What I Wish Someone Would Invent: An Easier Way to Share My Google Reader Faves

I am a huge Google Reader user.

It took me a while to get on board that train, as before I was a huge Google Reader user, I was a huge lover of going to visit the sites I loved. I love seeing the entire site, not just the post. It was hard to let go of that. But let go (mostly) I did as Reader became easier and better to use and I realized how much time I saved getting everything in one place.

But what Google Reader is missing is an easier way to share what you love in your Reader. Sure, they give you stars for faving and an ability to share (with or without a note) with a few handful of people who opt-in through Gmail. And, they also give you a widget (what they call a window) that you can put on the sidebar of your blog so people can get a link to what you've recently shared (see the right-hand side of my blog for an example).

But I want to be Kottke, dammit. :) I want to easily be able to share an excerpt, a headline, a link and what I think of as a normal blog post. Flickr does this — one click and I can share a photo right into my blog. Why can't Google do the same?

It would be a great service: you can easily share the great things you see and read right in your blog, and the original-writer gets correct links back, correct attribution, and all the rest.

So that is my wish. Somebody please invent this and then let me know about it. :) I will shout praises to your name right here in my little ol' Blog.

overheard

We often talk to the cat. And one of the things we most often say is "Chapin, you're a cat." Which is why this cracked me up.

7s: Chapin you are two things: a doofus and a dorkus.

Lawrence Lessig on Charlie Rose

Worth your next 38 minutes: the latest Charlie Rose interview of Lawrence Lessig. Topics covered: Lessig's insights on Barack Obama (Lessig has known him since the 90s); mash ups, creativity, and copyright; corruption in congress; and "the next big thing." This interview was very inspiring. I hope you get a chance to listen/watch it.

you choose it

stranger on the rocks, originally uploaded by emdot.

"I recovered my immense will to live when I realized that the meaning of my life was the one I had chosen for it." — Paolo Coelho

via Superhero Journal

poison or seed

dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know, your stairway lies on the whispering wind, originally uploaded by emdot.

Karma means that whatever we do, with our bodies, speech, or minds, will have a corresponding result. Each action, even the smallest, is pregnant with its consequences. It is said by the masters that even a little poison can cause death, and even a tiny seed can become a huge tree. And as Buddha said: “Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain.”

Similarly he said: “Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel.” — Sogyal Rinpoche

Heh.

So cool: "Meh" enters the dictionary. Ironically, the only appropriate response is yea!! :) Meh is definitely one of my favorite words. :)

pretty much two years ago

like a foreign land, originally uploaded by emdot.

Today I worked very hard. It was just one of those days: lots to do and lots of strange energy to do it. (Strange because I am fighting either horrific allergies or a tenacious, low-level cold) (you'd think i'd have less energy). Seriously, I think I had a fever for most of the day.

Because of this, I have nothing to write about. So I thought I'd dip into my flickr archives and see what I could find there.

I found photos from an afternoon at San Carpoforo at the southern tail end of BigSurLandia. 7s and I went and looked for moonstone, but found mostly agate. We sat on the beach and drew in the sand and thanked our lucky stars. It was a very good day. (You can see more photos from this day below)

www.flickr.com

sunday morning light

sunday morning light, originally uploaded by emdot.

I'm reading Martha Beck's book Steering by Starlight for the second time in two weeks.

The first time I "read" it was on tape (or MP3 or iPod or however we say such things now). I did a couple of the exercises in real-time, but the listening was so good that it was hard to stop and do the exercises instead of just plowing ahead.

It ended and for days I was on the weirdest, nicest, calmest, happiest Vacation of Bliss I had ever experienced. This includes at least one day where I was in a situation that was Not So Good. But it just didn't stick (the Not So Goodness)... it kind of just slipped away (not that I was avoiding it).

This time I am reading the book (reading reading) and doing the exercises at the same time. And again with the happy lightness.

