November 15, 2004
You Knew I'd go Back!
You knew I'd have to go back to see which famous leader...
Quiz link is on the same page:
http://similarminds.com/othertests.html
Eat your hearts out! I am brilliant. hahaha
Farron
[aka Einstein]
Another Time Wasting Quiz
I happened upon this time waster on another blog and just had to take the test to find out which classic movie I might be.
Apocalypse Now!?!?!?! ahhhahahaha
Quiz is here:
http://similarminds.com/othertests.html
Try it and report in here if you are so inclined to waste a few minutes of your time. I might also have to see which famous leader I might be before shutting down that window.
Have fun! [I know you'll do it.]
Farron
November 08, 2004
White Space and White Knowledge
There are several of us who went rushing in to sign up for an online class in Design Principles taught by the creator of the stunning Cafe Lisa weblog.
We are having a blast over there and might even learn something we would stop chattering for a minute a pay attention. The lessons are really of the sort that make you stop and think about your designs. They pull some really interesting ideas out of a diverse group of people.
This week's lesson deals with the white/negative space and while thinking I should be thinking about the task at hand, I went on a mindless blog surf. Found exactly what we all need to work the exercises. White Knowledge!
I think it works much like the Butzi / Slacker theory that states if you balance an unopened software box on top of your monitor long enough, knowledge of how to use the program will sink right in. I still have trouble testing that one since my flatscreen doesn't hold the box well, even with extra duct tape! Boo Hoo.
I am determined to acquire some white knowledge this week. Do you think a nap might help speed the process? Maybe I will give that a try.
Actually, I think that definition site looks like it could develop into a fun, fun playtime resource. I just wanted an excuse to make note of it here and THE Cat said it was alright for me to do a silly thing like that since felines have possessed white knowledge for centuries. We silly human, lower life forms need to figure it out so we can better soak in ways to serve our furry masters.
He does have a tough time trying to keep me properly trained.
Farron & _^..^_
November 02, 2004
A Peeper !!
Lil Lookie Lou!
Look who was peering through the window in front door tonight. It's a bit furry as this camera and I aren't at our best in the dark and he was shout through the double glass in the insert and the storm door, but good enough for a giggle.
Good excuse for a rotten photographer to whine for that Canon Rebel? Will that make me better at this? *smile*
9:00 PM
11-02-2004
Before the Polls Close...
...I had to make my one and only political comment on this election.
<politicaldrivel>
I certainly hope this superstition is proved wrong in 2004:
http://www.snopes.com/sports/football/election.asp
And I will add an image of the best looking bumper sticker on the block. If I would put stickers on my car, this would have been the one.
Can't let Kerry get all the airtime that is clogging this server. I've been trying since early today to get in here, had this host/server is pretty much NEVER down. Except on election day. Gotta say, the powers that be at Hosting Matters are doing a stellar job of getting it running again on a tough day.
</politicaldrivel>
On a lighter note, I still have hibiscus and peavines blooming and [drum roll please] my favorite late summer veggie vendor had some homegrown, local Bradley tomatoes come in today. When I saw the handwritten sign they had out on the road at a major, busy intersection, I would have taken out anyone who got in my way when turning around.
So it's November in middle Tennessee, there are flowers blooming and real tomatoes for dinner. I think today I can even survive the flip-flop fish as president. Maybe....
Farron
[ _^..^_ only cares about dinner, not drivel ]
October 28, 2004
The Magic Dragonfly Award goes to ...
I have to crow over my dear buddy, Lisa! Her incredible new "Cafe Lisa" blog design is gaining recognition in all sorts of interesting places:
Web Standards Awards
(Thursday October 28th, 2004)
CSS Beauty
(Monday, October 25th, 2004)
and the site is listed in this month's Noteworthy Category at CSS Vault.
We of the Cathouse are now declaring her the first and only winner of the Magic Dragonfly Award. She and that lovely dragonfly are certainly flying high this week!!
The scruffy old _^..^_ and I are going take this out-of-date blog we still have not redesigned and hide under the bed now. Someday.... Someday.... [wink]
Sweet Dreams!
Farron
October 05, 2004
Like My New Tag Toy?
This vehicle and it's owner may be physically landlocked in Tennessee, but their hearts and souls cannot be found there. They are lost somewhere on the northwest shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
Signed,
404@daBeach!
October 01, 2004
Chicken and the Bungalow
Becky, remember I told you about the giant chicken [amend to rooster] who sits right at the Tennessee/Alabama border and next door to the Boobie Bungalow?
Here he is! Thought he might be a great hot date for a Hen like you. [ducking rotten egg thrown at my head from MN].
He's the last thing we saw on the way out of the state and to the beach Tuesday night. Lovely, huh? I do live in a *classy* state. SNORT!
Farron
September 30, 2004
Morning Musings from the Edge
The affect of the sea is a very strange thing. Up before sunrise? Who me? The night owl supreme?
Had I slept another hour, I would have missed the full moon over the water in dark sky at five a.m. but bathed in pink and golden tones by just after six.
Pelicans flying in formation under the moon while the first light of day paints the sky is truly a magical site to behold.
I found it strange to turn my face back toward the east and see the cranes (of the mechanical, non-feathered sort) moving into position over the ever marching wall of high rises with which we humans try to block the breezes and views of the shores from the rest of the world. We really are like cockroaches in the way we continue to multiply and infest the planet.
Also, the thought of the massive devastation just a few miles down the coast has almost an unreal ring from where I have been standing this morning. Were the roads between here and there open and passable, an hour's drive west on the coast road would change the realities of the day completely.
God's speed in recovery to all of you in the area just to my west. My eye has been cast toward you more than once since I arrived. I know I am not welcome there at this moment when, by necessity, you must close your ranks and heal your lives. I wish you all the best from down the road as I would be a burden, not an asset to you at this time. My heart is with you.
No photos this morning as I just sent the camera off with *himself* on a deep sea fishing. He loves boats and fishing, but neither is my cup of tea. I like the expanse of the beach and sand between my toes. Bouncing and confining boats of any size, shape or description have never held much fascination for me. What I love is the feeling of standing on the edge of the world with my back to the walls we have built and staring idly across the endless sea. I can understand how people of ancient times believed the world was flat and that if you went far enough, you could fall off the edge.
It certainly feels that way this morning while watching the sunrise from the edge of the world.
Farron
[the temporarily AWOL _^..^_ slave ]
September 21, 2004
Lots of West Beach Footage! ~ Gulf Shores
WWL-TV out of New Orleans has posted a long version of the video flyover from last Thursday, September 16th. If you are still searching to see if a building is standing, many seem to be finding their special spots in the world on this footage:
It is about thirty minutes long and I am fairly certain you will need broadband to grab and play it.
The real estate agents are starting to post more photos as well. I am not sure the shots on the Meyer site from West Beach are all properties they manage. I know I saw a Kaiser sign smushed in front of at least one of the houses.
