Been coding for awhile. Brace yourself for a new mf.com coming soon. As IP has pointed out, it really breaks the mold of web design and navigation. I still have not witten the CCS for it. Still have to design a few sections... change some colors. Add stuff. You know? I have a lot to do. Maybe you should not brace yourself quite yet.... ummm... give me another week.
I went to Border's tonight and spent almost an hour looking for a book. DZ has told be how good 'Awakening The Giant Within' is... and I just cannot seem to find it. They said they had them in stock, but... I have no book. They could not find it in their own store. Shouldn't that be a sin? Bookstore.. books... seems to me like they ought to know where the books are. But I don't run a bookstore, so what do I know about taht kinda thing, huh? Nothing, I suppose.
Tomorrow is Thursday. And I could not be happier about that. One more day to pay day. I can really use the half of my paycheck that is left after the IRS/Gov gets their greedy little hands on it. Can you tell I am in a wonderful 'tax season' mood? Ack.
It is just about official IP will be visiting the west coast during the month of March. He is going to be famous and rich. Well... not right off the starting line. IP is going to be THE STAR of a guitar instructional video. I have seem a rough take of the show and I am confident it will be a success.... or a REALLY good learning experience. It will be fun to have IP out here no matter how the video turns out.
I just yawned and lost all brain power. This means...z-Time.
January 31, 2001
Can we say FOG? I could only see about 2 car-lengths on the way to work this morning. It is crazy out there. There is something oddly beautiful about fog. I hate driving in it, but I love looking at it. It can make the most common and ugly ride to work... a strange and beautiful journey. Hmm. Beautiful.
I slept like a rock last night; it was good. Woke up at 6am, and it was good. I actually felt like I had slept (which is not normal). Anyways... back to work.
January 30, 2001
Yes, I am still in love with Dido. If I was ever going to be a stalker this would be the time, but since I hardly get outside... I guess stalking would be too much effort. I guess I will just continue in 'audio worship'.
Enough insanity... or more, the golf shoot was COLD. I could not feel my fingers afterwards. This is California; where the hell is the sun?
Tomorrow is Wiz's birthday. He is going to be an old fart at the ripe old age of 24. I have only know the man for a little over a year, and he has turned out to be one of the great people that I have ever known as well as my best-friend. Wiz is an amazingly talented and intelligent person... I am amazed by him at least twice as much as I tell him I am not (I am evil that way.). I have watched him do things that are just plain amazing (i.e. factionstudios.com, concept and coding).
Happy birthday and thank you for being my friend, Wiz.
I just found out today that my percentage for a project is 2% lower. Disappointing; however, it is still a good oppurtunity. I am going to have to let the wind build back up in my sails... kinda demotivating. Heh... maybe I should start on AntiSlacker.com.
I have decided that it should be Friday. It just feels like it should be. Everything is crawling by... mainly time. This day just could not go slow enough. Ack... it is only Tuesday.
I got some good words from DZ today. It got me thinking and got me.... dare I say? Motivated about life. Maybe DZ did not mean it that way... but that is how it turned out
"My tea's gone cold... I am wondering why I got out of bed at all..." - Dido, Thank You.
I am heading out to shoot a golf video commercial. It is SO cold outside. I cannot imagine this being very exciting. Heh... it is golf.
Today has to be the slowest day of my life.
I had 37 new e-mails this morning. Porn, right? Wrong. Weightloss. I currently weigh 120 pounds... and am 5'8". Do you really think I need to lose weight? Do they have any idea who they are sending this crap mail to? If I 'dropped 30 pounds overnight', I would be dead... or have to buy some really heavy shoes to keep the wind from carrying me away. It is the internet... EVERYONE is sitting on their butt in front of a monitor! That doesn't mean we need to lose weight. We are just fine and dandy... leave us the hell alone.
Music of the morning: BB King. Dido is next.
January 29, 2001
One project rolling: TRSnet... is up and working. Slow start, but a start none the less. Wiz and I really have to start working on the back end of the site now. It feels good to at least have a working intro page up. The layout is going to be different for the internal pages... I am probably going tp make the entire site a bit more 'flashy'.
With that done... what to do next?
I am in love.
Dido is the best thing that I have heard in about a half million years. I heard it in the coffee shop this weekend... at I just loved it. Today, I bought it. I have been listening to it non-stop... and will be for at least the next lifetime. "I just want to be happy again..." How could you not love it?
I think maybe I am finally getting old. I used to be punk... and listen to punk 24 hours a day. I have not even put a punk CD in... for at least a month. Time does a funny number on people, doesn't it? Or maybe it is just this odd mood that I have been in.
Duct Tape Status: 87% I am holding on for now. If... or when I finally break, I have not decide where to go. Insane is a short journey away... and I always liked it there anyway. Heh. Thank you for all the e-mails of concern... try not to worry until I am NOT posting ramblings. Thanks though...
Projects:
• Project X: Needing construction... then I am collecting a team to give it life. It is looking like it may be at least a month before the Beta is released.
