finland for their European 2007 tour's final gig in April.

Now if I can only figure out how I'm going to change my tires to studded ones from the slicks with roads frozen and snowed-in.