Alabama.gov Ranked Among the Nation's Top Five Web Sites

It's good to move forward, but it's also rewarding to leave good things behind. I hope to see continued success in Alabama, as I worked with some very bright and talented web developers on the alabama.gov web portal during my four and a half years in Montgomery.

Alabama.gov Ranked Among the Nation's Top Five Web Sites
Friday September 26, 1:23 pm ET
Full article

MONTGOMERY, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the fifth consecutive year, Alabama’s official state Web site (http://www.alabama.gov) has been ranked among the top ten in the Center for Digital Government’s annual Best of Web competition for government portal excellence. This year, Alabama.gov was ranked fifth in the nation among Web sites.

“Best of the Web is certainly an honor we are pleased to receive,” said Alabama Chief Information Officer Jim Burns. “The state’s technology staff and partners have worked hard to ensure that Alabama citizens can be informed and do business conveniently and securely using Alabama.gov.”

The 2008 Best of the Web competition recognizes the most innovative and user-friendly state Web portals and was conducted by the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Sites are judged on delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality for improved citizen access. Representatives from the Center for Digital Government and officials from the 2007 Best of the Web-winning state and local governments served as judges for this year’s competition.

“This year’s winners represent the very best in state Web sites and the Center applauds Alabama for its diligence and hard work,” said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “Each year, state and local governments continue to make strides towards implementing better access and more efficient Web delivery of public services.”

Alabama.gov offers a variety of government-related services and information 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The site provides numerous online resources to Alabamians, including information on living and working in Alabama, professional license renewals, up-to-date state agency contacts, and a digital media gallery. The portal also provides more than 140 interactive services that allow users to complete entire personal and business transactions online. Thanks to the addition of these new services and information, Alabama.gov is on track to significantly increase its annual online visitor count from 3.3 million in 2007 to almost 4 million in 2008.

The Alabama.gov portal is developed and managed at no cost to the state and is the result of a unique public-private partnership between the Alabama Department of Finance and Alabama Interactive, the state of Alabama’s partner for online government services.

About Alabama.gov

Alabama.gov is the state of Alabama’s official Web portal (http://www.alabama.gov) and a collaborative effort between the state of Alabama and Alabama Interactive. It was built and is marketed, operated, and maintained by Alabama Interactive, a Montgomery-based wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV - News).

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,900 state and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Contact:

Alabama Interactive
Sloane Wright, 866-353-EGOV

Source: Alabama.gov

Education a Priority in West Virginia

West Virginia Education Portal Recognized Twice for Innovation in National Competitions

Monday September 22, 12:56 pm ET
Link to Article

CHARLESTON, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The recently unveiled West Virginia Education portal (http://www.education.wv.gov) has been declared one of the best education Websites in the nation by the Centers for Digital Government and Education. The new portal was presented the 2008 Best of Web Special Award and the 2008 Digital Education Achievement Award based on its innovative approach to integrating more than 900 education resources into one centralized starting point located within the state’s official Website, http://www.wv.gov.

“We were very pleased to finally see a state develop a comprehensive education component into their overall state Website strategy,” said Cathilea Robinett, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government. “The West Virginia Education Portal takes the right approach to providing diverse online education resources to West Virginia’s citizens.”

The Best of Web Awards and Digital Education Achievement Awards are national programs that recognize outstanding agency and department Websites and applications that enhance information interactions, transactions, and services. The awards were presented by the Centers for Digital Government and Education, which are national research and advisory institutes on information technology policies and best practices in government and education, during the 21st Century Jobs Cabinet meeting on September 19 in Charleston.

“West Virginia is the first state in the nation to develop a centralized online resource for families to seamlessly access the numerous educational offerings in the state,” said First Lady Gayle Manchin. “These awards highlight the commitment of the state of West Virginia to improving the educational opportunities for our citizens and educators.”

The education portal is the result of the work of the 21st Century Jobs Cabinet, which was formed in 2006 to promote a seamless education system that connects every level of education from early childhood to graduate study. It encompasses job training and lifelong learning to both support and enhance West Virginia's job creation and economic development efforts.

The West Virginia Education Portal was built without using taxpayer dollars by leveraging an innovative public-private partnership between the state and West Virginia Interactive, a Charleston-based subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV - News). Additional services are slated to be released in the upcoming months that will further streamline citizen access to government services and save taxpayer dollars.

About WV.gov

WV.gov is the official Website of the state of West Virginia (http://www.wv.gov) and is the result of an innovative public-private partnership between the state and West Virginia Interactive. West Virginia Interactive works with government agencies to build and manage interactive online services and is a subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC.

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,900 state and local agencies that serve more than 70 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Contact:
The Office of Governor Joe Manchin
Lara Ramsburg, 304-558-2000
Communications Director
or
WV.gov
Peter Fairhurst, 304-414-0265 ext. 103
General Manager

Where's the Disconnect?

"For years now, they’ve told us that we can’t afford—that the government providing healthcare to all people is just unimaginable; it can’t be done. We don’t have the money to rebuild our infrastructure. We don’t have the money to wipe out poverty. We can’t do it. But all of a sudden, yeah, we do have $700 billion for a bailout of Wall Street."

— Sen. Bernie Sanders on Democracy Now!

via

This Guy...

...I love this guy. Today is his birthday; he would have been 63.



The above picture is from 1976, when he was almost the age I am today. It's so sweet to think we were, at one time, the same age. I know how silly that sounds... but it's been my experience that losing a parent makes the parent more of a person and less of an authority/guardian figure in my mind. When I look at old pictures of him, I don't see the dad who worked his ass off to give us a good life or the dad who was so strict about curfew.

I see a guy, you know, just a young guy who has the exact same chin as me. The steadfast, meticulous Virgo whose interests then were so similar to mine now. Little things like that, things like noticing how similar our jawlines are, were not something I ever took notice of when he was alive. Or if I did notice, it didn't affect me. In this photo, I am amazed to the point of obsessing over how we have the exact same ears. Photos of lost loved ones not only make them more human to me, but also make me more human to myself.

Happy 63rd, Dadders. I love you.

Note: I wrote these words a couple years ago. I felt the need to post them again, as my sentiments have not only not changed, but have grown even stronger.

Work-Related Newsiness

e.Republic's Center for Digital Government Names 2008 Top Web Portals and Applications

Government Technology | 08.19.08
URL: http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/391147

News Report

Winners of the 2008 Best of the Web and Digital Government Achievement Awards have been announced by e.Republic's Center for Digital Government. The top state and local government Web portal and application awardees will be honored at the 12th annual Awards Gala on Sept.12 in Hollywood, Calif.