• TRSnet: Beta II is in the works. I am liking the design much better now... it breaks the mold a bit more — which is good. Public Beta will be released this week from the looks of it. The project is going to be released while still under construction. It is a "for the people by the poepl kind of site", so I am going to let them help.
• Solbeam.com: Needing quite a few updates. There still sections tat have not even been created yet. Hopefully this weekend. I have about another month to get it all up and PERFECT.
• DZ: I am building DZ a new site that better fits his needs. Will be a simple site powered by words.
• IP, Quote of the Day: This will be a quote of the day module powered by mf.com and feed by IP. This is going to use the same engine tat powers TRSnet, so those will be released at about the same time.
• QuickDiploma.com: Major redesign needed. Primary scetches have been made. I might let Wiz plat with this baby.
• ActionDevelopers.com: Join effort with WhackedInternet.com. I am waiting, Eddie. I am waiting.
• AntiSlacker.com: is on hold.... once again. Heh. Maybe next month, I can look at it. If you would like an AntiSlacker e-mail account.. let me know. I will hook you up.
That is enough to make my head spin, but I am looking for more. I am trying to drown myself.
•
Wake up? Not today... please not today.
January 28, 2001
My life is broken. It is just not working right. I am not where I should be. I am not doing as well as I should be. I am not being the person that I could or should be. I am drowning in my own sea of failure with no land in sight. I hate this feeling. It makes me sleepy. I could sleep for months and months. I want nothing more than to vaporize into nothing... just be free and float away for a while.
Since vaporizing is not an option or a fix to the problem.... guess what? I am going to pull out the duct tape. If I am made of nothing other than duct tape at the end... well, at least I will still be here.
It is such an odd feeling to look around and see people who are worse off in almost every way. And yet, I feel like a total failure.
Failure. That is a painful word to read... and a more painful feeling to have.
Some know how to use it and others are lost.
We all have a message no matter how trivial it may be.
Be nice to others, smile, pick up the trash.
don't let anyone push you around,
stand up for yourself, be yourself.
We are all connected.
We all have a portal to use our voice.
We all have something to say.
So say it,
SCREAM IT!
Tell me what you feel, tell yourself what you feel
and don't be afraid to feel,
because everyone else is feeling it too.
Use what you can, use any forum you can
to tell the world what you are thinking...
~Liz Van G~
I just thought this was perfect.
It is official FactionStudios.com is going to hosting and constructing TRSnet. This is going to be a very good project. Woo wooo! I anm very happy and ecited about this project.
Looks like Beamer, is going to be zap-free for about another day. I am hoping for you, Beamer. NO JAM! NO OOPS! NO WHISPERING DOCTORS!
As if anyone cares, I have been out for a few days... or at least it feels like it. I went to a wine-tasting party on Friday night. I had some of the best wine... and some of the WORST wine. I do not recall a single bottle of "moderate" wine in the bunch. It was good, really good, or NASTY. It was a beautifully fun shirt-and-tie party... and pants, shoes... etc. ;] I think I got home around 3am, but to be honest.. I cannot really remember. I was not wasted, but I sure wasn't sober. I took some pictures... so I will try to get those posted as soon as I can.
Wiz is going to be coming over here today for the primary planning and construction of TRSnet. I have a feeling it is going to be a very long day. On top of this project, I have about 12 others that need my attention... see what happens when you drop off the planet for a few days. Not cool. I have to get back on top of things.
January 26, 2001
I just bought two more domain names. I think this brings me up to ten. I think I need to join I-Buy-Too-Many-Domain-Names AnonoNOnononoMoose.
"If somehow you managed not to be canceled out by birth control pills, norplant, condoms or spermacide, and you are actually conceived; and then by some additional stroke of luck you are not aborted, miscarried, or given a birth defect by your mother's use of tobacco, alcohol, speed, ectasy, heroin, or crack; and you are lucky enough to born as a relatively normal child, then all you have to worry about is being beaten, neglected, smothered or sexually abused for your first sixteen years. After that, you have a chance! But only if you don't end up being chronically unemployed, run over by a freight train, or killed in war."
This is stolen from DZ's Rant. I thought it is something to think about... something to be very greatful about. Life is a special thing to have... and even more special to have a good life.
Christopher
Listen, I thought you'd want to know this before the hidden page is "deleted". TRS owners have ordered a cut off the Delta/SEAL "Deal of the Week"... the deal's already over and gone. But my web guy forgot about the "hidden page" and he's out til Monday, which means for a few days you can still get your hands on this astonishing package through our hidden page (only a handful of guys like you have even KNOW about this) at: http://www.trsdirect.com/seals/
Christopher if you don't know what I'm talking about, a few years ago we set up a "training camp" hosted by actual Navy SEAL and U.S. Army DELTA veteran trainers (with real-life combat experience)... who, for 4 incredibly intense days, shared everything they knew about close-quarters combat. And they shared it all with civilians like you... the ONLY time in the history of the U.S. military that this kind of high-level training was revealed to anyone not already inside the Special Forces! In fact... regular enlisted soldiers never get to learn these world-class combat skills!