There are a large number of photos there. You can go through small, thumbnails one by one on each page and click to enlarge any that might be of interest, or click on the "slideshow" link to roll through them all one by one. They appear to be updating and adding as they are able to access properties for at least a glimpse.
Best wishes and good luck to anyone seeking information on their home or a dearly loved vacation spot.
Farron
[and beach indifferent _^..^_ ]
September 20, 2004
Building to a Higher Standard
Maybe the real title of this post should be "How to Sneak a Web Standards Plug Into My Hurricane Ivan Obsession"?
I have been watching for a certain little house in Gulf Shores to post results of how it weathered the storm. Some of you may remember that, about two years ago I was dancing around with glee at the owner's use of MiracleGro and Rice Krispies in floor treatments, and a wonderful mosaic shower. All sorts of things. This lady should really write, "A Million Uses for MiracleGro" along the lines of published lists of all the ways you can use duct tape or baking soda. I had a blast reading that part.
But what was, really interesting to Tony and to me was how carefully they were paying attention to building the house to a standard that would withstand a major storm. From the pictures and comments she is starting to post, it appears all that hard work and attention to detail paid off:
Moral of the story as related to web design? Make it pretty, make it fun, but when you get lazy (like I often do) and want to fudge on serious structural details, think about some of the other buildings you have seen in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and other points on the NW Gulf Coast that are all over the news and linked in posts all over these blog posts. Think of them as pages designed with old fashioned tag soup, twisted table layouts and codes that do not comply with minimal W3C standards. Much of the time they will plod along and hang in for *sunny day viewing.* But hit them with a serious storm of all the different issues which can affect page display, accessibility and usability and BAM, down they go in a crumpled heap. Strucutral failure supreme.
Then think of this little house when you are grumbling about taking the small amount of time to design up to standards. Sure, like this house your site/page will need a few tweaks and adjustments after a serious battering, but it will weather the winds and rain.
Why do I get a funny feeling that the tiny building itself, left alone with out loving owners to watch over it, stuck out it's little dac-art tongue and gave ol' Ivan one of our quadruple cat dares, just begging him to hit her with his best shot? He did just that, but doesn't seem to have been any match for her southern strength and stubbornness. Too bad, Ivan, take your wind & rain to Huntsville where you can really terrify a house. [wink, wink]
Now that is your standards driven page comparison. It may have a bump or a bruise, but it's still usable, it's still accessible (provided you can get past the mandatory blockades and the *stuff* in the road) and it's still standing strong.
Can your web page design handle abuse so well? If not, get to work! And yes, I am looking at myself in a mirror and pointing a finger as I say that! I need a good storm to blow away a few gazillion old ones still lurking out there.
No, I do not know the owners or builders. (Except that the owners are also Tennesseans. ;^) I've just been watching for that one to surface online because it has really interested me for quite awhile now. And it was such a joy to see someone withstanding this storm. Amazing what some advance planning and attention to detail can do for you, isn't it? (Stop making faces Slacker!! I know you write stellar codes, even if you don't like to admit it! ;^)
The place is actually inspiring me to clean up this outdated mess at Catartis and, finally, get it moved to a new system. Like their south side hurricane shutters, it seemed like a good idea when it was created (with NN4 still in mind) but that's been awhile. I have lived and learned since then. Besides, I am deathly sick of that butterscotch color and have been too lazy to do anything about even that over here. Shame on me!
Hummm, and I could shorten the number of days that posts stay on this main page while I am it. With my recent obsession, load time is more than a little heavy at the moment. To put it mildly, haha!
Excuse for this story: Design to Standards! Go above and beyond them in your attention to details. Plan for the worse, enjoy the best and easy, sunny days. Doesn't matter if it's a house or a web page. The principle holds true.
So did I sneak enough web stuff in here to get back to my current obsession? There is one more house I'd like to find online and see how it fared. The pink one we dilly dallied and didn't grab. I have a funny feeling that it may be okay except for the lower level *under pinnings* as long as the foundation didn't shift or sink.
Needless to say, I am taking notes and filing ideas for our future home in Gulf Shores. It will happen.... someday. *sigh*
TaTa for now,
Farron
[and _^..^_ who wants to know if he really has to ride in a C-A-R to move to the beach]
September 19, 2004
Baldwin County Red Cross Donations
I should have noted last night that the Meyer Real Estate site [posted below] has an internal link where you can make donations directly to the Baldwin County Chapter of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
The Red Cross general disaster relief donation link has been noted earlier in this blog, but I for one, wanted to add a bit extra that was targeted directly toward the people of Gulf Shores and Baldwin County who have made my life joyful on many occasions.
Anyone else feel the same way about the area and the people there? If so, do not forget that every little bit helps, especially if we all do that!!
Farron
[ _^..^_ says "Do It Now!!"]
Perdido Key, FL Message Board
For those interested in information on the Perdido Key area, I found an area specific message board.
This board is hosted by the "Pensacola News Journal." Hope it helps!
Farron
Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival 2004 Cancelled??
Per a note I just found on the Meyer Real Estate site:
http://www.meyerre.com/content/storminfo/hurricane.htm
it appears the Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores has been cancelled for this year.
That sounds reasonable, given the condition of the area at this point, but what a shame. I know from my wanderings that many residents and owners were hoping it would continue on a smaller scale. They need a reason/excuse to celebrate.
It was also noted that Meyer will be cancelling all rental reservations prior to October 16th, 2004. This could change, but that is the current, estimated date.
If others follow suit, it appears we will not be able to stay in the area for a night or two on our way back to Nashville from Panama City Beach. I was hoping to talk Tony into that. *smile*
I am posting based on my assumption that this information is as accurate as possible at this time. I do know Meyer is an extremely reputable company and a strong presence in the Gulf Shores community. Their information should be good and from reliable sources.
But then, everything is subject to change when your world has just been flipped and tumbled upside down and backwards.
Hang in there Gulf Shores!!
Sweet dreams of better days to come.....
Farron
[sensible _^..^_ is asleep]
Gulf Shores, AL ~ Hurricane Damage Updates
As of today, only a few areas of Gulf Shores have allowed access to residents and property owners. No others are allowed in at this time.
If you are looking for information or photos of certain areas or properties, landmarks or the area in general I have found several grassroots message boards where owners, residents, long time visitors and well wishers are sharing information, links and photographs as they become available.
I do not know how many of these links will stay active or topical in the long run, but even if they go dead later, I wanted to collect some of them here in one place. Hey, I have lost more in my obsessive wanderings than I still have at the moment.
*** Note: All links open in external windows. Simply close the page to return here. ***
Message Boards
For Gulf Shores, AL:
http://www.al.com/forums/gulfshores/
For Dauphin Island, AL:
http://www.hwforums.com/2144/index.html
UPDATE:
A new message board has been created with area specific categories for communities up and down the Gulf who experienced Ivan's wrath. Condo and Home specific information is being posted there. They welcome any information you may have:
http://forums.sunnygulf.com/index.php
General Hurricane Info:
http://members.boardhost.com/hurricanecity/
Some photo sites:
This has some of the best shots of the West Beach area. Much of what I had been searching for was here.
