Today we went to Eto park. A postcard-sized mini-park in a hide-and-seek location in SLO Town. Blooms a-plenty.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Spotlight: Emdot on the Entitiled Blog
Man, this just made my morning. The ever lovely Powers That Be at the Flickr Entitled group have chosen me for the spotlight today on the Entitled Blog today. :) Thank you, Linda!
Things you can check out:
» Entitled group on Flickr
» My photos in the entitled group
» The Entitled Blog
Things you can check out:
» Entitled group on Flickr
» My photos in the entitled group
» The Entitled Blog
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Things I've recently liked
- the trucks: nursery punk (from fresh air)
I didn't know there was a name for this type of music, but I've loved it for most of my life. - Grandmaster Flash (from fresh air)
Really interesting interview... I love how T.G. knows just the questions to ask. Especially when she asks GMF to talk over one of his mixes to explain what he is doing. So great. - Martha Raddatz on the attack at Sadr City (from fresh air)
It's a heartbreak interview. The tone in her voice really belies how terrible the situation is... something you don't hear from most reporters. Plus, this woman really knows her stuff. - Country of Men novelist interviewed (from fresh air)
Again with the heartbreak. Tho... truly... life is a heartbreak. The bittersweetness of it all. A bit of this is captured in this interview
And then there are my recent favorites on Flickr. I don't have time to link to each photo or photographer, but you can see them all here.
Monday, March 05, 2007
I'm sorry Maryland, Wisonsin and Wyoming!
Well shoot. I thought I'd gotten 48 of our 50 states. But it turns out I put Connecticut down twice (stupid Connecticut).
Still, another quiz for you: name the 50 states in 10 minutes.
» Name 'em
Still, another quiz for you: name the 50 states in 10 minutes.
» Name 'em
Happy
For Hoo, because he asked:
Your Social Dysfunction: Happy
You're a happy person - you have a good amount of self-esteem, and are socially healthy. While this isn't a social dysfunction per se, you're definitely not normal. Consider yourself lucky: you walk that fine line between 'normal' and being outright narcissistic. You're rare - which is something else to be happy about.
Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com
Please note that we aren't, nor do we claim to be, psychologists. This quiz is for fun and entertainment only. Try not to freak out about your results.
How many countries can you name in 10 minutes?
I got 77 countries in 10 minutes. To be honest, I thought I would have done better than that. But one of my problems was that I didn't go continent by continent (which I recommend that you do), so I started forgetting which countries I had named and which I hadn't. Also... spelling counts on this one and that bit me a couple of times (Azerbaijan anybody?).
» Name the countries (from Kottke)
» Name the countries (from Kottke)
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Names which might have been mine if I had played a Native American in Dances with Wolves
- Burns the Coffee
- Speeds through Yellow Light
- Late for Work
- Swoons for Sharpies
- Always with the Puns Already
- Wastes Time with Flickr
- Sends DVDs Back Very Late to Netflix
- Drives the 101
- Doodles in Meetings
- Goes for Second Helping
It was a McSweeney's-filled lunch hour
the birds of paradise loved to get together in the morning to chit chat and catch up
Originally uploaded by emdot.
- McSweeneys: Band Names Rejected by the Smashing Pumpkins
- McSweeneys: Things That Get Way More Fun When You Add a "G" to Them
- McSweeney's: Alternate Titles for House of Flying Daggers
- McSweeney's: Things My Father Has Said to Me in Crowded Restaurants
- McSweeney's: Alternate Titles for O.J. Simpson's New Book
Friday, February 23, 2007
utata: front page -- yea!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Giving Things Up
In honor of today, I encourage you to check out and enjoy the Ash Wednesday tag on Flickr.
As the peeps (ha. my fingers just typed poops. sorry peeps.) who've read my bloggerel for a while know, I'm a sucker for lent and/or any short-time very focused giving up of things.
A couple of days ago my body said "no more alcohol!" and I decided that I needed to take a little break (I'd totally gotten into a very daily habit of a glass or two of wine; sometimes three. I'm all for wine, but probably not every damn day).
Just today, going through my Flickr contact photos I realized that it was the first day of lent. While my abstinence started a couple of days ago, I still marvel at how my psyche was naturally looking for something to give up temporarily. :)
Things I have temporarily and purposefully given up in the past:
As the peeps (ha. my fingers just typed poops. sorry peeps.) who've read my bloggerel for a while know, I'm a sucker for lent and/or any short-time very focused giving up of things.