These training camps will never be held again! They cost $3,750 just to attend... and everyone who came raved about what they learned and came away with. The camps were the most complete training in "elite level" military hand-to-hand and firearm expertise ever offered to anyone outside the Special Forces... and for til Monday, you can get the entire 9-tape (over ten intense hours) video package for over HALF OFF at http://www.trsdirect.com/seals/
James Curley
Special Projects Coordinator, TRS
If you wish to be REMOVED from receiving further Email Discounts from TRS Direct, type UNSUBSCRIBE in the SUBJECT LINE of your reply.
LOL.... I am finally on the mailing list of my own company. How about that? I have only been working here for a year... and just today, I am now on the mailing list. BTW, don't you love personalized e-mail? I think it is the most rocking thing on the web. I think I am going to start a MF.com newsletter. If you think it is a remotely good or bad idea... e-mail me.
Abuse of the word "think".
Woo woo! Just got the new 'Deal Of The Week" up for TRS. We also just sent out an e-mail regarding my simple, yet nifty 'Delta Seal's Camp' hidden page. I used a really slick JS to change the images. PB has something similar on MojoFat, but this is much more simple. If you would like a simple photo gallery, I suggest stealing the JS function here... and as always... you can ask me for help.
Wiz and I are starting on the new TRS site this weekend... hopefully. We have yet to get our hands on a domain name. This is a problem that will be solved today.
Project X: An Experiment In Swanky
The project has started. Domain name is in place with simple (not cool) graphics. The project will begin taking shape very soon. It has a mood and it almost has a goal.
January 25, 2001
lol... DZ has redeemed himself. He is no longer a picture-aholic. Heh heh.
January 24, 2001
Okay, I just have to pick on DZ.
This is a prime example of a thing we call "image-tag-newbie-over-dose'" syndrome. If you would like to see lots and lots of pictures, please PLEASE click here. And while you are there, steal my DHTML coding that does the rockin' color change.
And now for that special deal you all wanted...
There is going to be a very great oppurtunity with this. I am on a "geek high". Code is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Heh.
A Blog within a Blog?!? Yes, it is now possible. It was out there... and I finally got it working for me. This is what we will be using to power the new TRS project (still to be named). Using the power of both JS and Blogger.
If you are interested in learning how to do this, just e-mail me. I can set it up for you or give you a hand. CoolAcid is working on a way to improve upon this, but until then... this is the stuff. I really wish that I had figured it out sooner. The power of this is unreal.
On top of having a few new projects on the board, I have decided to add yet another — Project X. Project X is a test for all my design and web skills. I am sure all my other sites and client's sites will benefit. Design is really a hard thing... or so I am beginning to realize. People (Ong mainly) have been telling me for quite some time that I have a talent... and well, like everyone else on the planet, I think everyone is like me. "It comes so easy to me... anyone can do this." I am not going to change my point of view to thinking I am God's gift to the design world, but I am sure going to make a big dent. Wiz and I were talking yesterday or the day before and... we can do really anything in the "arts field". In fact we were trying to come up with things that we have no already done. We have messed around with about every medium known... (minus welding, but I wanna learn... have for a long time know that I think about it). I think it is about time that I got a bit more serious about this stuff... why not? I love it, I live it... not seeing much that would change, other than how I view myself in it.
I like graphic design more than any other art field because it is more "real". People use my artwork. Sometimes they even forget that it is there... but it is mine and in use. I dig that. I think I dig that more than most things.
--------
I was talking to Master Bob yesterday as well. We are putting out a video called Willpower Redefined. I think I may be able to use this product as the basis for AntiSlacker.com. If I twist the message around and focus it to us, the King of All Slackers; then I think I have a helpful, useful site. I am kind of excited by that.
-------
Eddie and I are also going to be working on a new site focused at webdevelopers.... or at least that is how I understand it to be. I will be mostly working on the design of, and Eddie will be working on the content.
-------
I got hooked up with a friend f Sol's and may be doing some work for him as well.... that is if I could ever get home early enough to talk to him. I need to get a cell phone. I am not sure how much longer I can avoid getting one. The projects that he has lined up look like a lot of fun to develope. Looking forward to this one.
------
And the big project, Wiz and I will be the head developers for trsdirect.com's new site. This is a HUGE project. I am really REALLY looking forward to. I tink I have a design set-up for this one, but I still have to run it by Wiz. This site will be the most technical e-commerce site that I have done thus far. I think this project is in very good hands, and has a very bright future.
I think that is about all my mind can handle for this morning.
January 23, 2001
Why did I turn the computer on? *passes out*
LONG, Long, long day.... that would be today. Not a single thing seems to be going quite right. Things are not going bad — just not right. How long will I be at work tonight? No one really knows. Not that I mind it at all. Where else would I be?
I have decided on a new project. Project X. Details to be slowly leaked out.
January 22, 2001
Things not to do: Leave your lights on.
More to come...
