breathe and stop.

I have a sad admission to make: I’ve basically spent a good hour reading about the hard/software setups of some innovators in the (computing? tech? development?) game, and although I now have a long list of exciting geekery items to look into acquiring and purchasing to further streamline my workflow, there are a couple of key elements that jumped out at me after skimming all 30+ writeups.

• Backup, backup, backup. Redundancy. I don’t have to store any work-related code on any of my personal hardware, thank God, but there are terabytes of photos, conversations and old projects from my days at school that I want to preserve as long as possible.  I would have a good hearty, sloppy cry if I lost it all.
• Cloud computing. I kind of hate this phrase because it’s overused, but it’s worse that it’s only recently received attention as a legitimate computing paradigm.  It can mean a bunch of things, but the central goal is to make data/software and the processes attached to it both easily accessible and secure.  To me, this can be interpreted a couple of ways.  On one hand, the amount of developers who use only one (laptop) machine as their main and convert it into a desktop simply by hooking it up to a display reaffirmed to me that my own current setup is probably the most efficient way for me to work. Having to switch machines mid-work-flow has always equaled headaches for me, and the idea of having multiple personal machines (unless it’s for testing purposes) is incongruous to cloud computing — in my mind at least.  On the other hand, another interpretation of cloud computing is more in line with the traditional definition, but when applied to my situation means servers, synchronicity, and not having to carry around a damn flash drive anymore. (Aside: my workplace does not do version control, and it makes me simultaneously nutty, annoyed and super paranoid.)

That’s all the boring stuff.  Out of everything I’ve read, though, this quote from Jeffrey Zeldman’s submission is my favorite:

I should point out that it’s in the last year or two that I’ve indulged a desire to buy new and high-end equipment. I did most of the important work in my career to date using crappy old equipment. Unless you’re editing high-def video or creating feature film animation, you don’t need great hardware to do good work. You just need a passion for the work.

Now, to find something to be passionate about..

Angela Natividad, “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office”

Louis CK, writing about his USO tour.  

On top of being my favorite comedian, Louis is also a photography enthusiast (and a damn good photographer) and happens to write in a very frank, conversational and honest style — not unlike his stand-up. His series of blogs about his USO tour distracted me from work today.. his ability to recall events and details makes for an awesome read. I crave good blogs like his.

“John remembers George coming downstairs with two guitars and two small amplifiers, laying them down in the hall, then pacing restlessly until Eric arrived full of brandy, as usual.

As Eric walked through the door George handed him a guitar and amp as an 18th Century gentleman might have handed his rival a sword, and for two hours, without a word, they duelled. The air was electric and the music exciting.”

- Excerpt from Pattie Boyd’s book about her love triangle between George Harrison and Eric Clapton.  Me?  I would’ve said eff to the both of them. Guitar duel? Seriously? Bunch of nutters.

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I’m a
Self-Knowing Creative Self-Improver

A good friend once told me that I seem like the type of person to stare at a wall and just think. I don’t stare at walls, but anyone who works with me knows that I daydream a lot. My ability to analyze my actions and thoughts to death is both a strength and a weakness. Immersing myself in my own head makes me more self-aware than most, but it also has a tendency to paralyze me.  I can rationalize that thinking about what could be is just as satisfying as actually going out and realizing my amazing, superfuckingawesome ideas.  It’s bad logic. Must fix now.

Goal number 4 on my 43 things life list: Think less, do more.

I’m pro-choice, but I’m not one of those who believes abortion is a “blessing” in the sense that others might. To put it uneloquently, I still have icky feelings about abortion, especially ones earlier in the term that aren’t vital in preserving the woman’s physical health. But I completely admit my viewpoint is largely a result of the privilege I was born into, combined with the complete unfamiliarity of what it is like to have to consider abortion as an option.

And it should remain an option. Like that Obama guy, I don’t like abortion, but I feel it is important they are legal, safe, and rare. The rare part won’t happen unless the anti-choicers get it into their head that the number of abortions that will occur in the future is inversely proportional to increased abstinence education.

Read this. It’s good. Oddly written, but good.

Dave Holmes
(via kiamatthews)

…When I first heard “Paper Planes” in a real club, I didn’t know what the eff people were gonna come up with to denote “cash register”.. and then I remembered Toronto (Entertainment district) clubgoers are too cool to do dance moves. =P I thought about maybe doing a ‘lever’ move, but that implies more of a slot machine, lol. Conundrum indeed.

According to Wikipedia, I had just rolled out of my mother’s womb when “Human” came out.  I prefer this original to Zo! & Tigallo’s recent remake, although both are hella good!

Check out those earrings.  I’ve been looking for doorknockers similar to those since, like, forever.