Yesterday SixApart, the company behind MoveableType, released a new version of their software along with a new pricing structure. For those of us running MT, we’re going to have to seriously consider if we’re going to stick with it because for some sites, it’s going to get VERY expensive. Luckily, for those running simplified weblogs, there’s still a free version, but if you have too many weblogs, or too many authors, then you could be forced to pay a pretty penny.
I went ahead a bit the bullet and purchased the Personal Edition. It’s currently reduced 33%, plus I was credited $20 for my past contribution (although I donated $30), which brought down the price to $49.95. Funny how that math worked out isn’t it. ??? Anyway, I went ahead and installed the upgrade and applied the changes to the main weblog. I’m still sorting out a few things here and there and I’m getting ready to head on vacation, so it may be a week or so before I get around to fixing everything, so things be a bit clunky for a little while.
I Love The Slop
This week has been very humid, wet and rainy. Today it looks like it’s more of the same weather we’ve been having. It’s overcast, humid as all get out and the threat of rain is ever present. Looks like perfect cycling weather to me. 🙂
Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been trying to workout at the gym three times a week. When I took up cycling though, I found that I didn’t go to the gym as much because I was riding my bike just about every day. I was still attending my Wednesday yoga class, but I was tending to skip Monday and Friday’s workout. Then it occurred to me, although I’m getting a good cardio workout with my normal 10 mile rides, I’m not doing any weights. So I resolved to make Monday and Friday days that I would work on various muscle groups using the weight machines.
When last Monday rolled around, I decided to “kick it up a notch” and ride my bike to and from the gym. That would give me a 24 mile ride in addition to the workout at the gym. The fact that it was raining just added to the incentive, because I love the slop. There’s just something refreshing about riding in the rain. Maybe it’s my psyche having flashbacks to jumping in puddles on the way home, I don’t know, but when it rains, I’m ready to ride.
Contact Form Fixed
It was brought to my attention that the Contact Form was not functioning properly since a recent server upgrade. I fixed the form, so it’s now working properly. 🙂
The Sony Ericsson T608
I’ve had the T608 for a week now and although I haven’t explored every single possibility with this new mobile phone, I have played around with it enough to share with you my initial impressions and thoughts. The only real missing element from this review is that I haven’t tested this phone with a Bluetooth headset yet. This is probably the biggest reason to get a Bluetooth phone, so you may see this as a big oversight, but I’ll post another entry at a later date once I’ve had a chance to use one.
What’s The Story, Morning Glory?
The Sony Ericsson T608 is the first Bluetooth enabled phone that runs on a CDMA network, such as Sprint PCS and Verizon. Sony Ericsson had plans to release an entire series of phones for both networks, but unfortunately they decided to shut down their CDMA division and it looked like none of the phones would see the light of day. However Sprint PCS was smart enough to bring one of the devices to market. They began selling the T608 via their Tele-Sales department (1-866-PCS-2886) back in November – December of last year and as of this writing, they still have some in stock.
Vacation = T Minus 7
Ah, nothing quite like a vacation to get away from it all and kick back and relax. All you have to do is pack your bags and leave your cares behind. Of course if you run your own business, then it’s a little bit different experience getting ready to leave. In fact, if I had to be completely honest, it’s a gut-wrenching, night sweating, week long freak out. :O
This year Holly and I are going to the Riviera Maya in Mexico. It’s about an hour south of Cancún in the Yucatan peninsula and we’ll be staying at the Riu Playacar. It’s a 7-day trip and we leave this Sunday and return the following Sunday. According to the brochures, there’s Mayan ruins, monkeys on the beach and pirate ship lobster dinner cruises. It sounds absolutely wonderful, and I’m sure that it will be, but knowing that I’m going to be away for a full week is a little bit daunting to say the least.
Web Design, A New Weblog, Pulled Ads And Jumping The Dateline
I’m reading the book Designing With Web Standards by Jeffery Zeldman (of A List Apart fame) and I have to say that I’m absolutely LOVING this book! I cut my teeth on HTML 4 back in 1997 and the current meme of designing web sites based on web standards has been a bit of a confusing experience for me. I’ve been sifting through the source pages of sites like Simple Bits, among others, but it just hasn’t “clicked” for me. I could see what they did, but I didn’t understand it. It has been a bit like looking at hieroglyphics. I could understand that I was looking at a bird, but I didn’t know what the bird stood for. Well, Zeldman’s book is making it all clear now. I’m two-thirds of the way through the book and it’s totally changed how I create web sites. I wouldn’t call it an epiphany, but I can say that I “see the light.” If you do anything with web design, this book is a MUST read.
