« July 2006 | Main | September 2006 »
August 31, 2006
vox redux
Hey. Neca asked for more information about Vox.
I learned about Vox reading Matt Haughey. He wasn't anyone I followed, but I just came across that post, and I just had a big uh-huh moment.
Here's what they say:
Vox is a new blogging tool from Six Apart, Ltd.. This is a unique and extraordinary type of blogging tool because we've put together the knowledge from TypePad, Movable Type, and LiveJournal and created a great new way to blog, with options for connecting to people and managing privacy at the same time.
Vox is a self-contained blogging system put together by Six Apart. They host it, they serve ads on it, you write it. They don't charge for the service.
You don't need to know any HTML to use it. In fact, you can't use HTML. Some people may find that frustrating, and I was one of them at first. But given that I code HTML for a living, I'm happy to just write and find multimedia, rather than spending time trying to get some great effect.
So essentially, initially, it's similar to Blogger in that its free. It's different from Blogger in a couple different important ways:
1) if you choose to put ads on your blogger blog, you earn that money; with vox, it comes with ads that support the service. You can't turn them off.
2) Vox is a community. You can read anything that's posted for public consumption, but if you're not a vox member, you can't comment.
3) Similar to LiveJournal, you choose your degree of revelation with Vox. We all are complicated people: we may want to write about a new opportunity, problems at work or home, or things that only your family would care about. With Vox, you can add people to your neighborhood (which is just a way of easily being able to read their entries), you can have friends, and you can have family. You decide who is what. And so you can write a friends only entry, and only your friends can read it or respond to it.
Mena Trott, the CEO of Six Apart, doesn't actually mention VOX in her talk at TED, but her banjo story talks about the painful difference of writing for the public vs writing for friends.. If you'd rather not stream the video, here's the short version:
In July of 2002, during the height of my traffic I wrote a weblog entry about wanting to purchase a banjo. The punchline being that I don't know how to play any musical instruments and that it was the sort of purchase that characterized my impulsiveness. And, in this weblog entry, I painted Ben as this overbearing tyrant of a husband who controlled my life and finances and couldn't understand that I just needed a banjo....
For those who knew me personally and those who had read my weblog since the beginning, the humor in this post was clear. Ben is as much an overbearing tyrant as I'm a professional banjo player.
...
So, back to the banjo post. I wrote it, turned on comments and sat back expecting the usual accolades that made this egoist tick. But then something different happened. In my comments and in my email inbox I received a different sort of comment. The tone could be summed up by this comment:
"Being married is about respecting each other. If your husband won't let you spend your collective money on a purchase you want, you should consider if this is the sort of man you want to spend your life with. After all, how much does he spend on beer in the course of a year."
Anyways, the offer is still open. I have invites. Just ask.
August 28, 2006
vox
I've been doing some writing at Vox lately. It's interesting. Some of the interface works great, and some of it is frustrating, but by and large, I like having this interface that I don't have to code. I like the fact that it's all out of my control.
It does multimedia really well. You can easily post photos, videos, and books -- audio, I suppose, too, though I haven't tried it.
It lends itself very well to both short, spur of the moment posts and longer ones. And, like livejournal, you can set the level of privacy, so there are entries everyone can read, just friends, just family, etc. It's not as good as the LJ filtering system but most of us don't need that.
So. I have a handful of invites to give away. Want one? Write me!
And check out what I've been doing there at vj.vox.com
August 25, 2006
music meme
it works like this:
You reply to this post and I give you a letter of the alphabet. Then you drudge up 10 songs that start with said letter and put them in your journal (with these or similar instructions).
Cheesepuppet gave me the letter B, so here's my list!
- Baby, I can't please you, Sam Phillips
- Bad News from the Stars, Stereo Total
- Ballad of a Comeback Kid or Broken Beads or Bleeding Heart Show, The New Pornographers
- Believe what you're saying, Sugar
- Birdhouse in your Soul, They Might Be Giants
- Birds or Bon Voyage, Quasi; Field Studies
- Birthday Cake, Cibo Matto
- Bole Chudiyan from the film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
- Braided Hair, Speech & Neneh Cherry (from 1 Giant Leap)
- Brazilectro, Zuco 103
- Broken Ship, Immaculate Machines
- But I'm different now, the Jam
- Butts Wigglin, The Tragically Hip
crossposted at vj.vox.com (with videos of some of these)
August 22, 2006
Slow, it's the new fast
So. It's been weird since I returned the Trek. For a couple days, I felt like I didn't have a bike to commute on.
