If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed.
Click here to find out what an RSS feed is. Thanks for visiting, Phil!
Right now I should be on the train making my way from Belfast to Cork for Barcamp tomorrow.. The most unfortunate thing is that I won’t get into the City until after 10pm, so it doesn’t look like I’ll get any Noodles, but instead hope there is wi-fi in the hotel and catch up with what I missed on the wi-fi-less public transport.
Taken in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in 2006 while visiting with my parents, this is the inside of a shop filled with old antiques and other trinkets of the past.
This reminds me, I have to visit the museum again. The ‘Folk Museum‘, hasn’t always been my favourite, yet still a great visit with the old school, church, farmhouses, manor, mills, gorge, cottages and town shops and houses. The ‘Transport Museum‘ I have always loved the most; filled with old trains, buses, cars, bikes and many other forms of transport.
The internet is doing a damn good job this time around. I actually wish I could make a difference. I guess only American’s can. The time is getting close, and I’m actually quite excited.
Travis Ruse is one of my heroes and I’m so glad to have found him again. This guy pretty much single handedly inspired me to start my photoblog (as well as others, though he was my first and always favourite photoblogger), and subsequently this text blog, as well as a significant contribution to my interest in street photography. Through the photoblog a wave of obsessiveness over photography in general. I have a lot of respect for him and the photographs he took for 2 (or was it 3 years) in the New York subway.
He works as the Photo Editor at Inc. Magazine, where he has worked for the last 5 years.
My rediscovery of Travis came as I noticed the video he shot of Kevin Rose’s photo shoot for the magazine and article. Kevin Rose is the Founder of Digg.com, which I have never really used much, though have been using a little more lately as I have now become hooked on the weekly show, Diggnation, that he does with Alex Albrecht.
Here is said video. I really like the resulting photos.
I still can’t believe that I use a Mac sometimes. Even after owning one for 6 months. I was something I never, ever, thought I would do. I Always hated Macs.
I’ll start off by saying that, yes, it has crashed a few times, the occasional Kernel Panic, the odd application crash etc. However, these are rare, and have in no way dampened my new computing experience.
My last few months with windows were not great; repeating hard drive failures, regular almost-data-loses, monthly reinstalls, generally slow running speed resulting in nothing getting done quickly.
I had considered myself a bit of an expert on Windows, and as such it did take me about 3-4 weeks to fully adjust to the Mac. Starting with registering and customising preferences. Finding the applications - and discovering that they are now called ‘applications’ rather than programs - that did what I wanted was the hardest task, though after recommendations and many Google search results starting with “Best Mac Applications” it didn’t take too long.
And so down to real computing. Finally I was able to use able to use a computer without having to constantly worry about settings, preferences, registries, viruses, spyware, unwanted crap, awful performance, unresponsiveness, cluttered Start menu, taskbar, quicklaunch bar, massively cluttered Control Panel, that damned Windows folder in C:/ with endless amounts of unorganised crap. Run that never runs anything, Find which certainly never found anything of use and Help which only hindered.
Ignoring the fact that I sound like I’m being paid for this, but I can actually just do what I want without thinking about the workings of the operating system, and in general, things just work. Always switching seamlessly between applications, only crashing with over 100 firefox tabs open.
One thing I had always feared about laptops was the touchpad - or trackpad as Apple likes to refer to it - abd how awful I thought it would be without a mouse. Sometimes I forget to plug in my mouse for hours at at time. Truth is, the Mac Trackpad is amazing. Sometimes it’s even annoying to use the mouse - though makes some things easier to do.
So there was a minor incident 2 weeks ago, though only temporary. I brought it to the Genius Bar for a checkup. All fine. Subject to more Kernel Panics, some parts will be replaced.
On top of the usability of the Mac, there is the great Apple Community. Being such an important aspect of life, Apple is definitely no exception. So big infact that a documentary is being produced on just that. In many ways, it is a relgion of shiny relics. I’m a happy convert.
Oh and tha Ask Jack section of the Technology Guardian only ever has Windows issues.
My first experience of an unconference was BarcampBelfast in June followed by CreativecampBelfast in September. Each one has been fun, informative.
For those unaware, an unconference is a “participant-driven conference centered around a theme or purpose. The term “unconference” has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid one or more aspects of a conventional conference, such as high fees and sponsored presentations.”
One such event is Barcamp, which had its first Irish event in Cork in 2006, the follow-up to which is being held on Saturday 1st November at Webworks: Barcamp Cork II.
I’m very pleased to be attending, to meet people, enjoy the talks, take photographs and maybe learn a thing or two. Depending on interest, I will be holding a short photo session for anyone who would their photo taken for free. The attendees list is filling up nicely, and many of the talks look very interesting.
Both pre and post event dinners and drinks have been organised. Pre is in Bangkok93 on Friday 31st Oct at 8pm. Although I put my name down, and do hope to be there, I’m not sure I will be able to make it down on time. Post is still in the planning stages - I will be there.
I like all this think-for-yourself stuff.
Belfast City Council to begin construction of a skate park.
Upside down Christmas trees. How modern.
If I eat a brain will it make me smarter? This brain looks tasty.
Contrast finish Appschool project and it’s very pretty.
No Google, smilies are not good, but there is a pile of shit that will come in very handy.
A giant symbol of peace.
Seriously kids!? - What the hell is wrong with this generation?
Man sued by eBay seller for leaving negative feedback, where it was deserved.
Album covers in Lego. Some of these are really good.
Eating too much will kill you.
Play Ping Pong. As seen here.
Kitty and the Can Openers have three gigs coming up in the next week, in preparation for their EP relaunch gig in November.
Tuesday 28th October
Auntie Annies, Belfast
Supporting Wallis Bird
9pm. £6
Wednesday 29th October cancelled
The Pavilion Bar, Belfast
Underground Fundraiser
Friday 31st October
Common Grounds, Belfast
8pm. Free.
I have never done a numbered list before (as far as I remember), and now two in one week… it isn’t something I plan on making too much of a habit of.
Peter Donegan suggested that we make a list of ten things that make us happy today to “cheers this country up.” So I thought I’d give it a go. I knew it would be difficult.
How specific to be? Life itself? Life, and generally living make me happy. But maybe a little more specific. My macbook, the internet, coffee etc. When I began making the list I got stuck after number 5. Eventually the rest did come to me.
Having gotten the list down, I will add that I am rarely satisfied. Maybe with an individual task or minor achievement, but never with the whole picture. Though I see that as a good thing. Always pushing myself and trying harder, which, I think, is part of the reason the list was so hard. Anyway, here it is. Be happy :)
- Taking photographs
- Music
- Writing
- Meeting new people
- Being recognised for my photographs
- Travelling
- Not having to get up early
- The kindness of others
- Coffee
- My Macbook.
New Rule:
If it’s not done by 11pm it doesn’t get done.
