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Nov. 13th, 2009 @ 10:50 pm So I'm playing with Google Wave...
Tags:
Assuming it doesn't crash and burn because nobody gets it (and I barely get it), it's going to be a hell of a service once it matures. It has some real potential to be a serious productivity and collaboration aid (and/or a total time-sink like Facebook).

At the moment it's seriously lacking in a lot of areas.

It needs better contact management and categorization, and perhaps a method for blocking undesirable contacts. Right now things are manageable, but that will change over time.

It needs an update notification system. Scheduled email summaries, IM integration, something.

It needs output services. I built a trip using "trippy" (which is a pretty cool and useful extension, by the way) but I've got no way to output it (other than a screen print).
Who's Rambling?
[info]bovil
Nov. 12th, 2009 @ 12:34 pm At work for a bit...
I couldn't take it sitting at home staring at the walls (ceiling, floor, television, books, magazines) any more.

I'm in the office for a few hours so I can actually engage my brain at something useful.

Expecting to run down around 2:30.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 11th, 2009 @ 06:01 pm woomph!
How am I feeling?: frustrated
I was planning to go back to work tomorrow, being pretty much over the hamthrax or whatever this flu was.

Then we went to lunch today. I had a bowl of tasty clam chowder and a "Philly Chicken" sandwich. (Food Purists, ignore the name. It's tasty even if it was nothing like a real Philly Cheesesteak, and I actually have had those. In Philadelphia)

We talked about running a couple of errands, but I felt like a taking nap.
It lasted two-and-a-half hours!

Guess that while I'm probably *not* a health hazard anymore, I'm maybe not up to work yet.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 11th, 2009 @ 04:29 pm Random things...
The car is fixed. It no longer makes hmmmmmm and thummm-thummm-thummm sounds.

I need to go out shopping for jeans. The jeans I have now are too big and too bulky to just belt comfortably.

I plugged a new power supply into the dead Dell. It's alive again, and is my new living room computer. It's got a few issues (Ubuntu linux doesn't really like the audio chipset, and the wireless keyboard is useless until it's booted into an operating system) but it's turning out to be a pretty good little media station (particularly since it's not powered up and overheating 7x24).

I am playing with free VOIP services. I've got a Gizmo5 (sipphone.com) account set up using Ekiga client (yes, I've tried Gizmo, Qutecom and linphone, this is the combo that works nicely with my hardware and Windows). I haven't set up Skype yet, but I may...

My spare work computer is going back to work, to do worky things. I've actually got need for it there again.
Who's Rambling?
[info]bovil
Nov. 11th, 2009 @ 11:34 am To those who serve:
Thank you.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 10th, 2009 @ 08:44 am Happy Birthday!
Extra Special Natal Anniversary Felicitations to [info]lferion!
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 9th, 2009 @ 09:49 am Bleah. Phase II.
Where in the world am I?: Home
How am I feeling?: still sick
Though I'd been warned, y'all are right.

Phase two of this flu is icky, too. (the day after the first fever-free day).
Pooped, head clogged, etc.

On the other hand, I woke up before [info]bovil and fixed myself some breakfast, put on slippers (I was already wearing sweats; it's November!) and picked up the paper.

I'm very glad I agreed to follow everyone's (including the CDC) advice and *not* try to go back to work immediately.

'Nother day stuck in the house. Think I'll tackle [info]jaylake's Escapement today (it was one of the special goodies in our WFC2009 bags).
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 8th, 2009 @ 03:02 pm The Grip of the Grippe is fading!
Hurrah!

Temperature back to normal this morning (high 97s; I run a bit cooler than average).

Not all symptoms are gone (still some symptoms), but the end of being housebound is now in sight.

(Tuesday or Wednesday).

And I've got about 5 pounds to put back on.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 8th, 2009 @ 01:59 pm World Fantasy 2009 personal recap
There's a part of me that wishes we could put WFC on the annual calendar. The people who attend are so much fun, and surprisingly (as this is a mostly professional conference) I didn't feel like a fish out of water.