Some are slow loading, others may not load and you need to use IE to access the slide show.
http://www.ci.gulf-shores.al.us/Slideshow.htm
I, for one, salute whoever went and took these pictures and uploaded them. Whatever their web skill level might be, they obviously worked furiously to get information to those who cannot access this dearly loved area.
And don't take a good, close look at this post, btw. I am sort of *slamming* and ignoring proper structure, too. [sheepish look]
My bet is that they were shooting on Friday and up all night to get the photos in place by early Saturday. Thank you! Thank you! and Applause! Applause!
Photo Gallery at al.com [a growing list]
Some early shots of different Phoenix properties from Brett-Robinson.
Pensacola News Journal: Photo Galleries
Navarre, Pensacola Beach, Perdido
From Atlanta Newspaper:
www.ajc.com
Alabama Photos
Florida Photos
Geological Studies: Some before and after shots
Dauphin Island Photos:
Scroll to bottom of this page:
http://king-o-coals.com/ivan.htm
Aerial Video Footage
ABC Affiliate from Birmingham
From this list in weather section. [Others may follow]
And the first ones out of the gate with video!
WWL-TV out of New Orleans
Main Listing Page
See reports September 16-17, 2004 for flyovers, reports of damage, FloraBama footage and more live coverage. Others may follow.
Gulf Shores Talk Radio Online Broadcast has been filling in details as they receive them.
http://whep1310.com/
Zone Information for Gulf Shores
http://forums.sunnygulf.com/viewtopic.php?t=124
Also check the official city websites for more information and up to date bulletins on who is allowed back in the area and when. I do not have them all at hand this second, but they should be easy to find via Google.
Whew! That's all I can handle tonight!
Farron
[with ever helpful _^..^_ in lap]
September 17, 2004
Gulf Shores, AL ~ West Beach/Little Lagoon!
Whew!
I have been obsessing off and on all day trying to get information and photos regarding the condition of one of my most dearly loved spots in the world. West Beach/Little Lagoon area of Gulf Shores, AL.
Late afternoon and evening tv crews seemed to be getting some photos on the air. Prior to that, many, many thanks to WWL-TV out of New Orleans for the aerial video on their website:
To access the video, you need to go to the main page, look in the left sidebar for new videos. If you are not already a *member* there, you need to sign up. It is free.
The shots seem to be in random order, and there are some really heartbreaking views. As I sat near tears the first time I viewed the rubble that remains in many places, one bright ray [for me, anyway] appeared in appeared in the last ten seconds or so of the film. Beach side of Little Lagoon in approximately the 1800 - 1900's blocks [just west of Lagoon Pass] seems to be in fair shape! I am sure there is more damage when the buildings are inspected at close range, but the vast majority of the structures seem to be standing and totally fixable. How those little houses survived with so many other larger, seemingly stronger buildings crushed defies my version of logic. But there they are. The only thing that crosses my mind is that they were just enough to the west that they missed total leveling by inches.
Or, as I believe, they truly are magical and a protective, enchanted bubble was cast around them.
That is the part of the world cast a spell on me from day one! The word that came clearly into my mind the first time I set foot on that stretch of beach was *HOME!* I will have one there one day. And I will be a returning guest until that time. .
Anyone who has been in that area knows that the Little Lagoon ~ West Beach area has the most beautiful sunsets that can be found!!! Its survival was such a ray of hope!
If you are trying to find more information on houses or businesses in the Gulf Shores area and how they weathered the storm, another helpful spot might be the Gulf Shores Forum at al.com:
http://www.al.com/forums/gulfshores/
It is a small, grassroots board, but people are jumping in and sharing bits of information they have and trying to help others find what they want or need to know. No one can physically return to the area, but as with all things online, people from across all walks of life each get different bits and pieces of information. If they come here and share them the overall picture starts to become clearer.
Goodnight to one and all!
Farron
[ _^..^_ has totally lost interest ]
September 15, 2004
Blogs About Ivan
The Irish Trojan's Blog - Hurricane bloggers has links to several bloggers who are in Ivan's path.
Catartis sends thoughts and prayers in their direction. Stay safe, ya'll!
Farron
[& _^..^_ in Tennessee]
September 14, 2004
Hurricane Ivan: Watching and Waiting
With Ivan approximately 300 miles and 24+ off the coast, eyes are turning toward Mobile and Baldwin Counties in Alabama. That's my dearly loved, Gulf Shores!
No one knows exactly where the strongest hit might be, but everyone in the area will be adversely affected. This one has the makings of a monster.
We were sulking about a delayed or cancelled vacation. Shame on us for such selfishness. We are counting our blessings at the moment and trying to send some of those along to those whos lives are in the potential path.
Don't forget that the Red Cross Disaster Fund can help to make life a little easier for these displaced souls in time of need. Every little bit helps.
Donations of any sort or size are made easy at:
Check the link if you have a few minutes or dollars to spare.
Farron and _^..^_
September 13, 2004
Is He Sleeping in or Gone?
Hummm, there is *a girl* reporter in PCB this morning. They flew her in from Atlanta yesterday/last night(?).
Is Indiana Weather sleeping in or have they sent him a bit west? The track is ever moving but staying in that general area of the NorthWest Gulf at the moment. Hard to tell much at this point.
Here is a good, easy to load tracking map that seems to be constantly updated right now.
Track seems to keep wobbling. Last night's prediction was a direct hit near Destin. This morning west to Gulf Shores, right this second back closer to Destin again.
There seems to have been a big pow wow meeting at the offices of the people putting on this trip. Sounds like it will be moved to the end of the month. Yah! for us, but that doesn't lessen the fact that people in some part of that area are getting ready to get slammed! My thoughts and prayers are with them.
And I am still watching this like a hawk.
*THE* _^..^_ is not out of the woods on that trip and the vet stay yet. If it's just a bit later, we may be able to stay a day or two longer like we normally do, too. He may have just fixed his furry little wagon. purrrrahahahahaha!
Farron
[and an over confident, sleeping _^..^_ ]
September 12, 2004
A Smile While Grumbling
Looks like I am not the only one who thinks Jim Cantore's location is *THE* spot to watch. Mr. Storm = Indiana Weather.
Amazing what you might find while mindlessly surfing and sulking. ;^)
Farron
Media Coverage and Ivan the Terrible
I am just waiting for the "I told you so's" from Butzi.
Media likes to get right on top of the worst spots in a storm, right?
Well take a look where The Weather Channel has their ace hurricane chaser/storm magnet, Indiana Weather, and look where the Weather Bug guy has gone.
Right where we are supposed to be this week. Anyone besides me think this is where they are betting the worst hit will occur?
Curses! Curses Foiled Again!