Yup, I am still at work. It is a good thing I am feeling so... yeah. I think I am going to wonder downtown and get some food... then come back to work. Woo.
Life is oddly beautiful today. No reason at for it; it just is. I don't question days like this; I just live them.
"You want me? Well, come and break the door down... I am ready." - Radiohead in Talkshow Host
This is how I feel about the world today. Bring it on... I am ready. Today, I can take on the whole world. Or at least die trying.
January 20, 2001
There is not much better in life than cold pizza, a ten once bottle of Tapatio, and Spoken. Spoken just released their new albumn.. and yes, I have it. I am liking it... if you have this odd need to go out and buy a random CD... this should be the open. It is less agressive than the first one (at points). Heh. Pizza was supplied by ordering online from Papa John's... I cannot think of a better way to order pizza. As usual, I always get two large peperoni pizzas. I am such a pig. OINK!
Back to work...
January 19, 2001
Home. Sweet. Home.
I am alive. Just way busy. Busy as a... young punk on a caffeine high. You know that is me.
January 18, 2001
"Watching hopes follow dreams down the drain." - Badly Drawn Boy
Wiz is still carless, so I had to drive him home... aka the middle of NOWHERE. Wiz and I are thinking about moving to the 'big city'. The more I think about it the better the idea gets. Of cousre Wiz starts school in about 4-5 days, so maybe this is not good timimg. As we all know school starts; time disappears; and money vanishes. Odd that they happen at the same time, but it could not be more true.
January 17, 2001
Yes, he does have a site... well not really.
Words to be added to the 2001 Dictionary:
Blamestorming: Sitting around in a group discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.
Seagull Manager: A manager, who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps over everything, and then leaves.
Salmon Day: The experience of spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get screwed and die in the end.
Irritainment: Entertainment and media spectacles that are annoying but you find yourself unable to stop watching them. The O.J. trials were a prime example.
Chainsaw Consultant: An outside expert brought in to reduce the employee head count, leaving the brass with clean hands.
Career Limiting Move (CLM): Used among microserfs to describe an ill-advised activity. Trashing your boss while he or she is within earshot is a serious CLM.
Adminisphere: The rarefied organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file. Decisions that fall from the adminisphere are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed to solve.
Flight Risk: Used to describe employees who are suspected of planning to leave the company or department soon.
404: Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web error message "404-URL Not Found," meaning that the requested web page could not be located. Used as in: "Don't bother asking him... he's 404, man."
Generica: Features of the American landscape that are exactly the same no matter where one is, such as fast food joints, strip malls, subdivisions. Used as in: "We were so lost in Generica that I forgot what city we were in."
Ohno-Second: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake.
Percussive Maintenance: The fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.
Umfriend: A sexual relation of dubious standing or a concealed intimate relationship, as in "This is Dylan, my ... um...friend."
Body Nazis: Hard-core exercise and weightlifting fanatics who look down on anyone who doesn't work out obsessively.
Cube Farm: An office filled with cubicles.
Idea Hamsters: People who always seem to have their idea generators running.
Mouse Potato: The on-line, wired generation's answer to the couch potato.
Prairie Dogging: When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, and people's heads pop up over the walls to see what's going on.
SITCOMs: What yuppies turn into when they have children and one of them stops working to stay home with the kids. Stands for "Single Income, Two Children, And Oppressive Mortgage".
Starter Marriage: A short-lived first marriage that ends in divorce with no kids, no property and no regrets.
Stress Puppy: A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiny.
Swiped Out: An ATM or credit card that has been rendered useless because the magnetic strip is worn away from extensive use.
Alpha Geek: The most knowledgeable, technically proficient person in an office or work group.
G.O.O.D. Job: A "Get-Out-Of-Debt" job. A well-paying job people take in order to pay off their debts, one that they will quit as soon as they are solvent again.
Yuppie Food Stamps: The ubiquitous $20 bills spewed out of ATMs everywhere. Often used when trying to split the bill after a meal: "We owe $8 each, but all anybody's got are yuppie food stamps."
"Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it."
-- Confucious
Just got this from IP... and I do not think I could agree anymore. I am sometimes overly guilty of not seeing the beauty around me. Do I need to look harder or do I just need to open my eyes?
It is going to be short day at work, which is what I need. I am just updating templates onthe site... not too tough... just a whole lotta pages to do. Blah. Could be worse... I cold be standing outside un the cold begging for money, right?
I refuse to waste it..
doing things I dont want to do...
So what do I want to do? I will get back to that as soon as I know. This is part of a quote from AdventureMonkey. I just thought it was along the lines of how I am feeling this week.
On the funny side, the interent is a huge place, right? Well, if I keep buying domain names... it is going to be a REALLY huge place. I have not bought anymore lately, but... I sure have thought about it. I really need to stop thinking about and start working on AntiSlacker.com... ironic? Maybe.
