While things could be going much much worse, they could be going far better as well. I am trying to help, but feel completely ineffective. While stresses over which I have control are ones I can deal with and proactively solve, the ones over which I have little to no control make me feel like I am in a constant tail-spin. Head-aches keep popping up behind my eyes and my concentration has been permanently shattered. Whenever I settle down to do work it is as if a junior high wind ensemble is assembled behind me, sight-reading a difficult piece of music after a long summer off. Of course, the cacophony is purely mental, but still wonderful at ruining my ability to focus.
I know things will turn out right here. It is not that I am not worried because it is not me, it is because I know that choosing a path means other troubles fall away. Uncertainty, the greatest trouble of all, is the hardest thing to overcome. It is like static friction: the most force is required to get an object to overcome friction; once things are moving, it takes less force to keep them going.
Life is a ball that just needs a push. People are friends that just need a hand. The hardest step is the first one.
I thought it was just me, but Google has, indeed, redesigned. While the product is most definitely evolutionary and not revolutionary, I agree with this article that the purpose is to polish and shine the service a bit more prior to Google’s IPO.
Google’s redesign gives Froogle one of the coveted links just above its search box. To make room, Google dropped a tab formerly reserved for its list of directories. As it did before, Google’s front page continues to feature prominent links to focus searches on “images,” “groups” and “news.”
However, the redesign is more than a link reshuffling. The overall look is certainly “flatter” while placing slightly more emphasis (catches the eye with a more intense green) on the URL’s that correspond to hits. While any addition of images would be a huge (in proportion to the text-only) increase in bandwidth for Google, I do think consideration of some other designs might be helpful in giving the site an even more concrete identity. Take the Design by Fire Google Redesign - it gives Google a bolder more sophisticated look while maintaing the simplicity and delivery of results that everyone has come to know and love Google for.
I think buying stock in Google would be an excellent idea. Very good management has allowed it to succeed in today’s cut-throat internet economy.
Aha, here is something embarassing I ran across. I found the oldest known digital photo I have of myself. I would guess I was about thirteen years of age. How the time flies. You can find it online here if you know where to look.
Oh, and for those of you who were wondering how the administration panel I was raving about looks, here is a mini screen shot for your enjoyment.
I utilized the Cederholm Faux Column technique and expanded it to four (five) columns instead of the usual one or two. It worked quite well.
As for anything meaningful, I can only say I hope to bring something to you in the way of a thought-out piece in the next couple of days - things are rough to say the least; so hang tight. There will be plenty of things added in the other sections to keep you entertained, I promise.
I ran across some interesting things whilst perusing the Sunday paper today. First of all, the color TV has turned 50 and an article celebrating the joys of color was written to mark the momentous occasion. So Americans watch, on average, 70 days per year of TV. That’s all well and good - la dee dah. But, what about this quote from the grandma who wants to keep her grandchild occupied in the car:
“We need to see each other more often, and we need a television for the car so we can accomplish that,” Golanoski explained.
Apparently the absurdity of this quote failed to strike anyone proofing the article. A TV to bring people together? I can see it now, “Hey grandma, since we haven’t seen each other in a long time, let’s get together and watch some TV!” Call me old-fashioned, but what a ridiculous quote.
Another interesting Sunday article read: the evolution of the Cadillac brand into popular culture aka “Cadillac’s wild musical ride”. I hadn’t really considered the pervasiveness of the Cadillac brand in music in the past 50 years, but this is the first soft news article that was well-rounded and well-proved that I have read in a while.
When you think about it, what has happened to Cadillac is remarkable. A brand once desperate for respect and attention is suddenly outpointing Gucci, Courvoisier, Bentley and its German rival Mercedes-Benz in brand awareness among consumers 18 to 24 years old, the mother lode of marketing demographics.
Bet you’ve heard a Cadillac mentioned lately. Werd.