Tony and I are convinced that our *dear* Cat with his Russian name (Tchaikovsky) has been channeling to the spirit of Russia's Czar Ivan the Terrible to keep us from leaving and shipping him off to cat prison for a few days.
He gave me that innocent cat look when I asked him directly. But I'm not buying his story. Lil Rat! He'd better adjust that path in a big hurry!!
Farron
[who is not speaking to the _^..^_ right now!]
Update: As I was getting ready to post this, the local news said that PCB (where we were going) is the best guess at this point of the spot which will take the direct hit. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Hurricane Magnets!!
Oh No!
I have been watching to see where the Weather Channel moved my hurricane hero, Indiana Weather [aka. Jim Cantore]. That guy is a hurricane magnet.
Guess where he is?
You don't have to click if you know me... yup, he's in Panama City Beach. I just KNOW *The* Cat sent him there!
Trip is suddenly not looking good, even from my delusionary optimistic point of view. Dern, I should have that blog up and running right now. lol
I still haven't quite given up the ghost, but the one indicator I pretty much swear by just rolled in. [grumble, grumble]
Farron
[and a now smirking _^..^_ ]
Hurricanes and the Best Laid Plans
Well that old Hurricane Ivan is trying to creep westward and rain on my parade. Wonder if this is all part of the cat network plot to try to keep *THE* Cat from having to go to boarding prison next week? I see he is aiming his body so he is breathing toward the west. Any of those other cats he corresponds with doing the same thing?
So far, the PCB weather report on weather.com is still looking good after Wednesday, when we will only be there later in the day since there's a really good chance we will stop for dinner Tuesday night and piddle to somewhere within 100 miles or so from the coast and grab a room for the night in one of those "close to the road" cookie cutter motels. Just somewhere for a snooze and a shower. No need to rush since we will be leaving late in the day.
We have learned the hard way that getting a room at 2:00AM at the beach when your condo isn't booked until the next day is not as easy as it sounds. Not that many of the fun ones have someone at the desk at that hour. That was when I discovered there might be hope for Tony as a runaway bag purrrson yet. When we didn't find a crash pad right away, his response was not to panic, but to say, "Well, there's always Waffle House." Good answer! *grin*
Those roadside things like Ramada, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, etc. are better bets for all night desk service.
Besides weather.com, I am keeping an eye on the blog at weatherbug.com.
They are the ones with the young storm tracking team I enjoyed following during Charley and Frances for a different sort of viewpoint. It concerned me when I noticed last night that they had moved their destination airport from Ft. Meyers to Tallahassee. Dern, they are planning to hang out in the northwest sector of the state.
Ah well, I have said that *I* am going if the Carrier guys go and the whole deal isn't cancelled. No good old boy is gonna call me a weenie. haha
Besides, if it doesn't *really* hit there and turns out more like TS Hannah was on this same trip two years ago, that is something I find interesting. Stormy days at the beach are actually quite beautiful and wild feeling. As long as you are not truly in harm's way.
We shall see. At least we are very blessed to have a choice in this matter. Those who live in whatever areas might be most affected are not so lucky. My thoughts and prayers are with them.
I am turning *THE* Cat to face and breathe the other direction just for good measure though.
Farron
[and one grumpy for being disturbed _^..^_ ]
September 08, 2004
The Peter Peppers Are Here!
Peter Peppers Drawn and Diddled
Yes! You can grow your own, ladies... I did! Dozens of them.
Yes! They are real and they are fun to diddle. In film and on the puter anyway. My fingers were stinging from chopping a couple to use in dinner tonight. They are hot stuff. Ouch!
August 13, 2004
Best Wishes to the Watchers
WeatherBug Blogs Hurricane Charley
Just want to send best wishes to those who have positioned themselves in *the path* to keep us all informed.
Tuning in to the Weather Channel and then checking this blog give different types of insight into what is happening on the west coast of Florida right now.
Our beloved spot on the panhandle seems to be out of harm's way this time, but the 2004 hurricane season is not over yet.
Talking about this blog with the human *Himself* at dinnertime last night and watching people boarding up with plywood and nails on television, reminded us that when we do [not if, when] get our beach place, really good storm shutters will be on our must have list.
Good thoughts and a little prayer are going out from the Nashville Cathouse to everyone in the area and our *fearless watcher/reporters.*
Good luck to all!
Farron
August 12, 2004
Hurricanes and Blogs
Ohhhhhh!
Did I ever spot a job I want today. Being sent to blog hurricanes.
I am so jealous of this kid I could spit! I wanna follow *Indiana Weather* [what I call that Jim Cantori guy from TWC] around and blog the whole dern thing. He always gets the best spots, and maybe I'd get that one ride with a hurricane spotter that I've been dying to take for years. Quite sure that one would be enough, but I would like to try it one time.
And what a great excuse that would be for an entire new set of highly mobile puter and camera toys! *smile*
Farron
[and That _^..^_ who knows I'm totally crazy]
July 21, 2004
Temporary Escapes from Cyberspace
Sometimes I wonder why I bother to put out flowers that will only be gobbled by nasty little buggie things. 
Japanese beetles shred anything they can eat, snails turn my lilies and hostas to lacework and then there are the ever present white flies. *sigh*
But then the hummingbirds start their midsummer mating rituals on the back patio and the butterflies and dragonflies start to wander in. Suddenly it begins to feel like it was worth planting and picking at plants that will withstand full, hot afternoon sun in Tennessee.
We have had the most adorable little male ruby throat take over our patio as *his turf* in the last few days. He buzzes me when I am by the study window and I can't decide if he has been flirting or fighting. If he was flirting, I am afraid I have been tossed away for another woman, because as of this morning, there has been a small green, lady hummer inspecting what he has to offer.
Our little James Bond Birdie has been graciously letting her inspect his bug supply, feeders and the plant that seems to have her most fascinated. That would be a rather strange and scraggly looking plant with small, salmon colored trumpet flower clusters that smells heavenly. An Agastache Acapulco Orange ... whatever in the heck that might be. I saw it, I liked the smell [and noticed that the butterflies and bumbles liked it in the Home Depot garden shed] so home it came to replace the white petunias which were frying in my hot sun basket.
Potential *Mrs. Bond Birdie* must have inspected every tiny trumpet on the plant this morning. I was picturing her as having tiny white gloves, running them across *his* pad to see if she could rescue it from it's bachelor mess. And somehow, I don't think she cares a bit that Mr. JB Birdie might be a bit of a rouge. I think she's one of those ladies who wants an afternoon of wild sex, followed by flowers galore and sweet treats to eat.
Hopefully, we will be summer hosts for her and her little family soon, and those horrid Japanese beetles will head back underground for another year so my hibiscus blooms won't be pretty only in the mornings and gnawed full of holes by midafternoon.
This too shall pass, I hope. Someone please convince the bluejays that they might be a tasty treat!
