Jesse says...

Tanya is trying to get me to stick to my commitment of posting once a week. Damn, I’m so far behind already. Lots of fun new stuff… here we go:

Classes started up again. I teach, for those just tuning in. I am teaching Intro to Interactive Media at the College of Visual Arts. You can unwatch the course unfold on the class blog. So far, the class is looking good. We’ll see if I can whip them into shape ;)

In more school related news, Ali started her first year of Montessori this year. She’s doing great so far, and I’m constantly impressed at the level of trust the teachers put in the students, and how much responsibility the kids learn because of that. This can only be a great experience for her.

In other news, I’m trying to get back into the Etoile and GNUstep communities after a summer haitus. Have been making both new friends and new icons. I’m thinking we might have some really cool stuff to show at FOSDEM next year.

Also, I’m working on my Internet fame. You should hopefully be seeing me pop up in a little video blog series I’m now a part of called Chasing Windmills. The folks who started it, Cristina Cordova and Juan Antonio del Rosario, are simply amazing. If you’ve got an evening or two on your hands, check out their first season… certainly some of the best video stuff being done on the web right now.

I think that’s about it… let’s see if I can’t be a bit more consistent about these updates, huh?

Allow me to confess. I’ve been bad. Very bad. I’m many, many ways.

First of all, I’ve been neglectful of my blogging duties. I had meant to post at least once a week. I will try to do better. I will recite ten 404-error haikus as penance.

Second, I have received a multitude of Illustration Friday emails, and have participated in none. I commit to doing next week’s theme. I will sing “Numa Numa” three times as penance.

Third, I have commited grave sins of Non-Replying against my fellow mailing list members. I have found new interests that have taken me away from you all. Those interests will end by the end of the year. I will reenact the Star Wars Kid one time as penance.

Finally, I have had many unpostable thoughts. Not about pr0n, you sicko. Just things that are not worth posting about, thus the lack of involvement with you lately, my dear Internet. Actually, strike that. I’ve had tons of postable thoughts. But, they must remain hidden. At least until the end of the year. Big fun adventures are underway… But, basically, if you know of any girls with long dark hair and a desire to act, who are in the Twin Cities area, I need to talk to them about something. And again, not about pr0n, you sicko.

I think, perhaps, I may be reverting to middle school. I have been making far too many purchases of comic books from the mid-90′s (“Oh, hello my good friends Magnus, X-O and Turok! Welcome to my home!”), and I have this overwhelming feeling that maybe, just maybe, things are going to be

What’s new since last we chatted?

…Been doing a lot of freelance… I guess that’s not really new. Oh, but I am working on two sites in Rails right now, and I love it. It’s freaking amazing how productive I am with it, mostly because the environment is so well thought out (Ruby is a damn fine language, too). One site is for a personal project, and the other site is for a buddy of mine, Peter. I can’t talk too much about either right now, but I think Peter’s should still launch some time this year… mine may be quite a bit later than that.

…Saw X-Men 3 — and I was entertained. Obviously operates in a totally different universe than the canonical timeline, but it was still really enjoyable. Not as good as either 1 or 2, but still a good summer action flick with some characters I really dig.

…Weather’s been really hot up here. Almost Florida-like, actually. God I hate summer.

…I’m in a really bad mood at the moment — trying to prevent that from corrupting all the good things that have been going on lately.

…Saw Imogen Heap the Tuesday before last. Super, super fun show. I highly recommend her, as well as the Varsity Theater now. It’s a really nice venue I hadn’t been to before — very atmostpheric (if not a tad too non-air-conditioned), and decent sound. Also, it’s right next to the Loring Pasta Bar, which is the ultimate first date restaurant.

…Got my student reviews/evaluations back the other day. They had some very nice things to say, and, all in all, it was very positive. They want me to give them a bit more (or a lot more) detailed information in grading their projects. I promise I’ll work on that… wait… what is that smell? Do I sense another Rails app in the works? (Yeah, like I need another project…

…Taught Cristina and Juan Antonio some HTML and CSS goodness — they are super, super awesome people, by the way…

…Why are there no good, small, inexpensive, color, touch screen LCDs? Is that so much to ask for? (Apparently yes)

…I also promise to put some more art up too… but for now, you can watch my adventures into creating artificial fire (ah, the magic of Photoshop and a Wacom tablet).

