May 2009 Archives

Afternoon Walk with Sidewalk Chalk, Logan Square

May 31, 2009

All day today, I've been practicing my talk and Liz has been doing homework. Around 3PM, we decided to take advantage of the nice day... and at the very least, step outside for a brief walk around the neighborhood. We got some coffee, and wandered around a bit. We stopped... (read more)

Pecha Kucha Prep, Practice Runs

All my slides are officially submitted for my Pecha Kucha talk, and the main event is now only a few days away. Moved my iMac out into the living room today, to plug it in to the television. I've got my slides set up through Keynote (the same way it'll... (read more)

The Prototype Experience: Video Game Promo Using Your Facebook Info

May 30, 2009

This is one of the more interesting implementations of Facebook Connect that I've seen. Check out The Prototype Experience, a nice site for an upcoming video game that does a slick job blurring the lines between fiction and reality. Give it a whirl. [via Twelvestone]... (read more)

Trail's End Popcorn Sales Training Video, Featuring Justin Stephenson

May 29, 2009

I'm so excited to be posting this today! I've been sitting on this file for nearly a week now, and it's been killing me. Get ready for a treat, because this particular post has been about 3+ years in the making. A little backstory, first. Where the Girl Scouts... (read more)

Meeting Rachelle for the First Time

Losing early in poker last night actually gave me a bit of luck on the train. On the way home I happened to run into Rachelle, right as we were both getting off at California. Rachelle's site is a blog I've followed now for almost five years now. Wow... (read more)

Post-Work Poker and an Early Knockout

May 28, 2009

Since Kevin was in town again, we all gathered for another round of Texas Holdem (and to determine whether he would continue to be the holder of The Lord and Master Stein). This time around, there were less people... and so we didn't have to split into two groups.... (read more)

Better than Flickr: Sexy People and Awkward Family Photos

Gotta love Twitter for getting answers to questions. Sexy People, courtesy of Allison. Awkward Family Photos, courtsey of Nick. God Bless the Internet...... (read more)

Wee See: Mesmerizing B/W Animations Designed for Kids (and Adults)

I came across Wee See yestercay, via swissmiss, and found it absolutely mesmerizing. And truth be told, it even got me a little sleepy. Here's a quick blurb from the site: "Part art installation, part pacifier, Wee See is a collection of black-and-white animations built from basic shapes to delight... (read more)

Help Identify This Mystery Man from an Old Roll of Film, Circa 2000

May 27, 2009

Have any idea who this man might be? Allison recently developed some old film, and this image was from a roll still inside an old Lubitel camera purchased off of eBay circa 2000. Check out her Mystery Film Set on Flickr for more images/details. And if you have any... (read more)

Old Commercials, Jason Alexander, and the McDLT Sandwich

My friend Chris (who I know better as The_Spectre on Twelvestone) runs a blog called Approaching Theta. He recently made a post about old commercials that you should definitely check out. In particular I think that you, like me, will be surprised to see Jason Alexander singing, dancing, and pimping... (read more)

German Pancake Recipe

May 26, 2009

Yesterday, Liz made a recipe for German Pancakes. And it was a little slice of heaven. She was working off an old cookbook that she had gotten from her mom. This particular cookbook was printed somewhere around 1988 or so. The pancake, a little poofy, but fresh from the... (read more)

Thinking About Memorial Day and Robert Bly

May 25, 2009

Today is Memorial Day. I was thinking about war, and the people who go through it. Though it's not specifically focused on America, I find myself thinking a lot about Robert Bly's poem the Russian. Memorial Day makes me think of the United States, and the people who willingly risk... (read more)

Scooter Rides for All!

May 24, 2009

On our way out, we offered up some scooter rides... and TJ, Erin and Justin were all interested. Erin, preparing to take off down the street... TJ, giving Liz's Vino a test drive. Liz showing Josh (?) where the gas and brakes are. It was fun to see folks... (read more)

Sunday is the Day for Cookouts

After the church service, we had a pretty busy day. Driving back, we had two cookouts to attend to. We loaded up our scooters with some chairs, and drove up to Andersonville to hang out with Jake and Jessy. Suzannah and Jessie (holding her sister's dog, Lilly). Jake in... (read more)

