Category Archives: me + myself + i

Stuff about me, myself and I. If this isn’t enough you can find out more ’stuff’ in the meme category! If it’s in the me category, I generally do not put it in the meme category (except for when I do).

2011, I’m ready for you.

Posted on January 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

What do I plan to do this year? I put together this list a few weeks ago and I’ve been tweaking it (and probably will a little more). I’ve blogged a whole lot more. I’ve exercised almost every day some mornings before work (and I’m not a morning person); in the winter that would be my weight bench or hiking / climbing somewhere warm, in the summer bicycling and rollerblading.

So, in no particular order:

  • Take more everyday pictures and actually post them somewhere.
  • Be more positive (I’ve been a bit down in the dumps and need to fix it).
  • Neaten my house. (It’s clean but I just shift the clutter around to clean under it).
  • Do my taxes. (I never do them on time and they always owe me)

  • Exercise more.
  • Take a community education class or two (the city and the local college offers them).
  • Make new additional friends.
  • Blog more.
  • Surround myself with more positive things and people.
  • Make a new 101 in 1001 list. I’ve done this before*, but I haven’t gotten around to a new one (it’s better than resolutions).
  • Migrate this site to a different host (probably Site5).

Other than the migrating this site (which will be a project) most of these are things that I hope to continue past this year.

* And when I say done, I mean started the process. I only got 54 of my 101 things accomplished, but that’s better than most people do on their resolutions, right? Actually, looking at the list I think I’ve done another half-dozen since that time-line expired.

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Disposable Waterproof Camera

Posted on January 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

So I picked up a disposable waterproof Kodak camera before my trip to Costa Rica. I’ve been tempted to get a waterproof camera but couldn’t justify the cost.

The weird part was getting it developed. It’s been years since I got film developed. I can’t even remember the last time. When I stood at the counter at Walgreens it was weird, I knew I wanted it on CD but did I want prints? It seemed so foreign to want prints of the photos I hadn’t even seen yet…

But in the end I ordered a set of the prints. And they weren’t as interesting as I’d hoped. It’s hard to stell that the shots I took from the water are six feet deep, they could be ankle deep. And the waves that are crashing down at me, you can barely tell.

The resolution was pretty disappointing at 1545 × 1024 they weren’t very detailed, even for 800 ASA (IMHO). I’m not saying the pictures are bad, they just weren’t any better (visually) than many that I took from shore…

Here’s a few for your viewing pleasure :)

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Me at the upper falls (actually the upper-upper-falls about 15-20 feet high).

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Sunset from way up the coast from Montezuma.

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This a cRaZy one of me jumping in the water.
I’m at the lower falls, it’s probably only about 20 feet (15?).
It looks like I’m hurtling to my doom.

I think the above shot of me jumping is from the same spot as this video of me jumping off the rock. Kodak Zoom ISO 800 Speed, 27 Exposure Single Use Camera KodakSo the camera was $10 (for 27 shots) and I think it was $12 for developing (developing, negatives, and one set of photos) so $22 for an experiment; I’ve certainly spent more for something I’ve never used again. I’m not saying the camera was disappointing in itself, although the pictures were only 1545 × 1024 pixels (but that just might be the Walgreens scanner), I just hoped taking the pictures from different angles in the water would look much more interesting. I’d try it again, but I think I’ll try again with this Snap Sights Waterproof Underwater Reusable Camera with Flash, especially if I was to go snorkeling.

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Seven Years Blogging

Posted on December 12, 2010 | 1 comment

While this is my seventh year blogging, I can’t brag about it too much since this past year I’ve only averaged five posts a month. Just a few years ago I averaged more than one post a day so this is incredibly poor. Since I received over 400 comments in the past year (on new and old posts) so you’d think that would have been a motivator…

It’s strange, I had lots of stuff to talk about since I’ve had a few trips, got a new job, saw lots of concerts, and did bunches of other things. santa-hat-IMG_1263.jpg Plus, I took huge amounts of photos this year, but still I only posted a few. (On the other hand, it’s been a crappy year in a lot of ways and I really try not to whine on the blog too much, so that’s probably had a bit to do with it.)