January 16, 2001
Every morning my alarm goes off... I lay there... in bed wondering why I am going to get up. I have no desire to leave the comfort and stillness of sleep. However, last night... sleep was horifying. I woke up at least a million times. I just wanted to get out of bed and go somewhere. Somewhere with people and life... somewhere with sunshine. I was, at least for a second, ill of the life I have created for myself... while I usually take great pride in where I have come from — last night was different. I have this feeling of having the world's worst nightmare... without having one. The warmth and loneliness of my bed was suffocating... the dark ceiling just inched into my face... and I hated every second that I just layed there.
I am so thankful for everything that I have been able to do in life. For a long time, that same thing I find thanks in was the same thing that held me back... where I was became a comfort zone. It is the oddest feeling in the world to look around and not know where you are. Correct? You got where you are by your our free will... by your own choice, and now that you are there... you are lost.
Not the kind of lost that has you scared and wanting to find the quickest road that is familiar... for at this point, the comforting road of the familiar is not a welcome sight.
I would rather walk a million miles through dark valleys following the light of my own fire then ever again walk on that well-lighted path that keeps me in check with the flow of the machine. So...
When you are out there wondering, carving out your own path... smile, wave, and take comfort when you feel the warmth of true passion running by... too often passion is only maintained by a small pilot light deep in the core of our souls — while it should be lighting of the entire path that we have made for ourselves... so when you look around, you know where you are and how you got there. You were 'in love' the whole journey, and you are 'in love' with the journey ahead.
Shine. Follow you fire.
January 15, 2001
Can we say 'odd'? That is about all I can say. I wish I had words to explain today... maybe one day when I look back at this very day... I might be able to expain it.
The first official hidden page of TRS. From idea to reality in less than a days work. I am hoping the new image of pages like this will produce a more emotional attachment to the product. For all you webdevelopers out there... you can steal the background texture from this page. It has a very dark and evil effect... and goes good with the colors: red, black, and white.
SeveredLogic.com is up... or it has one page so far. Good design. I am looking forward to this site.
Morning comes too soon today. I finally put a new CD in my alarm clock... TECHNO. Makes it a little easier to get out of bed... not really. Is there such a thing as enough sleep?
Rock on. I just got all the stats reports for all the domains I work on. MF.com has an average of 100 hits a day. I guess that is not bad. I really have nothing to compare that to.
DZ site update: CoolAcid and I stayed up to finish a nice color changing effect on DZ's site. Just click the dots to change the colors. I just love the things that can be done with code... then again... I know a certain hacker I would like to choke.
January 14, 2001
The Solbeam Store has been born! Official Solbeam.com gear. Purchase at least 10 of everything. Heh heh. This is my first time using CafePress. I got the idea from Blogger a few weeks ago... and did not remember until today. I picked Solbeam.com to be my first line of products. From what I can tell. I can only have one line of products at a time... if this is the case, I am giong to change the artwork and product quite often. It is kinda fun. I miss product design. Looks like I don't have too anymore.
An e-mail from WhackedInternet.com:
"For just 2,200 dollars a month...
an immature adult like me can make a life for himself;
construct websites and work for himself.
Your contribution of 2,200 will go towards coke and
rootbeer, party hats and a new computer.
Everymonth you'll get pictures of your immature adult
sitting on his ass and working on the computer. Along
with monthly emails from him tell you how greatful he
is to recieve such a support.
Please help.
this adult needs you and your guidence.
-Sally Struthers"
Eddie is the man... a funny man.... or a whacked man?
The Paradox of our Time - by George Carlin
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others,Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Good news. Wiz has found a domain name. SeveredLogic.com. Soon to be up. I would give Wiz about 24 hours or so... he is a bit burned out from Factions new site — whick is killer by the way.
BiffSlamkovich.com is alive. Tang has never looked so good.
After programming for 3 days straight, I think it is time for me to relax. I am going to go hop in the shower... then clean... then fix a few things on a few websites... then plan out a new design idea that I have... then set up a few things for work tomorrow... then do a little laundry. I love relaxing.
Time to go to bed. Wiz and I have been trying to find a URL for his personal site with NO luck. It sure has been fun... for I have learned that existance is not available. It must be late because that is still sooooo funny. Good night world.
January 13, 2001
It is alive!
Faction Studios has a website. It is the best thing... or at least close to it. I do not think that I could be any happier, nor could Wiz. He has put twice as much sweat into this site. *claps* Go Wiz! This is the beginning of a VERY wicked future. The rest of the internet better watch their backs. We are going up... and I am not seeing much in our way. I know that sounds a bit cocky (and I am not Halcyon), but this is only the beginning. This is, just to remind you all again, Wiz's first site... and if this is a person first creation... can you imagine how much more... how much further this can go? I am jazzed to say the least.Also, I have AntiSlacker setup for full blown development. So I have a place to focus my overwhelming passion.. as well as Wiz's. Yay!