One of these days I might even come back to cyberspace, I've just been enjoying *being away* for a bit. We shall return from the garden and other non-computer related activities, soon enough. Right now, I think I might go watch the ritual and squish a few bugs while *THE* Cat soaks up a bit of sun.
Farron
[and a porch-bound, sun worshipping _^OO^_ ]
July 17, 2004
UNniversary #10
Lookie! Sweetie brought home an armload of flowers tonight for the 10th UNniversary of our very first date.
He did that on our first date, too. *grin*
Farron
July 16, 2004
Which Font Are You?
I love fonts, so when I accidentally ran acrose a quiz to find out which font I really was, I had to give it a spin. Here was my result.
test yourself at fontlover.com!
Feel free to report your results here.
Farron
[and sleepy _^--^_ ]
July 12, 2004
Christmas Shopping in July?
Aaaaahahahahaha,
Does anyone else want to buy a case of these to hand out as Christmas gifts?
I know I have a nice long list of people who need to have them appear in their holiday stockings. *smile*
Farron
July 08, 2004
Out D**Ned Spot!
More on monitoring:
When on a site with a black background after posting here last night. I spotted [gasp] dead pixels! Back to the store it went. Of course, there was not another 1760 to be found on a shelf in the area. I did spot the 1765, but hated the look of it on the spot. I could not endure staring that ugly thing for five minutes. Let alone hours on end.
It did look fine in pictures, but not *in purrrson.* Search and destroy was on. I refused to go home without a new monitor.
Ended up with a ViewSonic VA721.
First order of business when I arrived home was to test with solid black and then solid white page in full screen [F11] mode. Passed close inspection.
Again, nice crisp, bright display. So I think all is well here and I can stop obsessing on this issue. I've only wasted three of the four days in this post holiday week on monitor death, purchase, return & repurchase.
My only regret is that I had to go to one of those *big stores.* I would rather have purchased from Computer Renaissance where I knew they would take good care of me if any issues arose. Unlike the super store policies. But they just didn't have another flat panel I liked available right now. [sigh]
It's tough finding pixel purrrfection on the cheap. haha
Farron
[_^..^_ is over it!]
July 07, 2004
Monitoring the Latest Crisis
Yesterday afternoon, I shut down as it appeared there might be another of our summer thunderboomers coming through. After taking care of a few odd errands and chores, I decided to fire back up as we seemed to have escaped the boomer which has become all but a daily occurrence here lately. Plug in, click power switch. Black screen. Usually annoying Windows theme song came and went. Still black screen. Check power switch for monitor. Light is green all systems are go, but I still have, you got it ...black screen.
Cables are checked, dust critters cleared way. Reboot. Try disconnecting monitor from computer to attempt to get the diagnostic box that tells me it is not connected. Black screen. Arrrrrggghhh. My pretty, just under two year old flat panel is doornail dead.
With my ancient lappie [lovingly called the *Runt*] fired up, I did some [slow!] window shopping. I had already spotted an NEC sitting in a row of flat panels at one of the local office superstores recently that had a show stopping display. Walked all over everything around it. Checked some reviews and prices. Owners were raving about pretty much everything except the fact that the display option buttons are a bit hard to see at the bottom of the monitor. Narrowed myself down to two choices, NEC MultiSync 1760V or 1765V. I'd have loved to spring for a 19", but not this week.
Headed to my favorite local computer shop [one of the fabulous Computer Renaissance franchises, which just happens to be closeby] this morning for a quick check to make sure I wasn't losing my mind and the monitor was really working, but I had bumped some setting. Nope, still dead. Tower got a quick check, all seemed well there.
They don't seem to believe any sort of power spike caused my issue, but there may have been something happening and I just hit my last shutdown/restart. Good news is that it's still under the 3 year limited warranty with AOC and from what I was told, they are really good about honoring those. Bad news, expect it to take a month or a wee bit less to either have a new or repaired monitor or word that the issue was non-warranty related.
And more good news. There was ONE bright, shiny new NEC 1760V sitting on display with a price I already knew was comparable to the one at BestBuy. Warranty possibilities or not, I had to have it. No way I was waiting around for a month on the dear old Runt, and not much sense in spending even a little on a used, throw away CRT to get by until I received word.
So I may end up with two nice flat panels and a good excuse for an extra tower, or a dual monitor setup. We shall see. Wallet may be a bit lighter, but I have a big grin. And a poppingly bright new monitor with which to catch up on some blog reading I have been meaning to do.
TaTa for now,
Farron and Indifferent _^..^_
May 14, 2004
Frog Alert!!!!
Oh Wow! I could have sworn I saw a frog over by the ewes yesterday and I talked myself out of it. Nah! No frogs here. That despite the fact that we saw a teeny pinkie sized baby on the fence the other night. Tony and I both thought it was just a fluke. That the little guy had gotten lost somehow. Well now I think we must be starting a froggie family on the patio. I certainly hope they don't cook when the temperatures start to rise and the rain dries. [It's well on the way to drying out and being a warm sunny day.]
This shot is right next to the water meter and under the edge of a dwarf aquilegia that is just starting to bloom again after the shock of being recently transplanted.
And I believe the little guy is safe from Tchaikovsky the Mighty Hunter. It's hard to see the tiny froggie in this second shot, so I've added an arrow pointing to his location.
Now look where Mr. T is looking for him. Do you think he missed his mark by a bit? HaHaHa
I had originally started to head out to check the progress of my purple pea sprouts. [hyacinth bean vines to be exact] Right as I was heading out the door, I spotted movement under one of the hollies. In looking closely, I spotted the little guy hidden in the mulch. He's a trusting soul. Even let me pick him up. Does that mean I will soon be covered in warts? Nah, don't think so.
Speaking of purple pea plants, Butzi started hers a bit earlier than I did out in the desert heat and sun. She sent pictures of the sprouts yesterday and then again today...check the difference between May 13th & May 14th!
http://ddhconsulting.home.mindspring.com/beans2.html
Yah! They are doing great. Soon they will be taking over her patio...seriously!
And Butzi, now you can NOT remove that page. It has to stay in place or you will mess up this goofy entry. *grin*
Time to head back to my regular day. Whatever that might bring.
TaTa for Now,
Farron
[and the Mighty Hunter _^..^_]
May 06, 2004
A New Look for the Daily Report
I am sitting here on hold waiting for a plumber's phone call to meet him at a property for repairs. [tap, tap, tap]
Rather than starting something I will only have to put down to run across town, I am catching up on surfing some of my favorite blogs and informational sites for new goodies. Not a bad way to fiddle away a morning. Not bad at all.
I just noticed the new look that has been given to Jeffery Zeldman's personal blog, the Daily Report. No more orange. It's spring green. Lookin' good over there!
Here is a link to the page that comments on the redesign:
http://www.zeldman.com/daily/0504a.shtml
One of these days, I will get a-round-tuit and create a new look for my little corner of the blogging world. I've already added it to that neverending "Summer List." Near the top of the list of priorities is to remove these annoying, default pop-up windows for comments.
