New Header. Including a nice picture of Jenny for the first time in a header for ArtLung.com.

The isometric block at upper left is something I’ve been toying with.

There’s something compelling about 3D space with perspective removed. It reminds me of the thesis of How to Lie With Maps: Maps are paradoxical – to communicate spatial truth, they must conceal and simplify.

Just as soon as I put it up, what was a New Header is now old. And has been put in deadheaders. Replacing it is a scanline webcam-type number.

I think I’m obsessed with ornamental headers.

Tomorrow I fly to Austin, Texas, USA for SXSW aka “South by Southwest”.

I am looking forward once again to the wondrous process of putting faces with names. Let’s hope I have pleasant flights, cabs, and that the hotel works out ok. We shall see.

I am sittng in my seat on a Southwest flight to Las Vegas. There is a trio of bimbettes ‘back and to my left.’ They have paid the four bucks and orderd tequila. They will reach their destination in Las Vegas. I will avoid them by changing planes in LV for Austin. (written on 03/8/2001)

I had a great time at SXSW – though it wasn’t as mind-blowing as I might have hoped.

What was very cool was meeting many many fine folks of evolt.org. Magnifico.

Milestones:
   Today, WebSanDiego.org turns 2.
   Tomorrow, I turn 31.
Also, made some major changes to the navigation of this site. Hopefully didn’t introduce any new bugs.

Must now sleep.

Entered the Reddy Kilowatt Makeover contest – #02001.1 – a Viridian Design Contest.

…Here’s the final result.

Hey, I can do as I please, it’s my birthday.

Coolest message I got on my birthday — from my Hawaiian-born friend Steve K
“Well – Happy Birthday Joe, Otanjobi Omedeto joe-san, Hauoli lahanou Joe.

another shooting in my town. as the new header proclaims, it’s springtime. but the sublime beauty of the flowers does not remove the essential truth that life is cruel, brutish and short.

More and more I find myself in a role of elder statesmen. I think somehow that by taking on more responsibility I have become more responsible.

When I worked as a Respiratory Therapist it was clear cut. My responsibility was clear. I protect and maintain the airway, venitilation, respiration, and try to be a compassionate caregiver to my patients.

In my present professional world, as a developer, and as a leader, and as a person who interacts with clients, I have broader and somehow scarier responsibilities.

I feel more responsible now, and feel like I do a good job. I have have slipped into being a better person by trying to pay attention to people and by being as forthright as possible with people.

Bonus points: mistakes in web development seldom result in death.

Continuing the overreaction to thoughtcrime: Third grader is suspended for a drawing of a soldier and military paraphernalia.

As a person who as a kid was always drawing, this sickens me. The freedoms my country (the USA) offers are being chipped away. I feel for the kids of today.

I’ve been a “bachelor” for the last few days while my wife is visiting family in Miami. I find that I really do miss her. The cat seems to miss her as well. Every so often he just starts meowing and looking at me, as if to say: “isn’t there something missing here?.

At any rate, she’ll be back soon, and the cat and I will be at peace.

In the meantime, we’ll tough it out.

From the “I forgot to mention it department” – the current header contains a picture of the Carlsbad Flower Fields from last year. Even a schmuck like me can occasionally take a nice digital picture.

Previous headers live here.

Inspired from a posting to DigitalEve SanDiego… I dredge up a wonderful speech from Bruce Sterling on “Wooing the Muse of the Odd” – it’s about pushing at boundaries and being unique. Design is not about limitations. It’s about possibility.

The very talented Deb Shadoviz wrote this book about Adobe GoLive called The GoLive 5 Bible, and she used a quote of mine in the chapter on CSS. So you should check it out next time you’re in the web design section of your local bookstore, or you can buy it from trusty old Amazon.

Rosie O’Donnell On Math. Do people really think that computers mean we don’t have to know math? That the advent of electronics and digital logic means mankind can sit back and coast?

A real pity.

[new url as of october 2001]