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I saw this commercial for the Barbie Townhouse and it reminded me how much I wanted it.
I don’t remember how much it cost, but I REALLY wanted it. My dad made me an awesome dollhouse instead with five rooms and a carport for my Barbie Starvette. There was even an outdoor patio.
I’ve looked through all my photos and all of Stacey’s photos and we don’t have one picture of that awesome dollhouse. Not one.
I tried to draw a picture of it, but I can’t get the perspective right. My little drawing doesn’t convey the awesome magnitude of how cool this house was.
The long top room had a slanted roof because it was the attic. I always imagined Skipper staying up there and it represented my room in my mind. The two middle rooms were bedrooms. The room on the right had a door that opened up to the patio over the car. Each of the four rooms had a real window. The main floor had a kitchen and a front room. The front room also had a door that opened up to the front of the house. The roof had shingles. The front of the house had a porch. It was seriously AWESOME!!!
When I was done playing with the house, I gave it to Stacey. When she was done with it, she gave it to a Jehovah Witness family she knew that had a whole house full of girls. I’m sure that toy was just as loved by them as it was by us.
I wish I had a picture of it…
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Here is the postcard that Swatch sent me to announce the 2009 Swatch Club watch:
The postcard is advertising the new Swatch Club watch called Street Club.
Looks pretty cool!
Last night, I dreamt I was in a college play. I had a tiny, bit part as a harried mother. I arrived at school and realized that it was the first performance of the play. I remembered the gist of my small bit, but I couldn’t remember my lines. No one had told me when practice was, so I just was performing without any rehearsals. I couldn’t find a copy of the play so that I could even just look at my lines before I went on stage.
I performed WONDERFULLY. Despite not getting one line correct, I got across the exact idea that I was supposed to and the person playing opposite me did a great job ad-libbing. The audience thought I was great and wanted to see more of me.
I still felt like a failure…
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My mom emailed me the photo they took when I first walked into the door at my surprise party.
Within seconds of that photo, my mom was crying. You would have thought it was her surprise party. Within seconds of that photo, Kristen was hugging me and I barely knew what was going on or who was hugging me. It was all such a surprise!
Mike took some photos of me with some of the decorations as well:
It was a great party and I’m so grateful to everyone who attended and planned it. A special thank you to Mike, Stacey, Dan, Reed and Mom!
I had kicked Maggie off my comfy chair in the bedroom and plopped her onto the bed. When I looked up, she was cleaning Elvis’ ears. She does this several times a week, but usually I can’t get to my camera in time to catch them on film.
This time, they were both so mellow that I got FIVE minutes of video. Here are the cutest 70 seconds:
When Linda died, I thought I would never see anything this cute again, so seeing Elvis and Maggie together like this makes me happier than I can say.
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My life is upside down right now. Carol is in the hospital and they can’t really figure out what is causing all her troubles. I feel a little lost right now.
Carol is still in ICU and things don’t look good for her. I’m not allowed into the room right now, so I’m just trying my best to not go crazy. I found this comic the other day and I thought I’d share it with you.
I love Something Positive. I’ve been reading it for many years now and just seeing the familiar characters makes me a little happy, even when they are miserable.
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Carol is still in ICU. I’m pretty much incapable of writing right now. To all of you who believe that artists must suffer to create, you’re full of hooey. I have always been worthless when I’m in pain and now is no different. It’s the main reason that I have such a large backlog on Starling Fitness and The Gadgets Page. I know that some times I won’t be able to write, so I build up a few weeks of entries for a buffer, just in case.
I forgot to post my notes from the last three days of SXSWi 2009, so I’m going to post those here over the next few days. I wanted them to be online and now that I can’t write on my own, I’ll just post my old notes.
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
SXSWi 2009: No Budget to Lo Budget
Megan Scibona
Jason Nunes
Felicia Day
Michael Nigro
Kevin Sullivan
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Making Whuffie
@missrogue on Twitter
What is whuffie? A word coined by Cory Doctorow. He’s crazy about Disneyland. Down and Out In The Magic Kingdom It introduces whuffie instead of money, which is social capital. Influence, access to resources, favors, reciprocity, etc. When you ping whuffie, you get a score that you can buy stuff with. (Continue Reading…)
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Sunday Keynote: Nate Silver interviewed by Stephen Baker
Stephen Baker The Numerati, BusinessWeek
Nate Silver Founder and President, fivethirtyeight.com
Nate Silver:
I was using this to procrastinate about the other stuff I was supposed to be doing. It was born out of frustration with with Fox News. Polls were too much a part of the narrative. I’m NOT a big fan of polls. There is room for some common sense in this. (Continue Reading…)
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
From Flickr and Beyond: Lessons in Community Management
Heather Champ Dir. of Community, Flickr
Jessalyn West Dir of Operations, MetaFilter
Micah Schaffer YouTube
Mathew Stinchcomb VP Community, Etsy
Mario Anima Dir Online Community, Current TV
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Make It So Sexy: Lustful Design in Mainstream Science Fiction
Nathan Shedroff Program Chair MBA in Design Strategy, CCA – He showcases the examples of sex and technology design in science fiction.
