Friday February 25, 2005 - 1:45AM EDT
I was just remebering my first summer job in 9th grade working at SmithKline Beecham doing computer support. One of the guys I worked with would say that you should practice using windows without a mouse so just in case you didn't have a mouse you wouldn't be stuck. I've never heard anyone else say that since, but since then I have always taken that advice and it has helped me out in a few situations. I kind of laugh inside a little when over the years when I've worked with other techs who always need a mouse and are lost without one. Well maybe not lost exactly but begin to harp on "where's the mouse."
Been there
I don't know. I don't like taking an objective look at my life. It's depressing. My personal standards are outrageously unachievable. I'm annoyed that I can't speak Japanese, Chinese and Spanish fluently even though I have studied all of them for more than 2 years. I really should be able to and be working on more languages. I'm angry that I never buckled down and studied calculus and physics with any real gusto (if I want to build a spaceship I need those). It gets to me that although I am an educated writer I never took writing seriously enough to become a good writer. My writing is so slipshod it is pathetic sometimes. It just feels like at 23 I should have done more by now. That sounds crazy, I'm only 23 right. You're supposed to say these things... I don't know when, fuck. I'm mad that I don't remeber all the biology I learned in honors Bio in high school. There was some really important stuff in that class about a lot of things and I don't remeber all of it. This whole things sounds crazy, like I am some arrogant bastard. Just feels like I...wasted? Wasted? Is that what I want to say, wasted? Maybe not wasted. I've such a laid back approach to a lot of things, except for certain things that I obsess over. I am so broke and have no prospects of a job. Well I could just get any job, but can't I find something that I like doing in a decent work environment. I don't know. It's snowing here again and I hate it. I say I want to make movie, right. I do, lets be sure about that, but hollywood movies, there seems to be so much attached to it, what do I know about hollywood movies besides the product I see on the screen. I don't know. Seems like there is some strange attachment to most things in life, but sensless attachments. There are many things one can accept as apart of a situation but people take the acceptance too far sometimes. Sometimes senseless things get done because of this blanket acceptance of "strings attached." Then when you try to do something without those sensless attachments you get criticized, ostracized, looked at stupidly. I guess I still can't believe that most people don't ferociously question everything that ever happens in their life like I do. Maybe that's why my head hurts so much, ha.
I've got plenty of ideas right now so that is not a problem. Turning them into something worthwhile is another issue. More importantly is the fact that I am broke and living in my parents house leeching off them. I gotta stop that and either crawl back to THE MAN for a job or turn one of the ideas into something. Guess which one is going to happen first, ha. I just want to pay off my school loans and stop living in my parents house without having to let THE MAN shove his agenda up my ass. I just want to contribute to soceity without damaging it in the process or being called out because your not trying to screw people out of their dollar. Fuck I'm bored right now. And can't sleep or focus enough to do anything productive. What am I doing? I am sitting here at 2:30 am lauging over dilbert comics. Damn I am such a loser.
Thursday February 24, 2005 - 10:28PM EDT
I will not use the name of my software in my blog again. Mainly because it will showup in search results and people will know that a crazy man created it. Not that I don't want people reading my blog but I write a lot of nutty stuff in here and things I write can change radically from one post to another. Ah well. Anyway so I found a comment about the software on a polish website. The only way I knew it was polish was the .pl in the domain name. I then copied the text into a polish tranlator and got the gist of what the comment was. It was saying that the browser does it for you already why do you need it. Very true comment and it is something I think about a lot. But when I came up with the software I knew this and thought maybe the creator of the website would like to direct people to certain places for monetary gain or because they know their content would work best with certain links. So it is really a matter of choice (like The Matrix). I have begun the free giveaway of the software. If nothing else comes out of this at least I want to have the satisfaction of people using my software. So that other company finnally came out with their software that competes with me. Again though, their approach is different and is not as open as mine. I am wondering whether the kind of wide-open approach I am taking to the functionality of the software and letting anybody have easy access to it will prevail. Maybe not when it comes to money but at least maybe when concerning use. I don't know. Well now that I have started the special offer of free accounts I have to get some more users tomorrow? Right?
Using server side code with the software would open up a lot of things. Dynamic seed creation would be one of them. Being able to save excerpts and quotes. Some type of online document review system where one could make edit marks and save them. Funny thing about that last idea is that I wanted to do that freshman year of college but didn't know how. Now I know how it could work. I guess I'll put that idea with the rest of em.
Wednesday February 23, 2005 - 7:55PM EDT
I want to create a "buzz" with my software. I check the website statistics every day to see if I get any new links from anywhere. I usually get one or two new links a day from different websites. I check the website it came from and it is usually a positive comment(so far) posted on someone's blog. So, I have a new idea for marketing and selling this thing. I'll need to create a presentation, but I feel good about this idea, I think it will work.
