Now I get to work on my favorite Web development tool, Dreamweaver. I'm here for a few months to test the new CSS features for the next release.

Macromedia gave me Mac OS X and said, "Go ahead and grab the latest build, download your site and start testing."

Let me get this straight: I can improve the latest version of the best Web development tool in the world, on my favorite platform, on my own code, and everyone around me is excellent.

Ok, great! Thanks, Life!

March 21, 2003

I made this Flash graphic from some common visual memes:

Circle, triangle, square, two lines, two arrows.

I used Illustrator, then Flash to acheive maximum abstraction, an approach to japanese calligraphy.

It evolved from this drawing:

Recognize it? Record, play, stop, pause, back, forward... like a CD or a tape player. I chose them because they are common ways that I access memory, and this is a site to help me learn and teach.

The symbols have come to represent six philosophies in my life.

Do more, play music, draw pictures, write fast, back to work, and travel forward.

This site is my ongoing experiment in aethetics and design. I encourage feedback, and have much more to say, but my main message is this: Whatever you do, do more!

March 19, 2003

Attended the Chapter 2 CD Release Party for the Songs Inspired By Literature Project (SIBL). During this classy event to support literacy programs all over America (like Project Read), we were treated to performances from this year's songwriting competition.

Seven fine songwriters representing the East and West Coast really got us thinking about how to change the lives of the 1 in 5 adults who can't read. The air thrummed with positive vibrations from visual and musical artists, writers, and filmmakers. We danced and then sat front row and soaked it all in, as people performed works inspired by famous and obsure works of literature.

Just imagine the karma involved in tutoring a new reader, or helping someone overcome the stigma of functional illiteracy. We heard testimonials, pledges of support, and a rallying speech by the founder, Deborah Pardes (a fine songwriter herself!).

Spend some free time connecting, supporting, mentoring, listening, or spreading the word about Artists for Literacy!

March 12, 2003

Mer and I went to TheSquare.com Bay Area Happy Hour and somehow my picture landed on the front page - under Singles! Oh, the irony.

We actually tried to pretend that we had just met, but we couldn't pull it off without laughing. It was fun, though - we met some interesting people, commiserated about the jobless rate in the Bay Area, and generally schmoozed it up.

Feel free to post a comment if you were there!

March 5, 2003

During a presentation at AcrossWorld for Education Object Economy, I saw Dr. Roy Pea (now at Stanford) talk to distinguished members of the cutting edge educational technology community.

Imagine a long window of video - little activity anywhere - and you can zoom and pan with simple strokes of the mouse, annotate, snapshot, and create clips.

Then imagine creating a Web page out of that with a few clicks of the mouse, with comment scripts and forms.

Panoramic cameras cost thousands (some tens of thousands), but this kind of surveillance and "zooming" video is definately the Future of Learning, for good and ill!

It says a lot when you go into a show expecting to be blown away, and then you get blown away anyhow! Chris Thile is undoubtedly the most skilled performer I've ever witnessed (can hold his own next to Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, et al), and definitely the most tasteful composer I've heard lately. He's been playing mandolin, as Mike Marshall put it, "since he was in the test tube," which is a testament to the terrifying brilliance of his music.

The concert was at the St. John's Cathedral, the same place that I saw Jove sing that time, and the acoustics were excellent, the place was packed, and we were absolutely floored. If you have the means, I highly recommend that you check them out!

March 4, 2003

From a letter to the fabulous Bonnie DeVarco:

The contract at HP was for one year, and they're going through mad cuts right now. It might pan out later, but it's too unstable for a new contract in Virtual Community for Teleconferences. That's too bad, too, because everyone is cutting costs and needs a guy like me to keep travel expenses low and increase efficiency.

I'm so flexible right now you could tie me in a bow! I can teach, web, guitar, sing, write, train, research, and speak.

I still search for the intersection!

March 3, 2003

at the soundboard for Seconds On End at Applejack's. it's easy when the band is good, organized, and in possession of quality equipment!

six players creating post-dead jam-rock - bring your friends to the Curve Bar (747 3rd Street, 9pm) on Friday 3/7 for a tasty treat (hint: oboe).

March 1, 2003