Spent an interesting morning, re-crash coursing my way through a quick Linux install using Ubuntu's Wubi installer in order to help out a long distance friend who had some WordPress importing issues from Blogger. Took a little time to get WordPress going on Ubuntu (Linux) 9.04; had to also relearn how to do symlinks and permissions. Finally got it all working together and did a test export of my own blogger entries (converted to an XML file) and imported into WordPress.
The findings essentially proved my friend's hosting provider probably did not have WordPress installed or configured correctly. Next steps involve finding a more amiable WordPress supported host provider, if the current provider will not help.
Like I said: Interesting morning.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Long slog of a weekend, getting some work accomplished under the shadow of an early next week deadline. Nevada DUI Safety course is probably the most emotionally draining work I've done to date, mostly having to do with finding some appropriate DUI videos. American audiences are too fickle when it comes to the amount of honest, graphic visuals you can show them. European and Australian/New Zealand videos hold nothing back, allowing the full impact of a rolling vehicle to careen and tumble over innocent victims--al a cinema verite. Several videos I had to stop, to just begin crying. I realize though that getting this information out there is important. This curriculum will probably be the best course I've put together.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Writing over the Weekend
I really do not enjoy doing writing work while the weather is so nice outside--on a Saturday--but I did spend most of Friday biking and enjoying the day. The work must get done especially if I'd like to get paid.
Unexpectedly, while I sit writing chapters for a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) course, I have come upon some great research material on the Web. Especially enjoy reading some of the visual cues law enforcement know to look for while out on the road.
Often times, like I've read and experienced so many times before, successful writing often begins with creating a time, space, and setting to write. ...It's true, even on this lovely Saturday morning as the sun beams stream into the window.
I really do not enjoy doing writing work while the weather is so nice outside--on a Saturday--but I did spend most of Friday biking and enjoying the day. The work must get done especially if I'd like to get paid.
Unexpectedly, while I sit writing chapters for a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) course, I have come upon some great research material on the Web. Especially enjoy reading some of the visual cues law enforcement know to look for while out on the road.
Often times, like I've read and experienced so many times before, successful writing often begins with creating a time, space, and setting to write. ...It's true, even on this lovely Saturday morning as the sun beams stream into the window.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Driver Safety Videos
A few years ago I began branching out into other forms of technical writing, really to help pay the bills and make ends meet. That's the life, breaks, and opportunities for having your own writing business. Luckily I now work pretty much full time producing driver safety course curriculum for a company out of California.
Anyway, the point of this blog entry is just a note about DUIs and the scary videos I'm having to wade through for a soon-to-be released curriculum for a Nevada DUI course. As a communicator, I understand the importance of the message, that it can be viewed/remembered, and hopefully appreciated. Everyone's threshold for graphic visuals is different. And DUI Public Service Announcement (PSA) presentations are I think the way to go. Mothers Against Drunk Driving PSAs are good sources I'll hopefully see about using.
A quick safety tip. American safety videos are baby food compared to European/Australian/New Zealand based videos. Of course--there are only so many ways to show the truth of a matter.
A few years ago I began branching out into other forms of technical writing, really to help pay the bills and make ends meet. That's the life, breaks, and opportunities for having your own writing business. Luckily I now work pretty much full time producing driver safety course curriculum for a company out of California.
Anyway, the point of this blog entry is just a note about DUIs and the scary videos I'm having to wade through for a soon-to-be released curriculum for a Nevada DUI course. As a communicator, I understand the importance of the message, that it can be viewed/remembered, and hopefully appreciated. Everyone's threshold for graphic visuals is different. And DUI Public Service Announcement (PSA) presentations are I think the way to go. Mothers Against Drunk Driving PSAs are good sources I'll hopefully see about using.
A quick safety tip. American safety videos are baby food compared to European/Australian/New Zealand based videos. Of course--there are only so many ways to show the truth of a matter.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Re-Purposing Furniture for other uses
Recently I made a decision to save a little money by converting a little used coffee table, which takes up too much room, and make it into a nice looking computer desk for use downstairs. Here are the basic items needed, tools, and steps I took to re-purpose some furniture.
Items Needed:
1 - Coffee table
4 - Screw Brackets, used for mounting to underside of table
4 - Table legs, with built in screws for attaching to screw brackets
1- Small can of stain
Tools:
1 - Drill, with drill bit and Philips screw attachment. (If you have a torque drill you're in the zone!)
Brush, disposable rag, and protective hand glove for applying stain
Pencil for marking drill holes
Preparation:
1. Stain new table legs and allow them to dry.
Steps:
1. In a clear area, turn coffee table upside down for easy access to legs. Unscrew original coffee table legs.
2. Take a screw bracket, align it to desired location underneath corner of table, mark and drill holes. Repeat for other three corners.
