On Life and Love

Whatever is making or breaking my day.

  • On Life and Love

    Happy Bir’day to Me!

    Saturday was my bir’day! I’m a ripe young mumble-something years old, and I don’t feel like I’m getting old–I feel like I’m running out of time. Advertising that I didn’t want gifts (hello, getting rid of stuff) meant that the gifts I did get were thoughtful and amazing. A set of writing books covering memoirs, grants, motivation, and fiction–writing techniques. A shorthand manual. Weber and Neal Stephenson books. Amazing and creative fancy-pants yarn (color 12). I picked up yarn for a new project myself on Saturday–an afghan to be finished by Feb 13 and begun after I finish my current afghan. Greg, being Greg, picked a pretty, soft eggplant-colored yarn…

  • On Life and Love

    Weekly linkage

    Just a couple this week. It feels like everyone’s quiet on the blagowubs lately. Giving Away, Not Selling, My Stuff – So very timely for me. I sold the desk, but clothes, stuff… I just gave it away. I, too, am lousy about getting mail out and keeping up with stuff like listings. I just want it gone, and the money was spent and gone years ago (generally). Vince Vaughn Responds to the Gay Joke in The Dilemma Controversy – Vaughn says, "Drawing divided lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop?" But the issue isn't what…

  • On Life and Love

    Crocheting and Knitting: Having the MIPS

    Um, that’s more this kind of MIPS, not that. I haven’t been a heavy crocheter since shortly after I left teaching in early 2008, but way back then, I started a blanket. It’s a gorgeous design, and I picked the colors based on the decor of a friend’s house. I don’t keep up with him anymore–and he’s married, so no telling what his house is like these days–but I still love the blanket. It’s wide: wider than 6 feet, which makes doing each row a painfully long endeavor. My favorite times to crochet (and knit, whatever) are when I’m watching television or on long car rides. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I’ve…

  • On Life and Love

    Chapter 12 of Witches Posted

    Happy Friday! I present to you Chapter 12 of the Witches of Ming Ung, “Making Peace“: Hardi scoffed. “Give it up. Give us the antidote. They’ll get you eventually, and another ten thousand people might be dead in the meantime.” His jaw set, but he didn’t say anything. “I’ve got a deal for you…” taunted Hardi. I want to go home and play with my computer now.

  • On Life and Love

    Weekly linkage

    This week’s internet cruising: behavioral advertising icon – Coincidentally crossing my plate right after this tidbit of narrow-sightedness (see Greg’s comment there, too), I had to cackle a bit. I like the idea of disclosing–all the time, not just when you register for a service–that a site is gathering your behavioral information. I also agree that a weird triangle icon in the midst of a column of ads (text or image) won't get noticed and won't make sense. Release management, or “How to de-version your app” – Nice examination of the thought processes behind an app being released as a "beta", but not labeled as such, along with the classic…