Pete's Valentines

ubject : Valentines Plans
Posted Date: : Feb 7, 2007 5:34 PM
The DVD I am creating for Pete is really coming together nicely. Last night I realized for the first time just how fast time has been flying by. I needed to get those pictures scanned and into the computer – fast!

In a little more than an hour, I scanned over a hundred pictures. Unfortunately, since the files were so large, it took about an hour to transfer them to my computer via Bluetooth. They were far too large to email even individually, and I didn't think until just now about adding them to a removable storage device and transferring them that way. Even at that hour, I was only able to transfer about half of the files, so I have some homework tonight.

The DVD has been built using my work computer, the brand new Mac Book Pro that the company bought for me. I scan all the pictures into Pete's computer and then transfer the files to my laptop each night when I bring it home with me. It's easy to get it done the evenings he has to work, and I just don't worry about it on the days that he doesn't have to.

This is going to be a Valentines celebration to remember. I made only one decent purchase, and the rest are all small things that, when put together, will make quite a presentation. Not all items will be presented at the same time, though. Shall I explain?

Pete and I will be celebrating Valentines Dinner this Saturday, February 10th on the Redondo Beach Pier at a nice restaurant we both enjoy. I've already set it up to where there will be flowers and lit candles waiting at our table when we arrive with a card for Pete. Dinner will be paid for already with a credit card I will provide before hand, so instead of the check coming out after dinner, Pete will get a small red package handed to him. Inside that small red package will be an iPod Nano, engraved with the following …

"Happy Valentines Day, 07
I love you, Pete."

Suave, huh? Well, the best is yet to come. He wont know that, however.

On Valentines morning, next Wednesday, Pete will wake up to find a DVD SOMEWHERE in the room (I'm still at a loss for where to put it; on my pillow, in the DVD player, in the computer, …). That DVD has three main menu items on it.

The first is a movie I composed of images I have gathered together from his friends, family, and various shoeboxes in his room – the likes of which I mentioned in the beginning of this post. They are set to music, introduced by typed words saying "Pete Xxxxx – A Life In Pictures" and then fade to the first image. At the end of the images, a scrolling dialogue comes up thanking the people who provided me with the images, letting Pete know that I had some help in the project.

The second film on the DVD is not a film at all, but a submenu of my own poetry I wrote about, for, and to Pete. Twelve selections are available, each section built as a scrolling dialog box, the poetry and corresponding images set to music and sound effects – different for each one.

The third main menu selection is titled "Pete and Amanda – the short film" and is exactly that. This film is composed of pictures that Pete and I have taken or had taken of us since we first started seeing one another so many months ago.

The DVD cover has been hand crafted in a remarkable fashion. That's why I'm debating whether or not I should put the DVD into the DVD player or not. I'd like him to see the cover as well.