Status Update

Hi. I have a lot to cover here.

Also, please excuse the 2009-2010 layout/colors. I'm setting up a new one... it just takes awhile because I can't do it laying down (literally, laying down).

Note: this may not be interesting/relevant if you don't know me on some kind of personal level. Feel free to browse other things. Enjoy picture of cats in boxes, or look at this inkblog post. Or these assorted images including Hipstamatic iPhone 4 pics (more soon). And join Zurker, a social network you can own so we can become friends.

Miscellaneous personal stuff:

• I think the satsuma mandarin orange season is at an end. Thanks to Chow Lafayette, I've managed to get almost 30lbs of oranges per week since December. Luckily, California has a lot of raspberries!

• This crazy Bay Area weather has been giving me daily migraines. Sometimes lasting up to 20 hours, I haven't had much relief. I think my migraines have been triggered by barometric pressure changes.

• I've been studying/trying to play Chess. Until recently, I hadn't had much interest in the game, but I played Go, then Gomoku, and that led me to Chess.

• I dig Shortmail. Using their iPhone app and my Twitter, @bradtastic, I setup simplified email in one minute. This format is based on the Email Charter — principles to eliminate email overload — found here.

Blog consolidation; goodbye, TypePad.

I've wanted to like TypePad since using MovableType at AIS, years ago. I just... don't. I want to like it; it's got a good team behind it, some interesting features, but poor layouts and themes. I don't know enough programming to make my own, and with time constraints and constant pain, I won't be learning anytime soon. Learning programming isn't just reading, it's trial & error — and not accomplished easily on the iPad.

So unless SAY:Media or someone is willing to pay for my disability blog, I'll be moving the content here. This isn't ideal, but it'll be easier to maintain. It also means gaming info and iOS app reviews will be mixed together with information on my condition.

For now, I'll keep the domain names — they're paid for — I'll just point them here.

Squarespace vs WordPress

I've been reading some blogging guides about setting up WordPress and other things (including Posterous and Tumblr). I want to keep writing and sharing — it's therapeutic — but I also want to keep costs down. Some blogging concerns are stability, aesthetics, typography, and file management. My goal is to share my photography, illustrations and design alongside writing. I love Squarespace's themes and CMS, but I don't care for the blogging/editing UI — it isn't touch and small-screen friendly. I adore their customer service, however.

A real iPad blogging tool, Blogsy, by fomola.

I found this app called Blogsy — subsequently communicating with it's developer/owner — and am now convinced that blogging from iPad will continue to be viable, if not someday preferred. Blogsy doesn't support Squarespace yet, but I've been told that that's a planned addition. I've used each of the services that it does support, and I'm starting to question my Squarespace convictions.

I hope to continue learning about technology and tools while I practice and strengthen my writing. I've been reluctant to share my fiction attempts, but perhaps it's time for more change.

This is a big year with Olympics, elections and Mayan doomsday predictions myths. Hopefully I can learn to better manage my disability and life, and share some of that — you know, before the world ends.

Changes, says Brad

Things have been sort of static. Many changes this year; friends, people, politics, society, work, health. If I had more time during the day to do things, you'd probably be able to read all about it. As things are, I just can't keep up. Kim Jong Il is dead now, though. Merry Christmas.

So here's what's going on. I'm spending time on illustrations, science, physics and general design, and I've been looking into my disability, health and general well-being. Made some discoveries. I've gotten a lot of great ideas this year from Apple, Disney, console video games and iOS apps (and their developers).

I'm going to try to get out more, and use the iPhone's good-enough camera. Instagram, Hipstamatic, Camera+ and a number of photo editing apps make iPhotography really fun. I've been thinking about switching to 4S (8MP camera, Siri and Sprint — AT&T SUCKS), but I'm hesitant, because of the 3GS. I think the iPhone 5 isn't far away and will be a major upgrade over the 4S, and will share hardware with the iPad 3. Why wouldn't Apple do this? The iPhone 4 form factor isn't that great, and it'll soon be surpassed by Android alternatives (some think that this has already happened). I'm excited about a retina display iPad.

If you have an iPad and you like games, oh wow. Infinity Blade II, GTA3, Bard's Tale... how many hours of fun is that?! Enjoy it. This is an amazing time, despite the turmoil that the world is going through. If life outside is looking too bleak, step into Skyrim. It's great there — you can kill dragons!

I want to share more about health, fitness, self-defense (these are crazy times) and my disability, and this is probably the place to do that. I don't need Typepad. I've tried to like SAY's service, but I just don't, really. If I knew how to properly monetize my blog, it might be worth it, but I'm not sure that I'd want to do that. I wouldn't mind advertising on my blog, but I'd want to advertise Bradtastic Approved things, things I use and love. Maybe there's content there worth saving; I'll have to spend a few hours going through it and figuring out what to bring over here... maybe I'll setup a few pages with the best of the best content.

I've decided to change my diet and focus on super foods and micronutrients. Veggies, fruits (I love satsuma oranges) and some mercury-free fish every now and then. No more red meat. More brain foods.

There are a few people I'm interested in spending more time with... I'm going to change my schedule to accommodate this change. I think I need to. I had so much more energy in Disneyland because of the sheer number of people there... it was amazing. It felt like 2008; needing only a few hours of sleep, that sense of true clarity. And now that the weather is more to my liking, it's the perfect time to take advantage. Of everything.

Enjoy the holidays. Life is short.

Enhancing and beyond

First, I really wish TypePad or Squarespace would release an iPad-specific app for blogging — Squarespace’s web-UI only partially functions on the device (example: image uploading doesnt work in iPad Safari). I suppose I could use the iPhone app, but I’d lose the iPad’s improved keyboard.

I mention TypePad because, if they were to create a nice iPad app, I’d consider using them for my new Bradtastic site — and possibly suggest the Six Apart service as a new home for AIS. I want to utilize Typekit; at my new Bradtastic site, and possibly in the future, here.

I have a much better idea of what I’m going to write about and share. So much has happened over the past two-weeks; I’ve met amazing people, I’m working on amazing projects, and I’ve felt a bit better physically, too. I am somewhat saddened watching the French Open — I truly loved playing Tennis… I hope someday I’ll be physically able to again.

Bradtastic’s not so superfluous superfloo.us, and print work…

I’m working on some new designs and am carefully — lovingly — crafting a new feel for my “branding.” I do hope you enjoy it.

A glimpse of what’s coming.

iPad reviews, app reviews, my thoughts on Flash and web design, thoughts on typography and design… and most importantly, my 2010 — and what’s beyond.