July 2010
4 posts
1 tag
A Sponsor's Prayer
Last night I was asked to be a sponsor for a candidate in our RCIA program at church. I am overjoyed at the opportunity. This is something I have prayed about for the past 4 months and was very thankful when I was asked. After returning home I had some time to think about it and was suddenly overwhelmed with the idea. While my journey to the Church has been a long one, I was just confirmed...
3 tags
Double Corn Casserole
There are a few dishes we have enjoyed in my family as long as I can remember. I’m not sure where many of these recipes originated, as they are mostly relegated to memory or very discolored, hand written recipe cards. I thought it would be a good idea to post some of them on here so they are kept as a record as well as passed on to others outside our family. The first recipe I’d...
4 tags
iPhone 4 Wallpapers
I used to post quite a few wallpapers on here. I think it’s time to post a few iPhone ones that I have been enjoying. These are designed for the iPhone 4 (640 x 960). I’ll post more as I make them.
2 tags
My Apps 01
I just posted a picture on Flickr of my current iPhone apps. I’m really liking iOS4 and the new folders option. click image to view full size
March 2010
1 post
1 tag
The Dangerous Prayer
One of the beautiful and terrifying aspects of being a Catholic is the ever present level of accountability. As Catholics we are called on to live our faith every moment. We are to look out for and provide for those who God puts into our lives. We are called to share our faith through example every day. We are called to reflect on God’s grace and to work towards forgiveness and holiness...
January 2010
3 posts
2 tags
Divan Divine
We made Chicken Divan last night that turned out great (except the broccoli needed to be cooked a little longer before baking). I tried a recipe I had used before, but modified it a little. Here’s the recipe for a wonderful Chicken Divan: Ingredients: 6 cups cooked chicken (chopped into slightly larger than bite sized pieces) 20 oz. (around 5-6 cups) cooked broccoli (chopped and drained...
1 tag
Essential People
One of the greatest things about finding your faith again is being able to look back and see how God has worked in your life through other people. The people God uses to affect your life are often the ones you don’t expect. He uses those who challenge us and make us challenge ourselves. This may be through trials of patience, perspective, or even strife. It can also be through unexpected...
1 tag
A Resolution For A Father
With the Christmas season fresh in my mind, I find myself reflective in the new year. This year I want to make a resolution that is both challenging and workable. One of the greatest, and most rewarding challenges in my life has been becoming a father. It was the first time I found profound reason to start casting away my own desires and putting the needs of my children first. Being as...
December 2009
1 post
1 tag
The 2009 Revolution
2009 has been a truly amazing year in tech. It’s almost been overwhelming with all the product releases. This year we saw all the following release: OS X Snow Leopard Windows 7 iPhone 3GS Droid Bing BlackBerry OS 5 (plus Tour, Curve, Bold 2, Storm 2) 27” iMacs (sort of, they’re not working well) Netbook saturation Chrome OS and much more! I don’t think a lot of people...
November 2009
5 posts
2 tags
Jailbreak FTW
Due to RIM’s haphazard Mac support and lagging dev tools, I have made the switch to iPhone. I’m still a big fan of BlackBerries, but am quickly finding my stride with the iPhone life. The symbiotic usage with the Mac is beautiful. Since I can’t leave any device I own alone, I was immediately intrigued with the idea of jailbreaking. It appeals to my tinkering side and offers...
iSwitched
Those of you who know me are well aware that I’m a serious tech/gadget junkie. I’ve used more mobile devices and platforms than most small towns. My smartphone affair started years ago with early Windows Mobile devices and within minutes I was hopelessly hooked on these mobile computers. I was never very happy with WinMobile due to bugs and over-complicated UI. I switched to Palm a...
Dumb Is Not A Virtue
I have been looking for a working, third-party Tumblr client for Mac. I don’t use Dashboard, so the widget was not an option. I tried a few web based ones but was not impressed. MarsEdit has Tumblr support (the only desktop power client with support) but I couldn’t get it to work due to errors. I didn’t find anything on my search so I went back to MarsEdit and gave it another try. No matter how...
Tumbl(e) into a new blog
As I’ve moved into our new life in Phoenix I have found my life is far more mobile. While I still use WordPress for my main sites, it’s increasingly more difficult to post quick, mobile posts while on the go. I’ve decided to give Tumblr a try to see if I can evolve my personal blog into a more frequent and mobile experience. The layout and tools are simple and to the point,...