Judges from all over the nation determined the winners. Best of Web recognizes the most innovative, user-friendly state and local government portals while the Digital Government Achievement Award recognizes outstanding agency and department Web sites and applications.

Cathilea Robinett, executive vice president of the Center for Digital Government, said "Each year, state and local governments continue to make strides toward implementing better access and more efficient Web-delivery of public services. This year's winners represent the very best in each category. The Center applauds all the honorees for their diligence and hard work."

2008 Best Of the Web Awards

State Portal Category:

1st Place Virginia
2nd Place: Maine
3rd Place: California
4th Place: Texas
5th Place: Alabama and Rhode Island
Special Award: West Virginia Education Portal

This year's Awards Gala is sponsored by GovDelivery Inc. and Hyland Software Inc.

Happy Birthday, Tim!

Dang, I was lucky to grow up with such an awesome brother. I'm so proud of you and all you do.

Childhood Favorites are Funny Again

When I was a kid I loved Garfield. I can not emphasize this enough. In the early 80s, I thought Garfield was the most colossally hi-larious thing on earth. Okay, I was like, eight. Maybe nine. But still. Every time a new Garfield book would come out, mom (knowing full well of my deep affinity) would try to ensure I'd have a copy. At school, my friends and I would swap Garfield books at recess. I'd trade my copy of Garfield Takes the Cake for Aimee's copy of Garfield Weighs In, and so on. The only one that never left the safety of my bookshelf was Garfield Eats His Heart Out, because it was my favorite, and because I knew that little bitch Holly would probably take it and never give it back. These Garfield book swaps were serious business.

As I've gotten older, my sense of humor has darkened and twisted significantly. Things that amused me as a kid seem so pedestrian now. The antics of a cynical, lasagna-obsessed house cat had all but escaped my memory... until today. Bridget sent me a link that has joined the ranks of my favorite web comics: Garfield Minus Garfield.



Y'all, this is brilliant. From the Garfield Minus Garfield website:

Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.

Like I said, brilliant. As a child I never picked up on how, um, quirky the Jon Arbuckle character is. I sure as heck didn't think I'd grow up to often feel like the female equivalent of him, but that's another post. Take Garfield out of the equation, and ol' Jon is (pardon my French) completely batshit crazy.

See for yourself: Garfield Minus Garfield

Dan Walsh, Garfield Minus Garfield's creator, is my new favorite Irishman for this genius creation. Even cooler, Garfield's creator Jim Davis is totally hip to it. Aaaand... Garfield Minus Garfield the webcomic is becoming Garfield Minus Garfield the book.

So, it looks like I'll be buying myself another Garfield book. And that, my friends, is something I never thought I'd be saying at 34 years old... but it cracks me up that I am.

I won't be swapping this one, though. You gotta get your own.

Scenes from the Midland Trail, US 60, West Virginia

All of the following photos were taken within an hour's drive from my house. Damn, I live in a beautiful place.

A Clandestine Affair: Charleston's Underground Kitchen

Last weekend, I experienced yet another first in my life. I paid money to eat a mystery dinner with +/- 29 people I'd never met before in a secret location.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: The Underground Kitchen.

Charleston's Underground Kitchen describes itself as "...a giant, infrequent dinner party involving strangers and amateur cooks who like good food and don’t mind making a few new friends." Who on earth would not be intrigued by this claim?

I learned about Underground Kitchen from the blogosphere, of all places. Being a newcomer to Charleston, I've poked around on the Internet quite a bit over the last couple months. I've found that the best way to learn about a city's offerings is to find the local bloggers. While perusing a local blog aggregator one evening, I noticed the term "underground kitchen" popping up in a couple different spots, and my interest was immediately piqued. Like a bloodhound, I followed the scent right to The Underground Kitchen's website. After reading how it worked and admiring the site's design (a well-designed website goes a long way with me), I wasted no time signing up for the invite list.

Within a couple days, I received an e-mail from The Underground Kitchen announcing the date for their next affair. "I should do this," I thought. Mom has been telling me I need to get out and meet people, and she's never given me bad advice. I've known this as well, but really haven't felt up to it. The Underground Kitchen, I decided, would be just the catalyst I needed. So, I did the following:

1. Paid $40.00 of my hard-earned scratch to someone I'd never met, let alone heard of, via PayPal.
   
2. Immediately wondered if I'd just given $40.00 of my hard-earned scratch to a pimply-faced Belarusian teenage genius with an affinity for illegal-in-most-countries Internet porn and pirated MP3s.
   
3. Shrugged and waited for further instruction.
   

Between the time I paid for my reservation and received the e-mail disclosing the supersecretninja location, I told anyone and everyone who would listen about what I had just signed myself up for. Everyone's reaction can be summed up as follows: "Wow, really? That sounds SO cool. Wait... this is in Charleston?" Having never been to anything like this, I wasn't sure how to accurately describe it. "Well," I'd say, "I think it's kind of like a rave, without the candy kids. Or like Eyes Wide Shut, without the whole freaky, masked orgy thing going on*. I won't know where it is until a couple days before, and I won't know who will be there or what we'll be eating until I arrive." Needless to say, everyone I talked to about it was intrigued.

Fast-forward to last Saturday, when I pulled into the parking lot of Charleston's Habitat for Humanity ReStore with a chilled bottle of wine and a major case of the butterflies. A couple days before the event, I was talking with Bridget on the phone and nervously telling her that I felt certifiably insane for making my first social outing in Charleston a mystery dinner party with 30 strangers. She stated in her calming, matter-of-fact way, "Dinner with 30 strangers is a lot less scary than dinner with three strangers." A genius observation, and exactly what I needed to hear. As I walked to the door I chanted in my head, "30 is less scary than three. 30 is less scary than three." And I was golden. I even squashed the urge to declare, "Fidelio!" as I made my presence known.

I walked in to a dark-ish warehouse, atmospheric in its string-lights and candle-lit dimness, the hum of fans (it was a hot evening and the venue was not air conditioned), laughter and various conversations, and the most amazing smells ever. I was greeted by one of the chefs and introduced to the other, who was feverishly chopping what looked like cilantro. My first impression of the non-chopping chef was that this guy seems like he never meets a stranger, and I felt immediately at ease. Both of these guys were genuinely friendly, despite being in the throes of cooking for 30 people in a warehouse. These people seemed cool. I was not going to need my brass knuckles after all.

After putting my name on a sticker and a place card, I went over to the wine chilling station and just started talking. I'm an interrogator's dream come true... when I get nervous, I talk. So talk I did. And I met some very cool people in the process. I'm horrible at remembering names, but was able to piece some names together with websites and blogs I'd visited or people I'd seen on Twitter. At that moment I realized, once again, what a trip the world wide web is.