Memorial Day Service, Christian Hills Church

This Sunday, we woke up early to attend a church service for Memorial Day. Liz and Bob were part of a band that was performing at Christian Hills church in Orland Hills. Appropriately, a large flag was flying right outside the front doors. Bob, playing drums with the band...... (read more)

Liz Works on the Front Lawn

May 23, 2009

Liz has taken to working on the front yard some, and is actively wedding and trying to revive our front yard. An initial attempt at spreading grass didn't turn out that well, so she found some kind of mixture that lets you fill in "gaps" with seeds. This is... (read more)

Converting Old VHS Tapes

May 22, 2009

Thanks to both Justin S and Chris for lending me a VCR and digital camera, respectively. I was looking to get some screenshots from my days in show choir, and resorted to trying to pull images off an old VHS cassette tape I had. All this, of course, for... (read more)

Stop Motion Videos

Inspired by a pretty brilliant stop-motion film called Sorry I'm Late, I decided to dig around, and post up several stop-motion films/videos. Happy Friday everyone... Sorry I'm Late - so good that I didn't believe it was stop-motion until I saw the credits. Definitely check out the Making Of section.... (read more)

Ellen DeGeneres Commencement Speech, Tulane University, 2009

May 21, 2009

[via]... (read more)

I-Movix SprintCam v3: HD Slow Motion Video, Over 1000 Frames Per Second

May 20, 2009

This video by David Coiffier made the rounds last month, but bears viewing if you haven't seen it. I'm not exactly sure on the specs of the video camera, but it seems that the Rugby shots were one at 1000 fps (frames per second), and the red jelly was done... (read more)

Chroma Circuit: Colorful Pattern-Matching Game

May 19, 2009

Chroma Circuit is a very colorful game that's more challenging that you would initially think. There's also a great deal of satisfaction to be had, at each level completion. The little audio cue that triggers after every level is like your brain, issuing a small sigh of happiness. Some... (read more)

Evan Jacover: Surprise Birthday Video Present

May 18, 2009

Recently, I mentioned a Chicago blogger named Evan Jacover, and an interesting post he made that caught my eye. This morning, he posted a video birthday card that he got. It's absolutely fantastic, and you just gotta see it for yourself. Heh. SO awesome. Happy Birthday, Evan!... (read more)

Odd Reflection, Caused by a Unique Confluence of Glass and Light

May 17, 2009

I was working in the dining room on Sunday afternoon. Liz walked in and noticed that there was an odd reflection on the ground, near her work table. It was a series of small circles near the leg of the table... but she couldn't figure out what, exactly, was causing... (read more)

Muscle March: Bizarre Japanese Wii Game Featuring Sprinting Bodybuilders, and a Polar Bear

May 16, 2009

Oh Japan. I never quite understand what you're thinking. I simply don't get how your mind works. But I love you for all the wacky stuff you make. Case in point, the trailer for a game called Muscle March. This looks like a legit game, but if it's not... I... (read more)

Favrd: List of Top Twitter Posts Marked as "Favorite"

May 15, 2009

Favrd is a list of Twitter posts that have been favorited by others a set amount of times. The site doesn't go into specifics as to how they go about determining who makes the cut, but their About page is pretty funny. I've wasted a good deal of time... (read more)

Plants vs. Zombies: Ridiculously Addictive Tower Defense Game That I Simply Can't Stop Playing

Ok - I've been sitting on this for almost a week now. I gave this game to Chris as part of his birthday gift, but couldn't post it on the blog before then... for fear he'd download the game or buy it on his own. All week, I've been... (read more)

Chris' Birthday Dinner @ Piece

May 14, 2009

Tonight, a few of us gathered at Piece to surprise Chris on his birthday. Well... technically it was the day *after* his birthday. But Leslie organized a small group, and we all sat down for two large pizzas, and a great deal of beer. I took a few photos from... (read more)

Motoworks Chicago: Picking Up Liz's Vespa

The scooters have been sitting outside all winter, and recently we had the Vespa taken in to get its battery replaced. Liz got the call today that it was ready to be picked up, but she wasn't able to swing by due to her class in the evening. So post-work,... (read more)

First Beatbox Battle Online World Championship: Julia Dales and Daichi

I'm not a huge fan of beatboxing, but I saw two videos this AM that dropped my jaw. So amazing! I'm not even sure I understand how a human can make some of these sounds. Check out Julia Dales, 17, from Canada: Also, check out Daichi, 18, from Japan: Just...... (read more)