What a night. Zima and JavaScript programming. I know... it doesn't sound like a good combo... all things in moderation - minus JavaScript erros. Wiz and I worked through the evening and most of the night to remove ALL JavaScript errors from the new Faction site. I would like to give Dreamweaver 4 UltraDev a round of applause. *claps like mad* The job would have been twice as hard without it. I am still adjusting to the new version, but I love it. Much need changes were made to Dreamweaver 4. The new view options (preview, code, and split screen) make att the difference in the world. The life saver of the evening was the 'find and replace' function. When you are dealing with 1643 lines of code, it just makes life easier. Thank you, Macromedia! Wiz just has to get the images in place. I have to write a few descriptions...AND POOF the site will be done. In my guess-timation, the site should be done today.
I am so glad that it is a weekend. If only everyday could be a weekend. I am looking forward to reading my new book, DHTML Reference from Microsoft Press. I am have not liked a book this much in a longtime. Why you ask? This book has everything in it. Period. DHTML is the beautiful usage of CSS and JS with HTML of create beauty on the internet. Most everything you see done on the web is a from of DHTML. Well... neat thing can get complicated quickly... so... to ease the pain, I have my new book. Wanna do something neat? BAM! There it is on page 1124. Propper syntax and an example to boot. Very nifty.
Looks like a lame hacker-wanna-be sent out an e-mail in the name of Solbeam. It has been a while since he has sent one out. Maybe he is upset she is leaving. Poor little hacker guy, who is he going to attempt to bug now? Maybe we sould all start a fund and buy him a blow-up doll?
Friday turned out to be a nothing day. We were going to have this big meeting at work to voice ideas about improving the website. It was cancelled. It is probably a good thing too. I think I had too many idea too fast. I think it would have scared them. You can ask anyone who knows me I am an idea a second. It is usually too much for people to handle. 90% of my ideas are good too... I swear.
January 11, 2001
Oops. I almost forgot to blog tonight. I turned off the computer and put on my PJs. I must be really tired or really looking forward to the weekend. Or both. ;]
Well, it looks like today was the day. Solbeam announced her leaving CC. What a sad thing. She will be missed by a lot of people. I hope she finds what she needs out there... in the great wide, open unknown. I have put a lot of though into would I do the same thing... I think I finally came up with the answer. No. I just could not do it. It would be nice, but I need all the things I have around me... or at least I need my computer. I like having a home. Traveling does look good, but just leaving the country with no full plan in mind... that takes more of a... adventurer than I am. I guess I am just a geek.
Since Wiz is showing the know world the new Faction site... I was think about doing it too. But... I don't want to ruin the beauty of the finished site. However, if you happen to know Wiz's real name, you can guess the url.... http://factionstudios.com/realnamehere/
Tomorrow shall prove to be an interesting day... I just know it. But that will be a story for tomorrow.
Got video up at TRS. Also posted the Titan Training Manual for sale on the TRS site. I very interested to see how that will perfrom. I think it should do pretty good. I am going to be making a ton of changes and add ons to the TRS site today.... shopping cart too. Should be a very busy day.
I found that TRS was mentoned briefly at Sub-Culture.org. Check it out. This is very cool site that I would not have normal ome across.
January 10, 2001
This is something that I want to do... often. But that wouldn't be out-doing myself would it be? "The boundaries of human ability are self-inflicted." Why... why would someone limit themself... if that is all that limits them? I have to ask myself that more often. Is life all about effort or ability? I am going to have to cast my vote on effort. Effort and a little wisdom should go a long way. Of course... so would a VW and a full talk of gas.... or maybe a plane ticket to Central America. Life is strange and there is no one answer... everyone has their own way. Try harder. Change location. Express yourself. Go to school. Get a job. The common thing is action. Life is about what we do...
Lights. Camera. Action.
No one go read Sol's blog for the day. ;] Changes to the Sol site have been made... yay! I learned in important lesson about Miva (the guestbook) at Solbeam.com... and that is... DON'T MESS WITH THE RAW CODE! I tried it. It was a bad idea and I nearly toasted her whole guestbook. Not cool; however, I got it all back up and running.
After reading Ong's and Kaya's blogs... I guess that it is raining all over the state or at least from here on south.
Attack! Time is make a few changes. Small, but... ;]
"Your best is determined by how hard you try to out-do yourself." & "The boundaries of human ability are self-inflicted."
Thanks, Ong. *wink* Feeling a bit better now.
Anyone have a piece of motivation that they would like to share?
January 09, 2001
What a long, long day. I even got off work early and it was still a long day. I am not sure why, but the hours just crept by. Time likes to do that, don't it? Going slow, when you want it to go fast And go fast, when you want it to go slow. Anyway... I best move onto another subject before I start rambling about the lack of time on this planet.
Stopped at Wiz's casa... had a burger and saw the Faction site. He is getting closer and closer to getting it done. He makes me proud like a father. Heh. I promise you there is not another site on the interent that is coded with this much love. Every blodoy line was hand place by the Wizard himself.
I am still on an anti-coding phase. I guess I do enough of it at work. trsdirect.com, otsdirect.com, and ohpdirect.com.... this is what I do to pay the bills. It is a good job. The interenet takes on a whole new look when you stare at it all day. I am sure I am not the only one that feels this way, but I have to say it.