Also, I’ve been foursquaring and checking in on Facebook more, and while it is slightly maintaining an on-line presence, it’s not really blogging. After I mention something, it seems redundant to blog about it later. I’d like to integrate them a little more, but I’m not really sure how the best way.

Tech blog stuff: I’m still loving WordPress. I’m thinking of moving my site from 1and1 hosting to Site5 hosting; 1and1 seems a little more professional (tech support could be better) but Site5 seems faster and it’s less expensive (but that could just be that this site is more complicated and busy compared to the other things I do on-line at Site5).

Bottom-line: I really enjoy it when I’m blogging and I love the feedback (so help motivate me by providing some) so I’ll try to do better. I resolve for the next year to blog more and post more photos. My goal will be at least five posts a week; yes, I know that’s a lofty goal, but I really do love blogging so let’s see what I can do.

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Do you like Holiday Wish Lists? – Friday Question #136

Posted on November 7, 2010 | 1 comment

So “What do you think of holiday wish lists – tacky or useful? Do you make one for anyone? For whom if so? What is on your wish list this year?” is this week’s Friday Question.

I’ve always been hard to buy for, so I like the Amazon wish lists. It gives people some idea of what I want. They don’t have to buy off of it, but don’t act you have no idea what to get me when I’ve got a list of items from $10-$1000 :)

This is my wish list: a few books, Blu-Rays, a bike rack, a camera lens and a few other things. Feel free to shop for me *.

There is always concerts and such too, but it’s hard to surprise me with those kinds of things since you need to make sure I’m available (or didn’t already buy tickets). Plus, I’d rather be surprised.

On the other hand, do not tell me what to buy for you or some other family member. You can suggest something, but if I say yes, please don’t tell someone else the same item. Point me to a wish list if you like, but it’s my option. Although I do like it when children tell me what they’d like, especially if they don’t tell anyone else…

* The wish lists also have the option for someone you don’t know to buy you an item and have it shipped to you even if the sender doesn’t know your mailing address. Although, I’ve never received anything that way before.

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Six years ago today I sent my first Gmail message

Posted on May 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

I remember how excited I was when I managed to get an invite for the service. Back then we actually called it Google gmail (or was it just Google mail?).

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Looks like I gave away about over a hundred invites back when they were “closed” for accounts (maybe more if I deleted some, but if I did, I don’t know why all the others would still be in my sent box). Towards the end, they pretty much had unlimited invites but you still had to know someone to have them send you one.

Little did we know we’d have all the Google applications that now come along with it.

It’s the number one e-mail that I recommend to anyone these days, even though it may not be the address I always use as my return address, it’s generally where the mail gets forwarded to.

PS – I always tell people to not use the e-mail your internet provider (cable or DSL company) gives you for free, you’ll lose that when you want to switch providers. If you use that address for important things you won’t want to switch since you’ll lose that address. That’s why some people are still hanging onto AOL addresses after all these years…

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cRaZy times at the Kennedy Space Center Vistor’s Center

Posted on April 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

So when I went to the launch of the Space Shuttle a few weeks ago it was pretty strange. The launch was at 6:21am but my parking placard (permit) said to be there by midnight. So there was a lot of time to kill before the launch. I had causeway tickets, but the (shuttle) buses don’t even start running until 3:30 am.

The visitor’s center was crazy place. It’s just like if you went there in the daytime and everything is open: IMAX, gift shop, the “rides”, just about everything (not the bus tours around the space center). Excepts it’s dark and people are sleeping on the lawn and on benches and wherever (made me think of refugees).

Here’s the direct link and it’s also in HD.

It was just an interesting experience to be there for. I’m sure the video doesn’t share the experience properly. I didn’t get any footage of the people on the lawns, if I find some I’ll add them to the post.

Here’s a clip that I shot a minute later on the way to the car; I guess I was pretty excited when I got there, duh?!?

