Codehappy

Scribblenauts Remix

2011-10-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

Scribblenauts Remix for the iPhone/iPod is an amazing creative and fun game. Give it a try.

http://www.scribblenautsremix.com

iPhone 4S and Siri

2011-10-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Like a technology zombie I stumbled to my computer and pre-ordered the iPhone 4S as soon as I was able to. I used the excuse that I'm gonna do more iOS app development and it will be good to have the latest phone for testing. But, the real reason is that I'm a nut.

Was it worth it. For people with an iPhone 4, probably not. iOS 5 is a major upgrade that will keep the iPhone 4 users happy for a long time.

The one major reason to get the iPhone 4S is for the camera upgrade. The improved resolution and performance combined with the Camera improvements in iOS 5 are all great reasons to get the new phone.

What about Siri? It's freaking wonderful. It does a great job of recognizing voice and converting it to text. And I hope that once it leaves Beta it will become available to more Apple devices (crosses fingers for iPad 2 support). Apple will most likely add support to many more applications. Siri's syntax will improve and include many more things you can ask it to do.

Super Easy Custom iPhone RingTones

2011-10-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Using the Macs built-in text to speech functionality it is super easy to create custom ringtones for the iPhone.

You Need:

A Mac
An iPhone
iTunes

Open Terminal and create a ringtone audio file using the say command.

For example:

say -v Trinoids "Incoming Transmission" -o incoming.m4r

Pay attention to the folder you are in when you make this file, this will normally be your home folder.

Now go to iTunes and chose the menu option [File->Add To Library]. Navigate to the file you just created and select it. The audio file should be added to the Ringtones section of iTunes where you should be able to play it. Connect your iPhone or make sure it's on the same wifi network and appears in iTunes. Select your phone in iTunes and choose the Ringtones section. Make sure the new file is being synced by choosing "All Ringtones" or "Selected Ringtones" and checking the one you just added.

Now Sync your iPhone and TADA. The new ringtone should now be available for whichever alert you want to use it with.

For more information about the say command you can use man in the Terminal:

man say

for instance:

say -v ?

will give you a list of the available voices you can use.

Creepy Clay Creeper

2011-10-08T05:38:00.001-07:00

Made this a while back for a friend of mine. No idea why I never posted it on the Blog.

Broken Images

2011-10-07T16:12:00.001-07:00

I imported blog posts from our older Wordpress blog, but have not fixed the image links yet - I'll be doing this as I can, so be patient please.

iPhone 4S

2011-10-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Excited about the new iPhone 4S announced yesterday. The changes are incremental and for the most part totally expected. Better camera, faster processor, iOS 5, and then theres the one more thing, integration of Siri into the OS. Voice assistance on previous versions of the iPhone felt like an afterthought. The addition of Siri may result in a big change to my daily use of the iPhone.

So, will I get it? The answer is a very strong YES. what I should do is wait till my AT&T contract allows me to get the lower price, but what I'll most likely do is take the hit and pre-order the phone on Friday.

More Arduino Fun

2011-03-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

Minor update to share some pics.

Arduino Fun

2011-03-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Wow I have not updated here in a long long time. Been spending too much time on Twitter. :)

Recently I have been spending a bunch of time working with an Arduino Uno. It's a simple Mini Computer that you can program yourself. You can built completely independent circuits, robots, sensor reading devices, anything you can think of.

I have a bunch of grandiose ideas for future projects, but for my first project I wanted to keep things simple.

Big Box O' Stuff

USB (serial) connection to computer, power and commands are sent from the computer.
LCD display to show messages. Show IM messages, new Mail notification, Calendar event notification, etc..
RGB LED Sphere to display colors and patterns sent from the Computer. Flash Red when I get new mail, etc...
Temperature Sensor and Simple button. When the button is pressed show the current Temperature for some period of time.
Enclosure to keep everything safe so I can use this at work or at home.

I have everything but the Temperature sensor working. I should get the temperature sensor and additional supplies I need to mount everything in a box soon. For now I have a breadboard prototype running.

The current firmware lets me do everything I want with a simple Perl based control program. I ran into one issue that was driving me crazy. I'm trying to use the programming port for communication. This way I can use one cable to program the Arduino and to communicate with it while it's running. However, the Arduino Uno does an automatic reset every time you connect to the port. This forum post gave me the info I needed to disable this feature. If I need to update the program I will need to undo this change either via a jumper or with a switch.

I still need to find a sphere to use as a light diffuser. I'll probably just end up using a ping pong ball. I would like to have one thats larger than normal, but that has so far been difficult to find. I also need to work out all the details to mount everything in the plastic project box that I purchased. I have a Dremel tool that I haven't used in ages, it should come in handy soon.

More pics to come as I attempt to complete the project.

Apple and the App Store Process - Thoughts

2010-06-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

First take the time to read this post: Sentence First - verdict afterwards

Now I have defended the App store process many times, and I think that in many ways it is a good thing. It keeps some of the garbage out, and provides for a family friendly environment. However, Apple goes too far in some cases. I can't provide a better example than the one I linked to above. There is no good reason for them to act this way, and it is exactly this kind of behavior that makes developers avoid the platform.

Apple should follow a set of clear and documented policies when restricting apps from the app store. Anyone should be able to review these policies and check to make sure they are within the rules that Apple has described.

Most people would be fine if Apple kept pornographic apps out. I also think the restriction on apps with too little functionality would be fine as long as the factors used to test this are documented. Keeping apps out that do malicious or dangerous things with the users device or data should also be restricted. Apple also does a great job of keeping non-working apps from the app store. Simple "does it work" QA, is a great service being provided to the developer community.

Having said that I feel that it is in Apple's best interest to never do any of the following as long as the basic restrictions do not apply.

Apple should never restrict apps that duplicate or compete with their own apps. Let the users decide whether these apps are better or not, that one small bit of extra functionality may be all the difference in the world.

Apple should never restrict an app based on some arbitrary hard to define concept like is described in the above link. What the hell is the clear and agreed upon definition of a Desktop or Widget app? Thats just dumb.

Apple should know better. If these apps are somehow bad for the users then let the market decide that, Apple restring this will only create bad juju for the Developer community.

IPad Review Update

2010-05-07T02:15:00.000-07:00

It's been several weeks since my last post, and I thought I should update my feelings about the IPad.

My initial feelings toward the "Magic" device haven't changed much. I still use it everyday for casual internet based activities, drawing, games, etc... I have stopped using my desktop machine everyday of the week. I still use it to sync and update my iPad and my iPhone, and there are of course several things that I can only do on my desktop. However, all the basics are covered with the iPad.

The Case
I decided quickly that I wanted to get a folio style case. My first case was a cheap one I found on Ebay ($12). This case has a few problems, there is nothing holding the iPad into the sleeve, and one orientation leaves the opening pointing down. There are also no holes for accessing the headphone jack, volume controls, or orientation lock. I have now decided to get a flip case from Marware instead.