A couple of days ago my body said "no more alcohol!" and I decided that I needed to take a little break (I'd totally gotten into a very daily habit of a glass or two of wine; sometimes three. I'm all for wine, but probably not every damn day).
Just today, going through my Flickr contact photos I realized that it was the first day of lent. While my abstinence started a couple of days ago, I still marvel at how my psyche was naturally looking for something to give up temporarily. :)
Things I have temporarily and purposefully given up in the past:
- Eating cheese
- Drinking caffeine
- Eating wheat (very hard!)
- Adding salt
- Eating meat (that one lasted a long time)
- Saying "I'm sorry" (I say it way too much)
- Drinking soda
- Buying books (for two years)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
I heart Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer (Pam from The Office) has a blog on TV Guide about how to make it as an actor. I saw a link to it from Kottke and the part he chose to quote kinda stopped me in my tracks:
» Of Office Emmy Cheers and Acting Careers
"I have a great acting coach who says that success in Hollywood is based on one thing: opportunity meets readiness. You cannot always control the opportunities, but you can control the readiness. So study your craft, take it seriously. Do every play, every showcase, every short film, every student film you can get. Swallow your pride. Be willing to work for nothing in things you think are stupid. Make work for yourself. Make your own luck. Don't complain. Hopefully, the work will find you if you are ready."This is how we should all approach everything.
» Of Office Emmy Cheers and Acting Careers
emdot GTD hacks
I've been working the Getting Things Done book since the beginning of the year. This book has literally changed my work life. I do take more time to organize things and sometimes that feels a little time-waste-y, but I've seen it pay off in time-savings even more so.
There are a few (or a lot?) of sites out there that discuss GTD and how people have morphed or embellished David Allen's suggestions to make the book work better for themselves and their unique situations.
Here are things that I have done that have really helped me.
David Allen recommends keeping all of your files sans hanging folders in a file cabinet. If you have to use hanging file folders, then make a strict rule that you only put a single folder in a single hanging file. Label your folder, not your hanging file.
So, I love me some hanging files. :)
Here're my hacks:
I was trying to just stack/lean them like Allen recommends, but they kept leaning the wrong way and that was driving me batshit crazy. So, modification bliss.
Other tips:
There are a few (or a lot?) of sites out there that discuss GTD and how people have morphed or embellished David Allen's suggestions to make the book work better for themselves and their unique situations.
Here are things that I have done that have really helped me.
David Allen recommends keeping all of your files sans hanging folders in a file cabinet. If you have to use hanging file folders, then make a strict rule that you only put a single folder in a single hanging file. Label your folder, not your hanging file.
So, I love me some hanging files. :)
Here're my hacks:
- One folder per hanging file folder
- Easy. Done. Awesome. No problem. I love this one.
- Exceptions: 43 folders
- Put current folders for the month in one hanging file folder
- Put next month's folder and its "children" in the next hanging file
- Put all of the other upcoming months in the next hanging file
I was trying to just stack/lean them like Allen recommends, but they kept leaning the wrong way and that was driving me batshit crazy. So, modification bliss.
Other tips:
- Deep hanging files
- Use "deep" hanging file folders for your 43 folders. This way your massive amounts of folders in one file will stay low and uniform with the rest of your files
- Single colors can decrease clutter
- Use hanging files that are all the same color and make sure it's a color that you love to look at
- I can understand the preferring many different colors. Livens up the work place?
- Paper clips for month organization
- If you still use the "lean" technique, put a paper clip on next month's folder as well as the month after that.
- That way it is easy to see where you need to put today's folder when it's time to file it.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Why San Francisco is more awesomer than your city
Pillow fight club! Every Valentine's Day. I love this. :)
» Pillow fight slideshow from Flickr group
» Photos tagged with san francisco pillowfight
» Article in the Chronicle
» Pillow fight slideshow from Flickr group
» Photos tagged with san francisco pillowfight
» Article in the Chronicle
Friday, February 16, 2007
archways and roadways
"To integrate meditation in action is the whole ground and point and purpose of meditation. The violence and stress and the challenges and distractions of this modern life make this integration urgently necessary.
"How do we achieve this integration, this permeation of everyday life with the calm humor and spacious detachment of meditation? There is no substitute for regular practice, for only through real practice will we begin to taste unbrokenly the calm of our nature of mind and so be able to sustain the experience of it in our everyday lives.
"If you really wish to achieve this, what you need to do is practice not just as occasional medicine or therapy but as if it were your daily sustenance or food."