Soon, soon.....
Farron & THAT _^..^_ [Who is afraid my morning stirrings might indicate a trip to the V-E-T. He's trying his best to stay off my radar and lay low.]
March 30, 2004
Students & XHTML
The first group of students are rolling along in week three of the newly rewritten Level 2 XHTML/CSS class at LVS Online. We are starting them off in the Transtional DTD and taking everything in baby steps.
It is quite an experience to watch those new to coding start out at square one with XHTML and CSS instead of HTML4.01 with those good old <font> tags and twisted hacks we all cut our teeth on.
This class completed the first run of debbieT's Level One last term and I have them in Intermediate as we speak. Happy to report that the majority of them are taking to it like ducks to water. Issues and problems seem fewer and farther between than they were at this stage in the old HTML 4.01 style classes with hacks and deprecated codes included. That makes *the instuctor* happy and leading the class a much more pleasant experience.
And what's even more fun is seeing the interest in basic accessibility information.
In working with data tables this week I introduced a little tool that I had not seen in the piles of goodies hidden at WAI/W3C until I was researching the lesson. The WAI Tablin tool:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/Tablin/form
I thought there might be groans but they are looking and experimenting with ways to make the content of data tables read in a more logical, linear fashion. Treating it like a fun, new toy, not just another drudgy checkpoint. Woo Hoo!
Wouldn't it be fun if we could influence even a few of the next generation of coders and designers to use standardized coding, CSS and accessibility features without even thinking hard about it. Have it become as natural as breathing. One can hope and work toward that goal in their own little corner of the world. *smile*
I wish I had been shown some of these things on day one. Just think of all the deeply ingrained bad habits I could have avoided. Coulda, Shoulda, Didn't. lol
That's all for now from our 17" view of cyberspace....
Farron and That _^..^_
March 13, 2004
Visiting from the Edge of Sanity
I seem to have taken a break from blogging....again. Actually, I have been busily putting together a new class and the first lesson posted for students *officially* today. That means it really went up last night. [laugh]
The last two weeks are still being finished and polished, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And it doesn't look like a train. Yippee!!
In looking at a few resources for one of those unfinished weeks I started getting lost in links. Fun links! Landed in the SXSW site. I forget about that nifty little festival since I am no longer involved in the comings and goings of Music Row...thank goodness!
I did notice the web awards. Seems the winners will be announced in a ceremony tomorrow.
The finalists are here:
http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/web_awards/finalists/
Before I made it to the finalists' page, I was clicking the *random website* link over on the main site. Peek at one, reload and check another.
Although there were some pretty things there, I was a bit dismayed to see the sort of out of date and/or invalid coding used in many that I hit. Should decent coding not be part of the criterion? Certainly would be if *I* ran the circus. {{sigh}}
From the few I have checked in the finalists, it may have counted for something with the judges. The selections are looking a bit more inline with what I would have expected. But I reserve judgment until I look at a few more. ;^)
So fingers are crossed for Zen Garden to be the shining star of the day. I do see it made the final cut. There are some other goodies there as well. I need to go back and poke around a bit, then it's back to polishing the lessons to send others in the direction of valid XHTML and CSS.
And no Becky, I am not picking on your precious Flash. I am fussing about the static pages...[snicker]
Writing those lessons has been a learning experience in and of itself. I don't *do* logical thinking very often. If giving it a try doesn't kill me, it certainly may push me over that dreaded edge.
Happy Trails!
Farron
[and that TOTALLY valid but often inaccessible _^..^_ ]
January 27, 2004
debbieT is a pain!
Gee thanks, debbieT. Here I was actually getting some work done on writing for that class tonight and what happens? I take a break for just a minute. A link to your blog, Splash of Style, catches my eye and I decide to snoop and see what you are up to over there.
What indeed! Besides taking my name in vain by admitting I had something to do with buttons...[gasp & harumph], you have totally sidetracked me with the Bloggies link. You know I can get lost for hours in there. Hours only??? Heck, weeks, days, months!! Fun, fun things to be found.
Did you catch the article in one entry entitled, "My Life as a Blog Widow"?
/* me thinks Tony & Mike should not see that one */
[smile!]
Okay, I am heading back over there to vote for a few of my favorites. So much for getting any work done tonight before bed. Come to think of it I may not be turning in for a bit. And it's already well into the wee hours here.
So many places to play and so little time. *sigh*
You do realize that if you keep doing this to me, you are going to have two XHTML/CSS classes to write instead of just one, don't you? Well, one and a half plus tweaks and clean ups anyway.
My one consolation in this "wasted" night is that I know daBeckster will read this and have to follow your links as well. She may just get lost there for years instead of months! Happy blogging, Beckster! [wicked smirk]
To everyone else, sweet dreams.....
Farron and That _^..^_
December 31, 2003
Happy New Year!
2003 is coming to an end in less than 30 minutes. All the *old folk* have gone to bed except your fearless nite owl here who has pulled out the lil runt laptop and turned on her hero, Cartman. [grin]
I have decided that the school of dolphin who were giving us a show this morning must be a good sign for the coming year. Power of positive thinking.... Oh, IDEA!!! Wonder if I could convince everyone they were really sharks and the area is extremely dangerous???? Just think what that would do to property values for awhile! Now what WAS is that Ron said you need to doctor so that dolphins look like sharks? Was it the angle of the tail?? [wicked wink from badddd farron]
Think I will go pounce Tony in a very few minutes and drag him out to the beach. Fireworks have been popping off and on since dark [ours at about 9:30 ;-] and I am quite sure there will be a bit of a burst at midnight as 2004 rolls in.
Happy, Happy, Ya'll!!
Farron
December 30, 2003
Winter Beach Greetings
Salutations and greetings from Gulf Shores!
Just had to send out this wee bit of proof that I was still alive and acting totally out of character. Have been up with the birdies to watch the sunrise and the lappy has been collecting sand and dust. Hard to stay in when the sun is out.
The air is crisp and clear this morning. A bit of rain yesterday but now it has passed. Shorts some afternoons, sweaters mostly. Typical winter beach at the heart of the dearly loved Redneck Riviera.
Can't stay long to chat as I am off to find someone who will feed me shrimp for breakfast, but wanted to wish you all the happiest of moments as this year comes to an end and magical new beginnings to a brand new one!!!
Back to the beach....
Farron [temporarily sans _^..^_]
December 16, 2003
Christmas & Beach Stirrings
Is anyone else getting tired of the stir created by the holiday season? Presents to buy, wrapping the gifts, holiday parties, family coming out of the woodwork with plans?
I just realized I had not been here to ramble since before Thanksgiving. Shame on me!!!
Last year Tony and I decided to participate in only the absolutely required festivities and get ourselves to our favorite beach, Gulf Shores, AL. What a wonderful and relaxing week that was. Shrimp for Christmas dinner, beautiful sunsets and long quiet beach walks. Just us and the seabirds much of the time.