When I'd think about the Townies, it wouldn't seem right. I can't ride the 24 because it's not mine (not that he would care, probably, but). And it doesn't have a front basket. I can't ride the 3speed because it's a 3speed.
But I finally got back in the saddle last Wednesday. I rode Pinky the three speed, mostly because it had the basket in front. I just love the basket. And the ride in was good.
But I had something happen at work that was bad, so on the ride home I was battling tears. Trying really hard to not be the fat lady on a bike who's crying. And I decided then and there that I was going to go very slow. Because things were bad enough as they were.
That night, I started thinking about it. I started really making progress walking when I slowed down. When I quit pretending each walk was a race. When I decided that each walk would be its own reward.
So, hey, as Misty says, Slow is the new fast. My goal is to not need to lay down at the end of the commute home.
So, I've been going slower. Trying to enjoy the ride, which is always easy in the morning and quite a bit more difficult in the afternoon.
And knowing, while I'm taunted with images of Dutch bikes, that somewhere, my ideal commuter waits. I just gotta find it.
Yeah, whatever
I hate the fact that my mood can shift so suddenly.
I had a nice ride into work, and as I'm in the right turn lane, ready to turn the corner into my building, I see a guy who works in the building. It's not that I recognize him: I recognize his bike, this sweet matte black and shiny red Trek.
So I say, "Sweet bike!"
And he says, "Yeah, whatever."
And I say, "I was serious."
And now I'm pissed. I'm all $#*()& you, &Y*@, though he's long gone.
Why can't people be nice? Now my day is shot.
August 15, 2006
the Bike Gallery rocks
If you need to buy a bike in Portland, you could do much worse than the Bike Gallery. Much worse.
They're who I've bought my last couple bikes from. They've been generous with service and helpful with advice and just plain nice.
I returned the bike last night. I felt like a turd. I almost started crying at the register. I so love the idea of that bike, and yet the riding of it is so thoroughly awkward. I rode it to the store, and while starting up was fine, stopping was a nightmare. Ack.
The folks at the Bike Gallery were totally cool.
"That's why we have the 30 day guarantee. We want you to love your bike. There's no use buying a bike if you aren't going to love it."
I almost started crying (again).
While I was there, I ran into a old friend whose partner was buying a bike. A Townie, baby blue, all decked out with white fenders and a white bike bag—so lovely. It'll be a good bike for her—she wants to start cycling—and she was obviously tickled by the Townie.
August 14, 2006
holding pattern
I had an entry all written up, but it's gone now, through the magic of cats. Gosh, I love cats. Did I mention we might get a new kitten? Because we don't already have enough cats?
I'm going to return the bike tonight. It makes me really sad, because this did seem like it would be a great bike, and I'm sure it is a great bike: for someone other than me. But it feels like a personal failing. I need to get over it. The world is full of bikes, there will be one for me. Someday.
The interesting part of all this is that I don't have a replacement. I've called and called and called the folks with the breezer, but I've never actually managed to get a hold of them, and they haven't taken down their cra1gsl1sting, and so I am going crazy, crazy, crazy. Oh well.
The thought of going back to the Townie for commuting seems, well, crazy. It seems like a big step back.
...
In other news, I was compulsively websurfing yesterday as I seem to frequently find myself doing, and suddenly I had this click. What the hell was I doing? Why am I doing this when important things, like reading and housecleaning and yarn work, and hanging with Sweetie, are here in the real world? Why is the interwebs so compelling?
So I shut the computer and I started cleaning. I didn't get a huge amount down, but I managed to throw out about a bag full, recycle another bag, and bring three bags out to the car. It felt really good.
August 10, 2006
I am powerless before bikes
So.