Trying harder. That is what I need to do in life. I have a million personal goals that I just never get around to doing. That just simply has to stop. Anything worth doing is at least worth starting? Vision... a new vision is what I need. No, no... I have enough vision and gioals to be about 12 people. Hmmm... what if I made a list and did the things on it? Now, that is a good idea. I will have to make note to do that later... or NOW. Goals are a very important part of life... like that is something you have not heard. I think people often lose their goal while they are chasing it.... they take their eyes off the goal and start looking at the path to get to that goal. It don't think it is that they get lost on some other path while running along. I think most people stay right on track the whole time. The problem, in my newly forming idea, is when they put their eyes back on the goal... it does not have the SHINE it had when they first looked away from it. Is the goal less glorious? Sometimes, but I don't think the goal lost anything either. People change. Therefore it would make sense that the goal should change with the person, right? (And I am so not talking about you people that changed your major twelve thousand times before you dropped out of school anyway.) My goal is not my goal anymore. I don't have a clue what my goal is. So, I stick with the path I am on. This is a good idea. Going anywhere is better than going nowhere. The only thing I am finding peace in at the moment is the fact that I am not being static. I am moving toward something. And until I figure out what my new goal should be... I am going to keep on trucking. What else can I do? Stand still and die? That is just not my style. I know I have not been looking hard enough... so I am going to change that. Scary... but fear in moderation keeps things in check. Bravery and stupidity are close relatives. And there is a BIG grey line in between the two.
Live wisely.
Good restful night. I think I even got a full eight hours. I have been up for about 20 minutes or so this morning... and I have designed my site finally. Don't count on it looking like this long.
January 08, 2001
I have very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, poor eye sight. 425/20 to be exact. What a 'normal' person can see at 425 feet away... well, I would have to be at 20 feet to see that object with the same clarity. It is a gift from God that I can see at all.... and I love every second of it. It is the biggest part of who I am and what I do. I am a designer; I think in design; I live to design. This is part of me.
If you read Sol's blog today. You would see why I am off on this rant. I have never been brave enough to do what she is going to do. She is... twice the man I am... or something like that. You know what I mean. I just cannot handle the thought of letting another imperfect human being touching my gift of sight... new fear added to my list: "The Possiblity Of A Jam".
I had my greatest and first fear when I was laying in the back of a car speeding toward the hospital. It was when I heard, "I think it got his eyes." Everything I ever saw in life up to that point flashed through my mind... all with a tint of red. Moments before... I was playing with fire as is common with me still. The families in the neighborhood where burning trash in a huge pit. So my friends and I were duh... playing with the fire. Needless to say, this got a little boring for a person of my type... so... I found some nearly empty beer bottles. It was my great thought that got me into trouble even at this young age of eight. Bottle equalled bomb. Sounded great at the time. Put the lids back on the bottles. Gave them a good shake... just the anger the remaining beer. And tossed them into the fire.
Five minutes later, nothing. Not a darn thing. That did not help the boredom at all. Again I had a great thought, they must need more heat... they are not close enough to the center of the fire. Since the fire was in a pit and I was a little guy, reaching the bottles and tossing back in was out of the question. So... I found a stick hung over the edge of the pit... and boy, was I ever right. They just needed more heat. The bottle exploded; glass went flying everywhere; and all I saw was red. This puts me back at the beginning of my story, laying the back of a car speeding toward the hospital.
Turns out, the flying glass missed my eyes and nailed my forehead. I got some really cool drugs, some stitches, and enough trauma to kill an elephant.
I think I am going to lay off coding just for a bit. I have to make a plan and then attack. Attacking without a plan is like opening the door before turning the door knob. And if you do not understand what I am saying... you have never done what I just explained.
It was a long night of dreaming in code. While I love coding, dreaming about it is not very exciting. I have to walk out the door in six minutes to go pick up Wiz. The poor guys is carless for a while. I just wish that he did not live in the middle of nowhere. Heh. Well, I have not even attepted to get ready... so I ought to get and not blog... for now.
January 07, 2001
"...I myself crash repeatedly into the brick walls of computer culture, and realize more and more the hype is somewhat premature....This is a philosophical question: when people program -- i.e., decide on which set of possible options they should make available -- they express a philosophy about what operations are important in the world. If the philosophy they express is on anything like the level of breathtaking stupidity that the games they play and the Internet conversations they have are, then we are completely sunk. We are victims of their limitations. It's as though we're using a language that has lots of words like 'cool' and 'surf' but not one for 'organism' or 'evolve' or 'synergy.' I really am heartily sick of the juvenility of it all."
I found this at EvHead.I found it to be quite moving. And I have to agree... even being a webmaster of many sites. Sometimes, I feel like I open a new gateway for poeple to do things; but, more often... I get comments about things I should add to my sites. In many ways, webdevelopers play god. The web is a young, energentic and evolving beast. People who use the web need to voice the things that they need... and not to be limited by what they think is possible. I have not found a thing on the web that is not possible. Timely and slow, but possible none the less. Less is more. However, it has to be the right stuff to work.