Wednesday February 23, 2005 - 6:04PM EDT
Its only 6pm but its feels much later. I've been working all day on the software. I've also been mulling over some new ideas. I also been thinking about more ways to promote the software, since I haven't sold any yet, but I really haven't gone all out in promotion though so it is not surprising. Not sure what to do next in the way of promotion, especially without having much cash. I'll come up with something, soon.
Wednesday February 23, 2005 - 3:19PM EDT
I had set aside today to work on other things but I got caught up with some bug fixes to the software that has eaten the last 4 hours. It was good though because I addressed some key issues. I will begin the special promotion soon to see if I can get some users. Recruiter from San Fran email today to tell me that the company has started phone interviews this week. Hopefully I'll get a call and then get an in person interview. Problem is, that I would have to fly out there for the in person and I am not guaranteed the job. Either way I would probably have to fly back and forth twice if I got the job. I found out the company name and it is a DVD creation software company. They make one of the most popular DVD creation products on the market, I think a lot of hollywood studios use their product to make DVDs. They also have an office in Tokyo, Shanghai and Taiwan. Maybe my Japanese and Chinese skills will interest them more than the average company. Along with the DVD authorting and multimedia projects that I have done. Who knows. In my daily tech research I recently came across browser features I didn't know about before and am itching to try out some new things for this blog and the software that will really be cool. I am kind of surprised that these features aren't used more since they are a few years old. The possibilities with these features are huge for those who can come up with something useful. I could effectively create a complete word processing clone in a browser that would be just as good as if not better in some aspects than OS based word processors. In fact the same could be done for spreadsheet programs and just about any program. With these features the browser has the chance to take over all office applications. Word processors, spreadsheets and email being the main apps. You could duplicate their functionality exactly and no one would know the difference. It would probably make them better. The only issue is Internet connectivity, but I would assume is most cases especially future cases Internet connectivity for the computer would be standard. This would be a massive project but it could be done.
I was just thinking about when I worked at MBNA and the pure ignorance of some people. I was just thinking about how all the so called "experts" on Oracle were baffled by certain things not working. The solution was so freaking basic is was appalling that these people ran this very expensive system that the company counted on. All those "experts" had been dumfounded by this problem or simply just ignored it. And they probably still are because they never took my advice on how to fix.
Tuesday February 22, 2005 - 1:11AM EDT
I am getting visitors to my software's website but no sales yet. Going to make some modifications to the site to make things simpler and show people more of what the software can do. Hopefully that will encourage purchases. I really have to watch my spelling, I don't really review these posts for grammar or spelling but I know there are a lot of errors. I have a list of ideas for improvements that I want to add, but I'll feel out my current version for a bit before I make any major upgrades. I'm hungry.
I really like the pictures the digital camera I bought takes. They are really clear and are on par with any 35mm camera that uses film. I just wish it had optical zoom. I should make two mofications to this blogging software. One to post pictures and other for comments. I'll get around to it one night I guess. I need some more anecdotes, but I have none. I'm hungry.
Monday February 21, 2005 - 5:54AM EDT
Had to make a quick post before I went to sleep. I just got in right now because of the snow. I went to see a movie and couldn't make it back to my house because the car I drive sucks in the snow and couldn't make it up hills. So I just chilled at a Wawa for about 5 hours in the car until it stopped snowing and they cleared most of the roads. I hate this cold, I hate this snow. Got a few improvements to make to the software's website. Mainly to give people a better glimpse of what it can do and hopefully convince people to buy it. I was thinking about the software while driving home in this terrible fucking weather and I came upon the thought of context. I have thought about this before but this is the first time I have comeback to this thought in a few months. The software could have the ability to improve search engine results. Think about it. When one types a keyword into a search engine looking for something there is very little context to the search. It is just like going up to someone out of the blue and saying a single word and expecting them to know how to respond to you. With the software when you use it to search for a word the search engine has the keyword and the website you came from. The search engine can apply context to your search criteria based on the site you came from (and maybe even the particular paragraph or sentence) and rank your results accordingly. I wish I had a good example to demonstrate but I can't think of one at the moment. But we all know when it happens, when you are searching for something completely different than what the search engine brings back simply because it does not know whether you are talking about cars or chicken dumplings. Maybe it is not that big of a help, but there is definately something there.