Chris Noessel Sr Consultant, Cooper
They are playing S.E.X.Y.R.O.B.O.T. by the Pinker Tones in the background. – He showcases the examples of sex and technology in real life and how it compares to our fiction.
www.nathan.com/thoughts/makeitsosexy.pdf (Continue Reading…)
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Presenting Straight to the Brain – Room A
Monday, March 16th 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Is there a way out of the oppressive PowerPoint culture that surrounds us? Yes: skip the fonts and graphics talk, and explore how the human mind learns. When you accept what the research says about the brain, you’ll have no choice but to present a clear and compelling multimedia story.
Jared Goralnick: Productivity Evangelist, AwayFind
Cliff Atkinson: BBP Media
Kathy Sierra: Creating Passionate Users
Craig Ball: Pres, Craig D Ball PC
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
The Real Technology of Indiana Jones – Room B
Monday, March 16th
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Archaeologists no longer rely on whips and fedoras; they now use a range of sophisticated digital tools to collect information in the field and study it in the lab. Too often, though, this wealth of information meets the same fate as Indy’s discoveries, locked away in digital ‘warehouses’ where no one can see it. The archaeologists on this panel present different projects that use web platforms and open-source approaches to bring digital archaeology out of the warehouse and into the public eye. Learn how archaeologists are using interactive media to open their data and processes to the public; discuss the creation of an online archaeological community in Second Life; and explore ancient cities across space and time using publicly-available online tools.
Colleen Morgan: Archaeologist, UC Berkeley
Stuart Eve: Dir, L-P Archaeology/UCL
Bernard Frischer: Rome Reborn
Moderator: Adam Rabinowitz: Asst Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Monday Keynote: Virginia Heffernan / James Powderly Interview – Room A
Monday, March 16th
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Open source art evangelist and political activist James Powderly talks about his craft and his mission with Virginia Heffernan, who writes The Medium column for The New York Times Magazine.
Virginia Heffernan: Columnist , The New York Times
James Powderly: Research Dir, FAT Lab
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Change Your World in 50 Minutes: Making Breakthroughs Happen – Room A
Monday, March 16th
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Gain real-world ideas for markedly improved productivity from an industry expert and passionate speaker who always inspires SXSW audiences.
Kathy Sierra CreatingPassionateUsers (Continue Reading…)
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Expression and Self-Defense – Room 5A
Monday, March 16th
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sexual exploitation and sexual expression are inherent in everyone’s online experiences, whether intentional or not. Bloggers, community site users, community managers, web celebs — everyone will eventually face a sexuality-related crisis where knowing the difference, and how to protect yourself is crucial. From the personal to the professional, we will demonstrate and discuss instances, legal realities and tactics for survival and success. We’ll also cover the import and impact of the Lori Drew/MySpace Suicide trial (where Drew was convicted of a federal misdemeanor for violating MySpace’s terms of service in order to bully a teenager), Missouri and California’s new cyberbullying laws — and how it all applies to sexual expression and sexual attacks for individuals and social network websites.
Violet Blue
Jason Schultz
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Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Is Aristotle on Twitter?
Room B
Tuesday, March 17th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
We introduce a framework for understanding information overload by reflecting on and updating ancient communicative traditions. Aristotle was an information maven and Cicero a communication connoisseur. These classical communicators designed their speeches around five principles: invention, style, arrangement, memory, and delivery. Contemporary communicators build on this tradition with Web-based technologies.
Trish Roberts-Miller: Assoc Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Jillian Sayre: University of Texas at Austin
John Jones: University of Texas at Austin
Jim Brown: University of Texas at Austin
William Burdette: Asst Instructor, University of Texas at Austin
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Social Gamers: Away From the Keyboard
Room 6
Tuesday, March 17th
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Online social networking sites are filled with data, content that can be used to feed rich and entertaining games. What can happen when we leave the computer behind and move gameplay into the real world? Our panel will explore technologies and methods that allow us to step away from the keyboard and create social games that work within the physical world.