Art
I've been switching between Art Studio and the SketchBook Pro app for drawing. There are features I like in both of these apps. I haven't been using Brushes for the iPad much since I got these other apps, but things can change in the future.

Games
The Pinball HD game has three tables with great graphics, I love these type of quick fun games, and this form factor is perfect for Pinball.

RSS / News
The NetNewsWire app provides a great experience for reading my Google Reader feeds. When I'm at work I use the Google Reader website and send stories I want to read to Instapaper. I can then use Instapaper on the iPad to read through these saved stories. I have not been using the other news specific apps at all.

The Browser's the thing
The Safari browser on the iPad handles everything I throw at it. My bookmarks are sync'd with my desktop and my iPhone via MobileMe. One of my biggest complaints is that there are many sites that use mouse hover, which doesn't work on the iPad.

There are sites that see the iPad UserAgent and try to present you with a mobile version of their site. Don't do it, update your sites to give the normal web to us, flash free of course. There are occasional Flash sites that cause problems, but hopefully that crap will die out soon, at least for web use. I still think Flash is great for alot of things, just not on the web.

Camera Connection Kit
I got the camera connection kit recently. It works great with both of our cameras, I can move videos and pictures from our digital cameras to the iPad. This will be great to make a backup and for showing pics to friends and family.

You can also apaprently use the USB connector to hook a wired keyboard to the iPad, but I don't have a low power USB keyboard to test this with. Maybe I'll get one of those neat roll up keyboards.

The Future
My initial WI-FI only iPad is getting a new owner today, My Wife :) The 3G model I ordered will be ready to use tonight, and I'll get to test it out on the road in the near future.

Early reports indicate that the unlimited plan is really the only way to go. The cheaper plan limits you to 250mb, which you can easily chew through in a few days.

Well hope this helps someone with deciding whether or not to buy, I would give it a big hairy thumbs up.

More iPad Thoughts

2010-04-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the couch watching Red Dwarf and surfing the web on my iPad. This is probably the most obvious use case for Apple's tablet and it's nearly perfect. I'm still trying to figure out the most comfortable way to hold the thing. I think a folio style case would actually make it more comfortable, but I'm not sure.

Apps:
Brushes for the iPad is great, all the great features of the iphone version. But larger, faster, and more resolution. Really looking forward to using this app more.

Netflix for the iPad is a killer application. It's a great way to manage your queue on the couch or to watch movies wherever you have a net connection. ABC has a similar app that lets you watch several of their top shows. I can't wait to see what Hulu does.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote look and feel amazing. Word is that these apps were created using the same apis that are available to iPhone/iPad developers. Thats a very inspiring bit of information. I think there will soon be an incredible array of creative solutions to problems that we don't even know we have.

Writing this from my iPad

2010-04-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Writing this update from my new iPad. I wanted to see how fast and well I could type on this thing and see if I could use it in a more productive capacity. Its also a good chance to write a post on my initial impressions of it.

Typing: Not bad at all, just like the iphone you have to get used to letting it do auto-capitalization and auto-correcting minor misspellings. It does slow you down to type numbers and some special keys that are not shiftable like they would be on a standard keyboard. It is also going to take some time to get used to the lack of clicking and the travel of a normal keyboard. The slight thump you get as you type on the screen is a little strange, but I'm sure that I will get used to it very quickly.

The Screen: The iPad has an absolutely beautiful screen. It is like the 3gs and will require semi-frequent cleaning.

Speed: Damn fast, very freaking fast.

iPhone application support: Not bad, but I would always choose an iPad specific app over an iphone sized app. The text is just too big and the screen space is waisted. Iphone games scale up pretty well and seem very playable. There are several apps that I have removed from my iPad because the web experience is better than using a zoomed up iphone app.

IPad specific apps: Wow, there is a lot of opportunity to create some really great apps for this thing. The apps that I have been using so far are working very well and some of them really show how good this device can be. I can't wait to see some of my favorite apps updated for the iPad. Hello tweetie!

Negatives: All the standard complaints apply, no camera, limited multitasking, locked down environment. The biggest complaint I have so far is iTunes. The syncing process can be painful and slow. I have rearranged my applications twice so far, the first attempt was done on the iPad and was wiped out by a sync. The second attempt was done on the desktop and seems to be correct now. I have had this same problem on the iphone. I'm having another problem with. Google calendar syncing, but that seems to be a problem with google.

I'll post more information in the future. Bye for now.

Back to Ubuntu - Thoughts on an OS

2010-04-03T01:26:00.000-07:00

For my new job I had the choice of using Windows XP or Ubuntu 9.10 for my primary development environment. It seemed that the developers were roughly 50/50, but the developers I was going to be working with primarily were using Ubuntu. There is also the added benefit of being disconnected from the IT group when using Ubuntu, you install your own Software. Ubuntu it is.

I've used Ubuntu in the past, and liked it. It wasn't mainstream at all, It was a tinkerers OS, not something a non techie would normally use. After a couple of weeks with this new version I have a few thoughts.

Ubuntu has come along way. The Installation experience, the interface, everything has been greatly improved.

I was really impressed with getting everything installed and running. I didn't have to worry about compiling any special drivers or choosing a special distribution for the computer I'm using. This was almost like installing Windows.

It's a great solution for Software development.

The added control you have over the system and how things work is great. Nothing new about this. Its great to have the ability to script and use the powerful tools a Unix operation system provides.

This ain't no OS X

Unix still get's in the way. In OS X ( a unix based OS) you don't have to open the terminal or understand what a kernal is. There are still complications when you want to install something non-standard. Download this script and this tar file. Modify this file in etc. Change the permissions on this file. These are things that most people won't be able to figure out, or that they will mess up.

Don't et me wrong I think a locked down customized install of Ubuntu that can only browse the web and check email might be good for some average people, but I don't think I would suggest that anyone in my family should use this yet. If your a tech savvy developer tho, go for it!

Back to full time

2010-03-11T03:28:00.000-08:00

Sitting in the Toyota dealership waiting area this morning, thinking about the last two years and my upcoming return to full time employeement.

I still don't regret the attempt at running a personal buisness. I think I could have done better. I think I could have worked harder at it. Most importantly I plan on continuing to work on developing it.

I do think that not returning to my old position after "my year off" was a mistake. However, I'm not sure I would have learned as much if I had not totally comited to it. Our savings has suffered for that lesson, and I have been worried about money more than I usualy do. As a result of this I spent less on gadgets, music, and movies these last two years and I haven't really missed any of it. I do have a long list of items I plan on buying, but I'll space them out over the next year.

I think the hardest part of all this is returning to a normal work schedule and working for someone other than myself. I'm going to have to figure out how to balance the dat job with my side buisness. The next few weeks will be interesting.

iPad Thoughts

2010-02-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

I decided to wait a week before writing more about the iPad. I have had some time to read other opinions and think more about how such a device might fit in my life. Lets start with the things I didn't like about it.