September 2009
1 post
2 tags
More Mac And Cheese
I have posted about my love affair with mac and cheese before. I’ve recently been making this more often as my son is now old enough to appreciate the real stuff. In the earlier post I included a recipe that was Velveeta based. I had quite a bit of cheddar cheese so I tried a few different standard recipes. After some experimentation and a lot of meals, I think I’ve settled on my...
July 2009
1 post
2 tags
BlackBerry Tour 9630
It’s been almost a year since I made the switch to BlackBerry. I’ve used just about every major smartphone on the market at one point or another and always found them lacking somehow. Within a few days of use I fell in love with the BlackBerry platform and have been hooked ever since. I’ve owned 4 BlackBerries over the past year and the latest is hands down my favorite. I...
June 2009
2 posts
2 tags
Twitter, What's The Point?
I’ve been using Twitter now for over a year. I’m often asked by friends and colleges, “What’s the point?”. Twitter is definitely a new breed of web service and is easily misunderstood by new users. I was one of those who scoffed at this seemingly inane service when it first launched. It appeared to me to be something only appealing to voyeuristic teens. Why would...
1 tag
Slacker Versus Pandora
I’ve been asked quite a few times why I prefer Pandora Radio over Slacker Radio. I’ve had a hard time explaining what it is about Pandora’s music choices I liked more. I received an email from someone from Slacker Radio asking if I would do a direct comparison of the two services and point out the song choices I preferred. It took about an hour to set up the test, but the...
May 2009
2 posts
1 tag
Pandora
Long gone are my days of mix-tapes and road trips. I will forever have a special place in my heart when it comes to the mighty cassette tape and all the fantastic blends of road music I created over the years. I used to have a massive appetite for new music. Many bands were discovered through friends, concerts, and sampling of other people’s mix-tapes. I have found over the years it is...
1 tag
Slacker Radio
I’ve been a fan of streaming radio since the early days of WinAmp and Shoutcast. Now streaming reaches a whole new level with mobile device support. There are a few choices when it comes to streaming on your desktop and phone, but the one that stands above the crowd on BlackBerry is Slacker Radio. When Slacker was first announced last year, BlackBerry users were chomping at the bit to try...
March 2009
5 posts
1 tag
EventBox
I have been searching for quite a while for the perfect Twitter client for Mac. I tried Twitterific for a while but found it a little too simplistic for my tastes and usage. TweetDeck is a great tool but the layout has never been my favorite. Twhirl is my favorite client on Windows and it offers the features I love, but it doesn’t integrate well with Mac very well. I stumbled across EventBox...
2 tags
Living In The Storm 02
It’s been a few more weeks now with the BlackBerry Storm and I wanted to give a little update as to daily usage thoughts. I still love my Storm. I’ve come to realize a couple things that may cause some trouble for some: Not For Beginners The standard OS that comes on the Storm is junk. Most horrible reviews are because of this buggy and incomplete OS. To get a truly great experience...
4 tags
20 Storm Walls
I wanted to share some of my favorite wallpapers for the BlackBerry Storm. All of these are in 360x480 .jpg format. To download a wallpaper just right-click and save the image.
2 tags
Living In The Storm
Last week my wife and I both upgraded to BlackBerry Storms. I was hesitant to move to the Storm at first. When they first came out I tested a few devices at VZW stores and found them to be slow, unresponsive, and buggy. After hearing so many complaints from testers I was sure I didn’t want one of these “disaster” BlackBerries. News started to trickle in of bug fixes and OS...
2 tags
BlackBerry Storm Tricks
There are quite a few navigation and usage tricks for the BlackBerry Storm. I wanted to list a few I found particularly useful. App Switcher Hold the BlackBerry button for a few seconds and the trusty app switcher will pop up on your screen. This is handy for quickly switching between popular apps. Home Screen Customization If you go into your secondary screen (click the BB button from the...
February 2009
4 posts
1 tag
Ultimate WordPress Install
There are countless instructional guides out there on installing WordPress. I highly recommend using WordPress.org’s own tutorial as a great starting point on getting a basic install accomplished. The biggest question when installing WordPress is, “Now what?”. I’ve been asked many times what plugins I use on this site as well as how I maintain the site daily for the best...
