Writing Archive

My Couch is Nerdier Than Most • September 29, 2015

Having a laptop or a tablet on the couch while watching TV is of course not a new thing. As soon as portable computers shifted from something that looked like a suitcase to the trackball sporting beasts of the early 90s, people have been participating in the dual screen experience. Lately however I've taken a new approach to partially reclined computing that I've been enjoying. A pain in the neck…

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Riding the Rails • September 14, 2015

Recently I've been getting the opportunity to work with / help out some software companies that base their tech stack on rails. Now, languages and frameworks are all just tools, and one doesn't necessarily have to be an expert in the tools to be able to make a material contribution to shipping a product. But, in order to truly be helpful, one should probably be able to "swing a hammer" and have a…

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Craigslist literature: Aeron Edition • September 12, 2015

I'm a sad, broken wreck of a chair. I used to be so majestic. I was a shining example of that most famous of office chairs, the Aeron. The crown jewel of Herman Miller's eye, bringing joy and ergonomic fortitude to the backs and hind parts of the beleaguered office worker. I was as flexible and supportive as any chair could be, until for reasons I'll never understand I wasn't enough. I was…

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The Learning Stops When the Writing Stops • April 27, 2015

It's really easy to give or listen to advice. I've given plenty of mostly unqualified advice to people who didn't really ask for it most of the time. I've read a lot of advice and taken really useful things from it- I'm a good chunk through a book that would qualify as just that right now. I have a drive to learn about great new ways to do things and a too healthy fixation on finding the perfect…

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Prost • May 23, 2014

Many people at times had difficulty understanding Grandpa when he spoke. Not necessarily because of his accent, but also because he had a knack for saying things people had to think about a bit. There’s a famous story in our family in which before a birthday celebration he shared with my sister Jessica, he rose to speak and began simply saying “Today is the day...of 100!” Seeing some confused…

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Schneier: The Value of Privacy • September 16, 2013

I recently came across a link to a post from 2006 from security writer Bruce Schneier that is very relevant to the recent NSA news, and probably puts forth the best succinct argument against the first sentence of this excerpt: "If you aren't doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide?" Some clever answers: "If I'm not doing anything wrong, then you have no cause to watch me." "Because the…

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Git Your Ass to Markdown • August 22, 2013

By nature, I'm pretty restless to learn new things, especially in the nerd realm. This can be a huge asset: the pace of change within the world of technology, especially software, is lightning quick and driven by countless people constantly working to release interesting things to experiment with. The balance I always struggle to strike is between chasing a moderate number of new shiny things…

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Quoth Sir Charles • February 01, 2013

“I used to care what people thought about me. But then I realized that when I tried to make the people who didn’t like me, like me, the people who did like me didn’t like me anymore. So I just said screw it.” – Sir Charles, as relayed by Clay Travis

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Review: Diastar Head Massager • September 05, 2012

I recently had a momentary lapse of self control and bought a silly frivolous add-on product along with a recent amazon order because that happens to me often. In any case, this thing arrived today and here is my review: BUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…. This contraption is amazing and should be owned by everyone. Recommended in the biggest way.  (This post includes an affiliate link.)

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Who Am I (What’s My Name) • September 04, 2012

I made a decision recently that coincided with the “relaunch” of this website that I would stop posting things under a pseudonym. Over the last few days I have added my full name to my twitter page, imported all of my posts from my previous site, and decided that even though I was only superficially trying to be harder to find, that I’m not going to be doing that anymore. I’m also glad I never got…

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Crashed Down on the Edge of Town • August 27, 2012

I’m not sure how common this experience is, but I always forget that when I go on a vacation where I can truly relax, my body figures that out before my mind does. Before my mind can settle down, I crash, hard. I’ve had this happen to me a number of times even back during school, but it’s still a blindside how much just letting go of stress can hit like a truck. I slept for 10 hours the first…

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I Want My.. • August 27, 2012

Cue that sweet Dire Straights riff with the fixed wah sound. I finished the book I Want My Mtv, the oral history of MTV during its original golden age. Its target audience is obviously the people who lived and breathed the channel as it became a cultural phenomenon during the 80s and early 90s, but I still enjoyed the book as somebody who completely missed the boat on the era the book covers. I…

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“Disconnect” • August 22, 2012

I’m writing this post from the Charlotte airport, yes on my computer.  I have decided during my barely week-long sojourn to my parents’ house in Hilton Head Island, SC to take a shot at doing something in the way of “disconnecting” completely from the very internet focused and ultra connected lifestyle I lead. This has been a popular concept recently but I’m not sure how many people actually try…

