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- February 11, 2013
Day 11: Paper-Based Time Tracking for Lawyers
February 11, 2013Read more
The other day someone commented that it would be cool if there was a legal-size 2UP version of the Emergent Task Planner. Since I’ve been making tons of Emergent Task Planner variations, I thought I would save that for another day. However, this got me to thinking about the 8.5×14 legal-size paper. It’s a weird size, but according to Wikipedia is commonly used in law firms in both the UK and US. This sparked another lawyer tidbit I’d heard years ago: lawyers often bill in 6-minute increments instead of 15; I guess if you are charging hundreds of dollars an hour, the 6-minute increment can save your client some money.
I decided to make a lawyer-billing version of another form, the Emergent Task Timer (ETT). This predates the more-popular ETP, and is often used by people who need to see where their time is going in the face of chaos.
- February 11, 2013
HTML5 Crash Course: Kickoff
February 11, 2013Read more[snip-h5cc]
I’m starting an HTML5 crash course for myself. I’m applying the 15 minute ritual to this. This is the first 15 minutes.
What I know about HTML5 is this:
- There are a bunch of new semantic elements, like
<section>. I’ve read that this should be ignored because they’re really not the point. - More interestingly, there is a refined DOM and new Javascript features related to new objects like
and.
To get my head wrapped around HTML5, I need to do the following:
- Find a good reference for HTML5 features, in a nutshell. I know I’ve seen them.
- Consolidate my Javascript knowledge and workflow for editing and debugging.
- Set up a development environment where I can play and keep track of samples, maybe in a VM
- Maybe pick a framework to start with?
- Or a project to build?
There are some issues with HTML5 that prevent adoption by a broader base of users, I suspect.
Getting Familiar
- HTML5 Rocks – some kind of aggregator
- HTML5 Test – for browser compliance, rated.
- HTML5 Demos – a questionable demo site…have to review
- Smashing Magazine HTML5 tags – worth browsing?
- html5.org – might be useful?
These references, so far, kind of really don’t give me a starting place. Let’s look for Javascript HTML5 next. Oh, I forgot I had this book:
- HTML5 Up and Running – by Mark Pilgrim. My cousin Ben recommended this to me.
Development
- HTML5 Shiv – some kind of IE9 enabling script
- CreativeJS – neat javascript examples.
- CraftyJS – some kind of framework, it looks like.
- Maintainable Javascript – by Nicholas C. Zakas, also recommended by Ben.
OOOPS, out of time!
Post Notes
- Dive Into HTML5 – Apparently this is the source for the HTML5 book, maintained by the community.
- Ben mentioned “Phonegap, HTML5 Boilerplate, jQuery Mobile”. What are those? Hm.
- HTML Boiler Plate – Ben said this was worth looking into.
- The question: Do I want to make HTML5 my new interactive platform for development? That’s what I’m trying to find out.
- Can I alternatively just have other people do my interactive work? My thoughts: no. I want control over this so I can wield it as an expressive medium for demonstrating my ideas. It would take a pretty exceptional developer to meet my needs. Perhaps if I could afford to pay someone, it’s worthwhile.
- There are a bunch of new semantic elements, like
- February 10, 2013
Happy Lunar New Year
February 10, 2013Read more
Feb 10 is the start of the lunar new year, which to me is “Chinese New Year” because of my Taiwanese ethnicity. In Taiwan a 9-day holiday officially began. There’s a number of traditions, such as cleaning the house thoroughly to welcome the new year, banquets, gift giving, wearing of new clothing, and so forth. Here in frigid New Hampshire, I celebrated by doing a bachelor-pass over the kitchen and living room, buying some appropriate candies from the local Vietnamese market, and cooking a nice-looking meal for myself with some pu-erh tea.
THE MEAL: Far from traditional, it’s a mix of white and brown rice, some frozen broccoli, some pickled Japanese-style radish, and marinated pork loin dredged in tapioca flour then deep-fried for 90 seconds in 350 degree oil. The marinade consisted of soy sauce, sugar, 5-spice powder, some dry sherry, and garlic powder. I just think it’s pretty.
THE TEA: It’s pu-erh tea that my Dad brought me several years ago. Earthy and subtly complex, it’s a milder tea that helps cut through the grease. I probably shouldn’t be drinking it with this meal, for all I know, but I had brewed some earlier.
THE CANDY: Although it’s from a Vietnamese market, it looks just like the stuff we would get in Taiwan: peanut squares, sesame seed squares, some peanuts coated in some kind of thick sugar shell, and a gummy sesame chew. The peanut squares are my favorite; they are like peanut brittle, but structurally are more like Rice Krispy bars.
- February 10, 2013
Day 10: 365-Day Almanac Update
February 10, 2013Read more
Today’s product-of-the-day is an update to the 365-Day ETP Almanac I have for sale. There’s two full-sized versions, formatted for US Letter (8.5×11) and International (A4), with pre-entered dates. I’ve just added the mini versions to each package as a free update to people who have already purchased it. This is a nice feature of Gumroad, the digital download service I’m using; if you have already purchased this, you will have by now received an email informing you about the update.
The smaller version is cramped on space, so I didn’t fill-in the month and day in the main line near to the year. The smaller “Tuesday, January 1” line remains. It took about 2 hours to make the variations, mostly because I forgot how the XML import worked; this feature of InDesign can be confusing if you don’t know the three or four “gotchyas” that tend to collapse when making modifications of an existing design!
While I could have sold these separately, I think of the Almanac download more of a “planner kit” that motivated people need to assemble themselves, so I would rather provide the complete set in one package for this year. For 2014, I may split them into separate products because both choices will be available up-front instead of after-the-fact.
» Browse 2013 ETP 365-Day Almanac (A4+A5)
» Browse 2013 ETP 365-Day Almanac (US Version)Thanks to everyone who purchased these almanacs before. If you have any suggestions on useful things to add, feel free to leave a comment! There is a READ ME file in each package that has instructions on how to print and use PDF files.
Enjoy!
Groundhog Day Resolution Posts for 2014
I am challenging myself to create a new product every day for the month of February 2013. The Challenge Page lists all the products in one place. Check it out!
- February 9, 2013
Day 9: Operating Principle Cards
February 9, 2013Read more
For the past few days I’ve been dealing with the Amazon side of things, handling negative feedback from disgruntled customers. This has thankfully been a rare event, but it’s amazing how much impact that one negative comment can have. My mind goes into overdrive! Is it something that can be fixed? Is it something that I could have prevented? Is this a signal from the universe that I shouldn’t be doing this?