Dinner was a study in social engineering; place cards had been strategically set to ensure that people who knew each other well were not seated directly next to each other. I was seated in a wonderful little pocket of guests, as I'm sure the entire table was. The people in my immediate vicinity were warm, welcoming, friendly and excellent conversationalists. Several topics were breached, and nobody's delicate sensibilities were offended, no insults were hurled, nobody burst into tears. I felt very comfortable and happy among what felt like were like-minded individuals.

And then there was the food. Let's talk about food. Okay, so these cats refer to themselves as amateur cooks... and I guess in the literal sense, they are. Do not mistake amateur for average, though, or even just pretty good. The food they prepared was excellent on a technical level, but more importantly, it was creative. Flavorful, inventive and freakin' delicious. The courses were as follows:

• Appetizer: Curried Chicken Salad with Walnuts & Cranberries and Curried Pea Dip
  
• Salad: Roasted Corn & Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese and Ginger/Tomatillo Sauce
  
• Entree: Grouper with Zucchini Cakes and Stewed Tomatoes & Olives
  
• Dessert: Chilled Pear Soup with Walnuts and Honey (I think)
  

A few things. First, the curried pea dip looked kind of like guacamole but I could not, for the life of me, place the flavor. It wasn't guacamole. Not even a hint of avocado, and a completely different consistency. Now that I know it was peas, I'm like, "DUH! PEAS!" When it's not easy to immediately place a flavor, you know something's been made both creatively and skillfully. Second, I love goat cheese. I love ginger. I love tomatillo sauce. NEVER would I think to put all three together. Yet, it worked magically.

I managed to take a few snaps, before the wine and food buzz really kicked in and I felt too jolly to be taking photos. Behold:


Our top secret location


People who actively seek out dinner parties at classified locations


Beautiful and tasty vittles

So, to sum up, The Underground Kitchen is a must-do if you like mystery, intrigue, good people and amazing food. The aspect of raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity was a really cool angle as well. Local readers, you have to try it. Just don't secure your reservation before I secure mine. And out-of-state friends and family, if one of your visits coincides with an installment of The Underground Kitchen, you can bet your sweet ass(es) I'll be taking you with me. Every city would benefit from something like this.

Finally, read about the evening from the perspective of the UGK Maestros themselves. I love, love, love that they gave a nod to Bridget's sage words of nerve-calming advice (a story I repeated several times throughout the evening with my rosy-cheeked, wine-buzzarded self).

Not even remotely scary... absolutely, deliciously cool. Right here in Charleston.

Edited to add: Local restaurant critiquing crew, Fork You Blog, have posted their take on the experience at Fork You Blog. It's a fun read.

*I can not vouch for what may or may not have happened after I left.

High Gas Prices...

...aren't all bad. Trust me, I am no cheerleader for paying $4.09/gallon (the current price for regular unleaded here in CRW), nor am I a cheerleader for where some of this money we're paying goes. But, there are positive things that can come from this major and often difficult shift in everyone's budget.

Time Magazine illustrates the half-full perspective in the ever-emptying glass of gas we've been sucking down. My favorite line from the article's introduction (emphasis mine):

...it's also true that Americans are finding options where there seemed to be none. They're ready to change — and waiting for their infrastructure to catch up.

One thing I have often thought since fuel prices began rising at such a rapid rate: I would love to see the United States implement a rail system comparable to that of Europe's. A network of high-speed, cross-country trains would be awesome.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the article:

10 Things You Can Like About $4 Gas (via)

I would like to add one more item to the list: Hopefully this means seeing fewer and fewer douchebags driving Hummers.



The cost of filling my Honda CR-V in May 2008.

While I'm on the subject, I'm reminded of some billboards I saw a couple weeks ago on my drive to Alabama. There were several of them along the Interstate during the eastern Tennessee leg of the trip. They were very simple; dark gray with the Exxon/Mobil logo and the following line of text in a slightly lighter shade of gray: "We're Drivers Too."



We're just like all y'all sorry suckers!

My initial reaction? It's condescending. It's passive-aggressive. It doesn't make me feel any better about skyrocketing gas prices. The Time article above helps shine a positive light on the topic, but Exxon/Mobil's new little tagline just... grates.

I Know Sad Bastards

Music post!!!

I just received an e-mail from my BF4EVA, Ms. Bee, asking me what my top ten saddest songs are. Initially, I thought I would need to take some time to think about it but knew of a couple off the top of my head. Well, as it turns out, I know some saaaad bastards. In fact, a good-sized chunk of my music library is constituted of sad bastards. So, sharing my list of top ten saddest songs came much more quickly and easily than I'd originally thought it would. And now I'm going to share it with y'all.

Colette's Top Ten Saddest Songs
In no particular order...

• Chicken Wire by The Pernice Brothers
  
• L'il Wallet Picture by Richard Buckner
  
• In a Ditch by Scud Mountain Boys
  
• Upward Over the Mountain by Iron and Wine
  
• Lost Cause by Beck
  
• Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
  
• I See a Darkness by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
  
• This Night Has Opened My Eyes by The Smiths
  
• Leavin' on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul and Mary
  
• Go Down Easy by Dan Fogelberg
  

I can think of several honorable mentions, but will save them for another post. Besides, I don't need y'all to think I sit around listening to sad sack tunes ALL the time.

These Road Trips Aren't Going To Take Themselves.

Wow... I'm closer to Ottawa, Canada than I am to Montgomery, Alabama. I'd never, ever have guessed that.



Image via West Virginia: Open For Business

2008 BFI Contest Winner Has a Vision for Appalachia

Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World: The Challenge of Appalachia
submitted by Dr. John Todd

"The Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World project sets forth a revolutionary concept for the design of an entirely new economic model for a region that has been despoiled by extractive industries. Dr. Todd’s vision is inextricably bound to a set of highly advanced ecological design principles that he developed. Appropriately, they reflect not only deep understanding of biological systems, but also the best creative intelligence and cultural wisdom spanning the centuries. These principles are the fruit of Dr. Todd’s decades-long practice developing technologies around the world that build healthy symbiotic relationships between nature’s living systems and modern human needs."

via challenge.bfi.org

This is the first year the Buckminster Fuller Institute has held this challenge. Being that I have a strong affinity for ol' Bucky-- I was first introduced to him when I was on the Academic Decathlon team in high school and we studied some of his works for our Super Quiz (themed Habitat Earth)-- and that I am living in the heart of Appalachia now, trying to absorb as much as I can about this region and the issues it faces, it's really cool to me that the first winner of the first challenge's concept focuses on Appalachia and the mining industry here. The concept, however, can be scaled to eventually benefit energy production and the environment on a global level.



