The outer two toes on my left foot have started a bit of aching, and I wasn’t sure what was causing, but today I noticed I make quite a few more left turns in the office than I do right turns, which is odd, because you would think it would be the same number reversed on the walk back. I guess I don’t walk the same path there and back, wherever that is in the office. In any case, my two toes are sore and it’s uncomfortable. So I tried making only right turns, which, aside from being even more ridiculous, causes me to dizzy quite quickly. Not conducive to thinking or writing, which are the two things I’m supposed to be doing today.
Monthly Archives: December 2008
The Joy Of Entering Middle Life
I can’t really say what joyousness is to be expected about living in the realm of middle-lifehood. I’m new to it. I can say that other people seem always to be complaining about it, which I think is odd. I’ve been telling people how excited I am to finally be old, because I am excited. Now I can say and do things that I couldn’t do as my younger self, like tell folks I can’t be out late because I’m old and tired, drive slowly in the fast lane, or get up way too early on a Wednesday to do the grocery shopping. (Let’s be honest, I’ve been doing most of these things for a while now, so not much will change.)
But even more exciting than any of that nonsense is the dating pool joke from Randall Munroe over at xkcd. I get a kick out of every time I see it, so I’m sharing it here today with you. It’s like a re-gift, except it wasn’t given directly to me, but, still, I choose to share it with you.
The downside to joking back with people calling me old is that when I tell them I’m excited about it, they get on about how I’m not really _that_ old. It’s like they want to screw around either which way, but won’t just let me enjoy myself. Sure, I’m not old, I am old, I’m whatever anyone needs me to be when it comes to defining age and body aches. I’m up for the whole game.
So if this truly is the middle, then let me take a second and say thanks to all the folks that I’ve had the opportunity to meet, greet, and befriend during the first half of my existence. I’ll be honest again and say it’s been a handful of head-smashingly strange times, but a perfect hoot.
Cheers!
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Brand New tumblr
Now what to do? Don’t look at me, I haven’t a clue.
Essential Blog Commenting Features
There are only a couple of things needed, and really only one of them is essential, but the second is greatly appreciated. The first and most important being a notification mechanism to updated comments since the last comment. Meaning, if my comment to your post garners any responses, I want to know about it without having to spend time continually clicking back through your page. Not only would that waste my time, but it would artificially inflate your stats. Neither of us wants either of those things. So please take the time to add a plugin, or some other tool, that enables this capability. Else, don’t expect too many comenters to leave words on your posts.
The second, and maybe less important but still appreciated feature, is closing out the comments after so many days, be it 15 or 30, it doesn’t matter too much, but it definitely needs to be something reasonalbe. Receiving a notification a year or so more past the post date isn’t terribly relevant. Typically these trail off, so it’s not as big an issue, but the more posts to which you comment, the more likely you are to receive unnecessary notifications. At some point we need to stop talking about old topics. Thankfully WordPress 2.7 was smart/kind enough to make this option standard, with a default setting of 14 days. Very handy.
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Six Degrees Of Temperature Separation
Over lunch on Thursday we were discussing energy efficiencies because of all the Green Building nonsense going on in California right now, and someone asked what temperature we had our thermostats set to in the winter. I hadn’t really thought much of it, but between the six of us, I was the only one at 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and the rest were either 68 or 71. Exactly either of those two. (How strange that there wasn’t more of a range.) So, I was shortly the topic of conversation as to how I could live in such a frozen environment. To be fair, though, while my thermostat is set to 62, it rarely gets that cold. Even with the windows open most of the day, the heater only kicks in around three or four in the morning. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except the thing is so loud that it wakes me up, and I have to turn it down to 59. Not a big deal because I’m in bed, but showering at 5:30 in the morning is another story.
Do you live Green at 62, or are you burning fuel in 71? Higher?
For the record, I’m not setting my limit so low for the sake of the Earth, but because it’s not _that_ cold to me most of the day. Sure 62 is quite chilly, but I’m usually asleep during that time of the day. Nestled nicely.
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Google Labs Adds Gmail Tasks, Requires Chat Enabled
I only need tasks in one of my GoogleApp domains, and that just happened to be the one where I was receiving the error "tasks could not be open" after enabling the feature. What? Why? This is stupid. Thankfully it didn’t take long to realize the one difference between that domain and the others I manage was the disabled chat feature. Apparently Tasks uses the same API as Chat for making the in-window window and the pop-out window. (Who knows what else.)
Of course now I have chat enabled somewhere a client doesn’t want or need it. Not sure if this issue will resolve itself in the future or if we’re stuck with both features having to be enabled. In the meanwhile, if you or someone you know are having trouble getting tasks to work in Gmail, hope this helps.
Update: Seems this issue was added to the Google Labs Help Tasks group discussion earlier today, and a fix is in the works. You really have to enjoy the process.
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Google Friend Connect or Facebook Connect?
I thought it would be a difficult decision, but when it came time to push the publish button, it was no contest. Google’s Friend Connect was the social connect tool that best suited my preferences. Whether or not it suits my needs is a different argument, since I’m still not sure I actually need a social network component. Generally, I intend for my posts to be read in your feed reader, which is the most efficient way to deal with blagger entries. Still, on the off chance that anyone does want to congregate around my content, I’ve now made available the option to share within a specific social circle, Friend Connect.
I’m still learning about all the available features and gadgets, but if you look in the second sidebar you’ll see the members gadget. Check it out and let me know what you think. All you need to join or sign in is your Google account information. For most people, it’s probably the same name and password you use with Gmail. But if you’re one of those paranoids like myself, your Google account name and password is not exactly the same as your Gmail.
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The Crazy Santa Hat Pub Crawl [Sacramento, CA]
Repost from www.EastSacPubCrawl.com
December 5th, 2008
– Invite Fun People Only!
– Wear a Crazy Hat (Santa Hat or something in the Holiday Spirit)!
– Bring a Children’s Toy(s) and/or Book(s)to the PINE COVE
– Follow the other 200 crawlers as we walk to 6 bars in East Sac
– DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE
– See the website www.EastSacPubCrawl.com for more details.
Important Details (read below)
Skyy Vodka has arranged drink specials at the first 3 bars (Pine Cove, Limelight and Raven). So get ready for some fun.
This Crawl will begin at 7:00pm SHARP at the Pine Cove
Tavern…located at 29th and E Street. We ask that all of you bring
one NEW UNWRAPPED TOY(s) or Children’s Book(s)to the Pine Cove
Tavern. Your Toys and Books will be donated to the Annual Cancer Kids
Holiday Party at the UC Davis Med Center to help those kids and their
family during the Holidays.
From the Pine Cove – we will be on our way… stopping at a total of
6 bars in the East Sacramento area. We will have maps at the Pine
Cove…or you can view the schedule at www.EastSacPubCrawl.com
Remember to wear a CRAZY SANTA HAT or the holiday spirit and have
fun. If you are looking for a Crazy Hat, visit the Village Hats Shop.
They are located at 123 K Street in Old Sac or Wishing Well at 12th
and S St.
We have heard so many excuses why people won’t wear a hat… and they
all STINK! This one is really easy… glue some mistletoe at a hat,
an elf hat…Everyone always wears a Crazy Hat on this Pub Crawl.
NO DRINKING AND DRIVING. Please – if you decide to do something
dumb…don’t come. Taxis are cheap when you share the cost Yellow
Taxi 444-2222.
We hope to see you there…feel free to e-mail us with comments,
questions or complaints.
Stay Crazy,
Robin Little, Brian Wallace, David Leporiere and Chuck Arana
The East Sac Crazy Hat Pub Crawl Committee