Mass .WAV compression utility?

I didn't actually use iTunes to rip, but EAC has something I'm guessing is similar--"Various Artists Naming." FBOW, it drops the tracks into the same artist/album/song.wav format, but that results in a large number of directories that are populated with one folder with one song.

Redoing the kitchen can put buying stereo equipment to shame... Next time, I'm skipping the stainless (too hard to keep fingerprints off), going for a bigger fridge (new fridges allow you to keep lots in the doors, but try refrigerating a turkey while its brining in a large stockpot), building a separate espresso machine area with plumbed in lines and built-in knockbox opening over a trashcan, putting an outlet every foot on the splash, and definitely going for a walk-in pantry. The concrete countertops came out nicely tho'.

Good luck.

I am going with Cambria (Quartz) countertops, couldn't imagine being organized enough to seal granite regularly.

As for the coffee machine... We use a Jura Capresso E8, far outdoes the built in (friend has the Miele, doesn't do as good a job and far less flexible) FWIW filling the water resevoir isn't such an ordeal, and it will save you the hassle of replacing the built in when (I would say should, but have already lost one after 2 1/2 years) it dies.

As for the $$ of the kitchen... you are right, I have managed to buy a new , well actually 2 pairs of new (to me) speakers this month, and went to Tiffany's for the anniversary today (OUCH!!! Speakers are cheap!!)

I went with stainless, and will deal, or the maid will deal with the fingerprints.

As far as fridges go, if I had seen it before I might have gone with the Kitchen Aid 48" built in (28 ft cubed) but in stead took the KA counter depth side by side @ 25 CF... I would have like bigger, but after more than doubling my estimated budget (OK, I guess it is like stereo) I decided I would be OK with that.

Besides, I frequently go and buy what I am going to cook the day of. I have a great Dane, so nothing that allows entrance to the garbage is acceptable, I agree with the outlets, but will limit mine to 1 per 3 feet, and am going to have two pantries (I can see the merite of a walk in, but the floorplan of my kitchen wouldn't allow it)

BTW I finished my first 470 CD's in less than three weeks....

I'll agree with you on the built-in espresso machines--never saw one that I wanted. I'm running a Salvatore semi-auto. I manually fill it and manually empty the tray, but think the whole plumbed in lines thing would be cool... I just want a little dedicated area for it.

BTW, if you don't already have one, a good dosing burr grinder is a must have.

Kitchen sounds great. You have my sympathies on the trips to Tiff's--I got engaged back in May (cha-ching!) and will be getting married next May, so I'm bleeding money to wedding vendors...

Well, this is my third anniversary, and some how the ring cost 1/3 the engagement ring... hope that trend continues.... by 10 year, it will be very practical, but I doubt I'll have that luck...

The Salvatore's are very nice, but aren't they only espresso? The J/C do both. I agree with you, the idea of having it plumbed is nice, but you will need to have the water filtered, and have the filter accessible or you will need to decalcify frequently..

As for the grindeer, the J/C does that automatically, and you can adjust grind and amount of coffee per cup it makes (as well as water amount too).

Well living if the Tampa/Sty Pete area, and with Wilma in the gulf, my kitchen is halted. The electrician is on hurricane duty testing all the generaters that where bought this year, so they can't raise the ceiling in case he can't do his part as it would predispose my house's roof to blowing off in a storm (good thing they thought of that) so I guess I have just witnessed me first construction delay... not bad, they made it 2 1/2 days before they bailed...

I currently have a refridgerator and some blue painting tape where my island will be, or could be as we found extra room, almost a foot. I knew they wouldn't estimate the one corner right... all that concrete did make it difficult though...

BTW my J/C machine is currently in the master bathroom... FWIW it's pretty cool having it so close to bed, I don't even need to don a robe to get some joe!! It will, one day move to it's old home though..

I like the idea of the coffee machine next to the bed... Maybe the thing to do is to put the espresso station in the master bathroom or something, as long as the toilet is in a separated area... Hmmm...

I actually don't drink that much in the way of pure espresso--my g/f gets cappucinos and I drink americanos. Basically a strong cuppa joe--double shot of espresso topped off with a bit of water. You still get some nice crema on top and the flavor is better than drip joe. The pressure system actually somehow contrives to extract w/o the acids present in a gravity drip. The most important part, however, is getting a good roaster. Luckily, I've got a shop nearby that does a nice full city roast w/o the burnt flavor you get off of anything starbux makes.

Good luck weathering the storm. Remember to unplug the stereo gear.