To visually connect the dots of concepts and actions like the one Dr. John Todd submitted to the BFI challenge, check out this photo gallery I stumbled across while writing this entry. From the photo gallery's introduction page: ...with its images of the destructive power of industry juxtaposed against the quiet lives of the region's residents, is sobering, poignant, and powerful.

On Coal and Appalachia by Daniel Shea

I'm Not Going to be IGNORED, Dan.

I'm not certain when this happened, but while flipping through channels this evening I noticed that WGN America has a new logo.



I'm very curious as to why WGN went this direction with a re-branding. While I don't watch this channel very often, it seems to me that WGN primarily airs syndicated, family-oriented sitcoms; programming that seems incongruous with this new logo.

The new logo, to me, communicates something more in-line with an all-anime, all the time channel. I'd expect to see something like this on MTV or even Spike TV before WGN. WGN is using a new tagline as well, TV You Can't Ignore, so perhaps they are trying to re-invent themselves as edgy and intense.

Edgy, maybe... definitely intense. Intense in a creepy way. In an, "I am hovering above you, watching you sleep," way. When I went to the website, IT BLINKED AT ME. It will blink at you, too. You've been warned.

I don't like criticizing logo designs because I know how difficult a brand is to create, and I know that the vast majority of them end up being the result of design by committee. I don't feel comfortable saying, "WHAT was that designer thinking?!" when it comes to branding. Projects on a scale as large as this one must have been often end with the designer shrugging in resignation and putting his or her blinders on in order to meet deadline. I don't know if that's the case here, so I won't harsh on the design, but I will say that I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the re-branding project/design meetings.

Now go on with your soul-piercing, bone-chilling, Manic Panic-wearing, stalkery stare, WGN!

P.S. Even though your new logo makes me nervous, WGN, thank you for Outta Sight Retro Night. I can deal with the evil clown girl ghosted onto the bottom right corner of my TV screen in exchange for old episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati and Newhart every Sunday night. That Johnny Fever... he's a mess!

Back to Life

I'm back to work in a beautiful town,



after a wonderful weekend in another beautiful town



and a deliciously long road trip through a beautiful part of the country. For the drive back, I picked up the new Beck album. Opinion forthcoming.

Life is good.

The Kindness of Strangers

I love PostSecret. I read it every Sunday morning. Some of the secrets depress me; others make me laugh out loud. Some make me cringe and some I really identify with. Some, at the risk of sounding like a jerk, I believe to be made up and not actual secrets. Others are so dark I can't imagine anyone making them up. Some are bright and simple; noting the happiness found in life's little surprises.

Today's secrets included one that reminded me I have some thanking of strangers to do.



The same thing happened to me twice last winter, and I have often wondered who came to my assistance. I'll never know, but I will always be grateful.

Unlike the person who sent this postcard in, I did not have a seizure. I don't know what happened to me either time. For the time being, I am chalking it up to exhaustion. I had a lot of mentally, emotionally and physically demanding things going on this past winter. I tend to think I am invincible and can take on anything and everything. Human nature, I suppose.

Here in Charleston, I collapsed in the Town Center mall. In Kansas City, I hit the bricks right before boarding a flight at KCI. I don't remember either incident. In Kansas City, however, I did experience something like the "my entire life flashing before my eyes" phenomenon that people sometimes experience. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as it is made out to be in movies. I can't remember exactly what I "saw" but I do remember it was just a bunch of random, seemingly inconsequential snapshots of places and things I recognized.

No matter how sane we are in our waking lives, our brains are crazy and complex things.

Anyway, when I got the ambulance bills a few months later, both referred to a 911 call being the source of dispatch. There was something strangely touching about that. I know that sounds cheesy, but I was filled with gratitude and (even more cheesy) love for whomever made those calls. I know it's something I would do if I saw someone go base over apex and lose consciousness. I know it's something pretty much any human being would do. But when you're the one that is in need of help, knowing that someone was paying attention and made the effort to call for help really means a lot. It's hard to be vulnerable like that, and it's a very uncomfortable realization that I was unconscious in unfamiliar places, by myself, surrounded by strangers. I don't like to think about it, but I do often think about the people who helped me, and I wish I could thank them. Since I can't thank them in person, I'll just send it out to the universe via my blog.

Dear persons who helped me when I needed it,
Thank you.

The Mighty Amazon

Every now and then, something really awesome happens to me. Today I was cleaning out the pockets of my padfolio and found a $100 gift certificate for Amazon.com that I totally forgot I had. Rock and roll! So, I went shopping. Here's what $100 at Amazon gets a girl like me:

On the book front, I kept it practical yet interesting. These two books encompass the two main aspects of web design that I am most passionate about: attractive design and positive user experience.

Bulletproof Web Design by Dan Cederholm

I am a huge fan of this guy's work. This book has been recommended to me several times, and now I have it! It'll be an invaluable resource for both work and personal projects, and I can't wait to dig into it.



Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug

I'm committed to making sure websites and user interfaces I create are as effortless and pleasant to use as possible, but as new technologies emerge there are new challenges that can potentially impede a positive experience for the end user. This book has been referenced several times at various conferences I have been to, and I'm looking forward to the big picture.



And now for sheer frivolity... MOVIES! These are two of my favorites. Being that both are Criterion Collection releases (cha-ching), I probably wouldn't buy them out of the blue with my own hard-earned scratch.

First, one of my top five all-time favorite movies ever: Down By Law. This is SUCH an amazing film. For starters, it opens with scenes of New Orleans accompanied by Tom Waits' Jockey Full of Bourbon from his album Rain Dogs (one of my top five all-time favorite albums ever). Awesome. Tom Waits, John Lurie and Roberto Begnini are the most insanely and brilliantly matched trio in film history. The shots, the music, the acting... this is the film that made me fall in love with Jim Jarmusch's work.



Second, and another favorite of mine: Fishing with John. A collection of television segments originally aired on Asian television; Fishing with John is... different. Tom Waits, Dennis Hopper, Jim Jarmusch, Willem Dafoe and Matt Dillon (for some reason) each join John Lurie on a fishing expedition, which is filmed documentary style. The voice-overs are deadpan and, at times, subtly twisted. Rumor has it that after filming his episode, Tom Waits was so pissed off at John Lurie that he didn't talk to him for two years. Incidentally, the Tom Waits episode is one of the most entertaining.



I've had a couple people I've recommended Fishing with John to totally hate it. I understand why. It's weird and out there. I love it.

So make it snappy, USPS... I want the fruits of my free money now (but totally didn't spring for expedited shipping)!

Baby's First West Virginia Day

Mountaineers are always free.