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HEAD SHOT • April 12, 2012

Recently at my company we’ve gone through a process of having the fine people at Miles Design create branding for us and redesign our website among other things.  They’ve done an outstanding job, but as part of that all of the employees got professional photos taken for the website, promo materials, etc. I’ve very rarely had to wear makeup in my life, but they brought in a makeup artist to make us…

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Regarding #18 and T.J. • March 07, 2012

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Today sucks. I’m not going to rhapsodize about Peyton Manning’s time in Indianapolis, or angrily vent or try to be the voice of reason, or wonder why we care so much about a silly thing like sports here, although I have been…

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Human Body as Machine • February 11, 2011

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) I miss it. It’s been over ten years since I’ve felt it really, but it’s one of those things that’s impossible to forget.  If you listen to Radiolab (and you should, it’s an incredibly interesting show) it talks about how your…

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Resolutions Are For Jerks • February 09, 2010

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Mr James Brown Jr got me thinking earlier today with his “post super bowl resolutions” he posted.  Normally I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, I like more random resolutions- I feel like they stick better, so here are a few…

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Best Face Forward • December 03, 2008

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) I’m not a narcissist, at least as far as I can self diagnose. But, I think the way people use the internet and especially social networking is introducing a bit of narcissism that is very difficult to escape as a member of the…

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Tick, Tock. • November 05, 2008

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Four years later and I can’t sleep after this result either. I am an unabashed politics junkie- I don’t really go out of my way to discuss politics, but over the past 10 years or so I’ve turned into somebody that follows every…

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iDespise iTunes* • April 10, 2008

(Note: This post originally appeared on the now defunct craigtsoandso.com. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) *(The application, on windows) I listen to a well above average amount of music while sitting at a computer, both at home and at the office. I have a very large collection of music, but I don’t think my musical needs and computer…

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Passion of the Craig • November 13, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Last weekend I was involved in one of those late night philosophical conversations that pop up occasionally, this one involved the subject of having a passion in life and what exactly that means. As a result of this conversation I realized…

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This Counts as Calling Three Years Out • September 27, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) One of my favorite little things about music is certain songs or albums seem intertwined with certain events or time periods in the past. I tend to listen to music in full album form rather than individual songs so for me this makes certain…

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I Wish I Could Save Her In Some Sort of Time Machine • September 17, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Jeff Mangum is one of the most bizarre individuals this world has ever seen, and while there are many truly great songwriters out there who have made and continue to make great music, something clicked between him and his band Neutral Milk…

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What It Means to Rock OR Reflections on Guitar Hero • September 17, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Someone at Harmonix is/was a goddamn genius. It was Newton who said "If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants," but whoever came up with the idea of Guitar Hero by standing on the shoulders of Dance Dance…

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Ok Fine, But Keep Those Stupid White Headphones Away From Me • September 12, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) I feel dirty. Not necessarily the ironically dirty feeling I respond with whenever the internet asks me what my mood is, but the kind of feeling you get when you finally give in to a phenomenon you somewhat despise. I bought an iPod. Yes, I…

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this cat is a landmine • August 27, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) I’m not really sure what “Post-Rock” means as a musical genre. According to Wikipedia as of tonight, it’s: a music genre characterized by the use of musical instruments commonly associated with rock music (typically a line-up of two electric…

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Melonhead • August 20, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Blind Melon has a new singer and is releasing a new album and I’m not really sure how to feel about it. The lead singer of my favorite band died when I was 13, well before I was aware of them in any capacity beyond the band with the catchy…

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Feed Me! • July 27, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Over the past 10 years or so, my day to day life has been almost completely changed by the presence and evolution of the internet. I feel guilty for not reading as much as I used to, but really I read so much more- it’s just spread out over…

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All Time Top Five Vol. 1 • July 26, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) Inspired by the one and only Todd: One thing High Fidelity is good for besides creating a window into the relationship mind of the modern male is inspire dorks like myself to rattle off top five lists the way Rob and his record store…

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Chasing the Rennaissance • July 25, 2007

(Note: This post originally appeared on my blogspot blog here. Datestamped footnotes with commentary may have been added for my own reflection and amusement.) My entire life I’ve had two great loves outside of my interpersonal relationships, science / technology and the arts. Both have encompassed a lot of different areas that expand in some areas and wane in others, but both remain constant on a…

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