While in San Fran I neglected to post some rather curious moments. Like when I was at the corner of a fairly busy intersection waiting for the light to turn green and this old man comes strolling into traffic. At first I though "must be senial or soemthing". The car (which had the green light) slowed, and this is where it gets strange, the old man stops right in the cars path and begins to stare down the driver. The unfortunate young man driving was dumfounded and didn't know what to do. The old man began to walk away when suddenly he took two steps back and gave the driver another stare down. Mind you the light is still green for the driver and he is just shrugging his shoulders wondering what the fuck this old codger is doing. The old man decides it time to move on and promptly stands in next lane of traffic giving the stare down to another driver. By this time the light has turned red and the old man is reveling in the moment. Once again he feints a walk away and goes back to the stare down with the second driver. Eventually he crosses the street and waits on the corner staring down every driver waiting at the light and begins to yell nonsensical garbage. This is where the story ends because I was half a block away by this time watching this old coot show those road hogs who boss.
I'm tired time for sleep.
Sunday February 20, 2005 - 1:59AM EDT
It is still cold outside, too cold for me. I've submitted the software to 17 webmaster tool sites to try and get the word out. Not much but a start nonetheless. I need a jump in exposure somehow. Maybe an article written or a big website using it. I have to figure out something. Maybe I can crack the blogosphere with this software. That would be good if every blogger on the planet wanted the software. I am just about done huffart.com and will be working on the brother's website. I am hoping to make the software I created to manager their pitures into a service. Definately something there. I just need time, these things take time, time that I guess I have, but I have no patience. I have no money though and no job, nor do I have any real prospects of a job. Been looking but nothing real so far.
I saw Constantine recently. I liked it a lot. Story was pretty basic, but there were good visual effects. Awesome acting all around, Reeves, Weisz, Hounsou. You can't complain about the actors in this. I would say the story was very safe which some people might find boring. But I like those types of movies that have that simplistic and cliched dialogue in some scences. I particularly like the type of character Constantine is. The person who has their own plan and could give a fuck about everyone else's rules and ethics. They don't believe in this so called society or world they just have a few simple things that they do and they do it on their own terms by whatever means neccessary, while still having their own sense of rules and ethics. They just don't care what anybody else thinks. Reeves did an awesome job with Constantine. Reeves has good range in his roles. Although you think of Neo because of the colors and timing Constantine is nothing like him and while watching you never even think of The Matrix and Neo. They are very different characters and it shows in Reeves portrayal.
Hitch was also good, I was actually surprised at how good it was. Will Smith was allowed his silly moments which were hilarious but mainly played it straight and was good at it. Kevin James was even better though. So believable as Albert in his unrealized potential and infinite quirkiness. Solid performances all around. The last 10 minutes though seemed laboured as if they had run out of ideas and filled it with formuliac romatic comedy desperate plea ending. Unlike the end of There is Something About Mary which was clever and keep the cliched fluff to a bare minimum Hitch seemed to pile it on. The great part about Hitch were the off-the-wall comedic moment where Smith's faced blows up like a ballon after an alegeric reaction and the vegetable fight in the kitchen. What was great about it is that the setup lulled you into thinking everything was going fine then all of a sudden things blow up in Hitch's face. Unfortunately there were a few scenes that were hacknyed and just seemed corny. They didn't take away from the movie, it just felt like they didn't below with some of the movie's wackier moments.
I want to go back to California. As soon as I got back here I got depressed and didn't want to get out of bed in the morning. While in San Fran I got up early and didn't feel like garbage. I stayed up all day and didn't feel tired in the middle of the day.
I hate this cold, I hate this cold... - comments(0)
Saturday February 19, 2005 - 1:47AM EDT
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hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I hate this cold.I just want to pay off my loans, make a enough money on software to carve out a meager living and spend the next five to ten years depressed in a tiny apartment in some city writing screenplay after screenplay at which point I just give up and become an alcholic and die of sirrohsis at age 45, someplace warm.
Friday February 18, 2005 - 7:17PM EDT
Can anyone guess where this piece of a movie quote comes from.
Hey, she's tough. She's a harbor chick!
Well if you don't know just highlight the quote and you can find out by searching in the IMDB movie quote database. Pretty cool ehh!
Thursday February 17, 2005 - 3:00AM EDT
In my continued search for competition to the software I have food that there are quite a few things out there that are similar in many ways, from companies large and small. But none take the approach I have. I am just hoping that my approach is going to be the winner.
Wednesday February 16, 2005 - 9:35PM EDT
I just watched the Sixers lose to Detriot, what a surprise.
Wednesday February 16, 2005 - 2:13AM EDT
I go back to Philadelphia soon. Got a few calls from recruiters but no interviews, still some hope though, I think. It is so much warmer here than Philadelphia. I'm hoping that this software thing works out, but it is a lot of waiting to see what happens right now. Not that I am not doing anything but I am just kind of waiting for people to start using it and get reaction. There is definately a bit of competition out there, though no one does it exactly the same way I do it, or have the same approach I have. I am hoping that will help be the difference. Ah well, time for sleep.