Adam Simon: Moderator Creative Dir/Co-Founder, Socialbomb
Dennis Crowley: foursquare
Kevin Slavin: Managing Dir, Area/Code Games
Daniel Soltis: Interaction Designer, Tinker.it!
Bret Terrill: Dir of Business Dev, Zynga
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Tuesday Keynote: Chris Anderson / Guy Kawasaki Conversation
Room A
Tuesday, March 17th
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
In 2006, Chris Anderson introduced the concept of the Long Tail. His soon-to-be released book will talk about the power of free. Will his theories stand up to the tough questions of venture Silicon Valley venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki?
Chris Anderson: Wired Magazine
Guy Kawasaki: CEO, Alltop
Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
Therapy 2.0: Mental Health for Geeks
Room 5B
Tuesday, March 17th
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
What can you do to stay mentally healthy in a Web 2.0 world? Come share your strategies for staying sane in the world that never really turns off. Learn self-care tips for managing work and stress. Discover how to manage social networking while keeping your boundaries intact.
Dr Keely Kolmes: Clinical Psychologist
Thomas Roche: Writer of Skid Roche.
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Last March I went to SXSWi 2009. I posted the notes from two of the days, but conference exhaustion got in the way of me posting the notes from the last three days. After much delay, here they are.
From Blog to Book Deal: How-To
Room 18BCD
Tuesday, March 17th
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Is traditional publishing dead? Apparently not, as many bloggers are landing book deals that extend and enhance their online work. Learn the ins and outs from bloggers who have done it including how to shape a coherent book from tons of posts and involve your readers in your writing.
Hugh MacLeod: Cartoonist, gapingvoid.com
Guy Kawasaki: CEO, Alltop
Stephanie Klein: Author, Greek Tragedy at stephanieklein.com
Kate Lee: literary agent, ICM
Moderator: Pamela Slim: Escape from Cubicle Nation
I came across my notes from this year’s PodCamp SLC and I thought I would post them here:
I love this commercial of Fisher Price Little People toys.
My grandma had the school, airplane AND airport. Stacey and I played with those things for HOURS at end and FAR past the time when we should have been playing with Little People. I LOVED those things!
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I’ve been enjoying the Awkward Family Photos blog lately.
There is something evil and jealous of me that hates families with matching sweaters or denim shirts who all have their photos taken together in a beautiful park by a photographer. I’ve done it with Mike and that didn’t make me feel any less jealous.
Seeing these photos however, makes it ALL better! No matter how coordinated they are, if Mommy is wearing a Pooh Bear costume, it’s just embarrassing!
I found this video while looking through my iPhoto library yesterday and I thought I’d post it here. It was filmed two days after Christmas back in 2007 and I never got around to posting it here.
Winter and snow seem so far away now. I know I just got snowed on my first day in Yellowstone two weeks ago, but it’s so warm now that I can barely remember being cold anymore.
No matter what the weather, Sid has fun!
I have this Obama shrine on my desk at home.
I got the Obama button from my friend April, who went to the inauguration. She told me how she got the button for me in this video.
This is such an enjoyable story for me to hear. I have watched this video every month or so since I filmed it because I love the story so much. It’s such a beautiful and funny piece of history that she shared with me that I had to share it with the whole world.
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I love this comic from Something Positive:
Sometimes I feel like I should write a book like that. After living in Utah nearly my whole life, I feel like I have a whole toolbox full of Anti-Religion Skillz. The only problem is that I’m constantly tempted to superstition myself, so any god talk is risky for me.
Want to know the BEST way to get the fundamentalists to stop bugging you about their religion?
Try to convert them to Paganism. :)
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Last Tuesday, I sat behind a woman with the most beautiful and perfect gray hair I’ve ever seen.
After the class, I asked her if it was alright if I took a photograph because I liked her hair so much. I’m so glad she said yes.
I’m starting to go gray. I have a bunch of gray hairs and I see them every day. Since my hair grows nearly a half inch a month, I can’t imagine dyeing my hair. The upkeep alone would be too costly and I wouldn’t be able to stand to see my roots growing out. It would be a constant struggle between my thriftiness and my vanity.
My thriftiness has won before the war was ever raged. I would MUCH rather have gray hair and not have to worry about going to the hairdresser’s for a touch up every three weeks.
My kind doesn’t go gray very quickly. When my grandma had an aneurysm, they shaved a portion of her head for her brain surgery. It didn’t help much and I will always remember the short dark hairs that grew back before she died.
I want to live long enough to be this gray.
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