Advogato blog for bse

Why We Ride

Sun, 6 Jul 2008 21:08:27 GMT

Why We Ride ⇢

Once freed of your steel cage you are thrust into the world to experience a broader existence unfettered by HEPA filters and climate control. Your nose will get a vivid introduction to skunk roadkill and diesel exhaust, but will also revel in bread baking and plants blooming. Your body will feel the thousand tiny impacts of raindrops and absorb the buffeting of the wind. Your skin will feel the gently warming temperature as you crest a hill and drop to the valley floor below. You are no longer huddled behind a wheel disconnected from nature. It's Lawrence of Arabia in Cinerama versus a daguerreotype of a camel.

On my route home from work, right after the freeway exit, is some form of bakery. Either doughnuts or bread. It's commercial and sweet smelling. But every time I exit the 880, I smell fresh baked goods. Only on a bike.

Smash TV

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:09:06 GMT

I was out on my usual East Bay weekend route this morning, the one that takes me to Orinda, Bear Creek Road, and Alhambra Valley Road. Two things made it a more eventful ride than it would have otherwise been.

The hunt for a petrol station, when you're miles from running on fumes, tends to bring awareness of previously untraveled roads, and knowledge of where certain roads lead. In the hills, detour signs are apparently left up longer than they need to be.

Also, as I hurtled along Bear Creek Road, I noticed the above smashed up television on the side of the road. A McDonalds bag and bottle full of stones were scattered nearby.

Backlog Unblocked

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:04:04 GMT

I've had a bit of a photo uploading backlog, which now appears to be all caught up. Going back a month to my Berryessa ride, a couple other rides, a beach birthday, and a couple CC events. Phew!

Since OSX now supports the RAW format my XSi produces, and Aperture now runs smoothly, I have little excuse to create such a backlog again. I just need to continue taking more photos, of course.

Still Lost

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:07:06 GMT

21 days later, and I just wrapped up LOST season 2. Can I get through the third before the month is out? Possibly, but I'm not going to be determined about it.

There's little point in me dissecting the series, I'm late to the party, and the dissection has been done, several times already). But while lots of things don't, and may never get explained, there is plenty of lore development and character intersection to keep it interesting.

DHARMA and Hanso, what's going on there? There's already been one character intersection between DHARMA and the Oceanic survivors. Two, if you count Desmond and Jack.

His name is Gilbert

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:04:06 GMT

An experiment with multiple jointed limbs in the Spore Creature Creator.

Big Buck Bunny

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 04:07:57 GMT

Big Buck Bunny, the latest open movie, modeled, rendered, and composited entirely with Blender, by the same team as Elephants Dream. Licensed CC BY 3.0.

Great stuff, especially in high-def, easily rivaling Pixar and classic WB Merry Melodies.

Lost?

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 07:06:39 GMT

The plan for today was lightly documenting my week long holiday of exploring the local roads, and areas I'd never ridden. Namely, Berryessa, 9, and the Berkeley hills. My favourite of which being, strangely, the Berkeley hills -- everyone already knows the greatness of Grizzly Peak, but Bear Creek and Alhambra Valley are also awesome rides. Berkeley is also a damn sight closer than the other, terribly interesting and fun, locations.

No, instead, against better judgment, I decided to start watching LOST. I've got a lot of catching up to do, it would seem. Some may think me crazy, but I believe it falls nicely into the post-apocalyptic genre I've been so intently reading lately -- ie, survival after everything is lost, coming to terms with the end of your known world, restructuring society, and fighting weird, unknown monsters, apparently.

I liked Jericho for similar reasons, except that came with conspiracy theories.

Also, darn, another TV show to eat away my precious time. I thought I was done for that, for now, after devouring both seasons of Dexter.

Broken Key

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:12:08 GMT

After work today, I stopped off for some food with Patrick. A pair of salmon skewers at a local Asqew Grill, with some fairly interesting mashed potatoes. Pretty tasty, I far prefer their dine-in food than the often dodgy catered output.

Well, that is, until a few hours ago.

As I departed the SF Centre, donning my helmet and preparing for the ride home, my stomach started to feel a tad unsettled. No matter. By the time I had successfully traversed the Bay Bridge, I wasn't feeling too excellent. By the time I got to my parking spot and dismounted, I really wasn't feeling too excellent.

In my haste to feel excellent again, my unlocking movements were less than graceful. Instead of a smooth insert, twist, open, remove motion, I forgot the remove part. My legs moved before my hand could finish the gesture, or do anything for that matter. It remained in the unlock position.

The remove motion occurred mere milliseconds after, milliseconds too late. Oh fuck. An utterly bewildered attempt to just get the key out, at this point, resulted in the snapping of soft, fatigued metal.

Oh fuck, indeed.

After resolving my, other, issue. I completed removing my armour, stepped out, and alerted my landlady to what had gone down. And at that moment I had never done as great an accidental impression of Hugh Grant as I did trying to quickly explain the key.

I, uh, not sure, was in a hurry, key, er, sorry. So very sorry.

A nearby neighbour also inquired about the situation, without any apparent irritation, nice guy. Landlady was very nice about it, gave me a replacement, and gave no berating. Other first floor neighbours may not be so happy about the now broken lock. Oops.

Frutiger Serif

Wed, 21 May 2008 23:09:35 GMT

Frutiger Serif ⇢

Font development is slow, so it's safe to say this is right on the tail of Meta Serif. Days before Adrian Frutiger's birthday, Linotype has released a serif version of his namesake, based on Meridien with metrics and styles similar to the sans.

Verdana Serif, coming soon.

Five Rules to Book Design

Sun, 18 May 2008 07:07:46 GMT

John Gall on his five rules to book cover design.

[Via Kottke]