Cons:

Camera - This is the biggest problem for me. This device should have a camera, a front facing camera 3 mega-pixel or so. It needs it for taking self pics, and for skype. I fully suspect we will see a camera on the next version of the iPad. To be honest I half expect it will be the surprise addition that happens before they are available in a few months.

Background apps - I'm guessing that iPhone OS 4.0 will have some form of Background app support. My guess is that there will be a limit of 1-3 apps that can have a background presence. Something light-weight like a partial app that listens for events. This would be ideal on the iPad as well, but I do not expect this to happen before launch.

16x9 screen resolution - To be honest this doesn't bother me at all. I may watch things on the iPad, but its not a TV, I'm not gonna be watching many movies on the thing.

Pros:

It's just a Big iPod Touch - Yes and thats cool as hell. If it was just Email and Web access in this form factor it would be really good. But with all the apps, and a bigger easier to use on screen keyboard. Man I can't wait to use this. This device will almost complete replace my Laptop. I will still need it to do remote work, programming and such, but thats it. I have a desktop for all the heavy lifting. I don't need a full-Os in a portable form. The iPhone / iPod Touch has proven this already.

Iphone OS 3.2 - The iPad currently runs a new version of the IPhone / iPod Touch OS There are a few new features in this version of the OS that will make the Pad / Touch / and IPhone better than ever.

Shared File Storage - All apps will now be able to share files with the host OS easily with no special applications required on the Desktop.

File Based Events - All apps will now be able to be launched with a file if they no how to handle it. So you can click on an attachment in an email and a special app that knows how to handle that file type can be launched. This allows apps to send files to each other.

Custom keyboards / input - All apps can now create custom keyboards / input fields. This means you can have hand writing recognition in your app. Or custom numeric input like they showed in the Numbers app.

All of this together will create a great mobile experience. I can't wait to be sitting on the couch browsing the web on this thing, or sitting at the computer using the Brushes app to draw, or sitting at the computer using a new app that turns the iPad into a input device for my desktop computer.

My only problem now is buying one when it comes out.

The Job Search

2010-02-02T03:38:00.000-08:00

Well I decided it was time to get back to a regular Full Time Job again. Wish I could keep doing iPhone / and soon iPad development, but that will have to take the role of hobby again. No money in it unless your a big company or you get very lucky.

On the positive side I have already gotten several phone calls about possible jobs.

Various Clay Items

2010-01-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a several items lately for our Etsy Store. Here are a few of them.

[gallery link="file"]

Health Care Reform

2009-08-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

I've been getting very pissed off at some things members of my family and some friends have been saying and sending to me about the proposed Health Care Reform plan thats is currently being discussed. But, not for the reasons you might think.

The thing that is pissing me off is that everyone is just forwarding and propagating myths and lies that either side is making up to support their reasons for or against the proposal. Do some freaking research people. Just because Rush or some other "Entertainer" tells you that something is true, doesn't mean it is. What happened to balanced factual news reporting. Its almost impossible to find information on the proposals that you can trust.

This post at FactCheck.org helps to illuminate some of these false "Facts" that I keep seeing:

Twenty-six Lies About H.R. 3200

Now click on that and read it, then read it again, then calm down for a minute.

Oh, and If I get one more email from a so called friend or relative about how Obama is evil, mostly because he is black, I'm going to pretty much stop talking to them. Is he perfect? No. Is he always right? No. Does it matter that he is black? No. Stop being so damn hateful. I thought my friends and family were better than that. Now grow up!

Goodbye Trill

2009-07-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

One of the first things we did when we moved to Charlotte was to get a kitty. She was very sick when we first got her, but after several weeks of vet trips and medicine she got better. We named her 'Trill' and she has always been a gentle lap kitty. Its been almost 13 years and she has been a great companion. Today we said goodbye to her. She will be greatly missed.

New iPhone 3G S

2009-06-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

Today Apple Announced that the iPhone 3.0 software update will be out June 17th. They also announced the new iPhone 3G S which will be available on June 19th. I for one can't wait to get the new phone for development and personal use. Here's a short rundown on a few of the new iPhone features:

3 Megapixel camera with Auto focus, auto white balance, better low light performance, and macro.

Support for Video recording, video trimming / minimal editing, and sharing with Youtube and other services.

Much faster processor

Voice control, voice dialing, and iPod control

improved Accessibility

Digital compass chip

Improved battery life

The new phone will be available in a 16gb version for $199 and in a 32gb version for $299. They are also keeping the 2nd gen 3G around for $99 (not sure if that is the 8gb or the 16gb version).

Update: Check out the Apple Store for more info.

His favorite music.

2009-05-29T02:01:00.000-07:00

Working this morning with iTunes playing in the background. The song 'Ventura Highway' by the band America starts playing and I'm hit with a very strong memory of my Dads Father, my Grandfather. He died many years ago from Cirrhosis. He was a heavy drinker who never recovered from retirement. I wasn't terribly close to him, but I have many good memories of him. He loved to read westerns, but I don't know if he had a favorite author. He frequently played the lottery, but never won more than he spent playing it. He loved to eat steak for dinner, almost every night. He also kept a loaded 44 under the bed. I once heard him laughing and giggling loudly after talking about the time my Grandmother tried to feed a frog some bologna (yeah that is kinda funny).

I don't have many good pictures of him, the ones I do have are from when he wasn't feeling well. I guess all that really matters is that I thought of him this morning and wanted to share.

TerraTrike me Likey

2009-05-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

Recently Leo Laport the podcasting guru of Twit.tv got a new toy. This happens all the time, there is always a Macbreak Weekly pick or a Daily Giz Wiz gadget that I want. However, this new toy makes me drool like the rabid fanboy I know I am, and big surprise its not a new device from Apple. It's a recumbent tricyle called the TerraTrike. These trikes look like so much fun. I've been thinking about getting a bicycle for a long time. Any excuse to get more exercise is good. These trikes are the way to go. I just need to lose some more weight so I won't break the durn thing. I can't wait to get one.

Bailey sez HAI!

2009-05-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

Quick pic of one of our kitties.

It Was One Year Ago Today (well almost)

2009-03-31T04:52:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I posted that I was taking a year off. A friend of mine recently mentioned that I had not updated in a while about "The Year Off". I wish I had made myself update weekly, hell even monthly would have been good. At the very least I wanted to post when the year was over, and to see how I did.

Originally I wrote about these goals:

Lose weight: I started the year walking regularly. I lost 30 lbs very quickly. I haven't maintained my walking schedule, but I'm getting back into it now. At least I have not gained the weight back. I hope to lose much more.

Art / polymer clay: I have sold several items on our Etsy store. I made a bunch of stuff that is either for sale or has been given away as gifts. I really do enjoy making things, but its not yet something I can do as a full time job. Who knows maybe someday.

Programming for Fun: I started writing iPhone software for fun, but I will soon be selling my own iPhone applications. Its still fun, but hopefully I can spin it into a job.

Guitar: I have not touched my guitar in a year. I still want to spend time learning to play.

Spend more time with L: Here at least I have succeeded.