Aha! One more thing from my Sunday morning read: The Evasion-English Dictionary is about why we suck at saying things in a clear, concise, and no-nonsense manner. It’s about eliminating “like” and all of the puzzling ambiguities that go with it. From the article about it:
For example, the boss who approaches you to say, “This is hard for me, I’m going to have to let you go,” raises the question, “Let me go where?” It’s not hard for her, and even if it is, who cares? In an attempt to act concerned, the boss can muster concern only for herself, a classic example of a formulaic phrase that signals the opposite of its true meaning.
Finally, I am still laughing about John’s synopsis of the Douglas Adams book The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. In response to my question “what is it about?” I received the answer “There’s this luxurious restraurant where they sit there and watch the universe explode.” That simply screams for a wallpaper from Digital Blasphemy.
Now, normally I would tell you all about every day of my break, what I did, and how that was. Unfortunately for me, (fortunately for you) I have neither the time nor the wit to make the past days of my break interesting. Therefore, I will commence sharing some things of note.
The following is about PHP coding. I told you this would happen. Shut up. More specifically, I rewrote my administration file for this website. Since I am mis-informed foolish one-brick-short-of-a-load masochistic, I have (from the beginning) eschewed wonderful tools such as MovableType and chosen to set up my own database and add/edit/delete from it using my own code. Recently, I realized that the file I used (the administration panel) to peform those operations was almost two years old. Seeing the fortuitous combination of a Java class (which gave me insight into better design techniques) and a spring break (which gave me time), I set out to rewrite the file from the ground up. The product, unfortunately, is not the kind that I can show to you (it is password-protected and it would ruin my site to tell you how to view it). I can say, however, that 6 days and 1500+ lines of code later, tumbledry is blessed with a [semi]modular (Justin would kill me for saying that) engine that allows me to update all sections of the site completely from the web and track all of you friendly visitors (although there are better tools for tracking out there that I use as well - I’m not completely insane). New features include XHTML 1.0 transitional compatibility (I think), CSS, and a unique GUI that builds from the left to the right (makes for less clicking and more intuitive navigation).
Of course, redesigning something as integral as that file means delving back into the architecture of the site. That, in turn, leads to looking at the hit trackers. When people visit any website, information like their IP, where they came from, and who their ISP is are always logged. What struck me as strange were the search strings that resulted in visits to tumbledry. Observe this list of search strings, percentile of hits the string gave, and my comments.
tumble dry **(12.50%) - makes sense, no argument here.
**508 website example **(4.17%) - me? thanks!
**blog css design stuff **(4.17%) - last of the normal search strings.
**exodus http tunnel settings **(4.17%) - exodus? i don’t write about the bible that much.
**how do i dry a fabric that says do not tumble dry **(4.17%) - no laundry instructions here.
**jessica simpson scarf pattern **(4.17%) - what does this mean? and why here?
**remove the eyeball **(4.17%) - and you are searching for this why?
**sex (4.17%)
**what website can i design my own sneaker **(4.17%) - ?!
**why is basketball a useful invention? **(4.17%) - words fail me.
While tumbledry may not answer life’s persistent questions, I am glad to see that it was a glimmer of hope in the dark lives of people who search for utterly inane things.
I noticed you can tell a lot about a webdesign from its confirmation pages. There, the design is compressed into its smallest form as there is little content with which to fill spaces. This compression gives one a bird’s eye view into the design cues of the site - they are easily identified and usually on one screen. Furthermore, if a site has taken the time to scrub, polish, and shine its form-resultant pages, then it is a very good bet that the designer is a details-oriented person who cares about the little things that make a site grand. This realization made me realize that I should clean up my form-submitted pages.
I’d like to interrupt your regularly scheduled update to bring you this important message: I am actually a deep-voiced woman. Shoot, wrong message. Ahh, here it is. SWITCHFOOT. My first concert in my illustrious 18 year career as a living individual will be the band Steve introduced me to, Switchfoot. My excitement overfloweth (seriously). Now back to our show.