3. Place a screw bracket over holes and loosely screw in supplied screws into bracket. Next, set drill torque (for mine 15), and then tighten each screw down so bracket is secure. Repeat for other three corners.
4. Screw in each new table leg.
5. Carefully turn over coffee table, now used as (in my case) a computer desk. Enjoy.
I'm looking to do more projects as the pre-summer weather holds up and I may use the Instructables website, including pictures, for better how tos. Stay tuned.
Recently I made a decision to save a little money by converting a little used coffee table, which takes up too much room, and make it into a nice looking computer desk for use downstairs. Here are the basic items needed, tools, and steps I took to re-purpose some furniture.
Items Needed:
1 - Coffee table
4 - Screw Brackets, used for mounting to underside of table
4 - Table legs, with built in screws for attaching to screw brackets
1- Small can of stain
Tools:
1 - Drill, with drill bit and Philips screw attachment. (If you have a torque drill you're in the zone!)
Brush, disposable rag, and protective hand glove for applying stain
Pencil for marking drill holes
Preparation:
1. Stain new table legs and allow them to dry.
Steps:
1. In a clear area, turn coffee table upside down for easy access to legs. Unscrew original coffee table legs.
2. Take a screw bracket, align it to desired location underneath corner of table, mark and drill holes. Repeat for other three corners.
3. Place a screw bracket over holes and loosely screw in supplied screws into bracket. Next, set drill torque (for mine 15), and then tighten each screw down so bracket is secure. Repeat for other three corners.
4. Screw in each new table leg.
5. Carefully turn over coffee table, now used as (in my case) a computer desk. Enjoy.
I'm looking to do more projects as the pre-summer weather holds up and I may use the Instructables website, including pictures, for better how tos. Stay tuned.
Friday, May 29, 2009
A real good friend sent me a link earlier of a music video on Vimeo. It's from an award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music." Here's probably the best rendition of the Ben E. King classic, Stand By Me. Beautiful.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The things I learn...
Was talking with a friend earlier about being cool, being great, and being a rock star. He mentioned his daughter has finally decided she wants to be a rock star like Hannah Montana. Friend's daughter is four years old.
Later, had coffee with another bud of mine. He recommended I check out a funny comedian named Anjelah Johnson. Cute. Here's a Youtube example of her on Chick Comedy.
Told him about photographer, Kyle Cassidy. I love his photo essay, Where I Write.
Was talking with a friend earlier about being cool, being great, and being a rock star. He mentioned his daughter has finally decided she wants to be a rock star like Hannah Montana. Friend's daughter is four years old.
Later, had coffee with another bud of mine. He recommended I check out a funny comedian named Anjelah Johnson. Cute. Here's a Youtube example of her on Chick Comedy.
Told him about photographer, Kyle Cassidy. I love his photo essay, Where I Write.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Although I'm still using Twitter, I'm looking at resurrecting A Blog in Time mainly to post more at length comments and thoughts about things...you know, blogging type things. Seems much of the blogging and other social networking avenues are all vying for wider audiences and user counts. Ultimately that's all good because it gives more options to the user.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Have not updated this blog in over a year, however I'm posting on Twitter as btbrasington for the foreseeable future. Thanks for stopping by.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Who doesn't love a good monster movie? I'm not saying hacker-slasher flicks. I'm talking classics like Godzilla (1954), Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), and War of the Gargantuas (1966). Happy anniversary Mothra and Godzirra!
Beyond the biggies, one of my favorites spookies is Fright Night (1985)! This was one movie series where Roddy McDowall (a.k.a. Peter Vincent) really got his point across...no monkey business here.
Beyond the biggies, one of my favorites spookies is Fright Night (1985)! This was one movie series where Roddy McDowall (a.k.a. Peter Vincent) really got his point across...no monkey business here.
Friday, April 25, 2008
I'm really stoked to read finally that J.R.R. Tolkien's, The Hobbitt, is planned for a live action movie; and it's now official: Filmmaker, Guillermo del Toro is directing the movie and its sequel. (I understand the second movie will explore the 60-years span between the Hobbit time period to the beginning of The Lord of the Rings.) Of course, I'm already saving up my pennies for popcorn to go see Del Toro's Hellboy II, coming out this year July 11.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Grocery store lines
I have a love/hate relationship with grocery store lines. For years I could hardly contain my anxiety at having to actually wait to purchase things. The nerve. I then came upon a revelation: I have a gift, a special gift that is a sixth sense of knowing which grocery store line will have any--or a combination--of the following:
So I've learned to embrace my gift, strike up conversations, hum to the overhead canned music--which of course is interrupted several times with a clean-up announcement for isle 12. The one thing that keeps me from going off is the simple fact that if I was to try and do all the baking, planting, harvesting, milking, producing and packaging of everything I plan to purchase--it would take me weeks to months to get it all done. So a few more minutes in line doesn't seem like a big deal. Probably the best attitude I found was in very casually dressed man who I offered to go in front of me because he only had a few items. "That's ok son, I'm retired: I have all day." Nice.