1 tag
The Blogging Quest
After trying just about every blogging client available for Mac, I have found one that truly shines brighter than the rest. Blogo is unique in so many ways. The interface is definitely different than most Mac offerings as they have left the Aqua look behind in favor of gray and blue bezels. This is the first blogging client I have used that is on par with Windows Live Writer as far as ease of use...
1 tag
The Blog Hole
As I’ve moved my life back to the Mac I’ve found most applications I use are easily replaced with a Mac compatible version. There are a few titles I have had to adapt to but overall it’s been a pleasant experience. The one field that seems to be severly lacking is blogging tools. On PC there is a fantastic program called Windows Live Writer by Microsoft that is the best...
1 tag
Back To Mac
After almost four years exclusively PC (Windows, Linux) I have finally gone back to using a Mac. I bought a new aluminum MacBook and have been getting back into the swing of things with OS X. I am definitely still a multi-OS user and will remain that way as I feel it’s the only way to truly be connected in this digital age. My first impressions with the new Mac are very positive. I wanted...
January 2009
2 posts
2 tags
TwitterWalls
This past week has been a flurry of activity around my home. After a very successful round of work for Design Offering, I am proud to announce the launch of TwitterWalls! TwitterWalls provides custom designed Twitter backgrounds to make your Twitter page really pop. We work with you to design a truly unique look for your Twitter page. Having a custom design on your page helps your reach your...
2 tags
Seven Things About Me, Seven People To Know
I was tagged by a great friend, Nan Palmero today. For those not familiar with tagging, here are the rules: I must write seven interesting things about myself. I must tag seven others to do the same. I notify them via a tweet or blog comment. Seven interesting facts about me: I have moved over 25 times and lived in 15+ locations including most major sections of the U.S. (by choice, not...
December 2008
3 posts
1 tag
Project Reborn
I would like to officially announce the rebirth of the design project. We had some setbacks over the holidays but are now able to start doing work once again. As before, design projects are done for a voluntary donation. If you can afford to help the project, please give freely as it can greatly help others. If your in need of design work, please head to the project website, Design Offering,...
1 tag
Snow, Ice, and Wonderful
This past few weeks has been a roller coaster of ups and downs for us. We received some wonderful presents from friends and family and it looked as if the holidays would be amazing. We had a strange turn of weather here and got quite a bit of snow and ice. After the first hit of snow our car was hit multiple times by other cars and did some definite damage. Thankfully the others insurance was...
1 tag
Wii World
We were given a Nintendo Wii system with quite a few extras for Christmas by some wonderful people. We’ve been playing it for a week or so now and I thought I would share my initial thoughts. I am not what many would consider a “gamer” so the casual nature of the Wii system is a unique fit and fun alternative to many other consoles. I have owned a few consoles in the past (NES, SNES, Nintendo...
November 2008
2 posts
1 tag
BlueAnt V1
Many of us are familiar with the world of Bluetooth technology. Headsets are available in just about every color and size combination imaginable. Many of the headsets available in the U.S. are similar in feature and price range. There are two that stand out from the pack with their own touch of uniqueness. Aliph’s Jawbone II and BlueAnt’s V1 are proving to be a level above many of their...
1 tag
Thank You
When I started the free design project I never expected it would receive the level of support it has. Within a few weeks it has been possible to go full time with design work for people and groups who need it. I want to thank all of those who helped make this possible! I have experienced a level of excitement and encouragement this past few weeks unlike I have ever seen. We were able to raise...
October 2008
3 posts
2 tags
Feeding The BlackBerry
BlackBerry devices do a lot of things very well, RSS included. There are quite a few different RSS readers available for BBs and I decided to test out a few current ones to see which was the best for me. The contenders for this matchup were Viigo (beta), NewsGator Go and FreeRange. I didn’t include a couple others because they hadn’t been updated in a while. Google Reader is great as well but I...
2 tags
BlackBerry Underground
Web based communities are a powerful force on the internet these days. The war between Facebook and Myspace is one of users, advertising, financial backers and fanboy attitudes. You can find web communities for just about every group imaginable. One group that has been somewhat left behind are BlackBerry users. For those of of us who are (or have a CrackBerry spouse) users, it is well known...