Speaking of web design, I’ve been working a little bit on a redesign of the Nashville Palm Users Group web site. It’s been a journey of discovery as I attempt to redesign not only the look, but the underpinnings of the entire site as well. I’m attempting to redesign the entire site with web standards, so it’s been a challenge on more than one level. As I mentioned in Monday’s entry I was toying around with creating a new weblog focused specifically on my role as Director of NPUG. Well, I went ahead and created it. So far I’m documenting my journey through the redesign, but who knows where it’ll lead. I just hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew. :s
In browsing Jeffery Zeldman’s main web site Zeldman.com: The Daily Report, I came across The Ad Graveyard. The pages in this section of his site are described as “offering ad campaigns which nearly made it out the door, before being yanked at the last possible moment.” Some of the ads are distasteful, but most of them are a complete laugh riot. My favorite has to be Crash and burn because of the transcript detailing why the ad was pulled. LOL
My buddy Dan is in Guam now. I was finally able to hook up with him via Yahoo Messenger and then later with Skype. The flight from Houston to Hawaii was around 8 hours and the flight from Hawaii to Guam was approximately 6.5 hours. That’s one hell of a LONG day of flying. Oh and what’s really putting a kink in my noodle is that he’s on the other side of the dateline, so it’s already Saturday where he is. Freaky. I’m just glad that he was able to connect to the Internet. Granted he’s having to use the foil wrapper from a piece of Juicy Fruit and a 9-volt battery, but he’s online. 😉
Dan, if you’re reading this, you better start updating your weblog now buddy. You have no excuses anymore. 😀
Clearing My Vision With Sprint PCS
I’ve been a Sprint PCS customer for many years. For the most part, my experience with them has been pretty good. I’ve heard plenty of tales from clients and friends about how bad their experience was and how they are so happy to have moved to Company X. Thanks to the Palm OS User Council, I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate the Treo 180 and the Kyocera 7135, each of which required an additional account through a carrier other than Sprint PCS. So I’ve had accounts with TMobile and Verizon Wireless, but I’ve always held on to my main squeeze, Sprint PCS. The main reason for staying was the fact that I have a 2 year contract. That contract was recently up for renewal and I lived to tell about it. 🙂
Why The Switch?
I was happy with the service that I’ve had over the years with Sprint PCS. Most of the travel that I do is to major cities, so I always have coverage. Dropped calls are common on all carriers and I don’t find Sprint’s quality to be any less than the other carriers that I’ve tried. What it did boil down to was price. Ultimately, if I could find a plan that afforded me the same services for less money, then I would consider a change to another carrier. But it was more than just saving a few bucks, the other reason I was considering a move was for the technology as well.
A Turn For The Worse
Last Thursday, just as the penultimate episode of Friends was about to come on, Holly made the statement, “After Friends, we’re going to Home Depot.” WTF? ??? My agenda for the evening was to stay firmly planted on the couch and submit to the “Must See TV” lineup for the night. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself going to Home Depot, much less check myself for scars afterward.
Going to Home Depot means work to me. If I’m shopping there it means that I have something I’m trying to fix, or I’ve started a new project around the house. Whatever the case, it means that I have work to do. By Thursday night, I’m not thinking about work. In fact I’m not thinking much at all. I’m usually zoned out on the couch until I drift off to sleep and then drag my sorry butt upstairs to finally go to bed. This past Thursday, we were supposed to be cleaning the house, because we had a dinner party planned for Dan and his wife Rachel and the house needed serious attention. However, Holly somehow convinced me that we needed to go to Home Depot first.
The Time Monster
Although writing regularly for this weblog has been a rather new thing for me, I have been writing pieces for work, or other web sites for many years. That being said, mashby.com has been some of the most consistent writing I’ve ever done in my life, which I’m quite proud of, but other the past few weeks I’ve been running into the same “monster” that I’ve run into with past writing tasks – time. Ask anyone these days and chances are they will all tell you that they could use more time in their day. Clearly most of us feel that there isn’t enough time, but for me the constraint of time is a real doozy on my writing.
There’s something about having to stop what you’re doing so that you can write. For me at least, that means that I have to slow down and relax. I have to collect my thoughts and then take the time to clearly formulate a story. I find it easier to write in the morning, before I’ve started my day and before my brain has revved up and engaged first gear. Those early morning hours, when my brain is just idling and warming up with a hot cup of coffee, is when I seem to do my best writing. When the day is in high gear and I’m going “90 to nothing”, it’s very hard to downshift and ease off the throttle long enough to write something halfway intelligent.
Your Comfort Zone Is Cramping My Style
I love bicycling. It’s one of the few places where I can get away from the stress of the day and just enjoy the outdoors and view things from a more relaxed perspective. Everything just slows down a notch and I find I’m able to see things a little more clearly. Even cycling in city traffic is fun, albeit a little more adrenaline pumping than riding an old country road. There’s just about no style of cycling that I don’t enjoy and I try to remain positive about all aspects of the sport. Since I enjoy it so much, I almost always have a positive attitude concerning everything related to cycling, however after a series of rides yesterday I have to say I do have one pet peeve.
If there’s one thing that many cyclist’s consistently tend to steer clear of, it’s traffic. It’s not that I love traffic, but it doesn’t bother me all that much. I actually enjoy the excitement of riding in traffic. It keeps you on your toes and usually pumping your legs like mad to make the next light, or dodge the next car. I’ve ridden my bicycle in Paris, London and Manhattan, just to name a few cities, and these are some of the busiest roads in the world, so you’d think that riding in Nashville would be a piece of cake, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. The traffic may be lighter, but the skill of the local drivers is definitely diminished as well. They simply don’t know how to pass.