Jesse says...

Chasing Windmills was on WCCO last night! Yay! We’re news-worthy! (Look for Local Bloggers ‘Chasing Windmills’ on Web TV Show)

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?

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).

Our good buddies at Red Hat have produced some slick and inspiring propaganda videos pushing Linux.

Check out the Truth Happens campaign at redhat.com

I love the Internet. I get so much from the Internet: not only does the Internet provide me a steady paycheck via a web-related job, the Internet also gives me outlets to satisfy my many curiosities and hobbies, as well as a way to just pass the time. While I still watch a lot of DVDs, and the occasional television show, I would still have to say that the Internet is my primary form of entertainment. But not only do I enjoy content distributed via the Internet, like Yacht Rock and ChinesePod and LugRadio, I enjoy content about the Internet.

Take my most recent addictions: Google Current and Rocketboom. I’m sure I’ve mentioned Rocketboom before, since it’s just a damn awesome show, but I’ve really gotten back into it, mostly since upgrading my system has allowed me to store more video and play it more smoothly. Google Current is a relatively recent addiction, but one which got me hooked right off the bat.

Both are news-ish shows. Rocketboom has a focus more on discussing topics that are currently causing a buzz around blogs and forums of the net. Google Current takes a search term that’s been popular on Google lately, and expands that to show what people are actually searching for (and finding) on the Internet. What’s really remarkable about both shows is that they share a similar format: short shows (4 – 7 minutes average), with multiple stories/topics within that timeframe, and a good dosage of reality and humor.

Both shows “get” the Internet, and “get” web attention spans, and “get” how to connect with a busy, but involved, audience. The hosts of both shows (Amanda Congdon on RB, and Conor Knighton and Kinga Philipps on GC) represent the web’s version of news anchors: they’re young, they goof around, and they have the right balance of geek and chic. Neither show is overtly glossy or rehearsed-feeling, although GC has a bit more of that, due to being backed by Current TV’s (and presumably Google’s) budget. Still, both shows feel like someone with the right equipment and time could have produced it out of their basement.

The Internet already has a lot of stories and myths, and a rich world-spanning history. It’s amazing to be at the beginning of this, and to see the formation of Entertainment around the Internet, as people start to tell (and broadcast) these stories. As the gypsies would say:

May you live in interesting times.

Indeed.

Hilarious. Watch it!

I stayed up waaaay to late last night to watch I ♥(Heart) Huckabees.

What can I say… so damn good.

Mr. Hooten: God gave us oil! He gave it to us! How can God’s gift be bad?
Tommy Corn: I don’t know. He gave you a brain too and you messed that up pretty damn good.