Today is West Virginia day. In honor of West Virginia day, I'd like to take a little time to write about the state I have been calling home for a short three and a half months.

Recently, Vice President Dick Cheney made a joke about West Virginia, inferring that West Virginians have a proclivity for inbreeding. I'm not a native West Virginian, and I have only been a resident of the state since March. So, I didn't feel it was my place to be offended by the VP's attempt at humor. It's not the first time I'd heard West Virginia made fun of in such a way, so I just kind of rolled my eyes and thought to myself, "Old meme." I don't care for lazy, hackneyed humor and that's what this was. Besides, I seem to have a pattern of living in misunderstood states so I've heard all the tired, predictable jokes before. Houses in Alabama still have dirt floors; everyone from Utah has five mothers. West Virginia is populated with inbred ridge runners. Sure, there are some people here who play the banjo, but so did my dad, who was from southern California. The hills here are not alive with the sound of dueling banjos. For the record, Deliverance was set in Georgia, not West Virginia. People here seem pretty easygoing, and I haven't met anyone who thought Cheney's joke was a huge deal. What seems to have bothered most people was his quip about not having to watch what he says anymore now that he's not running for re-election.

But, my blog isn't about politics. It's about wild, wonderful West Virginia and the things I've discovered in my short time here. So, without further ado, here is a list of the things I love, in no particular order, about West Virginia... keeping in mind that I haven't had much of a chance to get very far outside of Charleston.

• Taylor Books
  I love this bookstore. It's progressive, has an excellent inventory, a great sale section, always smells like coffee (they've got a coffee bar) and is in a beautiful little spot on Capitol Street.
  
• The Blossom Deli
  I've never been for dinner, but the lunch offerings are nothing short of transcendent. Having tried every sandwich on the left-hand side of the menu, I'm kind of an authority on the topic. They have cream of mushroom soup once a month, and that's a day I never miss.
  
• The Capitol Market
  It's a farmer's market, and so much more. Besides farmer's market items including seasonal plants and produce, there is a wine shop, fish market, butcher, produce and bulk food market, restaurant, book store, coffee bar and foodstuffs/gift items specific to West Virginia. Last weekend I got a scented geranium for my patio. I've been looking for one of those for YEARS. I love this place.
  
• The Kanawha River
  I wouldn't dip my littlest toe into it, but I love the Kanawha river. I live about three blocks from the river, and work a block away from it. There is a trail that is wonderful for walking and biking, and at lunchtime it's a wonderful place to sit and watch the coal barges and speedboats go by. At night, the lights of Charleston reflect off the water. During her visit, Mom commented that this made Charleston remind her a lot of the little towns on Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
  
• The New River Gorge and Bridge
  When mom visited in April, we took a trip down to Fayetteville to check out the famed New River Gorge bridge. It is one of the most amazing structures I have ever seen! Photos do not do the massive nature of the bridge justice. More than the bridge, though, the entire area is breathtakingly beautiful. Green, rugged, completely alive. We drove back to Charleston on the Midland Trail, which at one point hugs the Gauley river and is dotted with small towns. I hope to be able to explore that area more in-depth during my time here.
  

Those are just a few things that I have fostered an affinity for here in the past couple months. I know as I get more established in the area, the list will grow.

So, in honor of West Virginia day, there you have it. And, I hope this doesn't disappoint anyone... but I haven't met any inbred, sinister, grossly disfigured hillbillies up here. Everyone I have interacted with here is intelligent, educated, creative, warm and friendly. Downtown Charleston's vibe is both chic and funky. Granted, I have wound up in a couple hollar-type places while out on drives that were kind of unsettling, but I think that stems from the one way in, one way out nature of these little pockets and an unfamiliarity with the area. Otherwise, this place is the same as every other place in the country in ways to be expected, and special for its unique assets and charms.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go check on my 'shine.

Thoughts on Tim Russert's Passing

It's a rare occurrence that I write about my family in a public setting. Tonight, I feel compelled to write about my father as I watch coverage surrounding Tim Russert's unexpected passing earlier today.

I'll get to dad in a moment.

Tim Russert was a great journalist. Political, broadcast or otherwise, he was a class act in what has become a sea of sensationalism and sleaze in broadcast media. Watch any network news channel and you'll be bombarded with pundits posing as journalists who will say anything to get viewers riled up. Why? To increase numbers, amass a fan base, get a book deal, make lots of money... check those ethics at the door. Tim Russert brought a sense of legitimacy and dignity to an otherwise shallow news media; a gentleman in the Don-Henley-Dirty-Laundry industry.

Meet the Press is a program that I have very much enjoyed for some time now. I'm not a religious person, but I do have a little Sunday morning "church service" I draw a lot of peace and inspiration from, and that is watching CBS News Sunday Morning. And, every time Sunday Morning would end, I would flip over to Meet the Press. This Sunday morning ritual has been a part of me for some time. It was a wonderful way to start my own special Sabbath, several hours of televised arts and culture followed by political discussion, all delivered by pleasant personalities. By mid-day, I'd feel that my creative, spiritual and intellectual selves had been re-charged. Sunday morning is going to feel strange this week.

Watching his colleagues speak of him is very touching. It takes me back to the days following the death of my father, reminded of the wonderful things that people would say to us about him. The theme was solid: My dad was remembered as a good man, an honest man, a man dedicated to his faith, his family and his country. A man who, as a high school art teacher, touched lives. At dad's funeral, students from many years back came out to pay their respects. He was only one year away from retiring from the profession he loved and was so skilled at.

Those memories, despite the pain surrounding the event, are heart-warming. Other memories that stem from this coverage are more difficult to re-visit.

Tim Russert passed away the same way my dad did, suddenly... unexpectedly. My dad was 56. It was four days after the 9/11 attacks. Dad kept himself in good health. He was not a drinker, not a smoker, kept himself in check. While watching commentary this evening, it was reported that Tim Russert had a stress test in late April and passed with flying colors. I felt a pang in my own heart as I remembered that being the exact same scenario with my dad. He, too, had a clean bill of health at the last checkup he had... about a month before he died.

Collapsed and died. I've heard that before.

But there's one phrase that I keep hearing that hits me the hardest, and I really need to change the channel to VH-1 or something lame and non-challenging. That phrase is: He could not be revived.

He could not be revived.

I've heard those words. I heard them in a hospital emergency room on a sunny Saturday morning in September, a day that we as a family were planning to spend together helping one of my brothers move.

That is one of the single worst statements a person can hear, I can assure you. And it's something you never forget. Technical, matter-of-fact, yet so loaded with emotion.