Tuesday February 15, 2005 - 8:16PM EDT
Now that I have finnaly launched the software what's next? I have worked out some of the issues I was dealing with the site, though there are still a few things left. Now I am just trying to get the word out and get some websites using it. I'll just see how things progress over the next few months and keep adjusting. Will this thing work out? I don't know.
Monday February 14, 2005 - 11:50PM EDT
Well I have gotten my first user of LinkZu. They only downloaded the demo version, but nonetheless they are using LinkZu. Some website called www.omaui.com. It is a surf report website for Hawaii. But sure enough if you go to the website and highlight a word, LinkZu is in action (demo version). Maybe they are just testing it out and will get rid of it later, who knows, ah well. Now if I can just make some sales of the full version. They installed it properly and it worked without a problem on their site. I have also gotten a few hits from my hotscripts listing too. Still need to workout a few things with the website, but it is still fully functional and running.
Saturday February 12, 2005 - 3:06AM EDT
I havent't posted in a while so this is the blog you have all been waiting for. Feel free to respond through email. First off it is 11:51pm pacific time and I am a bit tipsy. Tonight at a bar called Lost and Found I ran into Stephen Jenkins, the lead singer of Third Eye Blind (I am a huge Third Eye Blind fan), he lives in San Francisco and we had a brief conversation. I told him how much I liked his music and he gave me a "cheers". Seems like a cool dude, I mean I wasn't crazy fan coming up to him, I just went up to him and told him I that his music was awesome and that I went to a concert of his at Bryn Mawr college. He said that this was his neighborhood and asked me how I liked the concert. I told him it was cool, and then he asked my name and what I was doing out here in San Fran (since I said I went to Villanova). I filled him in and that was it, simple conversation, but never really talked to a "celebrity" before, so I made my day. Ok so I have launched the LinkZu software officialy and already I have come up with some wicked cool ideas to improve it and kick the shit out of my competitors. I don't think I have a problem with innovation when it comes to competition (I got them beat for sure), it is now just a marketing thing and getting my name out there. Funny thing, the web hosting company I signed up with to host the site, one of the support people who was helping me with my SSL certificate sent me and email about how innovative they thought the software was, nice ego boost, but I still have a lot of work to do. Basically I have to work out a few kinks with the payment process (although it works completely without a problem) and add a few features to the web-based tools. Jody if your reading this, very shortly it will be ready for your website (oh yeah, someone said the site looks very professional, so awesome job dude, as if you didn't know it already, just give me your logo and I'll put it on the site). Just wait for my email. So these last 3 days I have been putting a lot of work into the site, just a few more things to iron out, then I can begin serious marketing. Maybe this will workout, maybe it won't, who knows?
I have my digital camera with me so pictures of San Fran to come soon.
Saturday February 5, 2005 - 9:04PM EDT
Yes I like the original Star Wars for those of you who noticed. This development with Linkzu is good I think. It gives me an extra challenge and some new ideas. Can't wait for San Francisco. There is a small chance at a job with a major software company in California. That would be great. Ok time to finish watching The Matrix.
Saturday February 5, 2005 - 5:35PM EDT
What to do? Hmm.. I'll have to adjust my plan. I can still make something of this. Yes, I have a new plan now. Awesome.
Saturday February 5, 2005 - 12:54PM EDT
I am screwed. Fuck. A major internet company just launced a software that is similar to what I am about to launch. So on Monday I will launch everything, I was just waiting on the bank account but I need to get some exposure so Paypal here I come. This will just be temporary until I get the bank account. Maybe I need to offer a free version. I have all the software done, today I'll finish up some computers I was working on and work like a madman to get the website up and the script listed on the websites. My software is slightly different, but fuck I am still screwed. Ok no problem, I can beat them. I am one man and they are an army of software engineers and internet marketers. Ok I'll get the website up and running and the software listed on my shortlist of script sites by tomorrow. Monday I begin trying to contact all of my competetion's competitors and see if I can get some face time. Fly out to San Fran on Tuesday and try to sell the software to them. Fuck how unrealistic is this plan, fuck I am screwed. No I'll win, I'll come out ahead, yes I am determined, fuck it.
Thursday February 3, 2005 - 2:16PM EDT
My flight for San Francisco is booked and I am leaving on the 8th to spend two weeks in sunny California. Ok so San Francisco isn't 80 but 55-60 is much better than this trash I have to suffer through now. I just need to find a job now.