So whats next? Well.... I decided not to return to my old job. This was a very hard decision to make. I'm working on several applications that will be for sale on the iPhone App store soonish. Soon my little software company will be off and running.

Drawing on the iPhone

2009-01-12T00:52:00.000-08:00

I mentioned the Brushes app on the iPhone the other day, and I thought I would post some more doodles I've done since then. I'm really loving being able to draw anywhere whenever I have a few minutes, no pencils or pad required.

[gallery]

Bailey poses for the camera

2009-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted enough pics of our most recent addition.

iPhone App Review: Brushes

2009-01-03T03:21:00.000-08:00

I saw a link on Twitter to a post at Gizmodo about the application Brushes for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The images linked to via this article looked great. I checked the reviews in the app store to see what other people thought of the app, and decided to spend $2.99 (the price at the time) for Brushes. I had been looking for a good drawing app for the iPhone, and this app appears to fit the bill. The tools are simple and easy to use. Its a great way to entertain yourself when you have a few minutes. And you'll have it with you wherever you go. I highly recommend it.

[gallery]

Top 10 Favorite Albums

2008-12-22T23:07:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of music. I love to listen to music while I work, and I could waste hours and hours just listening to a good stereo and some of my favorite tunes. It's always interesting to talk with other music lovers about their favorite albums, artists, and songs. Some people like lyrics, melody, or even just a good beat. Tastes vary wildly and change over time. The things you hear in a song can be completely missed by someone else.

I thought I would take a stab at listing my 10 favorite albums. This is much harder than you might imagine. You should try it yourself:

Ani Difranco: "Reprieve"

David Bowie: "Station To Station"

Interpol: "Our Love To Admire"

Rush: "Moving Pictures"

Steely Dan: "Aja"

The Who: "Who's Next"

Thomas Dolby: "The Golden Age of Wireless"

Devo: "New Traditionalists"

The Beatles: "Sgt. Peppers"

Fleetwood Max: "Rumours"

What are some of your favorites?

Recent Clay Sculpt

2008-12-16T05:16:00.000-08:00

A quick item I'm probably going to give to someone for Christmas.

Year Off Update

2008-12-16T00:43:00.000-08:00

ACK! three quarters of the year have passed by in a whirl.

I haven't been updating as much as I had planned, but we all know how that goes.

Here is a list of the other things I haven't been doing enough:

exercising

programming

reading

traveling

Things I plan to do more of over the next 3 months: (see entire list above)

I have been spending a bunch of time gaming, relaxing, goofing off, cooking, etc... Having said that I don't really regret it, I've had time to think about life, career, and everything. More to come on that later.

The last couple weeks I have been working on making Christmas presents for a few people. I'll post pictures of these items as soon as they are done.

PG tips

2008-12-16T00:31:00.000-08:00

Started drinking PG Tips special blend tea. I kept hearing people talking about it on various podcasts and what not. To be honest its just a good black tea, but I wouldn't say its great or hugely better than anything else. It can be pretty strong depending on how long you let it brew, which I like. My friend introduced me to blending it with Double Chai, which is double yummy.

PG Tips Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PG_Tips

One little, two little, three little kitty cats...

2008-10-12T03:10:00.000-07:00

We got a new kitty as a companion for our younger cat. So far the new kitty is doing great and seems to be fitting in just fine. The younger kitties chase each other, while our older cat (Trill) watches. Trill thinks they are both crazy and wants nothing to do with either of them.

Watching without question

2008-09-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

Playing around with more abstract ideas. I like working quick and rough, so ignore the lack of polish on this one.

Sometimes it seems many people just sit and watch whatever is placed in front of them with out checking the facts, or questioning anything.

This Week in Photography

2008-09-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Wanted to add a link to TWIP, both for their link contest, and because I think its a great Photography show and website.

http://www.twipphoto.com

Check them out

sigh clay

2008-08-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't been spending enough time with clay lately. I'm not sure why, just goofing with other things. Its really hard to force myself into a regular schedule, but I need to try harder.

A friend of mine, suggested that I make some Golem's little ones, big ones, etc... I only spent like 10 minutes working on this (minus baking time) but it was fun just to touch the clay again, and has gotten me back to working on some half finished items. I'm gonna make a larger more detailed golem and put it up on the etsy store soon.

[caption id="attachment_511" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="simple golem"][/caption]

More info on Golems.

iPhone 2.0

2008-07-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to get the new iPhone yet, but I will as soon as I can walk into the apple store without waiting in a long line. However, the software store is now available on my 1.0 phone and it's a great addition to the iPhone.

In fact I'm using the new Wordpress app to create this blog entry.

Lego saved the day!

2008-05-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

I started to build my Lego 10179 Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon. Everything was going great, until I discovered that my instruction booklet was missing 67 pages!!!! I was worried because in the past Lego had fought some sites that were posting instructions online. Would I be able to find the instructions online?

A quick google search later and I discoverd that Lego made the correct decision and now provides the instructions online in pdf: http://www1.lego.com/eng/buildinginstructions/

So I can return to the humongous pile of Lego and try to get a few more pages into this Millennium Falcon.

Year off update (51 days in)

2008-05-21T02:48:00.000-07:00

Getting close to two months and I thought it was time for an update.

Out Etsy store:

I have sold a few items on Etsy now and I have a better idea of the direction I should take here. I should be posting some new "Eye Guys" to Etsy soon. I also still plan to try to do a series of little creatures for Artomat.

iPhone development:

No progress made here, but I'm thinking about it and should be working on something soon.

Weight Loss:

To date I have lost 21 pounds. My energy levels are way up, and I think I should easily meet my 50 pound loss by the end of my year off. Who knows I might lose much more than that.

iMac Review part 2 (memory upgrade)

2008-05-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

I have had my iMac for a couple of weeks now, and I'm very happy with it. The 4 gig memory upgrade was a huge improvement when it comes to parallels usage, and to when playing World of Warcraft.

Here is the quick rundown of pros and cons during my first 2 weeks with this machine.

Pros:

Large, crisp, and bright Apple LCD display

2nd monitor support (with purchase of mini-DVI to DVI cable)

Machine is surprisingly fast and responsive

Removal of clutter under the desk

Reduction in number of cables

Cons:

Overheating. I did not notice any issues with the temperature the machine was running at until I ran World of Warcraft for several hours. The back of the machine was too hot to touch. I have since read some info on the bad fan control in the iMac. No wonder it was so quiet. A few downloads later and I have turned the fans up and made things run a little smoother. There really should be better built in control for the fans and for monitoring temperatures. I should not have to download a 3rd party program to warn me of high temperatures and to turn the fan speeds up. (Note: I have only had one crash on this system so far, and it was most likely due to overheating, but I did not get any warnings or info to confirm this)

One week after I bought this iMac, Apple released an update to the Apple store with new top end iMac's. I would have had to pay full price for these, so it didn't really change my mind about the purchase.

I have to say that overall I am very happy with my purchase of a refurbished iMac.