The tools of creating websites and pages are far behind what is possible with a bit of coding. Floating windows, pull-down menus, custom user settings... I want to see better tools... and then we will see better sites. The internet is a little bit of everything all in one... expression, reference, commerce... and it becomes more everyday. What a beautiful thing to watch grow.
Ong and Biff have joined the Blogger revolution today. I look forward to reading their blogs very much.
Want You Bad
If you could only read my mind
You would know that things between us ain't right
I know your arms are open wide
But you're a little on the straight side
I can't lie
Your one vice
Is you're too nice
Come around now can't you see
I want you
All tattooed
I want you bad
Complete me
Mistreat me
Want you to be bad
If you could only read my mind
You would know that I've been waiting so long
For someone almost like you
But with attitude, I'm waiting so come on
Get out of clothes time
Grow out those highlights
Come around now can't you see
I want you
In a vinyl suit
I want you bad
Complicated
X-rated
I want you bad
Don't get me wrong
I know you're only being good
But that's what's wrong
I guess I just misunderstood
I want you
All tattooed
I want you bad
Complicated
X- rated
I want you bad
I mean it
I need it
I want you bad 
I finally heard back from Sol... and have been working on her site for most the morning. Changed the way the upper-left-hand image was set-up. It actually loads a lot faster now. That is once you can get the URL right... I seem to like to put four 'w' in World Wide Web... what does the fourth one stand for? I just don't know. All I know is that http://wwww.solbeam.com will never get you to Sol's site. I really hate it when I make stupid mistakes like that... then copy it throughout the entire site. Oops.
And what I hate even more is that Sol is sitting on the beach right now. What a commie. I am about three hours from the nearest beach. However, I am closer to a large mass of cows than any spoiled *wink* person living in SD. Envy is an evil thing. *takes a deep breathe of bovine fumes* I wish I was at the beach.
January 06, 2001
Not exactly what I planned to do today... however, I did have a good day. I went and helped Ong's padres install RAM and such on their computer. Since I was in that area of cow town, I stopped by Wiz's home. He has been working night and day to get the Faction site up and running. I think the world is going to be impressed... they should also be scared. This is Wiz's first site... and I would venture to say that he will be giving some of the most experience web developers a fright. From what I saw, it is a perfect use of CSS and JavaScript. He should have the site up by midnight, but I think he is going to need another week. It is awesome and bound to get better.
Deb and Don just returned home from their long trip. Poor Deb is ill. It sounds like they had a really good time. I have not seen they in almost 3 weeks. I was beginning to think the cat and I where going to take over the house. I am sure glad that I decided against moving all their stuff out. Heh heh.
It looks like bedtime to me.
"you may have to change yourself from
who you were in the past,
and you may have to change yourself to
who you want to be in the future,
but consider it all useless if
it keeps you from being
who you are right now."
Just got this in an e-mail. I dig it.
To-Do Update: Well, I have started on Beamer's pages. I have a rough done for her new stats page and her new packing list. Just need to format the text more... then change the menus a bit.... add a few pictures... and tada. Talked to Wiz on the phone.. Faction's new site may be ready to go by tonight. Very cool. Just got out of the shower, so i no longer smell like... a sweaty male? Have not gotten a chance to play SimCity yet, but I am getting there. Now off to start a load of laundry.
Morning is here again. I really try to sleep in, but 3 years of having to be somewhere (work or school) at 7am makes sleeping in until 8 feel like a sin.
I have a whole lot to do today... and I am going to try to play a lot of SimCity 3000. ;] Not the most productive choice, but I like it. Heh. Anyways... on the 'to do' list is: create and upload two new pages for the Beamer; strip Faction naked, so Wiz can post the new site; clean the house; clean my room; do laundry — lots of laundry; and more... I don't think my brain has kicked in yet. I am awake just not alive.
January 05, 2001
Just finished playing with Opera 5.0.1. I am going to have to give it two thumbs down. While it may have beat IE5.5 in performance of CSS, I say gag. Nothing is formatted properly when viewed in Opera. I sure this is because people are used to designing for the lack of CSS support of IE. Or not. Zeldman's site and mine are about the only ones that looked right in both browsers.
And as far as this claim of being the fastest browser on the web... not winning points here either. I have been trying to open a few of my favorite sites... and well, I am still waiting on one of them to load... going on 7 minutes now. I think I am going to play with it a bit more before I toss it out. First impressions are lasting ones. I do not think Opera is going to win my heart anytime soon.
Here is the start of a new beginning. I could not think of a better way to build a future than to start with nearly nothing. And nearly nothing is what I am starting with. I plan to grow in many ways over the course of this year... and the rest of my life. I do not have a numbered list of improvements... in fact I don't even have a list. I just know that where I am and what I have is not where I want to be... and I have can have so much more. My time for deep searching has come. I feel like I am watching my life go nowhere quickly. So I am going to ramble, rant, and rave... right here until I discover something. I am going to discover something better... even if it kills me. So wish me luck.