I know the pain Tim Russert's family is feeling, as well as anyone who has lost someone they've loved deeply. Whether the inevitable loss lingered or was sudden, the rug is yanked out from under you and all you can do is love them, honor their memory and carry on.

This time of year is always very difficult for me due to all the father's day advertising and so forth. But while the difficulty of the loss varies in intensity depending on the time of year, not a day goes by when I don't think of him and hope that I am making him proud.

If you're still reading this, I want to say one last thing. Love your parents. Love your children. Love your siblings, your grandparents, your significant others, your friends, your pets... be kind to the people you interact with be they stranger or friend. This life is a frenzied one and its easy to lose track of people we care about. But this life is also short, and can end at any moment.

And that's all I have to say about all of this. Thank you for reading.

New State Website User Friendly

From Metro News:

05/28/2008

The state of West Virginia has a new website with the goal of making it simpler to learn about state government.

Department of Administration spokeswoman Diane Holley says wv.gov will hopefully make it as simple as possible for the public to come to the site and find any information they want about state government.

Holley says the website is topic-driven rather than agency-driven. She says users don't have to know which state government provides which service. She says using an internal google search will look for the information by topic, directing the user to the correct agency.

The site also offers the opportunity to do business electronically with the state. Holley says those opportunities will continue to increase in the months to come. The site also includes an on-line help feature with live chats with a customer service representative from 8-5 weekdays.

"Our goal is to enhance technology with the state of West Virginia's government and this is just one step we are making towards that goal," Holley said.

The state has worked with nationally recognized eGovernment firm NIC to design the site. The new site was built without the use of taxpayer dollars; a public-private partnership was used instead.

The address of the official state website is www.wv.gov.

Oklahoma, Okay!

Summer camp is over.

I recently returned from a four-day company conference in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City has always held a certain charm for me. I've never met anyone from Oklahoma whom I didn't like, and while this was only my second visit, both visits were time spent with warm and interesting people and being pleasantly surprised by the city itself.

The best thing about the conference was being able to spend time with so many of the creative, progressive, inspirational people I work with. We're spread out all over the country, but have never been reluctant to reach out and share ideas and insights with each other. I don't think that happens in many companies, and I feel very fortunate to work with such a dynamic and talented group of people. It was wonderfully refreshing to see both familiar and new faces and talk shop with fellow new media dazzlers.

Now, peep this cool snap I took in Bricktown:

Google? Really?

I just noticed Google's new favicon.

It's weak. I'd have expected more from Google. Granted, one doesn't have much of a canvas to work with when creating a favicon. That poses many challenges. But seriously, Google? This?



Since I can't harp on the blasé without sharing some fancy, the following article from Smashing Magazine has an impressive listing of tiny, yet truly lovely, favicons.

Inspire Yourself: 50 Remarkable Favicons

Fav on!

Can you feel it, see it, hear it today?

I rarely listen to music on the radio anymore. Morning Edition, The World and Inside Appalachia on West Virginia public radio are about the only things I switch the iPod out for these days. I left my iPod at the house today, though, so I hit scan on the radio as I was driving around. About two minutes in, I hit the scan button to stop and make sure I was hearing what I was hearing. Sure enough, I was reminded why I don't listen to the radio anymore, and was reminded that I am most definitely getting older.

What stopped my FM scan in its tracks? A cover of Faith No More's Epic. I listened in disbelief. It was terrible. Remember when the American version of The Office premiered, and anyone who was at all familiar with the UK version hated it? And why did people hate it so much? Because at first, it was little more than an ersatz version of the real thing. The script was followed nearly word-for-word with different actors; no original humor or dialog. It was too close to the original to translate properly and just seemed cheap and lazy. Well, that's kind of what happened here. It's easily one of the worst covers I have ever heard, and to be a cover of such an amazing track... well, damn.

I'm a big fan of covers done well. A cover done well, in my opinion, is an artist respecting the original-- leaving it untouched; un-molested-- but taking that original and putting a fresh, unique and personal stamp of ownership on it. Examples of this would be Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt, The Afghan Whigs' cover of TLC's Creep, Sonic Youth's cover of The Carpenters' Superstar (I had this opinion long before seeing Juno, thanks), Swans cover of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart (Gira's version, Jarboe's drives me up a wall) and-- I know I might get flamed for this and will justify it if anyone wants me to-- Mark Ronson's cover of The Smiths' Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before. These are creative interpretations of the original, not lazy rip-offs.

So, yeah, I am listening to this horrible Faith No More cover and the only thing that is different is the noticeable absence of Mike Patton's (one of the most underrated male musicians in recent music history, but that's another post) vocals. Everything else is a direct lift from the original. Oh, wait, they kind of altered the piano outro by a few notes at the end. As luck would have it, the DJ actually said the name of the band after the cringe-inducing aural trespass had ended. Atreyu? I am spelling it like the character from The Neverending Story, since I imagine that's where the band's name originated from. I am so annoyed, I can't be bothered to look it up. Atreyu. Never heard of 'em, which is probably a sign of my age. Furthering the age issue, I don't care who they are. Probably some Hot Topic phenomenon. Definitely lazy. But who knows, I'm just an old music snob/lady curmudgeon and they could be awesome. Correct me if I am wrong.

I guess that's really what is at the root of this rant: My disdain for lazy "art" and how pervasive and readily embraced it is in today's mainstream culture. There are, without a doubt, innovative and creative artists, musicians and filmmakers producing original and captivating work. Many of them do not go unappreciated in the right circles. What I am so turned off by is the pandering to the lowest common denominator. More and more drivel... less and less effort.

C'est ça. End rant.


Mike Patton saw what you did there.

3... 2... 1...

...and we're live.



Wild, wonderful and web-tastic.

Show Me The Way

I never met a gadget I didn't like.



If this ain't love, I don't know what is.

Bee-tee-dubs, homes, Juno wasn't Zeus's wife.

I think I am one of the last people in the world to finally see Juno.

It's a good movie. It had the potential to be great, if not for one major flaw. Juno is likely the most OVER-WRITTEN film I have ever seen, ever. That annoyed me to the point of almost not being able to enjoy it.

Despite almost perfect casting, a versatile and enjoyable soundtrack and fantastic set design, I couldn't get past how forced Juno's character is. Yes, okay, Juno is a very quirky and cool (compared to other girls at her school) and quick-witted girl. There are ways to communicate those aspects without being so freaking over-the-top.

Conveying personality traits should be transparent to be effective, not based on random interests incongruous with the average American teenage girl glaringly pointed out during otherwise natural dialog between characters. To me, the film felt like an hour and a half of real people handling real topics in a believable fashion with Juno's character popping up like a whack-a-mole declaring, "I'm sixteen and a girl and my favorite band Iggy and the Stooges!" "I'm sixteen and a girl and Dario Argento is the master of horror flicks!" "I'm sixteen and a girl and make references to Soupy Sales, Mott the Hoople and the Thunder Cats!" "I'm sixteen and a girl and... and..."