In Bb 2.0: Collaborative Music Project with YouTube Videos in Same Key

May 13, 2009

I came across in Bb 2.0 late in the afternoon, and it simply blew me away. All of the YouTube videos on this page are tuned to the same key, and you can create different combinations just by triggering some/all. It doesn't matter which ones, or when you start... (read more)

Pecha Kucha Prep

May 12, 2009

First draft of my upcoming Pecha Kucha talk. I've been going back and forth as to how to begin - writing down notes first, or creating individual slides. I settled on notecards, which felt like a natural in-between. Up until tonight, I've been pretty stressed out and nervous. Not... (read more)

Press Release: PechaKucha Night Chicago presents Volume 9

May 11, 2009

I got the official Press Release for the upcoming Pecha Kucha Night Chicago, where I'll be speaking on June 2nd. I'm including the blurb below (and a link to the PDF). I didn't link up all the slated speakers (many of them have their own sites). I'm running a bit... (read more)

Cassette From My Ex: Story Officially Accepted!

May 10, 2009

Just got word from Jason that my story officially made the cut. Woohoo! Last I heard, there were maybe about 60 total stories, and there was some question whether they would all make it in (due to space limitations). The book is due out in October from St. Martin's... (read more)

Beer and Frisbee, Carol's Pub

May 9, 2009

Liz and I met up with Jake and Jessy at Carol's Pub, one of the few Chicago drinking establishments that apparently stays open until 4AM. Their website is currently under construction, but if you're interested... Carol's is located at 4659 North Clark (about a block south of Lawrence Ave).... (read more)

Friday Challenge: 3 Ball Balance

May 8, 2009

This photo will make a lot more sense if you watch the video, below.... (read more)

Book Review: The Twilight Zone Companion, by Marc Scott Zicree

May 7, 2009

Earlier this week, Jane and I got to talking randomly about the Twilight Zone. We both discussed a few episodes, including some of the ones we found to be super disturbing (many of them had to do with dolls or ventriloquist dummies that suddenly came to life). I mentioned a... (read more)

Crush the Castle: Best Flash-Based Trebuchet Game Ever

May 6, 2009

Crush the Castle is a dangerous, time-sucking game. Armed with a trebuchet, your job is to destroy all the other castles in the land. If you liked Totem Destroyer, this game has some similar physics. I'm happy to see that all my prior research and training is about to... (read more)

Evan Jacover and the Journey to the End of the Night

May 5, 2009

I can't remember when I first came across Evan Jacover's blog. It was a while ago, as he and I traded some emails. He liked my Astronaut Project, and got inspired to create his own approach to integrating Flickr and music: Flickrtunes. Recently, I saw a few posts of... (read more)

Pomegranate Phone: "iPhone Killer" Worthy of the Name

Finally... a mobile phone on the market that's actually worthy of the "iPhone Killer" moniker. The Pomegranate Phone has a pretty impressive list of features, once you go through them all. From the rumors circulating around, I think they've gotten the firmware issues resolved. And now, it's just a... (read more)

Liz Passed Her Exam!

May 4, 2009

It's official! Liz got a note from the Director of her program, and passed her big Cumulative Exam! This was the second of two very big tests for her degree, and hearing that she officially passed was a nice marker, and definitely a huge milestone. Of course, she still has... (read more)

Friday Challenge: Put the Lotion in the (May) Basket

May 3, 2009

I'm not quite sure how or when it first began, but Fridays in the office mean one thing around 3 or 4PM: the weekly Friday Challenge. These pics/videos were taken a few days ago, last Friday. Hosted by Chris, each week's challenge tends to involve some random feat of coordination... (read more)

Liz Makes Rock Candy

May 2, 2009

Liz started messing around with another idea she has for the wedding: homemade rock candy. There's going to be a large candy-table filled with all sorts of stuff, and this is on the list. She's trying out a variety of colors. Apparently, the examples she saw online were all... (read more)

Starting the Morning with a Fire

May 1, 2009

Yesterday morning, walking out of the Red Line at State, I got to the street level to see this: Hidden behind this image are about two additional firetrucks. Lots of cops all over, too. What's particularly unsettling is that, yesterday at the end of the day, I saw a TON... (read more)