Three Years - One Car

Our time of having only one car is coming to an end. With the kids growing up and having to be more places at goofy times, our three-year stint as a one car family must give way to the necessity of a second automobile.

With gas prices what they are, we’re more than a little concerned about the overall cost of a second car. The cost per gallon hit $3.95 the other day. Yes, yes…I know you folks in Europe have had it much higher for a very long time, but it’s still a shock to the wallet when in five years it’s gone from $1.85 to the current high.

Used or new? We’re more than likely going to be looking for used, and hopefully, we’ll be able to pay cash on the barrel head for it. Just in case we can’t, I’ve started to gather some resource links:
What do you think? What are your favorite family cars? Why?

I can haz muxtape?

Inspired by Bethlet, I have created a muxtape. Enjoy!

Condolences to C.A. Sizemore

C.A. Sizemore has been a fan of The Secret Lair since day one. He has provided us with feedback and even contributed a manuscript that we simply haven’t gotten around to publishing yet. C.A. has been with us since long before The Secret Lair became a reality: he followed us here from The House of the Harping Monkey and Volcanicast, where he was a loyal, involved fan. I’m hard-pressed to think of a podcast that C.A. doesn’t listen to and equally hard-pressed to think of a podcaster who doesn’t know him. He is the best kind of fan we could possibly ask for and we are all lucky to have him.

This morning C.A.’s wife, Kelly, passed away unexpectedly. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with C.A. in this difficult and tragic time.

If you have ever thought about donating to any of the podcasts that I produce, I’d ask that you please visit the donation site established by Mae Breakall and give what you can to help C.A. cover the expenses that tragic events like these always incur.

(originally posted by Kris Johnson at The Secret Lair)

Los Angeles Systems Engineer

Looking for an exciting job? Do you have the chops to work for a cutting edge startup based in Los Angeles? Mahalo is in the market for a talented and dedicated Systems Engineer. We’re growing like mad and need a special someone to help us tend the health and well-being of our baby.

In Jason’s words:

We’re looking for a really killer Systems Engineer here in Los Angeles to work at our very cool factory in Santa Monica where they will make their own hours (provided they at least make it in for the free staff lunch every day at noon :-), get whatever equipment they want, soak in stock options in the next big thing, and work with a team of totally kick-ass no BS developers who are KILLING it every day.

Interested? Get the details on Jason’s blog: Systems Engineer, Los Angeles.

Testing from Jott. …

Testing from Jott. This is a test ____ cell phone directly to my blog. I read about this on Lifehacker. Interesting to see if it works. I am not going to ____. I just want to see how it comes through. This is a test. Go back to your normal life now. listen

Powered by Jott

Original Flash Fiction for Your Enjoyment

Kris and I have taken the time to post out first bits of original fiction over at The Secret Lair:

  • In our first piece, The Monologue, Kris orates grandly before one of the many who have attempted to penetrate the Lair…and failed.
  • Our second piece, entitled Serial, Chris tells a tale of boy meets girl…meets knife. NOTE: Not really for the kiddies, this one.

We look forward to your feedback. Go listen to The Secret Lair Episode 0011: BECKY presents.

Show #20: Hometown

This time, we sit down with Andrea Gideon to talk about settling down in your home town…the joys, the pains, the issues of dealing the past. Andrea’s in a unique position to know…she and her husband Tom bought the house where she grew up, and walk the same streets that she did when she was in her teens.

Do we ever outgrow where we grew up? How can you look the old places with new eyes?

 
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Refresh Cleveland Gathering Recap

5/365 post interview pint.
Creative Commons License photo credit: OctopusHat
I’m happy to say that the first Refresh Cleveland gathering was a success. We met up for dinner and beers at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood, and topics of conversation included:
  • We have a lot of talented folks in this town. Why are they not speaking to each other?
  • The Cleveland Web Standards Association is a Good Thing. Go. Attend. Support.
  • Cleveland Day of .NET and the Worthiness of Rails.
  • The pitfalls of freelancing.
  • General frustration with the tech-lag at agencies in town. Anyone just discovering that RSS is a Good Idea really needs to get out more.
  • Never let marketers drive design or development decisions.
  • Cleveland Web Association lunches we discussed. Snarky blog post to follow.
  • Oregon Trail
  • The keys to a good presentation.

Read the rest

The Art of the Skillful Presenter

I think I’ve attended presentations that felt like this:

And for those who want to follow along here are the presentation slides.

Blank Pages on Preview in Wordpress 2.5.1

For some reason, since switching to Wordpress 2.5.1, I’m getting blank pages when I preview. Anyone else seeing this? Anyone have a solution?

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