That's not to say that teenagers can't or don't ever have an interest in --even a passion for-- aspects of popular culture that were current long before their time. But in this case, I felt like it was pitched as Juno's only selling point. That took a lot away from the overall story and the more well-developed characters.

I don't know much about this Diablo Cody woman who wrote the screenplay, but my perception is that she used the Juno character to project herself onto the big screen. Ellen Page is an incredibly likable actor, and I would love to see her in something where she's not being used as a vehicle for someone else's ego.

Kind of a rant, kind of a rave. That's all.


Iggy Pop: Not from England. Master of the junkie anthem turned cruise line jingle.

Slutty Makeup Bea Arthur Ativan Before I Got Fat

Ah, I love Flickr stats. My favorite feature shows search terms that called one or more of my photos. Most of them? I know exactly which photo would have turned up in the search. Others? Er, not so much. Here is a rundown of some of the more amusing search terms that, for reasons obvious or otherwise, turned up some of my snaps.

• Homecoming 1991


• Alabama Jesus


• Crinoline


• Jimmy Carter


• Drag Shows


• Sandwich


• Before I Got Fat


• Makers Mark Bourbon House


• 1990 Fashion


• Bea Arthur


• Slutty Makeup


• Santa Claus Lap


• Toes (yikes --ed)


• Ativan


• Cramped Space


• Bar Ladies Rooms


• Cardboard Tubes


• Shrimp Float


• Mr. Six


• French Busker


• Red Velvet Twinkies


• Red Sandals


• Scenic Dirt Road


• Kitchen Dramatic


• Submarine Robot


• Barefoot Welcome Center


• Frank Lloyd Wright Chair


• Barefoot Overalls

Were I to be judged by these queries, one might think I am a spambot. Alas, I'm just a girl who takes pictures of things she finds interesting.

What's most interesting to me? This is my all-time most-viewed public photo:



I wonder if there is something about this old, run-down theater I should know. Hmmm...

A Simple Answer...

...to an age-old question.

Thank you!

On Glass

"Glass breaks so easily. No matter how careful you are."
-Laura Wingfield
From Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie
Part 4, Scene 7

Yes, I Know the Feeling

Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
- John le Carre

Ah, the Small Things in Life...

My colleague James in Kansas hipped me to this knock-knock joke. I think it's probably the best knock-knock joke ever.

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Control Freak, now you say, 'Control Freak who?'

...



I laughed.

On Hotel Living

One more thing to cross off my list of things to do in life: Live in a hotel.



Living in this hotel has turned me into such an old lady. I'm a major grandma up in here. I get home from work, I watch the local news, I watch NBC nightly news, and then I watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!. By the time Jeopardy! is over, I am at a nodding-off point. I get up, putter around, and then fall asleep with the TV on. Watching TV in bed is a HUGE luxury for me. Having a TV in the bedroom is something I've always been fiercely against but am often tempted by, so I am enjoying it while it lasts.

That said, I'll be glad when it's over. The movers will have my stuff up here on Friday or Saturday and I'll get settled into my new dwelling. At the same time, though, it's been pretty cool to be here. It's forced me to unwind during my off hours. Having someone bring me clean towels and wash my dishes never gets old. I have a dedicated housekeeper here, and she is a living doll. She leaves Banjo! little treats and leaves me neatly-stacked pyramids of Hershey's chocolates. One day she even left a toy for Banjo! accompanied by a very sweet hand-written note.



And, yes, Banjo! totally loves it. Housekeeper Terry will be getting a huge tip.



The downside to the hotel lifestyle is that every so often there are guests who are loud all night long making for a night with little to no sleep. Also, it's expensive. In case anyone was wondering, it's around $2,500 to stay at a Residence Inn for a month. Considering the circumstances, though, it's been worth it. I had time to find a cool place to rent in a neighborhood I'll be happy in, and I've been able to get some rest after months of craziness. I think the hotel is cheaper than the hospital for "tired people", which is where I was inevitably headed.

Come to think of it, I'm really going to miss this place...

Beware the BAD DOINS KREW

This highly menacing message is brought to you by the BAD DOINS KREW (representing Chucktown, West Virginia).

I don't even want to think about how much blood was spilled and how many families were destroyed during the printing of such an ominous message on these Avery® 5167 return address labels (likely purchased from Office Max, or lifted from someone's mom's desk at work).

BAD DOINS KREW want everyone to know that they are lurking around every corner, surreptitiously applying their little stickers to the window of the Charleston city parking garage, ready to make widows of your wives and orphans of your children if you so much as glance in their direction. Why, merely debating whether to typeset their communique of doom using Copperplate or Comic Sans resulted in torturous bloodbaths of Spanish Inquisition proportions.

Look over your shoulder all you want... but you've gotta sleep sometime, old man. And when you do, BAD DOINS KREW will be looming overhead when you wake up.

I guess Firefall were busy.

Shoulda Listened to the Soothsayer

Happy Ides of March!



To honor this grave and fateful day, let's all listen to one of my favorite 70s songs. I give you Vehicle by The Ides of March. I LOVE this song. I love its soulful vocals and the brassy, aggressive, come hither energy it has. The lyrics start off by crossing the line of what's creepy, but I think that adds to the gravelly feel this song has. I have a confession to make, though: for years I thought this song was by Blood, Sweat and Tears. Imagine my surprise to learn that it was actually by the band whose ashes Survivor-- yep, Eye of the Tiger, that Survivor-- rose from. Cover me with sugar and call me a jelly donut... who knew?

Enjoy!

Vehicle - The Ides of March* **

*The file is approx. 4mb, just look for the 'Download Link' option near the bottom of the page. You don't have to register for anything.

**Shared MP3s are for evaluation purposes only and are available for a limited amount of time.

Don't Block Web 2.0 Access

This is cool.. After my last post about the wonderful world of "Web 2.0" (I am still having a hard time using that term; it seems so buzz jockey-esque), this article about Web 2.0's potential to boost creativity and productivity in the workplace crossed my desk. Timely!

From Government Technology:

Don't Block Web 2.0 Access, Says Gartner

Government Technology | 03.10.08
URL: http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/271948

Businesses need to resist the temptation to exclude their employees' access to Web 2.0 technologies and services if they are to benefit from the considerable creativity that Web 2.0 can unleash, according to Gartner.