It's hard to write a WFC report without sounding like I'm dropping a lot of names, but then again, it's WFC. Well, there's also "running hospitality" so dropping names is all I've got left.

Jetse de Vries is a total blast. Jim Minz and I got some time to sit down, drink chipotle vodka, and tell stories from back when we were both total nobodies. Drinking with Jeremy Lassen may be good for the soul, but it's not good for the liver. Jeff and Ann Vandermeer are a total runaway train, you never know where things are going to end up with them. Garth Nix is just incredibly nice and fun to talk with. Nora Jemisin... kind of like Minz, I knew her (online) before she was published and we had a nice time chatting about the old days. I don't think Tempest Bradford's brain ever stops running, or even slows down for that matter. Victoria Blake isn't nearly cynical enough to be in publishing, but it looks like she's going to succeed at it in the long term. Neil Clarke is just amazing. Liz Gorinsky is really cool.

The rest is a blur.
Who's Rambling?
[info]bovil
Nov. 8th, 2009 @ 01:40 pm World Fantasy 2009 hospitality recap...
I don't think I've ever seen so little of a convention, particularly one we were there extra days for. Then again, we were running consuite.

Wednesday we moved in the stuff at our house. 4 car-loads, I believe.

Thursday we decorated and opened. Yvette and I did the "perishables" run. Costco came through with our business delivery, barely on-time. Spike and one of her friends did our first ice run. We provided support and space for the Vandermeers' most excellent party.

Friday we opened again. Well, Rich, Spike and Yvette opened (this was the pattern). There was a slight miscommunication on when lunch should come out and when breakfast should end, but that was solved for the next day. I did a giant Costco restock run; it's a miracle the car survived.

Saturday we opened again. I did the BevMo run for Amontillado, and Edgar's birthday cake was delivered.

Sunday we opened again. Coffee was a bit late because we ran out and had to get more at Safeway. We didn't close at 1:00, but started taking down and packing decorations. K picked up the Rug Doctor to do the carpets, and we did our second room. Around 5:00pm we brought out all the left-overs and dead dog party started.

Monday morning (after way too little sleep) we cleared out the suite and did the rest of the carpets. Moved out all of hospitality, only 2 car-loads going out.

Big thanks to:
  • Cindy, for keeping track of our dollars; come Friday morning I knew I had to trust the receipts and not my personal spreadsheet
  • Aaron, for getting the logistics runs that we really needed done done.
  • Ann and Jeff Vandermeer and their crew (Victoria and Neil particularly), for keeping the ideas flowing and inspiring us to take the theme places we never expected
  • Rich, for sound advice, even when in some cases we knew already because it helped us adjust our priorities, and for getting up every morning to open things
  • LaMont, for always being there, and taking the job he was worried he wasn't experienced enough for
  • Radar and Lisa H, for all the help moving in, and all the help keeping things going
  • Spike, for repeatedly coming up with process improvements that made things run better (and for offering her help at the last minute when we hadn't even really thought of asking)
  • Johno and Chriso, for getting the food processes organized enough we could just carry through on them
  • EspaƱa, for being her cheery self and pouring a lot of drinks
  • Jo and Krys for always keeping up with the restock demands
  • Henry and Letha for finding the time in their busy schedules and Letha's help with move-out
  • Mark & Yvette for decor, haulage, and a lot of work
  • Mo, for the most amazing Poe portrait and those wacky tikis (and a lot of work)

Seriously, we had the best crew and a great committee. I'm not sure I'm interested in working on another WFC (but ask again in a decade when someone out here feels like doing it again), but it was a great time working with everybody.
Who's Rambling?
[info]bovil
Nov. 6th, 2009 @ 10:41 am Still home sick...
How am I feeling?: sick
Three days of mild fever (99-101) so far. Bleah. If you've been expecting to hear from and haven't, that's why.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche
Nov. 4th, 2009 @ 12:17 pm Alas, the ague...
One of the assorted ugly bugs roaming around has caught me, I'm afraid.

Going to grab some soup, eat it by myself and then go home.

Bleah.
Who's Rambling?
[info]kproche

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