Steve had an incredible mission trip experience in LA. The stories and pictures he has brought back are amazing. He worked at the Dream Center and really made a difference. His tales are not mine to tell, but I have great respect for what he is doing.
Please keep my sister in your thoughts, she is in the middle of making one of the biggest decisions of her life.
Songs I recommend (with copious urgency) that you listen to as soon as possible include (but are not limited to) Howie Day’s new version of “She Says,” Hoobastank’s “The Reason,” and Gary Jules’ unbe-freakin-lieveable (hauntingly beautiful and Radiohead-esque in the way that it both enamors you and makes you want to kill yourself at the same time) song “Mad World.” Credit to Nils for the wickedly clever yet “spot on” Radiohead description.
Stepped into American Eagle Outfitters. Failed to experience the kind of visceral thrill that used to seize me upon viewing “hip” merchandise. Noted the incredibly well-executed marketing style used to make the “experience” seem authentic. Further noted that the trend is to sell a complete lifestyle. Realized that being in college (analagous to being broke) could be mostly responsible for curbing my former shopping habits. Continued on my way.
Because I don’t have a running roll of links on the right side of my page, here they are. I committed to buying a shirt from nickd. Probably will prove to be one of the best shirts I will ever buy. I think my check card is getting hot from being swiped repeatedly for so many purchases. John showed me a commercial that is definitely for guys. Finally, this man does, by far, the best impressions I have ever heard.
I found my new favorite Shakespeare play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is far better than any tragedy. Now, I understand that tragedies are supposed to evoke the epic emotions of fear and pity, but a comedy simply beats a tragedy when you want entertainment. Here’s a wonderful quote from II:2.45-52:
O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence.
Love takes the meaning in love’s conference.
I mean that my heart unto yours is knit,
So that but one heart we can make of it:
Two bosoms interchained with an oath,
So then two bosoms and a single troth.
Then by your sidde no bed room me deny,
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.
Of course, it is a flowery way for Lysander to ask Hermia to sleep with him before they are married. But let’s be honest here, that’s damn good wooing.
Authentic Boredom - Great guy; great designer. Mr. Moll produces websites using experience gained as a business major. He takes the client’s needs and transforms them into online solutions. This experience and attention to the client is evident on his well-designed and well-written blog, “Authentic Boredom.”
Airbag - Approved by the heavy-hitters in the “blogosphere,” airbag is an excellent blog mixing web-standards, politics, design, and good humor into a delectable blog of goodness. Greg Storey is one of the one’s to watch.
The On Air with Ryan Seacrest logo is very interesting. I sat down to watch television for the first time in months (I watched for about 20 minutes straight … not bad huh?) and was immediately struck by the logo’s colors, font, and how the thing represents the base of a microphone that reporters use. On top of that, the logo makes for a fun flash animation with which to interact on the official website. Obviously, the show’s audience is teens and young adults who are hip enough to use technology like text-messaging, and who have the disposable income to burn on things like … text messaging. While the logo does do a good job of conveying the show’s young content, I couldn’t help but feel like it had been done before - on MTV. All MTV’s graphical work has that same hip, line-art feel to it. Unfortunately, I unconsciously associate that visual style with mindless (and to my shame, occassionally entertaining) “reality” shows where everyone is beautiful and insists on whining. So much for music television. Either way, regardless of the MTV content (or lack thereof) that the logo hearkens back to, I think the graphic artist responsible for establishing the show’s “identity” created something eye-catching, vibrant, and memorable.