So, I urge you to get this book. And if nothing else, just read the first three chapters and do the exercises. Just that could set you into this wonderful zone as well. And I wish that for everybody. :)

---

Tidbits

Last night, dinner at Novo with Steve. Really fun and nice to be out having dinner. :)

I have SURRENDERED to the fact that I have allergies. Not a cold. This morning I took my first-ever Claritin D and man, I feel better. Still exhausted. But better.

Yesterday I stumbled upon the tail-end of the Proposition 8 Protest in Mitchell Park and took photos.

My Photojojo Time Capsule

hummer, originally uploaded by emdot.

Photojojo is a fun little service that sends you a time capsule of your more "interesting" photos posted to Flickr the year before.

I love getting these every two weeks... they are like little email presents. And as always, seeing your photos in a different venue (even just a different web site) makes them look different and somehow more special (really; it's true.).

» See my most recent time capsule
» Get one for yourself

me and the little munchkin

me and the little munchkin, originally uploaded by emdot.

What is ignorance?

ghost of a dog (pigeon version), originally uploaded by emdot.

As Buddha said in his first teaching, the root of all our suffering in samsara is ignorance. Ignorance, until we free ourselves from it, can seem endless, and even when we have embarked on the spiritual path our search is fogged by it. However, if you remember this, and keep the teachings in your heart, you will gradually develop the discernment to recognize the innumerable confusions of ignorance for what they are, and so never jeopardize your commitment or lose your perspective.

— Sogyal Rinpoche

The above is something you hear a lot if you are a Buddhist (at least one following a Tibetan lineage; I can't speak for other flavors).

Today I read this and it did a kapow zing to my spine. I read it as I'd never heard it before.

Does "ignorance" mean the incorrect "stories" we have that wrap around our every day experiences? The way we see ourself limited? Or see ourselves not connected to everything around us? The way we can perceive people to be against us? The way we can view ourselves as against others?

I'm reading Steering by Starlight, a kapow zing book by Martha Beck that is literally crumbling all kinds of mental barriers I have had throughout my life.

And reading this book has given me a crazy, bullish (as in tenacious) feeling of ease and glee.

And I wonder if that has to do with tearing down large parts of my ignorance.

Food for thought.

Okay Rob Brezsny

aisle of plenty, originally uploaded by emdot.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): For many people, 10:30 a.m. is the single best time of day to come up with fresh insights and new ideas. But that won't exactly be true for you in the coming week. I mean, 10:30 *will* be a time when you're likely to be really smart, but then so will 11:30, 1:05, 2:37, 3:46, and 4:20. For that matter, 6:35 may also bring a gush of high intelligence, as well as 7:27, 8:19, and the last ten minutes before bedtime. What I'm trying to tell you, Virgo, is that you're in a phase when being brilliant should come pretty naturally.

With horoscopes like this, you are stupid to not choose to believe. ;)

Sentences I have loved

The October 14, 2007 Times featured Stephen Colbert guest-writing most of Maureen Dowd's column. In that article, Colbert satirically wrote: "Bad things are happening in countries you shouldn’t have to think about. It’s all George Bush’s fault, the vice president is Satan, and God is gay. There. Now I’ve written Frank Rich’s column too." Link

Openness to Where You Are

sunset to the back of me fog to the right here i am stuck in the middle with you, originally uploaded by emdot.

"In human life, if you feel you have made a mistake, you don't try to undo the past or the present, but you just accept where you are and work from there. Tremendous openness as to where you are is necessary."

— Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

That really touched me today. Tremendous openness to where you are.

This photo was taken in September in the Back Bay part of the Estero Bay. God I love it back there. See more pictures on this Flickr Places: Cuesta by the Sea page.

the blue peeks through

the blue peeks through, originally uploaded by emdot.

the entire apartment seems to be a rattlefest. it's very windy and i live on a hill. this means extra wind. and my apartment building is very old (almost 115 years old) which means windows are loose.

wind + hill + old = rattlefest.

i'm reading steering by starlight by martha beck. beck is the secular pema chodron. i find myself wanting to write her a thank you letter or make her something as a thank you gift.

need more emdot?

tied up for a moment, originally uploaded by emdot.