— Sogyal Rinpoche
"How do we achieve this integration, this permeation of everyday life with the calm humor and spacious detachment of meditation? There is no substitute for regular practice, for only through real practice will we begin to taste unbrokenly the calm of our nature of mind and so be able to sustain the experience of it in our everyday lives.
"If you really wish to achieve this, what you need to do is practice not just as occasional medicine or therapy but as if it were your daily sustenance or food."
— Sogyal Rinpoche
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Give your cat a pat
Happy Valentine's Day people! This lovely photo is from the ever-neat, ever-creative, ever-fabulous Christine in Wales, aka NotCatherineZeta on Flickr.
If this doesn't warm your heart...
And from Brezny:
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It's time to take down the "Under Construction" signs and clean up the messes from your works in progress. At least for now, your heart has lost its drive for further renovation and rehabilitation. Whether you think you're ready or not, then, it's time for a grand re-opening. I suggest you offer free toasters or other incentives to pull in new clients, as well as to coax disaffected old ones into returning. It may also help to put up an "Under New Management" sign.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
A few links I have recently loved
- Keri Smith: Unbranding
What continues to inspire me are all of these crazy creative people online sharing what they think, make, do, create. Right up on the top of the list is Keri Smith. Her newest musings have to do with unbranding our lives. So she's created some templates you can print out to wrap up your cereal boxes, toothpaste tubes, and other whatnots around your house. - Terry Gross interviews Mark Wahlberg
This guy is way more interesting than I ever would have thought. Smart. Kinda humble. Maybe change that to honest/real. Very good interview. - Terry Gross interviews Molly Ivins (archives)
When people like Molly Ivins die is when I cross my fingers that reincarnation might be true. And if not reincarnation than I really really hope that it just means someone else talented, smart, witty, and ballsy quickly rises up to take her place. - Story Corp: Alzheimers
A Love that Burns Brightly. Story Corp can be a hit or a miss. But this one sinks right into the very marrow of growing older. - Terry Gross interviews Colin Meloy of the Decemberists
I love this band I love this band I love this band I love this band. And I really really love their newest album The Crane Wife. I love that CD I love that CD I love that CD.
Basically the above paragraph is all the proof anyone would ever need to know I should never be a critic or reviewer.
Sheer Joy and Exuberance!
Here's the photo I blogged about yesterday. Man I love this photo.
This is one of those photos that if you were to be very sad you could look at this and feel a little lighter in the shoulders and warmer in the heart.
Monday, February 12, 2007
There is no complaint choir in SLO Town and it makes me mad
My new favorite thing: the complaint choir. I saw the link today on Kottke and I gotta say — so so brilliant. Sing your woes, people! Sing your woes. And if you are interested in starting a Complaint Choir in San Luis Obispo, please contact me.
Ideas for lyrics:
It costs too much to buy a house
It costs too much to buy a house
It costs too much to buy a house
I'll be renting all my life
It costs too much to buy a house
Chainstores are taking up the downtown
It costs too much to buy a house
And the chainstores are taking up downtown
It costs too much to buy a house
All the food I like is fattening
It costs too much to buy a house
And the restaurants close too early
At night the raccoons taunt my cat
My neighbors don't take out the trash
It's not hard and it doesn't hurt
But I'm the one taking bins to the curb
It costs too much to buy a house
We pay extra tax on gas
I try not to drive my car too much
And I'm always taking out the trash
...
I could go on but 7s just called and I should be home by now! That can be the start of his complaint song. :)
Seriously. Watch the videos of the choirs. They made me very happy.
Need even more happiness (at this rate there will be no complaint choir)... check out this awesome sled dog photo from Montana Raven. I love love love love love this picture. :)
Ideas for lyrics:
It costs too much to buy a house
It costs too much to buy a house
It costs too much to buy a house
I'll be renting all my life
It costs too much to buy a house
Chainstores are taking up the downtown
It costs too much to buy a house
And the chainstores are taking up downtown
It costs too much to buy a house
All the food I like is fattening
It costs too much to buy a house
And the restaurants close too early
At night the raccoons taunt my cat
My neighbors don't take out the trash
It's not hard and it doesn't hurt
But I'm the one taking bins to the curb
It costs too much to buy a house
We pay extra tax on gas
I try not to drive my car too much
And I'm always taking out the trash
...
I could go on but 7s just called and I should be home by now! That can be the start of his complaint song. :)
Seriously. Watch the videos of the choirs. They made me very happy.
Need even more happiness (at this rate there will be no complaint choir)... check out this awesome sled dog photo from Montana Raven. I love love love love love this picture. :)
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