Geekness – Page 13 – The Jake of All Trades

Common Creativity

In a previous entry, I talked about my decisions to make my Flickr portfolio, for the most part, creative commons licensed.

Well, curiosity got the better of me, so I went out looking on the Googles for pictures of mine.

First I had to get through the weeds. There are a few websites that offer up Flickr galleries for backgrounds and such, as well as one that just offers up Flickr again (I think for looks, mainly).

I did actually find some people using my pictures for things out there. I just thought I’d highlight a few.

First is one of my desert road shots. This was taken with my iPhone, then highly modified with Snapseed. The site, timetokickbuts.com, takes quotes, mostly inspirational, and adds them to images to increase the affect. I like this because it is not only someone using my work, but they have done something with it. Transformation works are allowed under the BY license I chose. That picture is a combination of two people who have never met. Pretty cool, I’d say. And, well, the quote is pretty good too. (though I think we should do some for ‘writing’, Doris!)

The second is “all work and no play”. This picture was created using Type-writer, a little app that is too much fun to play with some days. It pretends to be a typewriter, with sounds and the joys of no delete. Oh, backspace works, but the letter stays. The post is good too, talking about the iPad and the writing environment. Sometimes less is more. the constraints of the typewriters provided, perhaps, a more focused approach to writing. Surely we see some return to this with the rise of distraction free writing programs, such as ByWord (my weapon of choice for iPhone/iPad/computer writing these days)

The last is coffee shark sleeps. This image is made with sketchbook mobile on my HTC Incredible using a stylus. It was a part of the 365 project, and specifically my all-fish-February. Coffee shark made a few appearances that month. The article is about technology, and apparently a shark dreaming about coffee. Which, I know, is a common thing. Actually it is about how technology is a force that contributes to changes in culture.

I found a few others, this blog uses a Trinidad picture for its background. This blog uses the same pictures just outright. This dictionary of stuff uses one of my Swedish panoramas in its entry for Stockholm. All very cool.

Oh, and what would the internet be without a blog of cats.

But… but… you weren’t PAID for any of that! No. No I wasn’t. And that is ok. Nothing above is a paying gig that I have somehow lost by licensing my stuff by CC. All of them have, as they were supposed to, credited me with the picture.

My only wish with all of this is that somehow I’d known about these things. I know that isn’t a part of the requirements… which I am certainly ok with. From an artist standpoint, I’d like to see what the kids are doing out there in the wild.

I’ve updated my Flickr profile with more information in hopes to get feedback when someone grabs a shot for something they are working on. Still, in the end, it is a good feeling to see that something I did wasn’t just appreciated by strangers, but used by them for something.

Solar Powered Awsome

I just picked up a new toy for my multi-device digital life. I got the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard, K760. It is a bluetooth keyboard, designed primarily for iPad, that has a solar panel to recharge its internal batteries.

All of these things are awesome.

It is small, but not so small it is uncomfortable to type on. The keys seem sturdy, and it is solar re-charged. This means that the search for AA’s while on travel will be kept to a minimum.

But here is the great part: it has three device buttons on the top left. See, you pair the keyboard with your iPad and your iPhone. Need to connect to iPad? hit 1. Need to connect to iPhone? hit 2. So, right now as I am writing, I have my phone playing music. I hit 2, jump to the phone, change the volume, and then hit 1, and am back on the iPad. My hands never leave the keyboard. Pretty cool.

And it has one more button left! So I can pair it with one more device. Sounds like an excuse to get a new toy if I have ever heard one.

So? So why did I get a keyboard for my phone? Well, first off, I am a geek. Second, i anticipate it will help make certain programs, like Byword and pages, more useful on my phone and iPad. I can now type faster and longer on these devices. Being able to type on my phone will be especially useful on an airplane, where there is barely room for me, much less a computer in front of me.

Will this replace my laptop? Doubtful. Instead it is providing another option for my travels. And options, I believe, are important.

I mention it is solar powered? techno-hippie all the way.

Zombies, Run! Part 2

Run: 1.58 miles, Time: 21:24

Where was I?

The hospital. I’d grabbed some supplies and some papers, and headed back out towards the tower. Sam is back on the radio. He sees me, and sees I have found something.

Guard it with your life, the Doctor says. I think that means if I see zombies not to drop the papers while i run for my life, but i’ll ask for clarification when I get there.

Maybe I am getting numb, I think, but it seems to be getting easier.

I have a way with timing, I have learned. Sure there are a thousand stories I could related about my poor timing events, but this one should demonstrate it. As soon as that thought was done two things happen. The first is that this pain starts up my left leg. It isn’t quite a cramp, but close. The second is that Sam’s voice comes back over the radio.

There are zombies coming. Great I think. They are catching up, he says. Fast zombies? Great. Fast zombies suck. Run, he says, run, and I do.

Runner 7 comes on the radio, tells me they are sending people with guns to provide cover, but whatever I do, don’t stop. She’s right behind me.

She? I hear Sam talking, through the mumbles and the “oh no”’s and my general panting and hard breaths I catch on who is behind me. The previous runner 5. You know, the one who I was told was really fast?

Apparently the pseudo-afterlife hadn’t taken that away from her yet.

My leg is on fire, and I have a simple realization: i can’t do this much longer. The gate opens and I see my fellow living emerge with guns, bringing me in.

Welcome to Abel, I hear. Let’s hope I’ve made the right choice.

I mention this game is great? Go get running shoes and go for it. iOS now, Android on the way.