Archive for the 'Site News' Category

Simple

Published on January 2, 2010 in Ideas and Site News. 2 Comments

When I was learning HTML back in middle school, I discovered a Dynamic HTML snippet that let me change the user’s mouse cursor to whatever I wanted! With the power of copy and paste javascript, I had a site more hideous than a typical Myspace profile, long before Myspace hit the scene.

Unaware of the atrocity I had slapped together, I went to a forum (remember those?) to ask for feedback. I was summarily told that my site was not worthy of 1999, much less 2004. It was the Internet, so people were pretty mean, but one person’s constructive feedback has stayed with me.

Just because you can do something, it definitely doesn’t mean you should.

In reflecting over the last decade in my last post, I remembered that advice. As I conjured up the mental image of the worst website I’ve ever made in my life, I took a look at this site. I saw a useless sidebar with unnecessary graphics, confusing static page titles, and an inconsistent site methodology. I went back to the drawing board, updated WordPress and my trusty K2 theme, and hacked away at CSS and PHP until I came up with the design you’re looking at now.

I’ve thrown away as much template text, promotional material, and other crap as possible. I upped the size of the beautiful Lucida Grande that graces these pages, and completely ditched the sidebar. I’m pretty happy with it, and can’t believe I didn’t go simple sooner. In writing, design, or any other art I can think of, simplicity is king.

Disabled User Registration

Published on August 17, 2009 in Site News. 0 Comments

I have disabled user registration on the blog. These days, I only get spam registrations. Anyone can still leave comments, however.

Carry on.

Happy Birthday to Blog

Published on July 3, 2009 in Site News. 2 Comments

My blog is two years old today. Although I may not use it as furiously and regularly as I used to, it’s still one of my most valuable assets. I have many great memories with it, including getting into college, having a tympanoplasty, finding solutions for broken Apple SuperDrives, and organizing Register for Change. Those awesome memories, projects, and goals will only continue to grow. To celebrate this occasion, I’m going to repost a heart-warming blog comment I received recently.

Dear Richard,

Thank you for your descriptive and honest blog. I wish I had googled this topic earlier, I am about to undergo my third tympanoplasty. I got my ear wet after the first operation, and blew my nose after the second. My surgeons never really emphasized how fragile the graft really is, they just kept telling me about high percentage rates of success. Although I have not been the best patient in the past, I am going into this third surgery ready for hybernation. I plan on locking myself up for 8 weeks: no work, no showers, no physical activity, no blowing my nose and no sneezing. I hate to resort to this extreme form of rehab, but am desperate. How did your rehab compare? How did you take care of things like hygiene, congestion, and the constant idleness? Any advice is appreciated.

Yet another holy eared one,

Adam

The idea that people from across the world can search for stories about almost anything and bond over their experiences still surprises me, despite the fact that I’ve been on the Internet for close to six years now. It’s so amazing. Thank you for continuing to read what I have to say and have an awesome holiday weekend if you’re in the United States!

And that’s my obligatory birthday post.

Another Try

Published on July 1, 2009 in Site News. 0 Comments

Hello blog! I’ve been continuously stumbling when it comes to writing here. I could dwell on why I haven’t been writing recently, making excuses, but I think I’ve reached the point where they aren’t excuses anymore.

I’ve been comfortable not blogging, whereas I used to need to blog all the time. It’s easy for me to blame Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of social media like Google Reader for killing my need to publish long-form. In this case, I’ll elect to take the easy way out.

I’ve funneled the energy that used to go here into sharing news stories, putting together 140 character quips, and tagging friends. I’m not sure whether this is a good or bad development, but a development nonetheless. When I blogged here, I wrote about my journey into college. As soon as I got there, I hit a wall of life and energy, and I focused on living.

In the coming days, I’m going to try to catch up with you all, if you’re still subscribed. I cannot express how grateful I’ve been for your support and advice during the run of this blog. You make it happen.

Ideas to write about?

Testing, 1-2-3. Is this thing still on?

Published on May 13, 2009 in Computer Academy, Dover, Ricky and Site News. 3 Comments Tags: , , .

I’m home, back in Dover Plains, with plenty of time to write. I’ve moved beyond apologizing for abandoning this blog – I’m here to tell you why I did for most of the year, and what I plan to do about it.

College is hard. That is to say, time management is hard. In a ridiculously social environment, it’s hard to make time to sit in front of a computer for the sake of sitting in front of the computer. I took five classes this last semester, and have been funneling tons of time into the Tufts Roundtable, a new publication at Tufts. I’m the head web designer.

What I’ve run against over the last year is the ongoing debate between living life and broadcasting life. It’s a debate I’ve been struggling with, and over the last eight months, I’ve focused on living over lifecasting. With my new pool of time, we’ll see how that changes.

This last semester was amazing, and I’ve actually had the time of my life at Tufts. For better or worse, I’ll be passing my time in Dover Plains until September, and because I’m Ricky, I have goals for that time.

  1. Resting.
  2. Reading.
  3. Getting outside.
  4. Tinkering with computers.
  5. Spending time with friends.

This July, I’ll be working my standard summer job at the Dutchess Community College Computer Academy, a computer camp for kids. Other than that, I have no concrete plans. I’m looking for another job, or some volunteer work in Dutchess or Putnam counties. Let me know if you have anything in mind.

Oh, and welcome back! I’ll be writing much more often than I have now.

Reorg

Published on March 19, 2009 in Site News. 0 Comments

I’m feeling guilty. I’ve completely neglected writing on this blog. I stop by every month to keep up with my goal-oriented project of Monthly Resolutions and other times to post a link, but that’s it. After much thought, I’ve reached a conclusion.

Blogging and other social networking activities like twitter suffer under a lack of time. In a list of my priorities, they come after my studies, which has been reflected by my absence.

Here’s the verdict: For now on at this site, there is no schedule, there are no quotas, there are no promises. But, if you subscribe (rss), you’ll find me sending some thoughts your way every once in a while. I’m retiring the Monthly Resolutions project, not because I think it’s a bad idea, but because I’ve demonstrated that I don’t have the time to keep up with it online. I’ll keep continuing to challenge myself offline, but the rigid structure of the project doesn’t fit my life as a student anymore.

It’s not the end of the world; the end of the world would be if I kept lying to myself and you, my readers.

Thanks for sticking around.