TransIntl

Where I got my memory upgrade from.

Temperature Monitor

Fan Control 1.2

Note: This installs as a preference app and it allows you to change the base fan speeds, but does not seem to properly conrol them automatically.

Minor Review: Refurbished iMac

2008-04-27T01:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first day with my new iMac. This now means that my main machine is no longer a PC running windows XP. I have been using a Macbook Pro for about a year now and have very much enjoyed it.

The machine I purchased is a Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. Buying it refurbished saved me about $300. I'm unable to determine any difference from a brand new machine. The system seems very fast and responsive. The screen is bright and crisp. It is probably the best LCD screen I have ever had.

In order to play Windows based games and run photoshop (which I have for windows), I also got Parallels Desktop. Parallels allows you to run XP in a window while using OS X. You can copy files between the systems and share other resources as well. The XP install went fine, but I have yet to install any other programs in XP.

I downloaded World of Warcraft for OS X and I'm able to play with almost no problems. There is some jerkiness when entering new areas, but that is most likely related to the amount of memory my machine has. This machine came with 1gig of ram which is really not enough, but it is extremely expensive to purchase memory upgrades from apple.

Apple wanted $600 for the 4gig upgrade (OUCH!). I was able to get the same amount of memory from an online store for $82.

After a month of use I will write a second review to talk about the impact the memory upgrade has. I'm also looking forward to doing some development on this machine.

Health care sucks

2008-04-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

So we were able to get reasonably priced health care for L. But, because I'm overweight we were not able to get any for me. The only way they will cover me is if I pay them a huge amount of money per month for a plan that barely covers anything. WTF is up with health care in the US.

It doesn't matter that I'm losing weight, it doesn't matter that I'm in good health otherwise.

I guess I should be happy that we got L covered so easily.

*grumble* *grumble* #$%$%^%^&#$%#$%@@!@!

Almost one month gone

2008-04-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the time is going so fast. It still feels like I just started this adventure. Time for an update:

Exercise: I contiue to walk almost everyday. The distance I walk each day has doubled. I should be increasing it to the next level next week. On the days I have to cut the grass I usually don't walk. Believe it or not cutting the grass has turned into a big workout for me. My new lawn mower (cordless electric) is pretty heavy. Each week cutting the grass has gotten much easier.

Etsy: So far its going ok, I haven't sold much - not sure if its my pricing, or the quality of my work. Each time I add an item to our store I get more exposure, and there are several people now watching our store. I may have to tweak the prices some. One thing I need to do is come up with a line of items I can become known for. I have gotten the most feedback on the bowls, and I have supplies to make several more. I'm also adding more little figures to the store over the next couple of weeks.

Business cards: I ordered one hundred cards to include in items I sale, they came out really well and were very cheap. I highly recommend Overnight Prints for your cards.

iPhone SDK: The 4th release of the iPhone SDK beta has been downloaded and installed. I haven't done much with it so far. But I plan on working on something very soon. I have to admit that not getting into the Certificate program when many others with no programming experience did was a big de-motivator for me.

An experiment

2008-04-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Thinking about making some miniture faux bonsai tree's. So, I did an experiment first.

This little tree came out pretty good. I'm worried that it would be too fragile to ship without breaking tho. I'll have to see how it does on L's desk. For any bonsai tree's I would probably use a smaller and flatter bowl. I might make dishes for them out of clay.

Look at all the cool stuff people are making.

2008-04-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a bunch of time looking at the work other people are doing on Etsy. There are items posted there that I think are way overpriced, things that I could duplicate easily, but or the most part the work is much, much better than what I'm currently doing. I really need to practice more.

I thought I would link to a few of the stores on Etsy that I really like. These are also in our favorites list on Etsy.

Junkyard Sam's

Mayvar's

Bunny X Productions

AMCreatures

Oh, check out Overnight Prints. They do buisness cards and other printing needs, and are very cheap.

One week down, X-1 to go

2008-04-07T22:34:00.000-07:00

The first week has passed and I accomplished some of my goals and missed a few of them as well. I posted a few items to the Etsy store yesterday, I'll be refining this listings as I gain experience. I already have several things I want to change (Thanks Blake).

So this weeks goals are as follows:

Business card design: I need a card to include with any craft sales (going to keep it simple and self printed for the first few items, I'll pay for a better card later if needed)

continue my daily exercise routine, and increase time. (doing good so far)

Create a 3rd Bowl for the store (need to decide on colors)

Create a few other original items.

New Etsy Items

2008-04-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

I have posted a number of new items up for sale on our Etsy Store.

Netsuke

2008-04-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

From netsuke.org:

"A netsuke is a form of miniature sculpture which developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes."

I saw a post this morning on netsuke and thought I would pass on links to that post and a few other sites that are really cool.

Related links:

Sculpture for the Hand

Wikipedia entry

Netsuke by Sergey Osipov

And so it begins...

2008-03-31T22:25:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of my official leave of absence. I hope to get a few things accomplished today as I try to figure out my new routine.

Things to get done this week:

Business card design: I need a card to include with any craft sales

Clean up clay work area

Create several items for the craft store

Get into a regular exercise routine

Cut the grass :)

Getting ready to get started

2008-03-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Next week I start my "Year Off", and I can't wait. I put it in quotes because I'll actually be very busy. I'l be doing things on my own schedule, but I'll keeping a regular work day.

The first week will involve:

Getting a batch of items ready for our Etsy store.

Creating a business card to include with the Clay work.

Working on a submission for Artomat

Getting started with iPhone development. Very interested in seeing if I can make any money with some simple apps. Its important to get my foot in the door as early as possible.

I'll be trying to post something related to this work and my thoughts on how its going every week or two.

Music Time

2008-02-13T04:06:00.000-08:00

The Talking Heads are one of my all time favorites. I stumbled on this video and thought I would share? I should get this DVD.

Taking a year off resources

2008-02-11T00:11:00.000-08:00

My time off starts in April, and I have a bunch of work to do before then. I thought I would post some of the sites and articles I looked at before I talked to my employer.

Info at Squidoo

CBS News interview of Mary Lou Quinlan

The Sabbatical Guide

"My Year Off" - (Part 1)

2008-02-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends and familiy are going to think I've gone totally insane.

But, here it is, I'm taking an entire year off from work and my career. I'm going to spend my time doing only the things I love, which include the hobbies that I neglect when I spend most of my time working. It sounds crazy but the idea of taking a year to focus on what's important to me is a rare opportunity.

My employer wasn't exactly happy to hear my plans. I'm not sure they believed me at first. But, they have really been very helpful. I didn't have to quit, I'm taking an official Leave of Absence, so I get to keep my stock options and it is much easier for them to take me back at the end of my year away.

Luckily L does a great job managing our finances, and we will be fine for the next year as long as we cut back on the non-essential expenditures. We may even be able to travel some.