I share a lot of stories and posts from my Google Reader subscriptions and you can check 'em out. :)

New desk set up requires new plants

New desk set up requires new plants, originally uploaded by emdot.

Yesterday I got a new computer at work. (I swear, this week has not been the best for non-distractions). It's a Mac -- my first work Mac in NINE years. Yea! Back into the fold I go. :)

So today I took some time to clean up/off my desk -- get the old computer and dual monitors off the desk, rearrange some things for Optimum Work Environment (tm emdot). And to reward myself I went and bought two new little plants to make the place look even better.

Plants are very good for you in your work space. :)

And there is a nursery (student run) on campus, so I just toodled on up there and picked out my new green, leafy babies. I should name them. Plant one: Barack. Plant two: Obama.

Okay, maybe not those names, but I really should name them. I'll let you know what I decide.

i loved this

i loved this, originally uploaded by emdot.

Images from the Flickrverse

Images from the Flickrverse, originally uploaded by emdot.

1. YES WE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, 2. UK Newspapers: the morning after, 3. Home Sweet Home | Hope Sweet Hope, 4. Obama!, 5. They Took to the Streets, 6. obama wins, 7. President Obama, 8. The First Black President, 9. EUROBAMA BASH PARTY INVITE, 10. Congratulations, Barack Obama!, 11. 171/365, 12. Go Obama!, 13. hope, 14. Yes, 15. good morning, america, 16. _RG00436, 17. Untitled, 18. ..., 19. Voted, 20. 308.366 | you're damn right i did!, 21. Hooray for the red white and blue, 22. Hope! Yes We Did!, 23. Untitled, 24. I Love My Country, 25. yes we can, 26. Barack Obama President : A dream come true, 27. Untitled, 28. maybe gloating a little..., 29. Untitled, 30. helen and i getting out the vote, 31. yes we did!, 32. Vote Obama, 33. 081104-2015-3, 34. Today, 35. Obama Rally - Houston, Texas36. Not available

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

A show of hands

it's a good day

_RG00436, originally uploaded by themexican.

just saw a note from a flickr friend that the NYTs is sold out in parts of Atlanta, Georgia. :) this photo, tho, is from NYC.

and the world said hey

..., originally uploaded by keri.

From Miss Keri Smith (actually missus, but we can always say miss, can't we?).

Good morning, America!

i'm so excited to use the words "my president" for the first time in eight years

i'm so excited to use the words "my president" for the first time in eight years, originally uploaded by emdot.

i voted and then i bought a new pair of boots

i voted and then i bought a new pair of boots, originally uploaded by emdot.

Step One: vote. check.

Step Two: acknowledge as you pull out of polling place parking lot that the metal-on-metal sound you hear tearing through your brain when applying brakes must be stopped.

Step Three: drive directly to shop; resign self to having to fork over a LOT of money for new brakes and probably new rotors.

Step Four: get to work.

Step Five: send file to printers; big project finally going to press. Yea! Plus, added bonus of no last-minute rush around problems.

Step Six: Get call from shop: brakes will be about $250 LESS than you anticipated.

Step Seven: thank your sweet stars above.

Step Eight: car's ready; go get it.

Step Nine: Reward self for most awesome day with new boots even though you went in for new maryjane's and they cost about $85 more than you planned to pay.

Step 10: try not to gloat too much about how awesome today is because you still have election coverage tonight and we really do not know how tonight will turn out but oh my god please please please let it be Barack Obama.

a note to zephyr1

a note to zephyr1, originally uploaded by emdot.

happy birthday to my girl in mass. we love and miss you, Reb.

papercuts

kitten kingdom, originally uploaded by emdot.

I'm a big fan of elsa mora and her amazing papercuts as well as Patricia Zapata, AKA a little hut.

today i decided to try... first problem -- what to cut. second problem -- it's hard! :) these are about two inches tall. i think you can tell the one of the left is my frist attempt; the one on the right is the second

how elsita gets those smooth edges is beyond me. i will keep trying.

Big Nathan, Little Ysa

Big Nathan, Little Ysa, originally uploaded by emdot.

My new little niece will be two weeks on election day. ;)