So fold my heart up small
Or break it into pieces
Find somewhere
And keep it there
Take it
When
You
Go

When You Go, Jonathan Coulton

• When you realize that you really are in over your head, keep only the things that are crucial.
• Chefs are artists and consider themselves as such. For as much as I like food, I should have realized that long ago.
• Don’t put too many hopes into the asides that people make. And, on that note, don’t assume anything. Ever.
• I either need to learn to enjoy the bar atmosphere, or start getting more sleep. Only one of these gives me a better chance of becoming more outgoing.
• Ice can be a very, very bad thing. Especially when you have a baby in your arms, and it’s black and near-invisible. (I didn’t fall — but had I, it would have been very not pleasant.)
• The jury is still out on whether it’s safe for me to have crushes on everyone.
• I want someone to have a crush on me for a change. (Amen, Big Poppa E!)
• The Internet never ceases to amaze me.
• The world would be an exponentially better place if more people figured out a way to barter services with one another. Money means that we can live our lives being anti-social. Bartering brings us together and forces us to forge relationships with people we might not otherwise have met.
• Chinese is a really damn fun language. Or maybe I just like the process of learning and the socializing part of it. Or all of the above.
• Trust your instincts. Regardless of what the “safety-net” in your mind says.

Sometimes, everything in your day goes wrong.

Except for that one thing, but it happens in such a way that everything that comes after it sucks. And then you forget about that one good thing until you start writing a journal entry. But you are still bitter, so you still act pissed off and continue with the entry. Then you get distracted, and in your distraction you become even more pissed off, and when you come back from your distraction, you continue writing. Cause you’re pissed. And everyone should know about it.

Honestly, what the hell is wrong now?

Interesting… perhaps…

Johari Window

How’s this for a bit of bad luck…

So, two weeks ago I got my car fixed up, all shiny and new. As of yesterday, my battery light started flashing every so often. This morning, it was a might more regular, which quickly escalated into ‘always on’. I managed to get to my client meeting this morning, then to work this afternoon, then out of the parking lot leaving work. I was about half way home (dark outside at this point), when my dash lights start disappearing in front of me (except for Check Battery light). Then, ABS light comes on. Then Air Bag. Then Brake. Um… not good. I’m thinking at this point I may be losing my headlights and taillights. Then, it all goes out, all the electrical in my car. I have no idea how fast I’m going, or if I have external lights or not (but I’m thinking not). I’m making my way around the cloverleaf to get onto 35E, the major freeway to my house, when, on the top of the bridge, I lose everything. My car just goes out on me.

Dammit.

So, I pull off the road as much as possible, get my phone out to call Tanya to save me:

‘BEEP. BEEP. Sorry, but you don’t have enough minutes to place this call.’

Dammit.

Okay, get in the car, pull out my credit card to add some more minutes. Phone dies.

Dammit.

A MnDOT guy finds me, luckily, and pushes my car off the freeway, and calls a tow-truck for me. He lets me use his phone to call Tanya to come save me.

The tow guy shows up, he’s got other places to be, so we drive off before Tanya gets there, and I can’t get a hold of her cell to let her know. Finally get a hold of her after she’s been looking for me for a few minutes. He drives me up to the auto body shop behind my house… so Tanya unnecessarily drove with (a totally starving) Ali for like 1/2 hour.

Dammit.

Tow cost me $130, and I have no idea what they’ll find with my car… hopefully it’s just the battery. But still, I dropped over $500 into my car in under two weeks. The really sucky part is that I specifically asked them to check my battery when I had it in last time (because my battery light flicked on twice before I had it in). Apparently that did not happen, or I wouldn’t have been stranded on the freeway, nor would I have had to dish out money for a tow.

Dammit.

Fucking cars, fucking Friday the 13th.

For anyone who’s been looking for me, my new year has not started out all that great, so I’ve been in hiding. Or maybe that should say quarantine. Not only have I been really sick, but my daughter Ali has been really sick. Add to the sick list Ali’s mom, and my mom and sister, who usually watch Ali during the day.

Let’s not forget that my car broke down, which cost me a bunch of money to repair.

Because of little things like these, I’ve gotten a bit behind on my freelance work (sorry Katie, sorry Etoile guys, sorry Saso!). Those factors also contribute to me neglecting my friends somewhat (sorry Aline, sorry Michael, sorry Guys!).

So, that’s the state of my world… hang in there, and I’ll be back to the land of the living soon…