maxelman.com

So, in an effort to replace the zope/plone craziness of kzsc.org, I’ve been looking into CMS alternatives. I know - exciting, right? It’s been a whole lot of uploading files, changing permissions and using the wonderful new tabbed terminal in Leopard. I’ve set up a few on this site so far, with only one looking like a real option. If anyone’s had any experience with any of these - let me know!

• wordpress (duh) - too blog based, but on the other hand, good for multiple blogs (μ - mu edition)
• drupral - also blog based
• expression engine - not very user friendly and a hell of a time to change skins
• joomla - the best for not-blogs so far and very easily skinnable
• plone - an actual up-to-date version that makes life better

So maybe joomla for kzsc.org - it’s a whole lot easier than plone, that’s for sure. But for this blog? Wordpress all the way.

On another note - anyone have any strong opinions on the Academy of Art? Specifically the School of Computer Arts: New Media? Because that’s looking like a nice place to head next.

Yeah! Alexa ranks maxelman.com at 9,246,050! That’s only 9,246,047 spots behind google!

Alright, so it’s absurd, but it’s a start, right?

Edit (28 August 2007): 7,082,312, take that! up by two million!

Edit (30 August, 2007): 2,425,454, ha! another five million!

Edit (2 September 2007): 1,888,110!

Edit (11 September 2007): 1,731,098

Edit (1 October 2007): 1,151,112

Edit (22 October 2007):  824,939

Inspired by lifehacker and this post, I put together a picture and listing of the contents of my everyday bag. Took a lot longer than I thought, but here it is:

Here’s what goes most everywhere with me around college and town, much of that by bike.

1. Chrome Mini Metro w/ cell phone strap-pouch: Just about the right size for all this, and sometimes my mac. Works fantastically as a biking bag - I suppose that’s fitting from a company of once-was San Francisco bike messengers.
2. Sigg 1L sport bottle: holds lots of water, fits nicely on my bike
3. House of Leaves: my current book - good to have around for those off-times
4. Sunglasses: I’m either wearing these or it’s cloudy.. or night, I suppose
5. Moleskin: A place to jot down important things and non-important things alike
6. Gum: The most amazing flavor ever - Trident ‘tropical twist’
7. 2GB Sandisk USB flash drive: basically indestructible and ever so useful
8. 80GB 5G iPod: Full of music
9. Olympus Stylus 720SW: Also indestructible - waterproof as well
10. Holux GPSlim 240: Pairs with my phone to tell me where I am
11. Micro SD card reader: Get to my phone files whenever
12. HTC TYTN: My phone, gmail checker, etc
13. Highlighter
14. LAMY fountain pen
15. Twin-tip Sharpie
16. Black Felt-tip Pen
17. Purple Pen
18. Black Pen
19. Soma bike multi-tool: Good for all those strange things needing to be fixed on my bike
20. Cateye Bike Light: Have to take this off so it won’t get stolen
21. Crank Bros air pump: This would also get stolen on a bike
22. Shure E3c headphones: The only problem with these is their complete blocking of outside sound that tends to make one oblivious to their surroundings
23. Keys: car, house, bike
24. Timbuk2 Wallet: Great design with elastic closure
25. Chapstick
26. Taped up roll of quarters
27. Prescription eyedrops for allergies
28. Moo business cards in a Etsy-found case
29. Wagner swiss army knife in a case
30. Titanium Zippo
31. Post-it notes

Overall, I think I’d be better off than some if I ever crashed onto a deserted island inhabited by people trying to kill me. Of course, I wouldn’t do as well as the guy traveling with a suitcase chuck full of knives. Or those question-inducing people that just happen to carry around pistols with laser sights…

Edit (August 30, 2007): Up on this Lifehacker post, here

So, I ordered something for a special someone’s birthday, and after the order online was marked as delivered, and UPS told me to contact the shipper (because only they can start a “trace”?), I was a bit frustrated when there was no phone number to be found for Amazon. However, I did find this - a “call me” page where you enter your number and amazon calls you right away on the telly. Shiny.

I told the man who called me all about my problem, and when I suggested starting an official UPS claim, he rebuked that idea and asked if sending a replacement item next day shipping, for free, would make me happy. Of course it did, as I thankfully left a few days until B-Day, so well done Amazon. Of course, I might now end up with two of the gift, which would be especially awkward.. They didn’t even really care if I sent the other back if it even showed up. Crazy.

Good job Amazon. You get points in my book.

Ah, and yes - for anyone who has ever enjoyed Star Trek, look at this. Right now.

after messing about with twitter, and possibly getting addicted, I added a small box on the right to display the last ‘tweet’. it’s so weird - but fun in a strange sense - to update that regularly. but hey! I got friended by Darth Vader, so now I get status updates for him. that’s always good.

on an even more geeky note, I filled out this widget of sorts, which puts together possibly too much of my online life. creepy.