This entry comes from my journal 15 years ago today, April 19 2007.

RECORD STORE TALES #982:  Sounds

When I was a young single guy still working at the Record Store, I liked to customize my home computer experience.  The sound scheme in particular was something I enjoyed fiddling with.  I would download .wav files from TV shows, movies, and Homestarrunner cartoons.  Nobody wants just the default sounds, I figured.  Let’s have some fun with them, I reasoned.  For example  During my Homestarrunner phase, I always had the character announce incoming emails, as below.

Homestar: “Email”

The journal entry below reveals other favourite system sounds I employed.  Jen didn’t care for them, and I must have loved her or something, because the below implies that I changed them for her!

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2007/04/19 21:18

Every time I upgrade my computer I switch sound schemes around. I’m sure Jen will appreciate it that my computer won’t be swearing constantly anymore. My old sound scheme featured such classics as:

• New person logs into MSN Messenger: “Who the fuck is this asshole?” as spoken by Samuel L. Jackson.

Jackson:  “Who the fuck…”

• New email (Outlook): “(gunshot) Oh I’m sorry, did I break your concentration?” again by Samuel.

Jackson:  “Oh I’m sorry…”

I also changed some old favourites, just for the sake of change. My computer no longer quotes Clerks at startup and shutdown anymore:

• PC startup:  “I’m not even supposed to be here today!”

Dante:  “I’m not even”…

• And PC shutdown:  “My love for you is ticking clock Berzerker! Would you like to suck my cock Berzerker!”

Olaf:  “My love for you…”

Of course, those old favourites will be cycled in again one day. But now I’m sure she’ll be happy that for now, MSN Messenger has just has Fred Willard saying, “Hey, wha happen?”

 

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I strongly recommend you brighten up your day by customizing your own soundscapes in computerland!