Field Notes

Google Chrome for Mac is Here

Been waiting and got the email today.  

Google Chrome is available for Mac.

I really like the other Google apps I use, so I am ready to test drive this too.

I'm a Firefox guy.  

Not crazy about Safari. 

We'll see what it's like.

Try it out here:

www.google.com/chrome

Rolling Out the Winter Look

I was going to wait until the time change to introduce the new winter design, but I'll be gone to see Brian as Illinois "takes on" Michigan, so here it is, a few hours early.

Typepad just rolled out this new theme.  It is supposed to be designed for microblogging.

I hope to do more posting via email, twitter and iphone.

Don't know the guy in the image, but he's scribbling field notes!

The first couple sidebar items are not optional or I'd change them.

Tweets will now be found in the top post rather than a sidebar. 

Thanks for continuing to be part of the conversation.  

Many of you don't visit the blog directly because you use a reader.  For those who do come by, I hope you like the change.

In October the blog turned four. 

It's been a fun ride!  Thanks.

Not So Funny After All

Last night I got a call from a friend.  He was laughing at my latest typo.  It was on the post I had clipped from Mark Batterson on Intelligent Design.  I named it 747 From Scratch, or so I thought.  The title now read 747 Front Scratch.  Yikes!

Given my propensity for typos, I was not surprised, though I could not figure out how an "m" could have so randomly become an "nt." 

As I was browsing my Google Reader this morning I saw my original post.  Guess what...no typo.  Someone changed it.  Someone hijacked access to my TypePad Account.  Someone, I am guessing, who opposes Intelligent Design.

Here's a screenshot of the original:

You can clearly see the original post date...April 2.

Here's the irony.  The saboteur proved Mark's point.  It took someone with intelligence to change one letter to two.  The letters did not randomly or accidentally change.  They could not.

Thanks for the object lesson anonymous friend.  You said it better than I ever could have.

Too Many Tweets?

Maybe Typepad Should Run for Office

I've been nothing but impressed with Typepad, this blog's provider.

I've had a little issue with widgets.  Won't bore you with details, but I cannot delete some of them without assistance from a tech.

Every time I ask for help they are quick to respond, extremely pleasant and get it right the first time.

I sent a request to delete a widget today.  Honestly, they have been so good about helping me, I felt like I was being a pain and that they would dread seeing my name again, but there is no other way to remove it. 

Here is the response I received:

Hi Dennis-

   We have deleted the widget from your blog. We're sorry to
   hear that you are still unable to delete widgets from your
   blog, and we will look into this issue further.

   As compensation, we have applied a credit to your
   account, and you will receive a discount at your next
   billing cycle.

   As soon as we have more information, we will update your
   ticket. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

   Thanks,
   Jen

What?  Compensation without being asked?  I am stunned.

There are so few companies that go beyond talking customer service and really serve.

Typepad...I am a raving fan!

Fairy Lake

This is unquestionably one of my favorite places on earth.  It is called Fairy Lake, near Bozeman, Montana.  Our family enjoyed one of the best days of our lives at this location in July 1998.

I've been looking for a new banner.  The slice you see is from this complete image:

On Writing Well

Do you like to write?  I am currently rereading an old favorite...On Writing Well by William Zinsser. 

The book gets to the heart of an important writing issue.

Many people try to sound intellectual by being excessively verbose.

(Zinsser would probably nick me on that...excessively verbose.  Verbose says it all.)

He champions simplicity in writing.  This does not mean that a writer cannot have a creative style.  But in defense of style, too many writers try to hard to sound profound instead of simply communicating.  Is our goal to sound impressive or to communicate clearly?

If you like to write, I'd encourage you to get a copy and make it an annual read.

Just an aside...this book was recommended to me in my Trinity Greek class by Scot McKnight.  I appreciate the fact that he did not just care about teaching us Greek, but helping us to grow as communicators.

Spring??

I planned to change from the blog's winter look when Spring came around.

My predetermined sign of Spring was the first robin of the year.

Guess what I saw today...February 10th?

I think re-migration may not be far behind

daily dose of imagery

This remains on of my favorite sites.

He is a photographer from Toronto and captures many Toronto images.  His subject matter has a wide range.  So many of his images cause you to see something ordinary in a new way...like this wreath.

Toronto is one of my favorite cities.  I've been there a few times.  I have some good childhood memories from there.  Plus, from our side of Lake Ontario in WNY we could see Toronto the way we now see Chicago from the dunes on a clear day.

If you use a blog reader, include his site.  You can also visit the site and look at past images.

BTW...my new blog banner is one of his images.

It's a blogiversary

Not mine.  Instead, we're throwing a cyberparty for one of the people I kept bugging to get blogging.

Kelly started like a bunch of us, in October.  Must be a good month for starting up a blog.

I'm glad she took up the challenge.  It's been fun to watch her morph publicly over the past year. 

These are things that I've learned and enjoyed this year:

**The blog title and banner are absolutely perfect.  What a great choice!

**I've enjoyed seeing her express how much she loves Adam and adores her kids.

**She's insightful.  She's given me the chance to see life through someone else's eyes.

**I've appreciated her transparency and vulnerability.

**I think the experience has grown her, and growing is always good.

I looked back at a few posts and picked out some favorites.  There have been many, but these came to my mind without looking, so I went to look them up:

Adventures in Grocery Shopping...the whole series, this is just part one.

Grady and Brandon, her brother.  This image is burned in my mind.  Take some time to go back.  Grady moved from infant to toddler on the blog.  He really grew!

Laugh Again  We usually only see people's public side.  The answer to, "Hi, how are you?" is "Fine", right?  How often are things not fine and we do not have a clue?  In this post we saw someone who was publicly going great and privately, having a rough ride.

So happy blogiverary Kelly. 

I think I speak for your blogging public, we're all so glad you started blogging. 

Keep it up!