I have a love/hate relationship with grocery store lines. For years I could hardly contain my anxiety at having to actually wait to purchase things. The nerve. I then came upon a revelation: I have a gift, a special gift that is a sixth sense of knowing which grocery store line will have any--or a combination--of the following:
- Some customer who's check is not honored.
- Some customer who cannot find their credit card, discount card, or any other card they need to complete their purchase.
- Some customer who operates on another time dimension. (Open to interpretation.)
- Some customer who swears some item was at a lower price, so some clerk has to go find the "marked down item," while everyone else in line waits.
- Some customer who needs an item switched out, checked, or exchanged.
So I've learned to embrace my gift, strike up conversations, hum to the overhead canned music--which of course is interrupted several times with a clean-up announcement for isle 12. The one thing that keeps me from going off is the simple fact that if I was to try and do all the baking, planting, harvesting, milking, producing and packaging of everything I plan to purchase--it would take me weeks to months to get it all done. So a few more minutes in line doesn't seem like a big deal. Probably the best attitude I found was in very casually dressed man who I offered to go in front of me because he only had a few items. "That's ok son, I'm retired: I have all day." Nice.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Avatar: Cameron, Sam, Sigourney, and synthespians
James Cameron, known for the Terminator series, Aliens, and the blockbuster, Titanic, is turning his new 3-D film making process on a project called, Avatar, planned for release on May 22, 2009.
Early write up on the project from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_880
Recently Cameron and crew were seen shooting in New Zealand, also pulling in the resources of Peter Jackson's Weta Digital, bringing to life the story of a paralyzed former marine who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, a human mind in an alien body. His avatar then goes to an alien planet, "thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival." Perth, Australian actor, Sam Worthington is cast as Jake Sully, who plays the former marine who undergoes the experiment to exist as an avatar. Working again with director James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver plays a botanist who mentors Jake Sully.
Avatar will also introduce six actors who are synthespians, or synthetic (in this case, digital) actors. Anyone familiar with Lord of the Ring's Gollum, played to perfection by Andy Serkis, or Aki Ross from the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, understand how realistic computer-generated synthespians appear. Currently out in US theaters, Roger Zemeckis' retelling of Beowulf (http://www.beowulfmovie.com/) also uses synthespians, enhancing the performances of actors Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Crispin Glover, Angelina Jolie, and many others.
James Cameron, known for the Terminator series, Aliens, and the blockbuster, Titanic, is turning his new 3-D film making process on a project called, Avatar, planned for release on May 22, 2009.
Early write up on the project from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_880
Recently Cameron and crew were seen shooting in New Zealand, also pulling in the resources of Peter Jackson's Weta Digital, bringing to life the story of a paralyzed former marine who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, a human mind in an alien body. His avatar then goes to an alien planet, "thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival." Perth, Australian actor, Sam Worthington is cast as Jake Sully, who plays the former marine who undergoes the experiment to exist as an avatar. Working again with director James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver plays a botanist who mentors Jake Sully.
Avatar will also introduce six actors who are synthespians, or synthetic (in this case, digital) actors. Anyone familiar with Lord of the Ring's Gollum, played to perfection by Andy Serkis, or Aki Ross from the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, understand how realistic computer-generated synthespians appear. Currently out in US theaters, Roger Zemeckis' retelling of Beowulf (http://www.beowulfmovie.com/) also uses synthespians, enhancing the performances of actors Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Crispin Glover, Angelina Jolie, and many others.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Opa! Greek Festival is happening this weekend, September 7, 8, and 9. Must find gyros, baklava and some Greek coffee. Yes!
Monday, September 03, 2007
Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything. - Charles Kuralt
Life sometimes feels that way: You move too fast or too hard, barely noticing the side roads, rabbit trails, or byways in life that may lead to discovering those out of the way places rich with a life all its own...secret waterfalls, hidden glens and hallows, or that little wishing star that twinkles silently in the night.
A friend of mine in Pensacola, Florida reminded me in a recent email this blog is "kinda old." True, so true. Let's try dusting off things a bit. And is it September 2007 already?!?!
Life sometimes feels that way: You move too fast or too hard, barely noticing the side roads, rabbit trails, or byways in life that may lead to discovering those out of the way places rich with a life all its own...secret waterfalls, hidden glens and hallows, or that little wishing star that twinkles silently in the night.
A friend of mine in Pensacola, Florida reminded me in a recent email this blog is "kinda old." True, so true. Let's try dusting off things a bit. And is it September 2007 already?!?!
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