I have compiled a short list of goals for myself. These are things that I wish to accomplish with my time over the next year. I will need to budget my time, just like any job, to accomplish even half if these:

Lose weight: I will be taking this opportunity to make big changes, the most important of which is my health. I must lose a bunch of weight and this is my chance to learn how to live differently

Art / polymer clay: i really enjoy making things in clay, I want to get better and I want to see if I can at least earn enough to pay for my own art supplies. I know I will not be able to do this as a career, but at least I will be happy spending my time on it.

Programming for Fun: I miss writing software for myself I'll be spending a small amount of time doing some fun programming and learning new technologies

Guitar: I have two guitars and I can't play anything. I want to learn the basics and at least have fun with the guitar.

Spend more time with L: She deserves more of my time than she currently gets.

And much more

At the end of "my year in limbo" I will re-evaluate what is important to me, return to my career and hopefully enjoy it much more than I have been. Don't get me wrong, I like my job, but it used to be more than just a job to me. Maybe I can get some of that back by changing my perspective on things.

Musique non stop

2008-01-08T23:37:00.000-08:00

There was a time when computer graphics were still very primative, and this video was ground breaking. I remember being fascinated by it. And anyway, you have to love Kraftwerk, no really, you have to, or the Germans will come get you, and I'll help!

Kings of Convenience

2008-01-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

Been listening to the Kings of Convenience today, and I thought I would post a couple of videos in case you haven't heard of them. The Videos aren't all that great, but the music is nice and easy.

My favorite video by them is "Gold in the Air of Summer", but I can't seem to find a video for that one.

Only A Fool Would Say That

2008-01-08T00:25:00.000-08:00

Lots of great info coming out from CES this year.

Laser TV from Mitsubishi. via Engadget

Paramount ditching HD-DVD. OMG

Guitar Wizard uses a real guitar. via Engadget

Curved Gamer Screen from Alienware. via Engadget

As far as the Blue-Ray vs HD-DVD war goes, I like the idea of one of the formats winning, but I'm not sure I want it to be anything to do with Sony. I was really hoping that HD-DVD would be the victor.

Now how long till Microsoft makesÂ a Blue-Ray drive for the XBOX 360, cause thats when you will really know that the format war is over.

Wii Remote Virtual Reality

2008-01-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

Wow this is awesome:

Whats on the net tonight?

2007-10-30T23:01:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I posted links:

Apple announced that there will be a Developer API by next February. Apparently apple is really good at hiding old news entries. I can't find a link to the original text anywhere.

OS X Leopard is here, and I can't wait to install it. Lots of really positive reviews out there.

I'm not sure when it happened but Dinko Tilov's polymer clay site is back up at a new URL. I really like his style. He has a great book for sale as well. One of my favortite polymer artists.

The American Craft Council show is this weekend in Charlotte.

Happy Dia De Los Muertos.Â I need to get some better pictures of this Day of the Dead tattoo posted now that it is complete.

iPhone thoughts

2007-10-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

It's been said already, but I really think that Apple needs to create a supported SDK for native iPhone apps soon or they are basically throwing away a golden opportunity. I don't want just a cool phone I want a portable computer that I and others can develop applications for.

Keeping the phone locked down will only drive business away.

Things I would like to see available for iPhone development:

A documented and semi-supported SDK provided by Apple.

Ability to link to other iphone apps like the browser currently handles. If a user clicks on a phone number in my app it should allow them to call that number.Â Other integrations should also be supported.

Ability to store data on the phone and have it be synced with the desktop. I could then provide desktop versions of my apps.

Ability for 3rd party apps to access the internet via edge or wireless.

Graphics and sound access for Games and such.

I would really like to see the iPhone support Adobe AIR and / or flash apps running outside the browser. this is not likely to happen.

Itunes integration of some kind for adding apps to the iphone.

Ability to install apps to the iphone via edge or wireless networking.

It would be really great if Apple did something like XBox live Arcade and provided a means for developers to sell their apps to iPhone customers.

Trader Joe’s

2007-09-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

A new Trader Joe's opened recently here, and we have gone a few times now and are starting to figure out which things we really like.Â The price's are great and so far everything we have tried has been very good. Here are a few of our favorites:

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Tandoori Nand

A Fig walks into a Bar Breakfast Bars

So Delicious Creamy Orange Ice cream Bars

Devo on SNL

2007-09-23T02:27:00.000-07:00

I just saw this posted over at Boing Boing:

Cute cat videos

2007-09-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Philip sent me links to these.

Another great DRM article

2007-09-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

Just saw a link to Cory Doctorow's new DRM article on Boing Boing. Looks like a great discussion on why DRM will never work. Please read it.

Shoes, Just Get EM!

2007-08-22T04:45:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late to this meme, but whatever!

Please note this is NSFW and contains strong language.

Limited Edition Blade Runner Details

2007-08-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, look at all the extras included in the Blade Runner: Ultimate Collectors Edition.

Bioshock

2007-08-21T02:12:00.000-07:00

I played the demo of Bioshock on the 360 and decided to pre-order it, I should get it today or tomorrow. The demo and the glowing reviews give every indication that this will be the game one of the best games of the year.

I'll post more on it after I complete the full game.

Thinking about Tattoos

2007-08-21T02:03:00.000-07:00

I've been reading the book "Dorothy Parker's Elbow: Tattoos on Writers, Writers on Tattoos". I'm fascinated with why people get Tattoos and how they are viewed by others. There have been a few ideas presented in various stories in this book that have stuck with me for a few days that I thought I would try to share.

When is a Tattoo complete? When is it really yours? The new work isn't yours until the healing process is complete. When you no longer feel the raised lines on your skin, when the pealing and roughness is gone, and the hair has grown back. Only after you can no longer feel it, only then, does it "feel" real. There is an adjustment period where you have to get used to your new skin.

I have a low pain threshold. So why go through it? One idea is that it's your choice, no one is telling you to do it, you're in control. For some the process of getting the Tattoo is empowering simple because they are for a brief period in control. They are forever changing their appearance in a manner they choose. Personally, I like the artwork, but I suspect that deep down this is true for me as well.

Having visible ink opens you up to questions and comments from people you don't know. Strangely the people I know well say less about them than people I don't know. Some people I meet have tattoos and smile or compliment the work, there is a sense of community. Others that are interested in them, or just curious will ask the same questions everyone has heard a hundred times. "Does it hurt?", "How long did it take?", "How much did it cost?"

Then there are the others that are disturbed or scared of anyone with Tattoos. There are people who still believe the stereotypes that anyone with Tattoos is a biker or an ex-con. Most people think your low-income or some hick. I've done pretty well choosing good artists and getting good looking work, so I've started getting asked if I'm a tattoo artist.

It's funny how we all make broad assumptions like this when meeting knew people. Every interaction we have is clouded by our initial assumptions based solely on appearance. L and I always laugh when we go to a fancy restaurant or store and get shoddy or slow service due, most likely, to our attire. The better you are dressed the better the service is. Now add Tattoos to the mix and you've reached a new level. The irony is that we are pretty well off compared to most. The more interesting thing is that people who seem to be put-off by my tattoos don't say anything negative, they just ignore me completely, which I have to say is usually a good thing. I tend to like people with an open mind better anyway.