We must have advertised the wonders of a winter beach awfully well, because this year the entire family has decided it is the thing to do. Should be *interesting* to have six so called adults under the same roof for an extended period. It won't be quiet, that's the one thing that's more than a wee bit certain. lol
One of the stirs was making sure we had internet access. There is an over abundance of [gasp] AOL users in my family, and even they don't have access when you reach *the island* [area south of ICW on the beaches]. I know Earthlink has connections I could use within 5 miles, but not at the beach. GulfTel has had a lock on local and internet services for some time now. You buy service from them or do without. I often opt to do without and just enjoy the beach, but we will be there a little longer than ususal this time and there are some things in process on which I need to stay in the loop. I also may need the peace and quiet of cyberspace to maintain a bit of what I try to pass off as my sanity.
In my beginning to poke around in weather checks and local happenings, I ran across an article from the Mobile Register that was of interest to me.
It appears GulfTel is getting some competition. Wonder how far behind them the big boys can be? It's all the buzz on local beach info sites. Whatever happens, it will be worth watching. And my bet is that the GulfTel rates for visitors might drop in the near future. [smile]
Back to the day and to fussing over *THE* Cat before he has to be bundled off to that prison know as the V-E-T's boarding area. Bless his furry little head. Maybe I will go stay on the cat's sofa there to keep him company while the rest of the family hangs out at the beach.
Farron
[and one ticked off _^..^_]
November 08, 2003
Butzi's Moon
Only for you, Butzi, would I go freeze my [ahem] assets to get a furry glob excuse for a picture of the moon.
It was the best we of the Cathouse could come up with since the combo of Me & the Little Silver Box doesn't make for great night shots.
But here's a glob that was *supposed* to be a shot of the Lunar Eclipse just for you.
Enjoy....and I don't want to hear I never did anything just for you.... brrrrr & lol
Farron
[& no _^..^_ cause he stayed where it was warm]
I Love This!!
I love this story!!
“A Fairy, a Low-Fat Bagel, and a Sack of Hammers”
And my comment to anyone who might be reading this is to stop whatever work you are doing at your computer right now and try some cyber play.
Oh, yeah,....if you are here, I suppose you are already doing that. [smile]
Have a good one!
Farron and THAT _^..^_
November 02, 2003
Move Is Complete!!!
We are all moved into the new server space at Hosting Matters now. Everything appears to be working as expected and *THE* Cat and I are happy campers.
It is very cool to have such a blog [not to mention client] friendly host. I had little to complain about in tech support at the other server, they were fast and helpful, but HM is awesome. They truly do go above and beyond the call of duty. And their member forums are full of great advice. More than a few of you around here who have used them for awhile have me feeling confident that the level of service I have received so far is not a fluke, but what HM clients have come to expect.
So if you are looking for a new hosting service, you owe it to yourself to check them out at:
http://hostingmatters.com
That's all the ad promo you get on this beautiful Sunday morning.
TaTa,
Farron and THAT _^..^_
October 30, 2003
We're Moving!
Catartis & cat-ti-tude will be moving to a new server within the next few days.
Hopefully all will go without a hitch because we are looking forward to getting settled in our new home.
Farron
[and the other residents of the Cathouse]
October 27, 2003
Redneck Weekend Delights
If you would like to see how we Tennessee redneck types spent what was probably the last warm, sunny Saturday of the season click the link below:
We will drive more that a few miles for the smell of pig in a pit. [grin]
Farron
October 12, 2003
Ladies, It's True!
Okay Ladies,
We all thought those millions of spammie, smarmy emails sent to us about enlarging parts we did not have were bunk. But the gardens near the Cathouse have proved us wrong. We really CAN grow our own! Then we can work out the percentages of how much we can enlarge them.
Lookie over here!
I swear on THE Cat's sacred dinner bowl, these are real, non-doctored photos. Just cropped and reduced for webviewing.
Anyone who wants to run by the Cathouse to see the real thing before it shrivels up is welcome to drop by. hahahaha
Farron
[& That _^..^_ to verify]
October 11, 2003
Nobody is Purrrrfect
This got me to giggle.
I have been having some computer *issues* and have been out searching for information on the web today that might give me a clue as to the resolution of my problem. Serious, boring, techie troubleshooting sites all in a row from the search engine. {{{yawn}}}
Then I spotted a site with goofie slogans that managed to sneak into the pile. I found my slogan for today!
Stolen...errr...Found at: http://www.fortogden.com/foslog.html
Grins!!!
Farron
September 17, 2003
Update on the Shoe Saga
We are back in good old land locked Tennessee now. *sniff, sniff*
At least the weather is lovely, so that makes it less disgusting to return to life away from the sea. [Is there really such a thing? ;^]
I realized I never updated the tale of The Shoe. The day after I took that photo, the staff was madly cleaning for the anticipated weekend beach crowd. I checked the railing and The Shoe was GONE! My guess was the paid cleaners and straighteners had captured her and evicted her from her home with a view.
Ahhhh, but something drew my eye to the lush plants on the ground below the spot where she had been basking in the sun. Can you guess who was hiding safely behind a clump of dense foliage? Our little friend, The Shoe!
My guess is that she has learned to hide from the weekend *busy-ness* safely under the bushes and will return to her sunny spot when the crowds thin during the week. Sounds to me like there is a good dose of cat-ti-tude in that Shoe. And my conclusion now is that she is definitely a crafty escapee from a smelly footed mistress. Not a sad little abandoned persona at all.
I winked and smiled at her as I passed my last few days and kept her secret safe.
September 12, 2003
Parasailing... I did it!!!!!
Yippee! I just came in to grab sodas and my book and head back to a chair, but had to stop and say I finally tried the parasailing. WOW! I loved it. Purrrfect sport for the water ski hating woman like me. I wanna go again...longer, faster, higher...with dips!
My *insurance* was that Tony and I were in a double harness. He was is eeezzz swatting distance if I was terrified or hated it. [grin]
No, there are NOOO pictures. And Butzi, aka Ms. OSHA...you do it barefoot! lol
Back to daBeach!
Case of The Abandoned Shoe
Who abandoned this poor little shoe? It appears to be more than a little weathered, but it does not seem to be lonely. The plants have taken pity and begun to embrace it. I suppose its previous mistress could have picked a less pleasant place to leave it than on the edge of the sand & sea. But then again, purrrrhaps she had smelly feet and it simply ran away? So was it liberated or abandoned?? I will have to visit it again tomorrow with the hope that it will break its silence and share the story of how it came to live in such a wonderful spot.
LOL! I have been looking at this shoe for two days now. It reminded me of an *abandoned shoe* shot that I have from Center Hill Lake in Tennessee. I have decided now that I should travel the world in search of shoes abandoned by water to photograph.