I heard an interesting piece of news on NPR today. Entitled, “FDA Seeks Suicide Warning on Drug Labels,” the report outlined how some antidepressants have been linked to causing suicidal thoughts and tendencies. These drugs include Zoloft, Paxil, and other antidepressants. To paraphrase a soundbite from a doctor interviewed during the piece, “… people seek a magic pill to solve these depression problems … they don’t realize that the whole person needs to be considered and treated.” It is true, doctors are expected to give out prescriptions like candy. People expect a pill for everything and thus can’t deal with the doctor saying “I don’t have a drug for that.” Furthermore, prescription drug companies put enormous pressure on doctors to sell their drug. Warnings on drugs will not do one thing to change these narrow-sighted panacea and profit driven practices by patients, doctors, and drug companies, but they are a baby step in the correct direction. Most shocking to me was the statistic that the report concluded with: 11 million prescriptions for anti-depressants are written per year, for teenagers alone. In a nation of 292 million people, this is simply unacceptable. When is this pill-popping insanity going to end?
In unrelated but equally important news, John and I played DDR at the arcade today. His skills on doubles are unbelievable. Furthermore, I bought a hat for $6.99 - a steal - marked down from $21! I love this hat. However, I really owe Steve a huge apology for completely stealing his style. Sorry man, you have full priority on NC gear at home, as you were the first to own. It looks like my very first concert could be a Switchfoot concert. I think this is appropriate.
If you are a teen, please take some time to watch this. The following quote about said show may be helpful:
nils: what’s it about?
alex: how every aspect of teenage lifestyle is bought and sold by large corporations for a share of the immense buying power that we wield
As I went on to say, do not get me wrong, I am not some rabid MTV hater. However, moderately unbiased knowledge is still power. Furthermore, one can never know too much about the pill. See? TV watching is not all bad.
I’m not convinced by the Java concept of abstraction. The analogy goes as follows: a Java class is like a car, you do not need to know all of the intricate workings of the fuel injection, suspension, and steering in order to make the car work. Thus, you only need to know the gas, brake, and basic signaling mechanisms in order to make the car work as intended. I disagree. Abstraction stifles flexibility and usability in the real world and creativity and innovation in the programming world.
Let’s say your car’s fuel line ices up in the winter. With your basic knowledge of the user interface (the interior controls of the car), you have little or no ability to make a diagnosis. However, if you knew more about the car, you would recognize the chugging sound, realize there is ice (and possibly water) in the line, and that you need to add a de-icer. Knowledge of the car increased the usefulness - instead of being stranded on a roadside, you could add some de-icer from your trunk and continue on your way (assuming everything went right). Similarily, in the initial years of programming progress would have been impaired (much as our poor user by the side of the road) if everyone had simply learned the interface of programming. In order to make changes and improve the technology, programmers understood the architecture all the way down to machine code. This allowed them to not only to push the current technology of the time to the limits, but to perceive new and better ways to do the old things. Computing is not currently at a limit, simply at the threshold of the current methods (processing dies and methods are approaching physical limits). The more people we have ascending the ladder of abstraction, the less innovation and more “boxed in” our innovations become. True, twenty years plus of experience may have produced the x86 chip structure - but why stop there? Why accept that architecture as the most basic - as a ladder of abstraction not worth descending - and ultimately stagnate?
Some would say the point of abstraction is for beginners, that the concept is only so the novice can learn things and implement them quickly. I agree that abstraction has its time and its place, I myself use it quite regularly when revising the backend of this site in PHP. I do not understand how the eregreplace command works in PHP. However, if I were a large site administrator and I was stuck by the metaphorical side of the road with a hanging server, I might research and discover that the “Perl-compatible” syntax pregreplace is faster. Understanding how the original eregreplace command worked in the first place and therefore being aware of the alternatives would have saved time and money from the beginning. The information of _why things work is invaluable.
People are declared “experts” in a language far too quickly. Mastering syntax, efficient logical structure, and robust design is, I believe, only the beginning (and a claim I would not make on any language - including English). If abstraction were given less emphasis and the value of a lower-level understanding reinforced more, innovations would be given a more friendly environment to enter into.
Tomorrow is Java abstraction, for loops, while loops, logical flow, and encapsulation. Tomorrow is a section test and a study time. Tomorrow I play pool. Tomorrow I eat. Tomorrow is a new day (and really, its today).