3 tags
Social Migration
My first experiences with the internet were in the early 90’s (Prodigy). I spent quite a bit of time in the Web 1.0 world and developed a lot of surfing habits over time. As Web 2.0 has taken over most sites I found myself a little confused by the mania surrounding it. I am not voyeuristic by nature so sites like YouTube and Vimeo didn’t appeal to me. I had a couple LiveJournal accounts over...
September 2008
1 post
2 tags
BlackBerry Life
It’s been a few weeks since I activated my BlackBerry. I have never been this impressed by a phone platform as quickly or as completely as I have with BlackBerry. After getting a chance to learn the unique functions and menus, I am feeling comfortable with the daily routines now. It’s hard to imagine life before push based services. These services have become so ingrained in my daily life I...
August 2008
4 posts
2 tags
Push It, Push It Good
Those of you who know me are well aware I go through more phones than most people. I either find myself working them to death (quite literally in a few cases) or not being satisfied with the features on the device. I have used everything from basic models (old-school Nokia bars)to feature phones (iPhone-esque, LG Dare) to full PDA/Smartphones (PocketPC, Windows Mobile, Palm). While a few have...
2 tags
Wallpaper of The Week 06
This weeks wallpaper was created by Chris Fenison. I live in Oregon, which is one of the most pristine and scenic states in the U.S. by far. We have sights here that are what postcards are made for. This photo of Haystack Rock is one of the best coastal photos I have seen of here and makes a wonderful desktop. Enjoy :)
1 tag
Gilbert House
Yesterday I took our son to A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village. For those not familiar with A.C. Gilbert, he was probably the greatest scientific toy inventor in American history. He was born in Salem, OR (our town) and invented and created such toys as the Erector Set, American Flyer trains, the Atomic Energy Lab, and 150+ other invention patents. He was dubbed “The Man Who Saved Christmas” for...
1 tag
Busy Times
Sorry I haven’t written here in a while. We’re still getting adjusted to living in our new home and I was working on a redesign on CoffeeDaze.com this past week. Emma is getting older quickly and becoming a lot more interesting as time goes on. She is a very smiley girl who loves to laugh and squeal most of the day. We started her on solid foods this past week and she has done much better than...
July 2008
2 posts
1 tag
Refusing To Age
At what point do we reach an age where we have to completely conform? Is the day your children are born the day you need to give up the revolution and take up golf? Upon your retirement are we required to stop enjoying our youth and settle quietly into our rocking chairs? I ask these questions not for some universal truth or monumental reasoning. I just want to know if it’s ok that I still...
1 tag
Shared Pain
Yesterday was an interesting day. We started the day by going to the doctors for the kid’s shots. When Kellen was a baby the shots process didn’t bother me much. It’s not that I’m sadistic but I think the delayed pain reaction from him and the necessity of the shots just balanced for me enough that I didn’t feel terrible about what minor pain he may have to go through to receive them. The...
June 2008
16 posts
1 tag
The Mothership
We have suffered through multiple strollers over the years with our kids. I’m often left wondering what the designers were thinking when they made the device. Yesterday we bought a Kolcraft Contour Tandem and after using for a day I can say it is the best designed stroller I have ever seen or used. The designers obviously not only have kids but have seen the same problems with many other...
2 tags
Wallpaper of The Week 05
This weeks wallpaper was made using some stock photography and a little Photoshop action. I’m not really sure what theme there is if any. I like minimalist wallpapers and generally design with Windows/Linux desktops in mind. The image can be easily flipped for use with Mac though. This week’s wallpaper is 1600x1200 and as always click the image for full size.
1 tag
Basic Training
Ah we have entered a new stage in the joys of parenting… toilet training. There was a time when I assumed there was nothing much worse than the never ceasing changing of diapers. The smells, monotony and disgust of the entire process were almost more than I could handle. Of course that is something every parent gets over very quickly. I find I can now change the worst of specimens...
1 tag
Barter Down Our Lives
This upcoming move is already giving me a headache. We need to reduce our stuff by quite a bit so we can easily fit into a smaller place. We decided to have a garage sale next weekend and the list of things to do is never ending. First we need to figure out what to sell. If it were up to me I would liquidize 50% of our things just to make it lighter. I somehow have to collect stuff from all...