Not sure there is a moral to all this I'm just rambling. Type at you later.

Tattoo Vampire Lyrics

2007-08-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

Blue Oyster Cult
Tattoo Vampire

I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast

Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin

Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"

Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin

Dead Can Dance - Rakim

2007-08-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have been listening to this song at least once a day this week. There is just something about it that I love.

The Muppets Rule!!!!

2007-07-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Saw this linked on Kevin Rose's Pownce

I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I'm a huge Huge HUGE fan of the Muppets. Jim Henson will always be one of my heroes.

I don't know the origin of this particular fan video, but I have to say bravo.

Windows to Mac Switch

2007-07-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

We now have two Mac's in the house. I have a Macbook Pro and L now has a Macbook. I'm sure she will post in a few days about what she thinks. Right now she is too busy reading the new Harry Potter book. :)

I thought I would post a few links to help with the PC to Mac switch:

Apple - Support - Switch 101

How to Switch

QuickSilver

OS X

Eye To Eye, Music you’ve probably never heard of.

2007-07-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I used to love to finger through my dads vinyl records. I was introduced to a wide varity of music by my parents. One album that I kept on tape for years but forgot about for many years was the album Eye To Eye by the band of the same name. A few years ago they released a CD of their two records. There are some really great tunes that you might like on these Albums.Â My personal favorite songs are:

Hunger Pains

Life In Motion

More Hopeless Knowledge

Progress Ahead

Time Flys

Harry Potter and the five year old that won’t shut the hell up.

2007-07-16T01:20:00.000-07:00

We saw the new Harry Potter movie this weekend. Wow, great movie. As a purist there were a few things that I don't think they should have changed. However, they did a really good job with the story, lots of magic, and lots of fun.

Why do parents insist on taking children to movies when they know they are too young to keep silent during the movie. Please be considerate and stay home.

The final Harry Potter book comes out this weekend. We are only getting one copy of the book. I have to read it quickly so that Lisa isn't suffering for too long. I have only been this crazy for one other series, The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zalazney.

iPhone case mini-review

2007-07-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

I bought an incase protective cover for my iPhone.

Pros:

Easy to add or remove the phone.

Makes the phone less slippery and easier to hold

Reduce's hand fatigue when talking on the phone.

Does not need to be removed to use the phone. It doesn't cover the screen.

Cons:

You can not put the phone in it's cradle when you have the case on.

The case makes it harder to slip the phone into your pants.

When using the case and the sync cable (not the cradle) its difficult to remove the cable.

Well, hope that helps and have fun using your phone.

A Quote I can’t get out of my head.

2007-07-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

"Switch off the mind and let the heart decide
who you were meant to be" - Thomas Dolby, Wind Power

Posting from the iPhone

2007-07-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

Doing a test post from the iPhone. It's a surprise how easy it is to use the internet from this phone. Typing is pretty easy, not as easy as a real keyboard, but very close.

Minor iPhone gripes

2007-07-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a, sure to grow, list of minor iPhone gripes:

The headphone jack is inset and does not fit most headphone plugs. There is an adapter, but I should not have to buy it.

My cheap 3rd party doc that works fine with my Video iPod does not support audio out with the iPhone. I have no idea why, but buying another dock sucks.

The battery doesn't last as long as I would like. The sad thing is, it lasts longer than anyone expected it to. Why is new battery tech so far behind?

Several times now I have had the music stop playing when some kind of network error occurs. Dropped from wi-Fi network, not sure what the cause really was, because no error message was displayed.

While trying to email a photo to Flikr the mail app starts to load but then stops and I get dropped back to the desktop. Again, there was no error message to indicate what might have caused the problem. I'll try again when I get to my home wi-fi network.

How the iPhone changes the cellular buisness for the better.

2007-07-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

So you have your shiney new iPhone. And it works great. Now What?

Sit back and watch the carriers fall to pieces. Now that Apple has their foot in the door there will be no stopping them. The big carriers just don't get it, they don't understand that what consumers want is ease of use, and a consistent experience with their phone. They want that Star-Trek moment and it better work every time. If there is a problem with it, they want friendly and helpful people to fix the problem without over charging them. None of the carriers have good customer service reputations, they gouge their customers at every turn and dare them to risk terminating a long term contract to go with a rival where the experience will be just as bad.

Along with every "iPhone is great" post going up on blogs around the country, there are posts going up about how bad the AT&T experience was. As Apple gains power in this market they will continue to do things right, while the carriers continue to do them wrong. Overtime the carriers will become less important while the new little portable computers that Apple, and hopefully other companies, make will become whats important. The phone buisness will be just another computer buisness. The carriers like AT&T will become just another internet provider wondering where all the cash went.

It won't happen overnight, and it won't be without a fight, but I for one can't wait for it.

Related articles that cover the subject much better than I:

Arstechnica: Let a million iPhones bloom

Apple Phone Show: AT&T Really is Dropping the Ball Here

iPhone Rocks!

2007-06-30T01:34:00.000-07:00

I got to the AT&T store yesterday at 5:00 pm To a line of 31 people. The line quickly grew to 50+, which was a problem as their were only 50 phones at the store. I waited for 2 hours to get into the store and got the 2nd to last 8 gig iPhone. The activation and setup process was perfect and quick. Syncing 5 gig of music to it took a while.

This is hands down the best phone I have ever used.

Pros:

Great, consistent interface

Easy to use and intuitive

It makes a great iPod, easy to find music, sounds really good

Surfing the web on it is almost perfect for a small device

I have only played with the phone part of it a little bit, but it was very easy to deal with and visual voice mail is wonderfull.

Cons:

The camera pretty much sucks, slow and poor in low light. I want this to be a great camera also. Maybe next version

8 gig is not nearly enough. I don't want to carry a phone and a 60gig iPod. I'm sure future versions will have more storage.

There aren't enough places where the keyboard can be placed in landscape mode. Only the browser seems to supprort this.

I'll add more as I find them, it really is worth the hype.

iPhone Mania

2007-06-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to get my hands on an iPhone today. All the information I have seen makes it look like the best phone I have ever used. A perfect blend of geek cool with Apple's ever present sense of elegant design.

In case you have been living on a different planet here are some links you should check out:

The Apple Phone Show

Apples

Gizmodo's iPhone Coverage

Picture Gallery

2007-05-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

I have been working with the Flex 2 SDK and Flex Builder. I re-wrote our picture gallery in Flex. It requires Flash 9, and should prompt you to install it.

Macbook Pro Wonderland

2007-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I broke ranks and joined the other side. Actually I'm a double agent for now.

I bought a MacBook Pro.
I'll still have my primary PC for games and desktop work, but this new machine is just great.
It's funny but, the Mac has taken over windows old role as the power user os of choice.

