The Playground Is A Wreck

For the past month or so, I've been playing around in my sandbox with an elastic layout. Things were coming along pretty well, when suddenly I threw a fit over the increasing slowness of my web host, DreamHost. I've been with them for about 3 years and we've had our ups and downs, but lately my patience has worn thin.

The middle of a redesign is probably not the best time to switch web hosts. But considering this is primarily a playground, I've thrown caution to the wind and uploaded the whole darn dev site to Media Temple. I've heard a lot of good things about them and am hoping like mad that they're true.

So a word of warning while this half-constructed heap of code changes home—watch for teetering beams and chunks of falling plaster.

This ought to be interesting.

Noted on 7 April 2008 in

MAMP Causing Strange Problems in Adium

I thought if I started acting like a real developer, maybe it would improve my code. So, I decided to install and start using MAMP on my Mac to develop locally. Mind you, this programming stuff doesn't come naturally to me. I had to ask a few questions now and then of some of my developer friends, but eventually I sort of got it working. Now I've got another problem with MAMP. Somehow it's causing very strange problems in Adium, my IM client.

Here's a screenshot of Adium when I first fire it up:

Adium when first started

And here's another after just a few moments:

Adium after a minute or 2

I can't figure out what's wrong. Anyone have any ideas?

Noted on 26 March 2008 in

It's a Makeover!

It's way past time this site had a new design, and I finally came up with one I think I can live with for a while. This one feels like it will actually grow and expand and change over time, and that's important to me. I wanted a site that felt, well, roomy and comfortable like a pair of well-worn jeans.

A lot of the new elements are things I've wanted to do for a long time—although the most obvious isn't really new at all...

Noted on 21 November 2007 in

Going Live

New site launch Launching a web site, even a redesign, is a painful experience for me. It's kind of like cramming for final exams, giving birth, and walking out on stage all at the same time...

Noted on 1 May 2007 in

Dumb Things I Wonder About

Just a smidgeon of the dumb things I ponder...

Noted on 8 April 2007 in

The Brand Gap

This slideshow has been around a bit, but I haven't thought of it in a while. Then a friend mentioned it recently in conversation, and I decided to hunt it down. It's just as good the second time around. If you haven't seen it, take a few mintues to click through the slides. You might even want to check out Neumeier's book of the same name.

Noted on 20 March 2007 in

SXSW Online

Missed SXSW this year? Don't despair. You can still view the programs. Over the next few weeks most of the SXSW daytime programs will be posted on the web. There's already quite a few programs listed. So, slap on your Stetson and head over to SXSW Videos and Podcasts for a virtual good time in Austin.

Noted on 18 March 2007 in

Impressions from SXSW

This was my first year at SXSWi, and now that I've experienced four solid days of Geekness, I hope to make it an annual appointment on my calendar. I had a great time...

Noted on 14 March 2007 in

What's Love Got to Do with It?

If we're talking web design, the answer is everything. Don't believe me? Ask Kathy Sierra. She'll tell you there's one way to be successful on the web—create passionate users. And the only way to do that is to be passionate yourself.

Noted on 5 February 2007 in

Top Ten Cool Things on the Web in 2006

I'm a few days late (what else is new?) with my Top Ten list, but what the heck. 2006 was an amazing year for the web...and for me, personally. I've gone from being a hard-core freelancing loner to a member of a university web development team. With a little gentle guidance, I've learned how to work as a team player--to share my projects with others and not think of them as "my" projects. (Oops. Well, most of the time, anyway.) Mostly, I've had an opportunity to learn from one of the most talented, dedicated, creative and delightfully quirky groups of people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

Noted on 3 January 2007 in

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