Business demands will increasingly require security organizations to secure, rather than block enterprise access to the Web 2.0 global ecosystem. Many IT organizations are responding to the demand for Web 2.0 technologies. According to a Gartner Executive Programs survey of 1,500 CIOs worldwide, half of the respondents said they plan to invest in Web 2.0 technologies for the first time in 2008.

"Rather than just stopping the use of Web 2.0 technologies, IT groups should be providing secure means of developing and deploying such applications," said Joseph Feiman, vice president and Gartner fellow. "The business application movement toward Web 2.0 and other related-trends, such as increased use of open-source software and wider deployment of service-oriented architectures, are combining to change how applications are developed with significant implications for security."

"Web 2.0 enables masses of individuals to become application and content developers and deploy Web 2.0 applications that implement their own versions of established business rules and practices. Although this entails risks, it can also unlock huge business value," Feiman said. "By mapping the business gain against the potential risk, organizations can determine the most effective constraints and controls for enterprise use of Web 2.0."

According to Gartner, with mashups, Ajax and other Web 2.0 technologies already in widespread use, saying "no" to the Web 2.0 ecosystem will generally not be an option. Instead, enterprises should take tactical and strategic steps to increase the odds that business use of Web 2.0 will increase the bottom line rather than have a negative business impact through security incidents.

"Organizations need to extend their security processes to enable safe use of Web 2.0 technologies" said John Pescatore, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "Strategies to contain and protect the use of new technologies will always be more effective in the long run than security approaches that rely solely on blocking."

Pescatore advised organizations to expand their definition of vulnerability assessment to include the detection of external use of corporate content through mashups and internal exposure of sensitive data through Web 2.0 technologies. He also said that service-level agreements with content and service providers for mashups and other collaborative technologies would help to avoid or at least minimize discontinuities of the service. Organizations should not accept applications developed by external service providers, open-source-software communities or business partners unless they are tested for security vulnerabilities.


Image taken from Strange Maps, one of my favorite sites out there. Check out the Ludacris' Rap Map of US Area Codes. Brilliant.

Design and the Elastic Mind

Note: Many of the external links in this post go to a Flash-authored site. Completely annoying, yes, but the content is worth checking out. I promise.

Wow. I desperately, desperately want to check out this exhibition at MoMA.

Design and the Elastic Mind

It runs until May 12th. I've never been to New York City, much less the Museum of Modern Art. But I am going to try to make this happen. Especially after reading this review of the exhibit over at Core 77.

Where my New York people at?!

Despite my enthusiasm, some of the works featured in this exhibition freak me out. There are some prototypes of concepts that just don't sit well with me, but that I'd love to see nonetheless. Granted, the imaginings that make me nervous are merely that-- imaginings. If there is one thing I appreciate in life, it's imagination. However, were something like RFID tagging on human beings ever to become a mandated reality, I'd be one of the first people heading off to the hills to live in a cave. Nonetheless, I love that someone has the type gray matter in his or her head to envision and translate into something tangible such an idea.

That said, I fear visualizing an (even more) Orwellian future. Although not a tinfoil hat kind of girl, I am very private. Despite this public-facing blog, despite my varied online activity, I am reluctant to reveal too much of myself to anyone other than people whom I feel close to and have a strong sense of. Which is such a contradiction, given that I can be found on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, here, my personal website (if I ever get around to re-designing and re-launching it) but these accounts aren't so much a social thing for me as they are my attempt to keep ahead of the curve as it applies to my career. Yes, there is an interpersonal aspect of social networking and folksonomy-driven sites that I enjoy... I have friends and family all over the country that I love to keep in touch with. I like to know what people I care about are up to. But what I really get from these various accounts and interactions is simple: Knowledge. Ideas. Collaboration. The banter I engage in and follow with co-workers and other webby-type people on Twitter goes much further than a welcome diversion on a stressful work day. My profile on Colour Lovers isn't to make color buddies, but to stay abreast of color trends and to store and create palettes for future use in my designs. The Internet is an amazing resource, and as I gradually overcome my reluctance to make myself present "out there" the more I benefit professionally.

Because of these things, the Harvesting the Internet segment of the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition is what interests me most. The exhibition's website shows several Google Earth mashups, which thrills me to no end. About two years ago I was working on the fourth redesign of alabama.gov. During this time, I teamed up with our very talented and motivated lead developer, Robert. The goal was to create an interactive mapping segment of the portal with limited resources available to us. We didn't have a dedicated GIS or mapping agency to work with, so we had to be creative. Robert found a way to work with Google's API (before they openly made such an API publicly available) to sort of reverse-engineer Google's mapping features to fit our needs. I then skinned it and incorporated it into the overall site design. If I am not mistaken, alabama.gov was the first state government web portal to integrate Google maps into the site. Technically not a mashup in that whole Web 2.0 sense of the word, it's something we needed to innovate for ourselves and I am very proud of that. alabama.gov's mapping feature allows visitors to the site to locate everything from libraries to blood donation centers to locations of Alabama's 'moon trees' in one spot. To see similar and more sophisticated web applications being showcased in an exhibition at MoMA thrills me to no end.

But, I'm a design geek like that.

A design geek who shudders at the thought of paper as we know it being phased out for digital versions, but who (in her dreams) would absolutely love a 3-D printer so that she can design and print out her own custom fruit bowl, for the real!

Wanna go, wanna go, wanna go...

One Week

I've been in Charleston for a week now. I miss Alabama.



I miss my little cottage in Montgomery. Saying good bye to those empty rooms brought up all sorts of feelings that'll probably take me a while to work through. I'm such a sentimental fool.







I hope the dollhouse is making its new inhabitant as happy as it made me.

I miss my friends. I miss my sense of security and stability.

But, I love an adventure. And Charleston has been a good experience thus far. Last Saturday, we got some serious snow. Banjo! had never been in snow like this:



He was all over it. It's been a while for me (save for visits to SLC at Christmas time), so I went for a drive. Downtown Charleston is beautiful when dusted with snow.



I was pleased that it was the light, powdery, sparkly snow similar to the snow out in Utah. I wasn't expecting it to be much more than glorified sleet, but the snow that fell on Saturday was just lovely. It glittered, flake by flake, as it fell slowly and deliberately out of the black night sky. Forgive me for waxing poetic about snow, but like I said earlier, it had been a while. I experience a strong wave of nostalgia when it comes to quiet, snowy weekends.

Also pleasing is what I believe to be the MOST AWESOME MAILBOX IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, FREE OR OTHERWISE, right here in Chucktown. I spotted this glorious monstrosity on a Sunday afternoon drive, while in search of a new domicile.



World-class tack. Not bad for a week's worth of sights, yes? Yes. And, as always, there are more to come.