As I was shooting this, Tony was standing behind me not paying too much attention as he is used to my odd tastes & ideas. A woman walked by. She was heard to say, "WHAT is she photographing?? A SHOE??!!" Can't you just hear the tone of that comment?
Ahhh, some people have no imagination. [smug smirk]
Farron
[live from Panama City Beach: Sept, 2003]
September 11, 2003
Too Addicted to Connectivity?
Greetings from the sunny Emerald Coast! I love being on a beach and will snag any excuse to head to one.
We arrived yesterday evening, still in the "at home" flutter and flurry. All the usual stirring and fussing occurred when first, Tony's cellphone would not pick up a signal, then I had problems getting a connection on my poor old *Runt* lappie. You would think we wouldn't give a flip about these things when at the beach, but oh no, we have *business* to tend...from the beach. There is something wrong with this picture. lol
All is well now. Tony is up and running...just not inside the hotel room. Has to step out on the balcony. As do many others from what I can see when spying on the other guests with cell to ear [or glaring at it] on other balconies. And I have a whopping 28.8k max connection...but it will do. As soon as I knew it was working properly this morning and not charging me outrageous hotel long distance rates to use it, I was such a happy camper, I shut the thing down and ignored it and the things I had needed to do. Went for a walk on the beach and a dip in the pool followed by flapping out with a junk book under the semi-shade of a palm tree on the pool deck. Ahhhh, that's more like it.
The first night we were here, we saw two types of critters I had never seen in the flesh before. Baby Manta Rays [these were only about 2 feet in "wing span" and may actually be a different variety, but they certainly look like mini-mantas] which seem to be migrating in mass through the area, and a hummingbird moth which I had never even heard of until recently when I was checking for information on real hummingbirds and ran across a comment about them A moth that looks much like a mini-hummer. Kewl! And the baby Mantas a so sleek and elegant in their manner of stealth swimming. [No, they are not the kind that sting....those are sting rays and we have seen a couple of those in the area in the past.]
I have now gotten so laid back that the camera has not even come out of it's case.
If you are interested, here is a link to some photos someone else has of full grown Manta Rays and a photo of a hummingbird moth. [Hope that monster link for the little moth works....]
I may try to catch one or both in a photo of my own, but since they are creatures of the evening, and I am [as some of you know] not at my best with night shots, the prospects are not great that there will be interesting results. But I am ever hopeful. [smile]
Ahhh, and you should see Mars & the full, golden Moon over the Gulf of Mexico. What a beautiful sight!!!
Sweet dreams,
Farron
[at the beach while THE Cat is trapped in vet boarding...oh dear, punishment is sure to follow]
August 20, 2003
DSL Report
Into day three of DSL service. What a difference from dialup...Woo Hoo! And talk about easy to get up and running. Took me about 15 minutes, and most of that time was taken up navigating in the jungle of cables and cords that lurk behind my desk. [I was much to lazy to pull it out from the wall to dust, clean and straighten wires.]
May not be as fast as Comcast Cable is supposed to be here, but from what I have heard, their record for downtime is miserable. I wouldn't hand them a plug nickle for the type of service I have heard they have in my "neck of the woods."
Hopefully, Earthlink will serve me as well with DSL as they did with dialup.
Off to zip around and download something large. lol!
If you are on the edge deciding if broadband is worth the difference, all I can say on day three is DO IT!
Signed,
One happy puter camper!
August 17, 2003
Quiet Week
It has been a quiet week here at the Cathouse. You would think I would have taken advantage of that to work in tweaking and cleaning up this new blog toy, but no, I have been watching hummingbirds & butterflies and playing in the garden...which cost me a pulled muscle in one leg thanks to a typical klutzy move. OUCH!
I did go grab the domain name *catartis.com* just because it was there. For the moment it is simply parked at the registrar's host and if you use it you are redirected here in one of those icky frames. [All the better to hide my messy coding a bit deeper though....lol, think positive thoughts.] Rumor has it that my current host will be upgrading soon and subdomains & parking will be part of the package without an extra fee. Since I really like them, I am holding out without tooooo much whining.
Other events during the week:
Earthlink [who I also really like] has finally gotten DSL service in my area. Package is ordered and modem, pieces and parts should arrive tomorrow. Yippee!
Looks like a trip to the beach is going to happen on or around Sept. 9th. It was offered, I accepted....let's go. I am not one to turn down a trip to my favorite stretch of emerald waters and white sands. I will be there for real one day soon....bank on that one!
Of course, since classes will be in session by then [Check out LVS Online Learning if you haven't already!], the ancient lappie will go with me. And I will no doubt be running up "paid dial-up hours" immediately since my limited dial up access will go into effect right when I leave. Great planning, huh? Ah well, we shall adjust. And if that and the cat's vacation upkeep are all the trip costs me, I will be one happy camper.
Off to piddle elsewhere, now....TaTa til later,
Farron and That _^..^_
August 10, 2003
Which Sci-Fi Character are You?
I am NOT an online quiz fan, but this one caught my eye and I had to give it a try. What a hoot! And it's short as well.
http://www.tk421.net/character/
Give it a try and let me know which sci-fi/fantasy character you are.
Grin,
Farron
[aka Luke Skywalker...before I cheat]
Hummingbirds , Pesky Websites & CSS Text Images
In my travels around the web while sipping coffee and watching the new little humming residents of the patio garden, I spotted a tidbit that may be old news to many of you, but part of it was news to me. Knowing that it concerns a site that many of us have had major complaints about, I thought I would pass it along.
We all know about the death of Netscape by now, old news I had also heard that, although CSS and standards guru, Eric Meyer had not been one of the first heads to roll in the AOL layoffs, he had decided to leave and go out on his own. What I had not heard was the news that a certain major website that has caused more howls since their redesign that Carter has [had?] little pills was one of his redesign clients.
Check the August 1st entry in his weblog here: http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/thoughts/2003c.html#t20030731
to find out which major website has set their eye toward accessibile CSS. Yippee!! Of course, if he gets things set in his normal manner, older browers will receive the information in plain vanilla, style free fashion, but that is far more acceptable to me than the rude, "upgrade your brower" lockout page that is there now. [smile]
Another tidbit I have located that may be of interest because several of us 
have been discussing and trying the orginal article/technique of accessible Image Replacement in CSS. I think we had pretty much agreed it was a wonderful idea, but not quite *there* yet. According to the August 8th entry in Zeldman's blog there are a few alternatives in the works.
Still not quite all together, all together, but getting there.
Enough of my rambles for a Sunday morning. Time to refill my mug with a bit more of that nice strong New Orleans style, chicory coffee, hug a cat and watch my newest friends, the hummingbirds.
TaTa for Now,
Farron
Note: Photo was taken on the first morning the feeder was hung. It is of poor quality since it was taken through a window so I would not disturb my new little friend. As they are becoming more comfortable with we large, lower lifeforms invading *their* new turf, I am hopeful that I will be able to catch some outdoor shots soon.