FYI, tickets for STS-132 go on sale in the morning at 8:45a ET on Monday, April 26, 2010. The causeway will be gone a few minutes after 9, I bet the visitor’s center will be gone by 9:30 (I think they’re about $65 and $40 each).

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Six years ago today I started blogging.

Posted on December 12, 2009 | 2 comments

So it’s been six years since I started blogging. Sometimes I blog a lot and sometimes a little but I come really close to averaging one post a day (actually about 0.995 posts per day). I’ve really been slacking lately, all the vacation days when I’ve written more than a few help pick up the numbers, but I never like it when a week goes by that I haven’t posted. This year I only did a little over 200, so I’ll try and make up for it over the next year, if I could post five different days a week, I think I’d be happier about it…

This post is a bit of a mish-mash of tech details and thoughts of blogging.

I originally started using Movable Type for the blog in 2003, I had my blog in a subdirectory of GaryLaPointe.com and changed subdirectories a few timesand then in 2005 moved it to here at GarySaid.com and left it alone.

If had a tech suggestion for anyone blogging, it’s pick a domain name and stick to it so that you don’t lose readers (and search engine links); choose something vague/generic so if you change what you blog about your web address can stay the same if you want it to. While I call my blog the same name “Gary Said…” I could easily change the title to “Lone Geek Blogging” (or whatever) but still have the same easy to remember address.

I really enjoy blogging, it’s nice to reflect on parts of my life and have to think up semi-coherent paragraphs to describe whatever it is that I’m thinking about. I try to keep most of my blog positive and remember that I don’t blog about everything in my life, so sometimes it’s not always the easiest thing to come up with a topic.

I never knew who would come read and while I’ve met a few people I really have no idea how many people I know (or don’t know) actually read my blog. The one thing I know is that I really enjoy getting feedback from people (even when it’s something short like “I thought the same thing about that”) and it’s extra special getting a link back from someone when they just mention my site or even a specific article (even if it’s just one of my money saving tips). I hope that feeling never goes away!

Since I mentioned comments, here’s some comment info/stats and then I’m going to go (the day is almost over). On average, I actually get about 1.5 comments per post, but in actuality most posts don’t get comments. Of my 3,000+ comments I’d bet that 1,000 go to the same dozen posts over and over again (my bed has 454 comments, hacking iTunes has 91 and another ten have between 30 and 100).

WordPress For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) Lisa Sabin-WilsonI almost forgot: I switched to self-hosted WordPress last December (I played with it for a bit before the switch) and have really enjoyed using it since then. I feel I can do more with WordPress with less work than I did with Movable Type. I’ve mentioned things like this in a few posts: WordPress vs. Movable Type and Things I miss about MT.

FYI – Lisa’s book WordPress For Dummies is a great resource if you want to use WordPress.

Thank you for reading!!!

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On November 17th I seem to blog more than usual.

Posted on November 17, 2009 | 1 comment

So a few months ago I installed the A Year Ago Today plug-in it shows a list of posts that I’ve done on this day (date) in the past at the top of my blog. onthisday11152009.pngI’ve liked it a lot, it reminds me of things I’ve done in the past so I generally revisit the posts. Sometimes I barely even remember blogging it. And sometimes it generates new traffic to the posts (most times not).

I think today is the first day that not only has there been a post from each of the year’s that I’ve been blogging but there were exactly two (2) posts from each November 17 for the last five years.

This helps me clean up my blog too: I’ll occasionally fix some links or add some tags and categories or sometimes fix something minor. Some of the categories I use now, didn’t exist when I wrote some of the earlier posts and I use tags the first few years. This results in things getting reposted to Facebook (via WordBook), generally I’ll delete them but sometimes I’ll leave them (if it’s got a photo or isn’t time sensitive). Occasionally, I’ll read a sentence and think “that makes no sense” so I’ll fix it, I try not to do this too much, it’s really about what I was thinking/feeling/doing then, but if it’s not clear it needs fixing…

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