This Week in Tech

2007-04-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

I used to be a big fan of Tech TV. Slowly it went all to hell and turned into the horror that it is G4.
Like many others my favorite show was The Screen Savers.

These days I get my tech news from the following video and audio podcasts:

DL.TV

This Week In Tech - bunch of audio shows here.

Cranky Geeks

Whats New Now

Sad Kermit

2007-03-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

OMG - Saw this linked at Ain't it cool news

Elton John

2007-03-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Saw this video linked on Blues News.

Our Prius

2007-03-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Here is that picture I promised.

Hybrid Car FTW

2007-03-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

We are now the proud owners of a 2007 Toyota Prius. I have been interested in Hybrid Cars for a few years now. The fuel savings paired with dramatically reduced pollution is hard to beat. I was concerned with the size of the car and other common misconceptions, but after talking to a co-worker that has one and getting to drive it, I was hooked.

I'll post a pic this weekend.

Go get Needled

2007-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

If you like tattoo's, or if you like blogs about tattoo's, you should go check out
Needled.

I've been thinking about getting more work recently, and I realized that I have
done a poor job of keeping my tatto pics up to date. I'll try to add some new pics
in the next couple of days.

Music on the brain

2007-02-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

Paul McCartney - Calico Skies

It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies

I will hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life

Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide

Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life

Long live all of us were crazy soldiers who
Were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise

Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill love you for the rest of my...
For the rest of my life

Ursula Vernon - Wearer of Weasel Skins - Fixed

2007-01-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

I had the wrong weapon in this guy's hand when I took the other pictures. Here he is with the axe.

This model is based on Ursula Vernon's "Wearer of Weasel Skins".

Ursula Vernon - Wearer of Weasel Skins

2007-01-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't been doing much with my clay work lately, so I thought I would post something I did a few months ago. This work is meant as a tribute to the art work of Ursula Vernon and is not for sale.

This model is based on Ursula Vernon's "Wearer of Weasel Skins".

Nintendo Wii

2006-12-31T00:51:00.000-08:00

After much searching and an absolute refusal to wait in early morning lines, I managed to get a Nintendo Wii.
Target had at least 8 of them and the checkout guy seemed puzzeled at my excitement. Heres my early review:

Nintendo Wii:
The graphics are the only disapointment on the Wii. The controls are the best of any console. This is the first time I haven't missed a keyboard and mouse on a console. The Online store could learn a few things from Microsoft's marketplace, but I expect it to improve over time. I have not been able to find a second Wii controller, or component video cables.

Wii Sports:
No one expects the sample disc that comes with a console to be worth much, but I have spent as much time playing Wii Sports as I have any of the other games I have.

Rayman Raving Rabbids:
Think of Wario ware style mini-games that make you laugh. This one is really fun and should be fun to show your friends when they come over to gawk at your Wii.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess:
Wow! Apparently I haven't really even started the game yet, and I'm already 3 hours in. The story seems to be complex and the controls are spot on. It's supposed to take 60 hours to complete this game.

Weird Al Video

2006-09-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

Weird Al Rules!

Oops, Site was broke

2006-09-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

Hmm, looks like the site has been broke in Explorer for more than a week. The problem became visible when we added the Amazon links.
Apparently there was a missing greater than on a script end tag. Firefox was fine with it, but Explorer freaked all out.

Problem fixed, there's nothing to see here, move along.

Interesting YouTube

2006-08-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

I've recently saw mention of an elderly british man, with
the handle of geriatric1927, who has been talking about his life on YouTube. I also
found another gentleman, with the handle jimsan1, who was
inspired by geriatric1927 and began doing the same thing.

Their stories remind me of my Grandfather and all of things he has done during his life. Their just normal people talking about their life.

XBox 360

2006-07-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, we got an XBox 360 and it's pretty damn cool.

Pros:

Very nice interface.

Playable demos of almost everything.

1080i HD output to our TV.

Playback of MP3's from our XP server over the local network.

Viewing of Pictures from our XP server in HD.

XBox Live Arcade games are almost more fun than the full XBox games.

Cons:

Can't play movies from the local network server without Windows Media Center OS.

Games are slightly more expensive than PS2 and PC games.

Very loud cooling fans.

Here is my XBox Live Profile info.
Gilzen

Fun with the new camera on the 4th of July.

2006-07-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

I had fun taking pictures on the 4th this year. Here are a few of the them.

There was a car fire at a neighbor's house. I managed to get a few pics.

New Camera

2006-06-24T05:05:00.000-07:00

I just got a brand new digital camera. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT. This camera is simply amazing. I have a bunch to learn when it comes to photography, but it will be fun learning with this camera.

More dragons

2006-06-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a few small dragons.

Lyrebird

2006-06-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

Saw this at Boing Boing. The Lyrebird - Wow!

Sleepy Kitty

2006-06-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Check out this sleepy kitty movie that we saw somewhere on the net today.

Codehappy

Scribblenauts Remix

iPhone 4S and Siri

Super Easy Custom iPhone RingTones

Creepy Clay Creeper

Broken Images

iPhone 4S

More Arduino Fun

Arduino Fun

Apple and the App Store Process - Thoughts

IPad Review Update

More iPad Thoughts

Writing this from my iPad

Back to Ubuntu - Thoughts on an OS

Back to full time

iPad Thoughts

The Job Search

Various Clay Items

Health Care Reform

Twenty-six Lies About H.R. 3200

Goodbye Trill

New iPhone 3G S

His favorite music.

TerraTrike me Likey

Bailey sez HAI!

It Was One Year Ago Today (well almost)

Drawing on the iPhone

Bailey poses for the camera

iPhone App Review: Brushes

Top 10 Favorite Albums

Recent Clay Sculpt

Year Off Update

PG tips

One little, two little, three little kitty cats...

Watching without question

This Week in Photography

*sigh* clay

iPhone 2.0

Lego saved the day!

Year off update (51 days in)

iMac Review part 2 (memory upgrade)

Minor Review: Refurbished iMac

Health care sucks

Almost one month gone

An experiment

Look at all the cool stuff people are making.

One week down, X-1 to go

New Etsy Items

Netsuke

And so it begins...

Getting ready to get started

Music Time

Taking a year off resources

"My Year Off" - (Part 1)

Musique non stop

Kings of Convenience

Only A Fool Would Say That

Wii Remote Virtual Reality

Whats on the net tonight?

iPhone thoughts

Trader Joe’s

Devo on SNL

Cute cat videos

Another great DRM article

Shoes, Just Get EM!

Limited Edition Blade Runner Details

Bioshock

Thinking about Tattoos

Tattoo Vampire Lyrics

Dead Can Dance - Rakim

The Muppets Rule!!!!

Windows to Mac Switch

Eye To Eye, Music you’ve probably never heard of.

Harry Potter and the five year old that won’t shut the hell up.

iPhone case mini-review

A Quote I can’t get out of my head.

Posting from the iPhone

Minor iPhone gripes

How the iPhone changes the cellular buisness for the better.

iPhone Rocks!

sigh clay