I've had this thought going through my head since I bought the new bike, that I should have held out and bought the Breezer. I just kept thinking, well, this is better on the Breezer, and that is better. Sure the current bike is okay. But the generator thingee is wearing out the side of the tires and it makes this horrible hissing noise when I ride.
So hey, at some point in the future, I'll buy a Breezer.
Except, of course, there's a Breezer available right now. Used, right size, nice color. Oh crap.
To make matters worse, I'm still under the returning period -- I could return the new bike. And then I'd feel like a total and complete schmendrick schmuck. Hell, I feel like a schmuck even having these thoughts.
August 8, 2006
a good day
It's been a good day. I rode the new bike into work today, and, while the getting started from a stop thing is hard, it's getting easier. I'm getting a little better about trusting that I can balance. It's a weird thing, feeling like I'm learning how to cycle again. Amazed how far my leg can reach and how tight the ball of my calf can go.
I had a good day at work today too. I learned something new, on my own. I broke something and then fixed it. At lunch, I went someplace new (yuck) and strolled and took pictures.
My knee still hurts a lot of time, though not when I'm cycling. It's hot to the touch and still firm and swollen. But I suppose as long as I shaved my legs, I could wear a long skirt to work.
The ride home was a trial, but I made it, I did it, and then I got to eat an omelette that my sweetie made along with some homebrewed hefeweizen. It was good, too. We've spent the evening reading with all the animals on hand. The dog has been especially devoted this evening.
I just got The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women who surrendered their children for adoption in the decades before Roe v. Wade from the library. It's good. I think it'll make up its own entry.
August 7, 2006
He's so cute, he's like a little bee!
From Beedogs. This web site really makes me rethink my use of time. Like, I could be knitting dog bee costumes right now!
This is the sweetest RAGBRAI story ever. AJ seems to do well riding under the influence. But what a lionheart! He sees Lance, he makes the climb, all after 4 bloody marys. Whoa.
Going out of town was a bit of a brute with a long climb out of the river valley. On the way up the hill from behind me, I hear Uncle Terry yell “LANCE”. I look back to find Mr. 7 Time Tour de France champ chuggin’ up the hill with his crew in tow. FAST. As quickly as any mind floating in vodka and tomato juice could, I made the decision to pull over and grab the camera out of my pannier for another chase. Lance laughs as he passes me. He’s seen this before.http://2wheelcommute.blogspot.com/
(oh, and I found this in a new-to-me blog called bikehugger.com. Schweet!)
a sheepish step forward
So, I went to the gym today. I feel remarkably better than yesterday, and I even thought about riding my bike this morning. But I am the queen of overdoing it, and I really don't want to overdo it this time. Especially if it will have any effect on my knee with the goose egg.
But I went to the gym. Just getting into the gym is cause for rejoicing. Then I weighed myself and I'm 4 pounds down from my pre-fall weight; last week when I went to the doctor, my weight had jumped up 10#. So, it appears a lot of the weight gain was water, or I really just was pretty sick. Maybe both.
I did a couple reps of standing balance exercises. Yikes. No wonder I fell.
And then I did the life system circuit, doing only the arms. Them, I did at least three reps of each. I tried to go light for the first rep, and then lighter for the following reps. I'm gonna hurt tonight, but at least it will be a good hurt.
I want to see if I can squeeze in some more exercise later in the hopes that I'll sleep good tonight. I've slept so awful while I've been sick. A girl can hope.
August 6, 2006
more sidelining
Well, this last week or so sure has been dull.
I've written out my whole sob story, but you're not really here for that. I have housemaid's knee (a goose egg size bump out the side—attractive!), and the last four days have been marked by some sort of rolling illness involving breakouts, feverishness, severe headache, muscle and bone pains, and stomach flueyness. I initially thought I was allergic to the antibiotic for my knee, now, well, can you get a severe headache from a virus?
I was hoping to be starting the week fresh, but I'll be lucky if I can make it to work tomorrow.
And then there's my stoopid knee. I don't have full range of motion yet, nor, obviously, without pain. I'm walking without a limp. I'm dying to bike, but I don't want to screw up what I've already screwed up plenty well, thanks. Bridge Pedal next week looks entirely unlikely. I'm so bummed.
